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3 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 Mark L. Hopkins: Looking for a political straight shooter 10 things to know for Monday New Bear Creek project trades blackberries for native plants Emergency Services, March 9 Phoenix Garden Club strives to help make Weed green again Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services, March 9 Ashland police confirm Hannah Thomas-Garner is safe with her father Emergency services, March 8 Jackson County searchers looking for missing man Emergency services, March 7 Politics and Elections Mark L. Hopkins: Looking for a political straight shooter Ex-Merkley aide chosen as Oregon secretary of state Ashland: Budget increase, swimming pool funding discussion on council agenda Judge upholds Phoenix's moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries Ballots on Jackson County marijuana tax go out Friday Education Willow Wind students raise money for water District considers options to keep school tracks open, safe Ashland School District learns why its anti-bullying rating was low Ashland district rethinks transfer approval process MSD to save taxpayers nearly $10.5 million by refinancing Environment Catastrophic wildfires expected in Southern Oregon this summer The new normal under climate change? 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Hopkins: Looking for a political straight shooter Letters to the Editor, March 9 Kathleen Parker: 'Just look at him' Letters to the Editor, March 8 Editorials Our View: Cheers and Jeers Our View: Take it slow on legal marijuana Our View: Small climate steps add up to big ones Our View: Drawing back the curtain on government Other Views: Brown's list of challenges is lengthy Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, March 9 Letters to the Editor, March 8 Letters to the Editor, March 7 Letters to the Editor, March 6 Letters to the Editor, March 5 Columns Mark L. Hopkins: Looking for a political straight shooter Kathleen Parker: 'Just look at him' George Will: Obama needs GOP to approve the TPP Dana Milbank: Hillary vs. Hillary Charles Krauthammer: Netanyahu's Churchillian warning Guest Opinions GUEST OPINION: Police, community should work to prevent profiling Guest Opinion: Don't overregulate Oregon's hemp industry Guest Opinion: Predatory banking practices bilk citizens Guest Opinion: Is less education the answer? Guest Opinion: Bill would shore up legal aid funding Lifestyle Latest stories Paul Rogers: Daylight Saving, full moon hopeful signs for spring Ride & Drive: 2015 Honda Civic sedan Prudence Hilburn: Cookbook compiler finds best of the best in Southern recipes Gail Ciampa: Garlicky mushrooms star in fresh layered sandwich Kitchen Call: Some bits of sage wisdom Food Prudence Hilburn: Cookbook compiler finds best of the best in Southern recipes Gail Ciampa: Garlicky mushrooms star in fresh layered sandwich Kitchen Call: Some bits of sage wisdom Community blog: Airy mousse rivals ease of pudding from a box Page Onorato: Please don’t take my Goo Goo Clusters away Home and Garden Paul Rogers: Daylight Saving, full moon hopeful signs for spring Home Help: 4 ways to redefine your outdoor space Dear Monty: Home seller seeks to start bidding war Paul Rogers: Looking for signs of new life Home Help: Enhance your home-office experience Health Community blog: The Future is Now Dr. Murray Feingold: Cognitive-behavioral therapy shown to help hoarders Dr. Jeff Hersh: Gallstones affect 25 percent of American women Health Watch: Get prepped for spring break HealthStyle: Marriage care and maintenance Hiking Biking Faith More religion events in the Rogue Valley Religion Briefs Religion briefs, Feb. 27 Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 20 Religion News: Pope makes surprise shantytown visit Milestones and Achievements Exercise helps special-needs kids adjust to airport procedures Engagement: Workman-Wright Anniversary: Hofer New arrivals: Sunday, Feb. 8 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Live Music in Local Clubs Darrin Wayne steps to the plate at Rising Stars Alice DiMicele plays the Unitarian Fellowship Southern Oregon University Wind Ensemble to present 'All American' Theater TMTO's 'Bye Bye Birdie' takes flight Brava! Opera presents classic Mozart and Poulenc Review: 'Fingersmith' a twisting thriller with love TMTO presents 'Bye Bye Birdie' 'Guys and Dolls' a sure bet for dazzling entertainment Music ZEPDRIX! at the Historic Ashland Armory The Bee Eaters play Headwaters Ladysmith Black Mambazo plays the Craterian Theater Live Music in Local Clubs Darrin Wayne steps to the plate at Rising Stars Community Events Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jesse Lawson and Joe Moxley host 'Barkeeper' Third Fridays showcases local artists Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Dining Sakura Japanese Sushi Restaurant opens in new location Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 1 Great Outdoor Grill offers healthful options Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 Saigon Xich Lo Vietnamese cuisine Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines/Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW New Bear Creek project trades blackberries for native plants ... Oversold Central Point monster truck show leaves fans out in cold ... Missing teen Hannah Thomas-Garner found safe ... New Bear Creek project trades blackberries for native plants ... Oversold Central Point monster truck show leaves fans out in cold ... Missing teen Hannah Thomas-Garner found safe ... MEDFORD SCHOOLS District considers options to keep school tracks open, safe McLoughlin's track closed on weekends after arson at nearby Jackson By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 6, 2015 @ 3:28 pm Updated Mar 6, 2015 at 3:29 PM By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 6, 2015 @ 3:28 pm Updated Mar 6, 2015 at 3:29 PM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Stephen Svinth and his two sons — Nathan, 10, and Joseph, 3 — have attended the Medford School Board’s last two meetings to ask district officials to reopen the McLoughlin Middle School track to the public on the weekends. The middle school track in west Medford used to be open to the community after school and on weekends until about six weeks ago when an arsonist started a small fire at the nearby Jackson Elementary, compelling McLoughlin administrators to lock the gates to their track on nights and weekends. “We also had several incidents of vandalism and undesirable items being left on our campus overnight and on the weekends,” said McLoughlin Principal Linda White in an email. “We obviously want to keep our campus safe for our students.” Medford police Detective Sgt. Brent Mak said there have been three property-related incidents at Jackson and two property-related incidents at McLoughlin reported to police in the last two months. At the Feb. 9 board meeting, Svinth reminded board and school officials that McLoughlin’s track is the “Bear Creek Corporation Community Track” and referred them to an article published in 1999 in the Mail Tribune. According to the article, Tyler Hoffbuhr, a 1998 graduate of South Medford High School, launched a fundraising campaign to construct all-weather tracks at McLoughlin and Hedrick middle schools and refurbish the track at North Medford High School. In the article, former Medford schools Superintendent Steve Wisely said the tracks, once completed, would be open to community runners during non-school hours. Current Superintendent Brian Shumate said he gave principals permission to close parts of their campuses to the public, especially at night, after several schools in the district were vandalized and damaged.  “We realize that this has caused a hardship for some families who wish to use our facilities on the weekends for recreation,” he said in an email. “We are in the process of working with the local community to help us monitor the properties so that we can open them back up to use by the general public.” Late Wednesday afternoon, Austin Frost and his three kids and 12-week-old pup, Molly, played in the field inside McLoughlin’s track. The kids — Austin Frost Jr., 8, Jade Frost, 10, and Teddy Peckham, 7 — did handstands and tumbled around in the grass while Molly ran to and fro. Austin Frost said his family has not tried accessing the track on the weekend but would like that option, especially since he and his girlfriend work weekdays. “Families are together on the weekends, so it would make sense for it to be open then,” he said. Since moving into a home bordering McLoughlin three months ago, Frost said he’s brought his kids down to the track about three times. “It’s a great, open park for flying kites or doing picnics,” he said. “This spring and summer, we plan to use it a lot more. We've got to run the energy out of the kids." At the March 2 board meeting, Stephen Svinth’s wife, Sarah Svinth, suggested that neighbors team up to take turns opening and locking the McLoughlin gates on the weekend. “I don’t want the field to be open at night, but we want it to be available during the day for the kids,” Svinth said Tuesday. The Svinths live about two blocks away from the school, and Stephen Svinth said he would like to take his sons there on the weekends now that the weather is nice to ride bikes, walk, throw the football or play basketball or soccer. He taught his oldest son to ride his bike there. “My youngest son got a bike for Christmas that he would like to try out,” he said Tuesday. “And rather than ride on the sidewalk, it would make sense to ride on the track like his brother did for so many years.” Since the school closed the track on the weekends, Svinth has seen families walking around the perimeter trying to figure out how to get in, while more nimble kids just hop the fence. Svinth said that his only alternative is to throw the kids’ bikes in the car and drive to Lewis Park or The Commons. “I understand that they had problems with people there at night, and we agree it should be locked down at night,” he said. “But if there are citizens there on the weekends, that should discourage those people from trying to get in there.” Svinth said Shumate contacted him Tuesday after the meeting to discuss possible solutions. Not all Medford school tracks and fields are closed to the public. Reach education reporter Teresa Thomas at 541-776-4497 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/teresathomas_mt . By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 6, 2015 @ 3:28 pm Updated Mar 6, 2015 at 3:29 PM » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » 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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