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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Bellview Grange rings up bumper crop of new members City plans event for TAP line Signups underway for classes for older adults Airport, historic commissioners named; vacancies remain on other panels Boosters Club needs parents to volunteer Education Signups underway for classes for older adults They're back (and they've brought friends) Free TED talk simulcast in Ashland Schneider Children's Center branches out Getting a 'Fresh Start' Environment OR-7's pups true wolves Mt. Ashland Hill Climb Agency says hatcheries OK on Columbia Do you think foods containing GMOs should say so on the label? SOU sells energy credits to Chevy Business Loving the leather at Village Shoes Family Massage center leaving busy corner for homier site Oregon Trail Card users can shop at farmers markets 1-800 Flowers.com to buy Harry & David Happy Labor Day Politics and elections Airport, historic commissioners named; vacancies remain on other panels Two races set for council positions Library district won't take maximum tax rate Commissioner Skundrick plans final four town hall meetings Taking an independent stand State News Nation - World Obituaries Death Notices Dr. Stephen Edward Drabik Martha M. Ekwall Steven J. Borich Dr. Barry Rheault Sports Latest Stories Raiders take down No. 2 Carroll Raiders fight off Northwest Christian (No heading) No. 22 Southern Oregon, No. 2 Carroll set for early-season showdown Boosters Club needs parents to volunteer High school Raiders fight off Northwest Christian Boosters Club needs parents to volunteer Grizzlies off on the right foot Grizzlies' sights set on another playoff run Southern Oregon University Raiders take down No. 2 Carroll Raiders fight off Northwest Christian No. 22 Southern Oregon, No. 2 Carroll set for early-season showdown Grizzlies off on the right foot Toiling on the field Opinion Latest Stories Granlund cartoon: Joan Rivers tribute Granlund cartoon: High-density housing Meeting in the middle Matthew T. Mangino: Facial recognition technology a law enforcement tool Granlund cartoon: Home Depot data breach Editorial Meeting in the middle One small carbon footprint ... Not out of the woods yet Our View: Taking small steps to confront climate change Now's the time to taste the bounty Letters Letters to the Editor, Sept. 4 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 3 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 30 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 29 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 28 Guest opinions Two seemingly disparate moments in history Rauch replies: Frustrating, yes — yet there is method in't The summer of my discontent: An open letter to Bill Rauch Opportunities for civic involvement are plentiful in Ashland Hamas supporters spread anti-Semitism around the world Revels Latest Stories Community blog: Sheila Bender and Jonah Bornstein 'Freud's Last Session" at Ashland Contemporary Theatre CultureFest at Oregon Shakespeare Festival Community blog: Poet Willa Schneberg at Bloomsbury Books Community blog:Ashland Book and Author Festival Coming Soon Theater 'Freud's Last Session" at Ashland Contemporary Theatre Wise cracks and hot licks make for super show OSF adds 'Wrinkle in Time' Family Night Music The Jeff Stanley Trio at Lounge South Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie listings: Sept. 5-11 Movie listings: Aug. 27-Sept. 4 'Calvary' is about darkness and dialogue Varsity Theatre, Ashland Street Cinemas movie listings: Aug. 22-26 'What If' hits the sweet spot Food and Drink World of Wine celebrates local varietals Lifestyle Latest Stories Mt. Ashland Hill Climb 'Spooky action': Peacemaking through synchronicity Community Blog: Communication is an Art Oregon Trail Card users can shop at farmers markets Learning from the dying what people should know about living Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs NEWS NOW OR-7's pups true wolves ... 10 things to know for Friday ... Best Bets: Sept. 4-11 ... OR-7's pups true wolves ... 10 things to know for Friday ... Best Bets: Sept. 4-11 ... MOTHER EARTH NEWS Ashland makes nationwide 'Great Places' list Magazine digs beyond beauty in selecting eight U.S. communities to highlight By John Darling For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 5, 2014 @ 3:46 pm By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 5, 2014 @ 3:46 pm » Social News Ashland may be rich in arts and culture, but, in putting Ashland on its annual list of “Great Places You’ve (Maybe) Never Heard Of,” the widely-read Mother Earth News cited the town’s sense of community, green initiatives and deep volunteer spirit. The magazine, which has an “earth-centered” spin and two million unique hits a year on its website, looks for sustainable communities to feature in the column, says Senior Editor K.C. Compton, who visited Ashland several times and wrote the piece. “I told everyone, 'we have to do Ashland' — not just for the arts, but the strong sense of community and lots of green initiatives going on,” says Compton. “I personally have a theater background and responded to it immediately on that level. When I was out to dinner, everyone talked to me and asked me what shows I’d seen. I really appreciated that.” The story quoted 28-year Ashland resident Katie Gomez about the vast array of volunteer opportunities, in which hundreds of locals participate, including the Master Recycler Program, classes at North Mountain Park and bird-watching outings. ScienceWorks got kudos for its many hands-on activities, camps, family science night and a telescope lending program. Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Southern Oregon University were lauded as engines of high economic and cultural value, followed up by Oregon Cabaret Theater and Ashland Independent Film Festival . “Ashland owes its comfortable, old-timey vibe to community insistence that its 19th-century buildings be preserved,” the story said. “The city now has 48 structures and two historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places. “The city supports several energy-conservation programs, including net metering and financial incentives for residents who install solar systems. The region has experienced serious drought in recent years, but farming and gardening continue to thrive. Ashland recently launched its Lawn Replacement Program to encourage people to replace their lawns with less thirsty features.” A former editor of Mother Earth News, Claire Anderson, now edits Home Power magazine in Ashland and was quoted in the article, saying “We have an amazing assortment of organic family farms here in the Rogue Valley that provide the region with a fantastic variety of food.” Citing the passage of a GMO-ban in Jackson County last May, Anderson said, “That was a huge victory for organic farmers here and for others who want to protect our food supply.” Compton, in a phone interview, said, “Ashland is an activist kind of community. People don’t move there to hide out, but to be really involved in manifesting the sense of community and in volunteering. That’s a really good barometer of community.” She added, "Ashland offers the best of both worlds: big-city culture and a small-town sense of civic pride and neighbors helping neighbors." The bi-monthly magazine started in 1970 and has a circulation of 500,000. It spurred the back-to-the-land movement of the ‘70s and has focused, according to its Wikipedia entry, on “the promotion of renewable energy, recycling, family farms, saner agricultural practices, better eating habits, medical self-care, more meaningful education and affordable housing." The magazine is published by Ogden Publications of Topeka, Kan., which also issues the Utne Reader, Grit, Capper's Farmer and Farm Collector magazines, among others. The other cities on this year's list are Beaufort, S.C.; Bozeman, Mont.; Burlington, Vt.; Evanston, Ill.; Lincoln, Neb.; Penns Valley, Penn.; and Sparta, Tenn. Towns were nominated by magazine readers, social media communities and staff. The magazine with the "Great Places" article is due to hit newsstands Sept. 23. John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Email him at [email protected]. By John Darling For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 5, 2014 @ 3:46 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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