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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Since You Asked: Pointed in the direction of Albuquerque Get Up & Go: Dec. 12 Clothes, toys would brighten holidays for family of seven Emergency services Most residents speak against gas pipeline Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services Two arrested in connection with Monday gunfire Deadly storm: Winds brought heavy across region Criminal charges won't be filed in pedestrian death From social media: the Rogue Valley storm Politics and Elections Time running out for O&C funds GMO vote recount still shows little change GMO labeling votes recounted under careful watch in Jackson County Kent Bush: First Amendment doesn’t mean what you think it means East Medford's the charm Education A lesson in giving Hedrick student council works to clean up the language Table Rock solid: Elementary school praised for keeping attendance up Eagle Point superintendent invited to White House Eagle Point secures perimeter of Table Rock Elementary with new fence Environment Most residents speak against gas pipeline Coalition asks for defense of GMO ban Home Help: Make your new house feel like home Bighorn sheep reintroduced along Klamath River Jackson County judge dismisses one Mt. View Paving case State News GMO labeling proponents concede defeat Tribes can decide whether to legalize pot Lawyer says football player had altercation Congress keeps Coast Guard helicopter flying U of O, grad teachers reach deal Nation - World Grand jury won't indict Ferguson cop in shooting Obituaries Cory Davis Donna Marie Pitblado Lyle Walther Death Notices Carolyn Sue Corzine Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories Panthers roll to dual victories Comets open season with tourney victory Tally heats up, leads Phoenix win Harden scores 44 to lead Rockets over Kings Upon review, no replay for disputed Oklahoma game Varsity 541 College Sports Gordon seeks one more long run to win Heisman Linfield unites for fallen teammate Duck star big winner at annual awards show Mariota's Moment Here's insight into new Beaver coach Pro Sports Cardinals end Rams' shutout streak, 12-6 Day, Tringale fire 55 to take Shootout lead Old-style swaps dominate winter meetings Warriors keep on rolling Wiggins, Wolves stun Blazers 90-82 Community Sports Keeping Fit: Runners need to do more than run to stay in shape RESULTS/STANDINGS LOCAL EVENTS Business Latest Stories Blog: It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like... K-BAR ignites agriculture boom beneath Table Rocks State lags on grocery inspections Blog: Bear Creek Plaza next up on the market Silvio Calabi: The world loves a Wrangler Real Estate News More sales, but no change in residential housing median price Dear Monty: Violation of HOA rules creates conflict Farmers file suit over GMO crop ban People In Business People in Business, Dec. 3 People in Business, Nov. 18 Transportation Allegiant Air will resume Medford-Phoenix service May 22 Agriculture K-BAR ignites agriculture boom beneath Table Rocks Southern Oregon wine industry had a robust 2013 Farmers file suit over GMO crop ban Lawsuit seeks to overturn Jackson County's GMO ban or net $4.2 million for farms Latest count shows Measure 92 supporters narrowing deficit Opinion Latest Our View: Cheers and jeers Letters to the Editor, Dec. 12 Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote Granlund cartoon: Flu shots less effective this year Jim Brock: We can move beyond torture Editorials Our View: Cheers and jeers Our View: Sentencing reform pays dividends Our View: Find middle ground on timber policy Our View: Making sense of Medford crime numbers Our View: Land takeover a sincere but empty gesture Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Dec. 12 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 11 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 10 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 9 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 8 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote Guest Opinion: SOU pool decision short-sighted Guest Opinion: It's time for biologists to let OR-7 go dark Guest Opinion: It's time Oregon put a price on carbon Guest Opinion: Are we the preferred path to global devastation? Lifestyle Latest stories Looking Up: It's Geminid meteor time! Get Out: Friday, December 12 Tree hunt amid the king of conifers Health Watch: Curb your kitchen cravings this holiday season Play local, pay local Food Community blog: Choose presents cooks can cherish, not regift Roasted vegetables are rich, flavorful Food for Thought: Meal-planning hacks to help you dine fast and healthy Kitchen Call: Hints for gluten-free holidays Community blog: Merry Christmas 10 Barrel! (Big Brewery vs Small Independent Brewer) Home and Garden Rogue Valley Christmas light displays Remodeling your attic: Know the details before you start Dear Monty: When a lawyer’s fee is four times higher than the quote Home Help: Make your new house feel like home Troubleshoot common water boiler problems Health Health Watch: Curb your kitchen cravings this holiday season Community blog: Unsubscribe.com Community blog: Redefining Family Dr. Murray Feingold: Say it like you mean it Community blog: Guiltless Holidays Better for our Health Hiking Biking Faith Religion news: Pope aims to expedite sex abuse rulings Religion news: Seattle-based mega-church dissolves Religion Briefs Milestones and Achievements Time running out for O&C funds Hire 'em and pray for snow Madi-Stiles A New Song Rogers-Horn Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Over Easy serves 'pop-up' brunch Sundays Meet the real Jacob Marley Bob Haworth plays EdenVale Winery Gypsy Soul performs WinterSpring benefit This Nutcracker ballet will have a superhero twist Theater Meet the real Jacob Marley This Nutcracker ballet will have a superhero twist Plumbing the depths of meaning TMTO presents 'A Christmas Carol: The Musical' Theater review: 'Fiddler' charms audience in magical Camelot performance Music Bob Haworth plays EdenVale Winery Gypsy Soul performs WinterSpring benefit Andy McKee plays Rogue Theatre SOU presents all-percussion concert Shae Johnson releases 'Can You Feel the Music' Community Events Rogue Valley Christmas light displays It's a Hamazon holiday at the Playwright Public House 4 Things to do this Week Soroptimist holiday home tour features four houses this weekend Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Dining Over Easy serves 'pop-up' brunch Sundays Ooblies Artisan Waffle Sandwiches Brunch at Loft Brasserie The Bohemian Club Thanksgiving comes early at Taprock Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Our View: Cheers and jeers ... Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote ... Most residents speak against gas pipeline ... Our View: Cheers and jeers ... Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote ... Most residents speak against gas pipeline ... Our view: With respect, our support goes to Bates MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 17, 2014 @ 12:01 am Posted Oct. 17, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News State Sen. Alan Bates has come in for some scurrilous attacks from his opponent, Dave Dotterrer, in the current campaign. In the end, the negative half-truths put forward in that campaign serve only to discredit Dotterrer. Bates, a Medford Democrat, has a record he is deservedly proud of. A physician, he is a leading architect of Oregon's health care reform efforts — but not Cover Oregon's computer system — that are already making amazing progress in reducing costs for Medicare patients in this state. The plan, which uses a coordinated approach to treat all of a patient's needs rather than just fixing an obvious symptom, is reducing return visits and reducing costs for taxpayers. Dotterrer's suggestion that Bates is somehow responsible for the Cover Oregon computer fiasco is painfully shallow. It makes about as much sense as blaming Dotterrer, a now-retired career military officer, for the military's purchase of $640 toilet seats and $400 hammers. Those toilet seats should be raised and the contents of that claim flushed out of sight. Dotterrer's negative ad campaign suggests Bates is not a supporter of education, using a young girl in a television ad that is as distasteful as it is bogus. Bates is a former school board member and has supported education throughout his more than dozen years in the Legislature. In the last session, with the economy finally turning, the Legislature approved a $1 billion increase for K-12 funding, which Bates supported. Dotterrer's campaign now has sunk to the level of  Willie Horton-type ads, accusing Bates of voting to release violent and sexual predators. The vote referred to occurred in 2009 as the state was mired in the Great Recession and budgets were being cut almost across the board. The Senate voted 22-8 — with several conservative Republicans joining in — to reduce the sentences of some non-violent offenders by 10 percent in certain circumstances, a move projected to save $6 million. It was part of a larger effort to reduce the incarceration of non-violent offenders and avoid the massive costs of building more prisons. The bill was not perfect, but to suggest Bates supported the release of predators is patently false. Perhaps Dotterrer would explain where the hundreds of millions of dollars for new prisons would have come from during a time of plunging revenues? Dotterrer worked for state Rep. Dennis Richardson, now running for governor, in recent sessions and has similar views on the need to cut government spending. He has some ideas that hold merit, such as returning technical education to classrooms. He also suggests more tax breaks for small businesses, but there's little suggestion about what would be cut to pay for such programs and breaks. Southern Oregon and the state of Oregon have been well-served by Alan Bates' time in office. He is a moderate on most issues and has to be to be re-elected in a Senate district in which election results have often come down to hundreds of votes. His health care reform efforts have accomplished what politicians promise, but seldom deliver: improved public services at lower costs. Bates has earned the respect of leaders in both parties across the state. Dotterrer should show him some of that respect and drop his appalling ad campaign. And voters in Senate District 3 should send Alan Bates back to Salem to continue his good work.   MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 17, 2014 @ 12:01 am » 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 MailTribune.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 Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked 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. 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