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53 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, February 25, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend February 8, 2004 Colin Riversong of Ashland operates the head of the dragon that kicked off Jacksonville�s annual Chinese New Year parade Saturday afternoon. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Jacksonville celebrates Chinese New Year By BILL VARBLE Mail Tribune A cool, cloudy afternoon can’t darken Jacksonville’s Chinese New Year celebration at this, the dawn of the year of the monkey. Hundreds turn out for tea and fortune cookies, calligraphy, acupuncture, herbs, educational exhibits, face painting, martial arts displays and more. Exhibits at the library and the IOOF Hall kick off the morning at 10, but the 2 p.m. parade is, as always, the star of the show. Until then parade-goers line up for teriyaki chicken and rice, or for those with an all-American taste, hot dogs. Brian Benston, 13, of Central Point works out in a nifty nunchaku routine to a cranked recording of Roy Orbison’s 1963 version of Claude Demetrius’ "Mean Woman Blues." Brian says he’s won several tournaments. "I just like to spin ‘em," he says later. Advertisement Laura Zimmerman of Trail came with pal Sue Nelson to see their daughters, Kela Zimmerman and Nicole Nelson, both 13, march in the parade. "They’re best buds," Nelson says. Artist J.D. Hartman draws a small crowd as he paints quickly using a wet-on-wet technique on an untitled oil painting with trees and fog suggesting traditional Chinese landscape art. "Most of it is made up as I go along," Hartman says. "It’ll probably have rocks and trees, a muted reflection, maybe a Chinese junk sailing along. It’ll be done before the end of the day." In Jacksonville’s frontier days, Chinese residents were tolerated rather than celebrated. The subjects of intense, open discrimination here as elsewhere in the Old West, they were often allowed to mine only claims white miners had abandoned as played out. But all that seems long ago as Chinese music blares onto the street in front of the J’ville Tavern and people begin lining the curb for the parade, many clutching coffee cups to warm cold fingers. There’s a stir as a long dragon with furry white eyebrows comes round Oregon Street onto California Street leading the parade. He has a horn, a mouth that opens and closes and eight pairs of legs terminating in small sneakers. He’s followed by the Panda Club with a banner featuring that endangered animal. Another dragon-like creature boasts a fanciful green and yellow head and a long train carried by children. Here are baby alpacas from Ruch looking just a bit concerned about the whole thing, members of the Baha’i Faith with colorful flags, a dragon that looks like an alligator. Here are Asian kids in traditional costumes, the Helman Dragons, the Friends of the Animal Shelter, the Shady Ladies of Jacksonville Red Hat Society, the Multicultural Association, a blue Gumby. In 10 minutes the parade had completed the two-block length of its main route, and cold sprinkles begin to fall, sending people to their cars and the slow drive toward Medford. Reach reporter Bill Varble at 776-4478 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times