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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 Emergency services, May 3 Former San Quentin guard publishes book Photographers capture some lovely blooms in latest Mail Tribune contest Soaring rents, stagnant wages create housing crisis Wimer's Highland Games appeal to both the kilted and kiltless Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, May 3 Dozens of drivers nabbed in Medford pedestrian sting Emergency services, May 2 Gold Hill man torched his foreclosed property No leads on who smashed about 20 windows in Ashland before dawn Thursday Politics and Elections BREAKING: Baltimore prosecutor charges officers in Freddie Gray's death Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Medford School Board, Position 6: Curt Ankerberg vs. Janet Lightheart Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Education More kindergartners vaccinated in 2015 Elementary students honor local police officers Levy backers eye final push Two seats contested on Central Point School Board Neal Simon: This is a test Environment Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Residents say armed mine supporters sully Josephine County's reputation Armed protesters gather at Medford BLM office over Sugar Pine Mine dispute Jackson County's wildlife services agent seen as both killer and savior Biomass technology: Creating products out of former waste State News PERS ruling means tough choices for state and local lawmakers US, Canada unveil rules to boost oil train safety Cylvia Hayes public records case goes before Salem judge Fixit tag for Portland's noted Portland Building: $175 million Fee targets rail cars that haul oil, other flammables Nation - World There's a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Obituaries Tim Lawrence Yockey Penelope Catherine (Turner) Martens William "Bill" Geisslinger Alice Irenia (McFall) Calkins Dennis Dean Ekwall Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Ragan, Tornado hit way past Indians Mayweather wins decision in richest fight Timbers, Whitecaps play to 0-0 draw North’s Folsom, South boys shine at GP Rotary Marist halts EP’s winning streak Varsity 541 College Sports Raiders' Abbott breaks 22-year-old record Dodge signs as free agent with Falcons Lockie stands out in Ducks' spring game Raiders go 1-1, advance to today Singler shines in Raider spring game Pro Sports Mayweather wins decision in richest fight Timbers, Whitecaps play to 0-0 draw Clippers oust defending champ Spurs McIlroy, Casey fight until darkness Quarterbacks Petty, Hundley chosen on final day Community Sports Bailey picks up modified win Wilson delivers in return of local boxing Palmer breezes to second straight men’s title Business Latest Stories Blog: Do You Want Cheese with Your Wine? Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Comcast deal dropped along with Pac-12 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option Real Estate News Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option New home in an old house Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house GREEN ACRES: Southern Oregon provides escape from the maddening crowd People In Business Transportation Erickson finds room to work at Medford airport Lithia Motors nets $40.7 million in first quarter Lithia Motors reports second-best quarter ever Business briefs Medford airport's record run continues Agriculture 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house New bosses take charge at Harry & David Dancin Vineyards covers up Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, May 3 Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board Dana Milbank: Clinton's opponents need to smoke her out George Will: The Lusitania's role in history Charles Krauthammer: Men wielding power in hellish times Editorials Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board Other Views: Gun-bill recalls misguided, futile Our View: Bill gives ex-convicts a glimmer of hope Our View: Medical marijuana market not at risk Our View: Don't wait on public records reform Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, May 3 Letters to the Editor, May 2 Letters to the Editor, May 1 Letters to the Editor, April 30 Letters to the Editor, April 29 Columns Dana Milbank: Clinton's opponents need to smoke her out George Will: The Lusitania's role in history Charles Krauthammer: Men wielding power in hellish times Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Michael Gerson: A pastor's faith in Baltimore Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Guest Opinion: Uniting to restore our sovereignty to we, the people Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was wrong: 'American Pageant' is a political agenda, not history The Medford School Board was right: 'American Pageant' is a fine book, and the board did its homework Lifestyle Latest stories Photographers capture some lovely blooms in latest Mail Tribune contest Bright spots in the dark Wedding: Melody Ann Madi and Lyman Martin Stiles Engagement: Anders-Stanley Columnist for a Day: 'When Harry met Shirley,' the story continues Food Andrea Honaker: Mexican-inspired dips for Cinco de Mayo Set a table from your local farmers market Let's do brunch! Page H. Onorato: Enjoying good food just for the fun of it Page H. Onorato: Food items appear in the funnies Home and Garden Heirloom tomatoes bring ageless flavor Betty Montgomery: You can have a variety of ferns in your garden Clean out household chemicals Friday and Saturday Dear Monty: 10 tips to avoid tenant complaints Home Help: Upgrade your entryway with simple DIY projects Health Dr. Murray Feingold: Turn down that noise Health Watch: Pack your pantry with healthy items HealthStyle: It’s all in the family dinner 'Game changer' for heart patients Health Watch: Tips for protecting your eyes Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, May 1 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 24 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Milestones and Achievements Wedding: Melody Ann Madi and Lyman Martin Stiles Engagement: Anders-Stanley ENGAGEMENT: Sellers-James Witham's birthday bash draws hundreds for 1950s prices Charlesworth-Murphy Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories 5 picks for live entertainment Live Music in Local Clubs Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' Camelot Theatre presents 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Theater REVIEW: Carson, Patton shine in 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Some Oregon Shakespeare Festival crew members seek to unionize Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' 'Much Ado' at SOU Thanks for the Memories stages 'Company' one night only Music Thunder's Edge, Steel Cranes tonight at Club 66 The Farr Side: CMAs do it right, in many ways Live Music in Local Clubs Trio Brasileiro plays Old Siskiyou Barn Interview: Offspring plays hits new and old on tour Community Events Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo A Taste of Ashland pairs food and wine at galleries Rogue Valley Earth Day 2015 Foreign language film festival set at SOU Movies Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ has a lot going on Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ knows how to party Catching up with the Avengers Interview: Sofia Vergara talks ‘Hot Pursuit’ Quick Flicks: ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Insurgent’ and more Dining Restaurant inspections, May 3, 2015 Taqueria Picaro offers casual Mexican cuisine Restaurant inspections: April 26, 2015 Island Grindz serves up Hawaiian specialties Have you wandered down the Bear Creek Wine Trail yet? Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board ... Bright spots in the dark ... Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes ... Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board ... Bright spots in the dark ... Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes ... GUEST OPINION Guest Opinion: Return to clearcutting is wrong approach for counties Comment By Andy Kerr and Sean Stevens MailTribune.com By Andy Kerr and Sean Stevens Posted Mar. 14, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Mar 14, 2015 at 12:16 PM By Andy Kerr and Sean Stevens Posted Mar. 14, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Mar 14, 2015 at 12:16 PM » Social News During the clearcut logging boom that ravaged America’s public lands during the 1970s and ’80s, some county politicians were able to live beyond their means. Here in Oregon, where “O&C” counties received a 75 percent cut of the proceeds from liquidating old  growth on publicly owned lands, this allowed for an expansion of county government without the need for the local tax rates necessary to maintain it. But in the 1990s, when public opposition finally reigned in the liquidation of old-growth forests, these politicians were left without a Plan B. More than two decades later, some are still demanding a return to old-growth clearcutting. Congress tried to throw counties a life preserver to allow county politicians to transition to a more sustainable government funding model. The most recent has been theSecure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS). Last fall Congress adjourned before reauthorizing and funding SRS. While Oregon’s O&C counties receive the lion’s share of the money, the program benefits over 700 hundred counties in over 40 states — all of whom are being harmed by inaction in Congress. Given these facts, one would think that politicians in Oregon’s O&C counties would be clamoring for SRS renewal. But the opposite is true. These politicians are instead actively working against SRS renewal, instead demanding a return to the style of clearcutting that ravaged America’s public lands 30 years ago — with the proceeds going to counties. Oregon’s public lands — and the clean water, wildlife, tourism and outdoor recreation economy they sustain — can’t afford this approach. The Forest Service says that in order to replace SRS funding with revenue from timber sales they would have to increase logging on the national forest system by 550 percent — from the 2.8 billion board feet of logs produced in 2014 to 16.6 billion board feet! This would exceed by one quarter the highest level of logging that has ever occurred on Forest Service lands (13.38 billion in 1970). In 2013, the Bureau of Land Management in Western Oregon logged 208 million board feet. If BLM were to meet SRS values by logging alone, 622 million board feet would be necessary — a 300 percent increase. These figures are likely low, as they assume that flooding the log market will not depress log prices. If these numbers seem incomprehensible, consider this: meeting these logging levels would require exceeding those of the late 1980s, when two square miles (about 1,320 football fields) of old-growth was clearcut each week on Oregon federal public forestlands alone. For cash-strapped county politicians, clearcutting federal forests is the wrong battle and the wrong battleground. While they may wish to return to the clearcutting of the past, the rest of society doesn’t. Oregonians today place a high value on clean water, salmon and wildlife habitat, and the quality of life that public lands bring. The idea of clearcutting federal forests is about as popular today as cars with tailfins and whitewall tires. Linking county payments to a return to obscene levels of federal logging is an all-or-nothing strategy that will end with nothing. While tasty red meat for certain politicians to throw to their political base, it won’t solve the county funding payments problem. Sen. Ron Wyden has introduced a responsible SRS reauthorization bill that has bipartisan support — and it doesn’t re-link educating our children and filling our potholes with clearcutting our forests. Rep. Greg Walden should take note. Last Congress, Walden co-sponsored a reckless bill that would have re-linked county politicians' budgets to vastly expanded logging (and mining and drilling) of America’s public lands. Backers of the legislation knew full well it would never pass the Senate, and that it would be vetoed by President Obama even if it did. Scoring political points was more important to them than actually solving the problem. This Congress, Walden should join with Wyden and enact the bipartisan Secure Rural Schools and Payment in Lieu of Taxes Repair Act (S.517). With both Wyden and Walden backing it, this bill could pass Congress and then be signed the President, solving the county funding problem. Oregon must move beyond the tired old debate over re-linking county politician’s budgets to clearcutting America’s public lands. But Walden needs to act fast. Most Oregon counties will feel the shortfall at the beginning of the new fiscal year on July 1. Andy Kerr (www.andykerr.net) and Sean Stevens (www.oregonwild.org) are senior counselor and executive director respectively to Oregon Wild (www.oregonwild.org), protecting Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and waters since 1974. By Andy Kerr and Sean Stevens MailTribune.com By Andy Kerr and Sean Stevens Posted Mar. 14, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Mar 14, 2015 at 12:16 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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