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1 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 Police investigate mini-spree of White City car break-ins Siskiyou County man arrested on kidnapping charges near Talent Central Point Cemetery is still broken 10 things to know for Tuesday Emergency Services, March 31 Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Police investigate mini-spree of White City car break-ins Siskiyou County man arrested on kidnapping charges near Talent Emergency Services, March 31 Emergency Services, March 30 Emergency services, March 29 Politics and Elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for one year Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US Special election: Jackson County voters OK marijuana tax Ex-Merkley aide chosen as Oregon secretary of state Education Southern Oregon Education Service District superintendent to retire in June Which comes first: The rocket or the egg? Medford School District one of most accident-prone in state Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Oregon legislators may end fifth-year high school programs Environment A sea-foam change Rogue Valley lions on their way to California Corps hopes to clear Lost Creek Lake of debris Beetles taking toll on Ashland pines Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 State News Oregon ski areas ask lawmakers for re-strengthened lawsuit protection More truck traffic coming into Oregon via Highway 97 Man pleads guilty to trying to set up Oregon terrorist training camp Bend police kill cougar above popular hiking trail 5 things to know about Oregon's gun-control bill Nation - World Obituaries Floyd E. Hayner Maryline "Whitie" White Death Notices Sonya ‘Sa’ Kay Gremmels (N�e Satter) Claudine Barbara Pollard Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Comets drop two games in Fresno tourney Playoff bound After rough start, UConn reaches Final Four Long-time softball tourney undergoes changes Celtics win to aid playoff push Varsity 541 College Sports After rough start, UConn reaches Final Four Kaminsky, Okafor lead All-America first team Ducks' following continues to grow South Carolina earns first Final Four berth Only blue bloods need apply Pro Sports Playoff bound Celtics win to aid playoff push Cleveland GM gets suspended for texting Bill Ballou: Pace-of-game rules are a good start to improving baseball Walker wins hometown Texas Open Community Sports Business Latest Stories Cars We Remember: ‘Topper’ movie car most memorable After being sidelined by blindness, Stan Moore returns to the bike business in Medford Mandatory paid sick leave gets mixed reviews Blog: How to Practice Patience Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Real Estate News East McAndrews Road sees a resurgence in commercial projects Business briefs: March 7 New construction prices jump 18.2 percent in Jackson County People In Business People in Business, March 26, 2015 Transportation Rogue Disposal plans natural gas fueling site Alaska, United Express boost Medford airport to record February CEO Rieder leaving Erickson March 31 Agriculture Broth maker leaves San Diego for Medford Harry & David announces new president Opinion Latest Landgren cartoon: European travel essentials Our View: Lawmakers ending a small annoyance in the law Letters to the Editor, March 31 Guest Opinion: Marijuana offers Oregon benefits, drawbacks Wry & Ginger: Daylight saving and our hour of need Editorials Our View: Lawmakers ending a small annoyance in the law Other Views: Sage grouse listing would be unfortunate Our View: Phoenix lion sanctuary was a missed opportunity Other Views: Gun background check bill won't make us safer Our View: Some police videos should be released Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, March 31 Letters to the Editor, March 30 Letters to the Editor, March 29 Letters to the Editor, March 28 Letters to the Editor, March 27 Columns Guest Opinion: Marijuana offers Oregon benefits, drawbacks Kathleen Parker: A leap of faith — into thin air George Will: Remembrance of Clintons past Dana Milbank: The end of the White House's insularity? Guest Opinion: How to end the influence of money in elections Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Marijuana offers Oregon benefits, drawbacks Guest Opinion: How to end the influence of money in elections Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles Guest Opinion: Guest Opinion: Raise your voice against child abuse Lifestyle Latest stories Garden Cameos: Planning for a fragrant garden year round Book Notes: America’s Test Kitchen takes a detailed look at vegetarian cooking Food for Thought: Plan the perfect alfresco gathering Shayne Looper: Don't shrink-wrap the truth Dr. Elaine Heffner: Words that stick Food Tammy Kelly: Lighten up traditional Easter desserts Kitchen Call: Goat cheese recipes worth bleating over Community blog: Try slightly smoky baked beans instead of refried App Finder: Best barbecue apps Health Watch: It’s OK to have a cheat day Home and Garden Garden Cameos: Planning for a fragrant garden year round Paul Rogers: Choose the right tool for job in the garden Home Help: Easy enhancements for your master closet Prepare the beds for summer vegetables Hot tub: The perfect centerpiece for outdoor living Health Brent St. Germain: Feeling the burn again HealthStyle: Normal anxiety or anxiety disorder? Community blog: How to Get Rid of a Tension Headache St. Mary's student helps others with diabetes Community blog: Sleep Tight: Making Your Bed, Body and Mind Ready for Rest Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Religion briefs Religion News: Presbyterian Church gives approval on same-sex marriage Religion briefs: Friday, March 13 More religion events in the Rogue Valley Milestones and Achievements Haga-Parks Exercise helps special-needs kids adjust to airport procedures Engagement: Workman-Wright Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Trivia Tuesdays at South Stage Cellars Sweetwater String Band tonight at Oberon's Tavern in Ashland Rising Stars raises $10,000 for LIFE Art ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ plays the Craterian Theater Here's Tempo's top five picks for live entertainment this week Theater Review: From past into present in OSF's 'Long Day's Journey' ‘A Dream of Red Pavilions’ at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Review: Education and its discontents Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater Eugene O'Neill's 'Long Day's Journey into Night' opens at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Music Sweetwater String Band tonight at Oberon's Tavern in Ashland Rising Stars raises $10,000 for LIFE Art ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ plays the Craterian Theater Futurebirds play the Brickroom in Ashland The 2015 Rising Stars music competition ends with its final round on the Britt stage in Jacksonville Community Events Trivia Tuesdays at South Stage Cellars Rogue Valley artist Linda Evans' pastel paintings capture landscapes of Southern Oregon Ashland Independent Film Festival announces this year's lineup OSF Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Dining Restaurant Inspections: March 29 Basque-inspired cuisine at Eleven in Ashland Parsing the meaning behind wine medals and scores Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 22 Jasmine Thai 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 Police investigate mini-spree of White City car break-ins ... Siskiyou County man arrested on kidnapping charges near Talent ... Central Point Cemetery is still broken ... Police investigate mini-spree of White City car break-ins ... Siskiyou County man arrested on kidnapping charges near Talent ... Central Point Cemetery is still broken ... COLLEGE BASKETBALL COMMENTARY Only blue bloods need apply Comment By Chris Dufresne Los Angeles Times MailTribune.com By Chris Dufresne Los Angeles Times Posted Mar. 29, 2015 at 7:17 PM By Chris Dufresne Los Angeles Times Posted Mar. 29, 2015 at 7:17 PM » Social News It turned out this wasn’t the year for something different, fresh, shiny or new. The world wasn’t ready for Notre Dame advancing to its first Final Four since 1978, or Gonzaga marching on to the backdrop of Bing Crosby’s “Swinging on a Star.” The Fighting Irish ran out of luck Saturday and the team from Spokane, on Sunday, broke a spoke. The Final Four ended up with an old-money reunion of familiar, fleshy faces — four portraits hanging in a country club cigar room. Sean Miller’s team, once again, got left standing on a corner, in Winslow, Arizona. The Final Four we have been delivered — Kentucky, Wisconsin, Duke, Michigan State — is as traditional as the Rose Parade. Three of the schools still standing are the top seeds from the Midwest, West and South regionals. The remaining “upstart” is Michigan State, No. 7 in the East, maybe, but coached by top-seeded Tom Izzo. “Something New,” well, that was a Beatles album. The gathering in Indianapolis next week features Duke vs. Michigan State followed by Wisconsin and Kentucky. The coaches — Mike Krzyzewski, Izzo, Bo Ryan and John Caliparii — have combined for 27 Final Four appearances, 174 NCAA tournament wins and seven national championships. Wisconsin and Kentucky haven’t met in the Final Four since way back last April, while Duke and Michigan State are synonymous with postseason success. What saves next weekend from “same old syndrome” is Kentucky’s pursuit of college basketball’s first 40-0 season. Kentucky got here with wins over Hampton, Cincinnati and West Virginia, by a combined 75 points, before getting two-point tested in the Midwest final against Notre Dame. The game proved, at least, that Kentucky is not infallible. “We’re undefeated, but not perfect,” Calipari has been saying to no one willing to listen. Kentucky showed tremendous resolve under pressure against Notre Dame, making its last nine field-goal attempts and stopping the Irish on their final three possessions. You ask: What was the Wildcats’ motivation? “Desperation, probably,” guard Andrew Harrison said. “We had no choice or we were going to lose.” Kentucky earns kudos for trying to do one of the toughest things in sports: win when everyone thinks you should. Wisconsin might have an upset shot if it shoots the way it did against Arizona on Saturday, which was 78.9 percent (15 for 19) in the second half. Kentucky edged Wisconsin by a point in last year’s national semifinal in North Texas. The difference was Aaron Harrison’s game-winning shot with 5.7 seconds remaining. Wisconsin lost only one starter from that team, Ben Brust, who scored 15 points in that game. The Badgers advanced to their second straight Final Four by winning the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles and then dispatching Coastal Carolina, Oregon, North Carolina and Arizona in the West. “Last year it was a great feeling getting to the Final Four,” Wisconsin guard Josh Gasser said after Saturday’s victory at Staples Center. “It was almost like we were on top of the world. This year we kind of got the attitude like “what’s next” type thing. I don’t know. It’s a little different feeling. … We’ve got bigger goals and stuff on our mind.” Wisconsin is playing fun and loose and riding two of basketball’s hottest hands in Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker, who combined for 56 points Saturday. “We’re just trying to have as much fun as possible,” Kaminsky said. “We’re still kids. … I’m 21 years old. I’m having a blast. I’m trying to do all the fun things that I can do while I can still do them.” Michigan State got here by flipping the switch on what appeared to be an ordinary 2014-15 campaign. The Spartans, though, are led by Izzo, inarguably one of the game’s best late-season coaches. Michigan State, since suffering its 10th loss on March 1, has won eight of nine. The defeat was to Wisconsin, in overtime, in the Big Ten tournament championship game. Michigan State, in the tournament, has knocked out Georgia, Virginia, Oklahoma and Louisville. “I wasn’t really planning on working this late,” Izzo joked. “But, God, I love to work this time of year.” Things didn’t look promising Sunday after Louisville took an eight-point lead into halftime at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. Louisville had won 94 straight games with a halftime lead of six points or more. Louisville appeared ready to extend the streak when, trailing by one with only a few ticks left, Mangok Mathiang hit a tying free throw that bounced high off the heel and into the basket. That had to be fate, right? “We’re going to win this thing,” Louisville coach Rick Pitino said to himself. Mathiang missed his second try, though, sending the game to an overtime period dominated, 11-5, by the Spartans. This was a big improvement on Michigan State’s overtime performance against Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game, in which the Spartans were outscored, 11-0. Duke claimed the South by beating Robert Morris, San Diego State, Utah and Gonzaga, the Blue Devils’ victim Sunday in a dominating 14-point win in Houston. Many favored Gonzaga because the Bulldogs had depth, size and the experience advantage over Krzyzewski’s young team. In the end, Gonzaga proved it still wasn’t ready for prime time while Duke proved having Krzyzewski is the ultimate advantage. Duke haters must now stomach another week of Coach K talking about hunting down more milestones. Krzyzewski is now tied with John Wooden for most Final Four appearances, 12, and is two wins from his fifth NCAA title. His matchup against Izzo, along with Ryan vs. Calipari, will be a love-fest hosted by the mutual admiration society. This isn’t, necessarily, the Final Four any of us asked for, or wanted. It’s easier to get worked up when one of the four is George Mason, Virginia Commonwealth, or the Shockers of Wichita State. This Final Four, somewhat sadly, comes as no shock. By Chris Dufresne Los Angeles Times MailTribune.com By Chris Dufresne Los Angeles Times Posted Mar. 29, 2015 at 7:17 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. fantasy football Fantasy Football Outlook for Bengals Stars Mar. 27, 2015 at 9:59 am Things DFS Players Should Never, Ever Do Mar. 25, 2015 at 8:31 am Fantasy Football Outlook for Lions Stars Mar. 25, 2015 at 8:29 am Fantasy Football Outlook for Redskins Stars Mar. 23, 2015 at 7:01 am Fantasy Football Outlook for Panthers Stars Mar. 20, 2015 at 8:17 am Fantasy Football Outlook for Texans Stars Mar. 18, 2015 at 8:45 am 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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