Document text
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 State grants help arts groups reach out Murder, madness and the quest for Gold 10 things to know for Thursday Emergency services Since You Asked: Following the nickel trail Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services Woman struck by car while running from police Arrest made in Klamath Falls murder Police recover stolen trailer, arrest suspect Suspected heroin dealers arrested near Crater High School Politics and Elections Kent Bush: The keys to decoding the State of the Union address Oregon Legislature convenes, session starts Feb. 12 Councilman stirs online dust-up with anti-marijuana post Education Talent Elementary students learn to tinker Local elementary and middle school students qualify for state chess championships Unfair labor complaint against Medford School District resolved Arsonist attempts to burn down building at Jackson Elementary Not as ready as they should be Environment Bear cub headed to rehabbers in Idaho Grant will help restore 'legacy' oak habitat in Southern Oregon and Northern California New wandering wolf arrives in Southern Oregon OR-7 now officially the leader of his pack Ashland trails up for changes State News Mom says bills carries on daughter's legacy Records illegally released; 2 on leave Lawmaker: Pot candy OD shows need to go slowly Tests: Formaldehyde risk in some e-cigarette vapor State records show number of big marijuana farms has increased Nation - World Obituaries Mamie E. (Miss Eddie) Beard James "Jim" Van Calhoun Elizabeth Mary Cox In Loving Memory Of Jason Thomas Cline (Jay) Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable In memoriam: 2014’s notable deaths Looking back: Do you remember 2014’s biggest stories? Sports Latest Stories Comets pin down Eagles Hornets down Pirates in Skyline dual South cruises past North Blazers rally big before losing heartbreaker Djokovic, Wawrinka join Williams in third round Varsity 541 College Sports Success helps restock roster at UO Oregon’s Helfrich ready to turn page Baldwin brings seasoned background to OSU Weisner leads No. 9 Beavers over Huskies Huskies rally back, down Ducks Pro Sports Blazers rally big before losing heartbreaker Djokovic, Wawrinka join Williams in third round Hawks tie franchise record with win Sharapova saves two match points, advances Thunder finally get over .500 mark Community Sports Local Events Business Latest Stories Blog: Alaska Air Group earnings soared in 2014 New owners of Medford Center promise a hands-on approach: Practicing for the real thing Want to be an investor? Four companies will be pitching their plan to you Silvio Calabi: Ford Escape Still a Solid Player Real Estate News New owners of Medford Center promise a hands-on approach: Home loan rates continue to fall, applications soar Jackson County real estate market headed back to normal Dear Monty: Best start for 1st-time homebuyers People In Business People in Business Transportation Want to be an investor? Four companies will be pitching their plan to you Medford airport traffic flies to new heights Agriculture Rising prices bear fruit for local pear growers Opinion Latest Our View: Public salaries move only upward Letters to the Editor, Jan. 22 George Will: America's mushrooming welfare state Dana Milbank: Turning a deaf ear to the world Granlund cartoon: Deflated footballs Editorials Our View: Public salaries move only upward Our View: Restrictions on civil forfeitures are reasonable Other Views: Clearing the way for hemp farming Our View: Oregon students need job skills training Other Views: Klamath water deal is best available Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Jan. 22 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 21 Letters to the editor, Jan. 20 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 19 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 18 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose gas pipeline A fair shot for all: addressing our low-wage crisis Guest Opinion: SOU biomass burner would be big mistake Guest Opinion: Reforms needed to build upon John Day’s success Guest Opinion: FERC fails our planet Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: Trends aside, butternut squash a seasonal darling Gail Ciampa: Creative ways to explore the oft-maligned cauliflower Community blog: Best Cities for Aging? - Not Medford Healthy Aging: Whether supper or dinner, it's best eaten together 5 Things to Do This Weekend (Jan. 23-25) Food Community blog: Trends aside, butternut squash a seasonal darling Gail Ciampa: Creative ways to explore the oft-maligned cauliflower Best of the Brews Try these shock-free-diet options Community blog: Cauliflower cuts calories in faux pasta Alfredo Home and Garden Paint a room or two in a weekend Dear Monty: Sell home now? Or wait until summer? Home Help: How to keep your house pest-free this winter Dear Monty: Consider mediation in real estate disputes Home Help: Heighten your home’s style this year Health Community blog: Best Cities for Aging? - Not Medford Healthy Aging: Whether supper or dinner, it's best eaten together Practicing for the real thing Dr. Jeff Hersh: Heart test causes undue alarm Dr. Murray Feingold: How reliable is the medical information we read? Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs Old stained-glass windows face threats Churches start new year with messages of hope (No heading) Milestones and Achievements 50 years and counting: Bulebar Wedding: Lindsey-Maria Rios New arrivals Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Paula Poundstone performs at the Craterian Brian Freeman presents 'An Evening of Scottish Music' Len Dickson's 'Fall Harvest' to grace Belle Fiore wine label Randall Theatre presents playwright Charles Ludlam's comedy "The Mystery of Irma Vep" Blues jam tonight at The Little Brown Jug Theater Randall Theatre presents playwright Charles Ludlam's comedy "The Mystery of Irma Vep" Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Thanks for the Memories Theatre presents 'Cardenio' Thanks for the Memories Theatre presents 'Rent' Tangled up in Dylan Music The Farr Side: Trainor building a music niche Brian Freeman presents 'An Evening of Scottish Music' Blues jam tonight at The Little Brown Jug 'Wierd Al' Yankovic plays Britt Festivals in September A laid-back chat with Marilyn Manson Community Events Paula Poundstone performs at the Craterian Len Dickson's 'Fall Harvest' to grace Belle Fiore wine label A look at the life and vision of Martin Luther King Jr. Ty Barnett and Ian Harris are 'Divided' Elaine Witteveen's new exhibit 'Wings' opens at the Rogue Gallery Dining Cheeseburgers on the cheap Valley View — It's all in the family Patty Groth's Morning Glory is still a delight Entertaining with a gift of treasure Jackson Creek Pizza Co. is a good downtown haunt Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Murder, madness and the quest for Gold ... Our View: Public salaries move only upward ... Woman struck by car while running from police ... Murder, madness and the quest for Gold ... Our View: Public salaries move only upward ... Woman struck by car while running from police ... Phoenix biofuel effort runs out of gas Unable to expand its marketplace, business closes shop after 9 years Saying the biofuels industry is "in its death throes" due to a lack of acceptance of the alternative fuel, Rising Phoenix Biofuels has closed after nine years in business. Comment By JOHN DARLING MailTribune.com By JOHN DARLING Posted Sep. 14, 2013 @ 12:01 am Updated Sep 16, 2013 at 10:08 AM By JOHN DARLING Posted Sep. 14, 2013 @ 12:01 am Updated Sep 16, 2013 at 10:08 AM » Social News Saying the biofuels industry is "in its death throes" due to a lack of acceptance of the alternative fuel, Rising Phoenix Biofuels has closed after nine years in business. The Phoenix-based company sold a quarter-million gallons of biodiesel, adding $1 million to the local economy, owner David Tourzan said, but repeated attempts to market to municipalities, farmers and fleet owners failed. They sold their last gallon on Sept. 4 and removed the tank on Wednesday. "Rising Phoenix stayed true to their vision of never selling carcinogenic blends of petroleum, and only ever sold 99.9 percent biodiesel, with 1 gallon of petroleum added to every 1,000 gallons so their distributor could get the $1 a gallon federal tax credit," Tourzan said in a statement, referring to his business in the third person. "Staying true to local fuel may have cost them their business." Tourzan bought his biodiesel from Sequential Biofuels in Salem, which made the fuel from used vegetable oil collected all over the state. Rising Phoenix sold only 99 percent biodiesel at its retail outlet, he says, but was able to have any percent blended by Medford Fuel on request. Diesel at gas stations is 5 percent biodiesel, by state law. Tourzan met with Ashland officials on several occasions, but the city declined to use his fuel, said Public Works Superintendent Mike Morrison, because the city's diesel must be no more than 20 percent biodiesel, with the rest being regular fossil fuel diesel. "The warranty on our vehicles is only good up to 20 percent biodiesel," said Morrison. "If it's more than that, it can plug fuel filters, grow bacteria and, at below 35 degrees, start to gel ... . Twelve years ago, we tried using 50 percent biodiesel on a small portion of our fleet and we had a lot of problems." The quality of biodiesel has been better among larger manufacturers, said Morrison, and the quality in general has improved a lot since then, however, "we've always been real conservative." "We'd hate to have an ambulance break down on a call," he said. In attempts to market to organic farmers, Tourzan offered five gallons free at Growers Markets but didn't get a single taker. "That's when I knew the game was over," he said. "It was the price and the fear of wrecking engines. A lot of start-ups went out of business. We've been through the rise and fall of the industry. Biofuel is in its death throes." Tourzan supported himself as a teacher during his firm's life. Neither he nor two other workers ever got paid, he said, adding that he priced the fuel at 10 percent above the cost from Sequential, as a community service. "A majority of petroleum profits leave our state to support foreign dictatorships, leaking Alaskan pipelines across wilderness areas, and Gulf Oil spills, but 100 percent of Rising Phoenix Biofuels profits stayed in Oregon," Tourzan said in his statement. "Although they are disappointed to be dissolving their business," he wrote, "they are proud to have been a pioneer and saved the local air and water from carcinogenic chemicals. Their sales alone were the equivalent of removing 50 cars worth of pollution from our children's lungs." John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected]. By JOHN DARLING MailTribune.com By JOHN DARLING Posted Sep. 14, 2013 @ 12:01 am Updated Sep 16, 2013 at 10:08 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. 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. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501