Document text
1 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 Is a Welcome Center a good idea? Music on the Mountain: Ski area launching concert series Police looking for possible additional victims in Ashland rape cases Bee college takes to the air Police Reports Education Bee college takes to the air Grizzlies shine at Eugene speech tourney Ashland High School named among best in the state High school Student of the Month: Jackson Richmond Senior party fundraising starts Environment The birdman of Bellview Controlled burn planned for Ashland watershed on Friday Mt. Ashland Ski Area celebrates snow GMO opponents can join Jackson County in defending ban Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Audi R8 Locally grown businesses bid for micro-investor attention Ride & Drive: 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Seed donation helps grow SOU program Local home brewing scene continues to ferment Politics and elections Ballots on Jackson County marijuana tax go out today Kate Brown sworn in as Oregon's 38th governor Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 Sadness, relief greet Kitzhaber resignation locally State News Kate Brown sworn in as Oregon's 38th governor Federal investigation of Kitzhaber to focus on potential financial crimes Gov. Kitzhaber announces resignation Read Gov. John Kitzhaber's statement on his resignation Legislative leaders join in call for Kitzhaber resignation (updated) Nation - World Leonard Nimoy, famous as Mr. Spock on 'Star Trek,' dies Obituaries Death Notices Rita Launa Stitt Rev. James Gillmore Leovy Death Notices Mary Ann (Schuler) Hill Shareable Bank of America is predicting a massive Tesla collapse Mars One attracts science fiction geeks and people who hate society This $1 million Mercedes is like an armored private jet for the road Sports Latest Stories Owls stun No. 8 Raiders Blazers overcome Westbrook's triple-double, rally past Thunder Roles reversed for SOU-OIT matchup Norvell goes from newbie to state favorite Raiders survive High school Owls stun No. 8 Raiders Norvell goes from newbie to state favorite Grizz boys fend off Eagles, earn second straight win Malcolm's big night powers Ashland past N. Eugene Grizzlies suffer another tough loss; SOU softball team sweeps BC Southern Oregon University Owls stun No. 8 Raiders Roles reversed for SOU-OIT matchup Raiders survive Raiders roll into CCC semis A man among boys Voices Latest Stories Herb Rothschild: What to do about ISIS? Granlund cartoon: Leonard Nimoy dies Our View: A growing concern Jeffrey Gillespie: Generation Y and the baby boomers Our View: A change of scenery Editorial Our View: A growing concern Our View: A change of scenery Our View: Pot tax fairness Our View: Cellular dissonance Our View: Keep pot programs separate Letters Letters to the Editor, Feb. 25 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 24 Feb. 20: Letters at length Feb. 18: Letters to the editor Letters to the Editor, Feb. 14 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Growth carries risks Guest Opinion: Legal poisons in our waters Chris Honoré: Public schools: separate, still unequal Guest Opinion: Why so anxious to tax marijuana? Herb Rothschild Jr.: A good day for peace Columns Herb Rothschild: What to do about ISIS? Jeffrey Gillespie: Generation Y and the baby boomers Changes in latitude Michelle Teheux: Will we keep heading down the wrong path? Guest Opinion: Growth carries risks Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Community blog: Writers, submit HAPA plays the Historic Ashland Armory Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas SOU presents 'She Stoops to Conquer' 'Mr. Turner' paints an intense portrait Theater Review: OSF keeps the comedy afloat in 'Much Ado' SOU presents 'She Stoops to Conquer' Ticket Availability SOU's 'The Glass Menagerie' is memory — and memorable Ticket Availability Music Music on the Mountain: Ski area launching concert series Victor D. Infante: Just in time for Valentine’s Day, some favorite breakup songs The Farr Side: Smith dominates, Beck surprises at Grammys Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Movies Movie review: ‘Lazarus Effect’ should have been buried Movie review: Don’t ‘Focus’ on the problems and you’ll enjoy this Neill Blomkamp discusses his new film, ‘Chappie’ Quick Flicks: ‘Jupiter Ascending,’ ‘50 Shades of Grey’ Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Food and Drink Sammich does it Chicago-style Where do Ashland’s top chefs go to dine? Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Community Blog: Accept the Light that you are Mourning a teacher, treasuring the threads he wove Community Blog: You Are IT Ride & Drive: 2015 Audi R8 Health Watch: Sticking to your health plan when your family isn’t helping Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Herb Rothschild: What to do about ISIS? ... Music on the Mountain: Ski area launching concert series ... Police looking for possible additional victims in Ashland rape cases ... Herb Rothschild: What to do about ISIS? ... Music on the Mountain: Ski area launching concert series ... Police looking for possible additional victims in Ashland rape cases ... LOCAL TAKE Is a Welcome Center a good idea? Comment By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Feb. 28, 2015 at 5:27 PM By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Feb. 28, 2015 at 5:27 PM » Social News A large, $12 million Oregon Welcoming Center is planned near the south Ashland interchange, near Crowson Road. It will also house a State Police post. The Siskiyou Safety Rest Area and Welcoming Center has become controversial because it will require water and sewer from the city of Ashland and because it could, opponents say, attract transient non-residents near the Oak Knoll neighborhood, which sits next to the northbound I-5 lanes. The City Council on Feb. 17 voted to rescind its conditional agreement that it would provide water and sewer service only if the rest area was completed in four years. Battles over land use on site were the main obstacle. Plans now call for work to begin in the summer and be complete in 2016.  Ashland deals with low water every summer, nd for the last two years faced drought conditions. This happens to be the same time when tourist traffic peaks, as tourists, mostly from California, seek out Oregon’s lovely beaches, mountains, campgrounds, wineries and countless festivals. The “Welcome to Oregon” center may provide brochures and video clips to help orient tourists to Ashland, but many now use the Internet for that, causing some to ask if the whole idea of a physical welcoming center is obsolete. Then there’s the considerable expense. Why not have some enterprising people do it for profit and spare the taxpayers? Regardless of such concerns, Oregon Department of Transportation and Visit Oregon are going to build it anyway, city leaders say, so why not join in the cause and have some input and control over it? We asked Ashlanders: “Is this Welcome Center a good idea?” Victor Chieco - It’s pretty superfluous. If people want to stop first thing in Oregon, there are lots of restaurants and gas stations, everything you need, right off the exit. Let’s just put up a sign, “Welcome to Oregon.” Most people just need to relieve themselves, get some water and get going. I’d rather see them use that money to pave the freeway. It’s very rough and makes noise you can hear in any part of town. Eileen Chieco - It’s an exorbitant cost. We need the water here. Water is a big issue and getting bigger. I think this is crazy. Most people will go in the Welcome Center and not into our town. We should use the money for elementary education, college tuition, art and music, hiring more teachers. It’s superfluous and I have little faith in the City Council doing the right thing on it. Tim Warren - I’m not opposed to the Visitor Center. I don’t know where the best location would be. That spot certainly provides a good site for visitors coming from the south. I don’t know if I’m for it or against. I can see both sides. Nikki Hart-Brinkley - I understand there’s opposition. ODOT is obligated to build some kind of center. I think we have to bow to the wisdom of community leaders. We have water issues here. I live closes to exit 14 (south Ashland) and I’m not concerned about the safety questions. We just moved here from Michigan and water issues are new to me. Water is a real concern. Our snow pack affects long-term needs and it’s a great concern. Safety is so much less a concern than where I just came from, where violent crime is way up. By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Feb. 28, 2015 at 5:27 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 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501