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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 10 things to know for Monday Longtime Ashland landmark changing hands 'You can't ignore it' Graffiti skyrockets in Medford Council will consider public safety levy Monday Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Talent woman recovering after alleged vicious assault by two men Medford police track down New Year's Eve car crash suspect Emergency services Emergency services Sheriff's deputies arrest two after pursuit on Table Rock Road Politics and Elections Councilman stirs online dust-up with anti-marijuana post State certifies recount showing failure of GMO-labeling measure Time running out for O&C funds Education 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 Logos may offer students 'fifth year' at RCC or SOU 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 Seabird die-off puzzles scientists Oregon fans get married Rose Bowl parking lot Earthquake off coast shakes Humboldt County Stranded sea turtle recovers at Oregon aquarium Oregon minimum wage rises to $9.25 Nation - World Obama makes Maduro’s ‘insolent Yankees’ line harder to sell Obituaries Philip Richard Lind Howard S. LaMere Carl Grant Kirkpatrick James Carl Hudson Cyriel Howard DeRoo 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 Toledo tops Arkansas State 63-44 at GoDaddy Bowl Mavericks pick up fifth straight win No. 10 Utah humiliates UCLA Romo, Cowboys rally past Lions in wild card Colts pull away from Bengals Varsity 541 College Sports Toledo tops Arkansas State 63-44 at GoDaddy Bowl No. 10 Utah humiliates UCLA Getting defensive No more questions: TCU gave all the right answers Before leading Ducks, Young studied Mariota Pro Sports Mavericks pick up fifth straight win Romo, Cowboys rally past Lions in wild card Colts pull away from Bengals Kelly’s move was as quick as his offense Michigan’s Harbaugh attacking recruiting in dead period 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 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 5 Our View: Waiting a little longer for the bus Letters to the Editor, Jan. 4 Eugene Robinson: Economic facts get in the way Guest Opinion: Get the best deal on pipeline Editorials 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 Our View: Caves expansion worth the wait Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Jan. 5 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 4 Letters to the Editor. Jan. 2 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 1 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 31 Guest Opinions 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 Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote Lifestyle Latest stories Get A Life: Where is the common sense? Home Help: Timeless or trendy? Achieve both in your home decor this year Expert offers advice on quake preparedness Becoming terminal all by myself Community blog: Get the New Year off to a Great Start Food 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 Community blog: Baking contest finalists combine cookies, candies 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 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 SinceYou Asked: SBA would work with Mt. Ashland Ski Area about loan Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories 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' Theater 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 Plumbing the depths of meaning 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 Talent woman recovering after alleged vicious assault by two men ... Our View: Waiting a little longer for the bus ... Drought-plagued reservoirs need the white stuff to recover ... Talent woman recovering after alleged vicious assault by two men ... Our View: Waiting a little longer for the bus ... Drought-plagued reservoirs need the white stuff to recover ... HOWARD LAMERE Pioneering KSOR music show host dies at 64 Comment By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 @ 6:22 pm By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 @ 6:22 pm » Social News Howard LaMere, one of a handful of radio pioneers who was “present at the creation” of KSOR-FM — which evolved into the sprawling Jefferson Public Radio over 45 years — died Monday in Ashland at age 64. The wry, erudite LaMere, a storehouse of musical knowledge and a lover of many genres, became program director and created his “Ante Meridian” show, featuring an unheard-of blend of classical, jazz, rock, along with pop legends like Nat King Cole and Leonard Bernstein. The show ran 8 to 10 in the morning and made him a sensation in the '70s and '80s among the crowd who favored listening beyond MOR (middle of the road) and Top-40 pop. Soon, the show started airing at 7 a.m., catching the drive-time and early riser demographic and spurring the station’s spread of signal through numerous translators. “It was good programming. Howard had thought up this format, which was jazz and classical,” said John Baxter, who came to the station in 1979. “That show was a genius move, just brilliant,” said his ex-wife Linda Becker, who was also a disc jockey at KSOR at the time. “We didn't have money for records, so we did a lot of begging on the air for people to send us records. Howard looked at this eclectic mix and got the idea for the new format.” The show was moved to less popular times when the station joined National Public Radio and got its required feeds, she said. Ashland musician David Pinsky called LaMere "a dear friend." "He was talented, kind and witty and I will miss his droll sense of humor," Pinsky said. "He was good friend, father and grandfather.” Lifetime friend Charlie McHenry of Jacksonville said, “He was a character with a hearty laugh, great mind and a wicked sense of the absurd — a delight to be around. So many people got up to that show and the sound of his voice every day. He had an old vintage Jaguar and it just fit him perfectly.” Tom Stamper, an Ashland musician, said, “Howard always had that sideways wry smile and, whenever I saw him, he made me feel that only he and I knew what that smile meant. I’ll miss his friendly, peaceful wit and charm, and the fact that he was real, a true good soul willing to share with all the rest.” Dirk Price of the Rogue Suspects band, said, “Howard was a wonderful character. No one loved music as much as he did. It was always fun to see him at the bar at Alex's. He was quite the musicologist. He always had wonderful back stories to the music we played and he loved. He was iconic Ashland.” “He was a genuinely kind, big-hearted, wonderful man,” said Becker. “I couldn't have picked a better man to be the father of my child. He was a creative, wonderful dad.” LaMere was born near Chicago in 1950, the son of Howard and Virginia LaMere. He graduated in 1978 in communications from then-Southern Oregon State College while already employed at KSOR on campus for three years. Other work included directing Britt Music Festival concerts and working for Rogue Gallery, Actors Workshop and Southern Oregon Public Television. He was diagnosed in 2012 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He died unexpectedly at home in Ashland. A memorial gathering will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Elks Club in Ashland. Reach Ashland freelance writer John Darling at [email protected]. By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 @ 6:22 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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