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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 Dutch Bros. boss buys back golf course property Man robs Purple Parrot at gunpoint Talent men arraigned on attempted murder, assault charges 10 things to know for Tuesday Ashland's historic depot found inside area barn Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Man robs Purple Parrot at gunpoint Talent men arraigned on attempted murder, assault charges Emergency Services One arrested, one sought, in east Medford burglary New Jackson County sheriff and commissioners sworn in Politics and Elections Councilman stirs online dust-up with anti-marijuana post State certifies recount showing failure of GMO-labeling measure Education Medford bulks up student support for math, reading Ashland schools to implement chickenpox precautions Traveling artist sets the stage for Ruch School amphitheater Ruch school class focuses on the natural environment Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Environment Monument expansion expected to increase tourism, protect resources Biologist resigns over LNG reporting failure Bird flu discovered in Winston backyard flock Jackson County holds back on enforcing GMO ban for now No fish, no funding for problem dams State News Eugene's federally funded car charging stations underused Court says Oregon's water withdrawal permits endangered Clackamas River salmon Seabird die-off puzzles scientists Oregon fans get married Rose Bowl parking lot Earthquake off coast shakes Humboldt County Nation - World Obama makes Maduro’s ‘insolent Yankees’ line harder to sell Obituaries William A. 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Sports Latest Stories Lillard to the rescue Nowitzki lifts Mavs to win Re-signing Suh is Lions’ top priority Wiese leads No. 11 Beavers past USC Fire burns Panthers coach Rivera's house Varsity 541 College Sports Wiese leads No. 11 Beavers past USC Irish edge Heels on late Auguste hoop Ducks learned valuable lesson from loss Toledo tops Arkansas State 63-44 at GoDaddy Bowl No. 10 Utah humiliates UCLA Pro Sports Lillard to the rescue Nowitzki lifts Mavs to win Re-signing Suh is Lions’ top priority Fire burns Panthers coach Rivera's house Developers, including Rams owner, plan Los Angeles stadium Community Sports Business Latest Stories Irrigation system upgrade gets a forum Ride & Drive: 2015 Honda Crosstour Positive Steps Rising prices bear fruit for local pear growers Dear Monty: Best start for 1st-time homebuyers Real Estate News Dear Monty: Best start for 1st-time homebuyers Rental owners group reports 2.48 percent vacancy rate People In Business Transportation Falling gas prices help spur travel at Medford airport Agriculture Rising prices bear fruit for local pear growers K-BAR ignites agriculture boom beneath Table Rocks Opinion Latest Our View: WISE project offers many benefits Kent Bush: Food labels mean nothing Letters to the Editor, Jan. 6 Guest Opinion: East is east and west is west Granlund cartoon: Patriots versus Ravens Editorials Our View: WISE project offers many benefits Our View: Waiting a little longer for the bus Other Views: Oregon's GMO battle is far from over Our View: Meeting in the middle keeps a mill open Our View: Help clear the air for the new year Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Jan. 6 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 5 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 4 Letters to the Editor. Jan. 2 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 1 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: East is east and west is west Guest Opinion: Get the best deal on pipeline Guest Opinion: Say yes to clean energy jobs, no to the LNG project Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon Guest Opinion: Forest thinning means water for the future Lifestyle Latest stories In Good Faith: Amending the resolution Dr. Elaine Heffner: The party’s over Food for Thought: Save time on weeknight meal prep Blog: HAIKU MONDAY: Post-Vacation Malaise Barry Lewis: Big changes happening in 2015 Food Community blog: Farm share boosts resolve to eat more veggies Community blog: Ring in new flavors with year's last appetizers Food for Thought: Tips for cooking when you have food allergies Food for Thought: Wintertime wining and dining Kitchen Call: The comfort of creamy soups Home and Garden Home Help: Timeless or trendy? Achieve both in your home decor this year Dear Monty: Best start for 1st-time homebuyers Dear Monty: Can a rookie real estate agent be a good choice? Bathtub or shower: What’s best for you? Home Help: Home safety tips for a safe and happy winter season Health Community blog: We Don't Have To Conspire Against Good Health HealthStyle: New year, new you Health Watch: Build up your glutes in the off-season Dr. Jeff Hersh: What's a monoclonal antibody? Dr. Murray Feingold: Have a happy and stress-free holiday Hiking Biking Faith Churches start new year with messages of hope (No heading) Churches, synagogs host seasonal events Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Milestones and Achievements Mt. Ashland Ski Area shut down again by lack of snow Little Yaretzi is county's first baby of 2015 Local landowners see no public good in proposed pipeline Pear Blossom queen has open heart surgery Hundreds enjoy Christmas dinner, gifts at St. Vincent de Paul Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Next Stage presents a tribute to an iconic folk artist Live Music in Local Clubs Generation Jones plays Paddy Brannan's Pete Herzog and Dennis Walker play 2Hawk Winery Paul Turnipseed Trio at Belle Fiore Theater Next Stage presents a tribute to an iconic folk artist Camelot's 'Fiddler' is a charmer ACT presents reading of 'The Quality of Life' Meet the real Jacob Marley This Nutcracker ballet will have a superhero twist Music Live Music in Local Clubs Generation Jones plays Paddy Brannan's Pete Herzog and Dennis Walker play 2Hawk Winery Paul Turnipseed Trio at Belle Fiore Jefferson State Choral Coalition presents 'Reason for the Season' Community Events New Schneider Museum exhibits highlight First Friday Celebrate winter solstice with the Bad Film Society Tomaseen Foley's "A Celtic Christmas" returns to the Craterian Theater Stefan Baumann and Eugene Bennett highlight Third Fridays Dancing People Company celebrates the solstice Dining Jackson Creek Pizza Co. is a good downtown haunt Dobra Tea menu offers hundreds of brews Food for Thought: Wintertime wining and dining Coffee shops roll out holiday-inspired drinks Over Easy serves 'pop-up' brunch Sundays 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: WISE project offers many benefits ... Man robs Purple Parrot at gunpoint ... Talent men arraigned on attempted murder, assault charges ... Our View: WISE project offers many benefits ... Man robs Purple Parrot at gunpoint ... Talent men arraigned on attempted murder, assault charges ... TRANSPORTATION RVTD braces for cuts to bus routes Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 @ 4:40 pm Updated Jan 2, 2015 at 5:50 PM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 @ 4:40 pm Updated Jan 2, 2015 at 5:50 PM » Social News A popular bus route from Ashland to Medford may be cut back as the Rogue Valley Transportation District slashes about 10 percent of its budget over the next six months and prepares to dip into its reserves to make ends meet. Under changes proposed by the RVTD board, Route 10, which now stops every 20 minutes and often has standing room only, would stop every 30 minutes instead starting this spring, resulting in the layoff of six drivers. Another nine drivers would go from full time to part time. “It’s going to make it really inconvenient for people,” said Julie Brown, RVTD general manager. “They may not get a ride, and they may have to wait for the next bus.” In March, RVTD also would cut out the portion of Route 1 that connects to the Medford airport. The bus will go as far north as Highway 62. Evening hours on many routes and Saturday service would end in March, though three of the most popular routes — 10, 40 (Central Point) and 60 (White City) — would continue to have service past 7 p.m., based on an RVTD staff recommendation. Brown said many riders have said they will have to quit their part-time jobs on the weekends or during the evenings because they won’t be able to get to work with the new schedule. RVTD will hold a public hearing on the proposed changes at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, at the Jackson County Courthouse auditorium, 10 S. Oakdale Ave. RVTD’s cuts will save about $650,000 annually and will prevent further cuts in the 2017-2018 fiscal year. But RVTD expects it might have to make more cuts to service by 2018-2019. The basic bus budget is about $7 million annually. Even with the cutbacks, RVTD will have to take about $400,000 from its reserves the first year to maintain the reduced level of services. The following year will require an additional $600,000 from reserves. Each year until 2018 will require another $600,000 until reserves are depleted. The reduction in service also will hurt RVTD’s bottom line because it expects ridership to drop 325,000 from the current 1.4 million annually. That would equal a loss of about $243,000 in fares. RVTD had hoped voters would pass a levy in November that would have raised the money to avoid the cuts, but the measure was rejected, 60.8 percent to 39.2 percent. “With the taxpayers making that decision, we heard them loud and clear,” Brown said. She said many voters expressed concern about the recent library levy in May and were confused about whether RVTD just needed the money to expand service rather than primarily maintain existing service. The new levy, which would have taxed property owners 13 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, would have brought an extra $1.69 million to district coffers each year. Without the tax increase, RVTD has little choice but to cut back on services, Brown said. RVTD Senior Planner Paige Townsend said the three routes that would continue offering service past 7 p.m. represent about half of RVTD's evening ridership. If the last Route 10 bus leaves Medford at 7 p.m., a student at Southern Oregon University could catch a ride back to Medford around 8 p.m., Townsend said. Route 10 has the most riders, and Townsend said RVTD will be looking at ways to accommodate the large passenger load despite the less frequent schedule. Over the next four years, RVTD hopes to find other ways of generating dollars, either through grants or possibly additional state revenue, Townsend said. “Unfortunately, our services will be less convenient and less user friendly,” she said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm . By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 @ 4:40 pm Updated Jan 2, 2015 at 5:50 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 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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