Mail Tribune (Medford, OR) articles from August 2007

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR) archives from August 2007

Online sales entrepreneur takes a cue from 'The Sopranos'.
August 1, 2007

Butte Falls hatchery battles bacteria.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Mark Freeman Aug. 6--BUTTE FALLS -- For the past 92 years, Oregon has grown salmon and trout at the Butte Falls Hatchery for one reason -- Big Butte Creek and its bottle-quality water. But the hatchery's greatest asset is now...

Mail Tribune, Medford, Ore., business profile column.
August 6, 2007... Aug. 6--HOME GROWN BUSINESS: Bob Forrest Loan & Investments OWNER: Bob Forrest and Apple Buaklang AGES: 71 and 41 ADDRESS: 1884 Delta Waters Road, Medford PHONE: 779-3659 EMPLOYEES: 6 E-MAIL:...

County property at forefront of Measure 37 rewrite debate.
August 6, 2007... Byline: Damian Mann Aug. 6--ASHLAND -- A 5,200-acre property in Jackson County has become something of a poster child for a group that wants to fix what it calls the egregious threat to farmland and forests from Measure 37. In a recent...

Saving pieces of history.
August 7, 2007... Byline: Bob Albrecht Aug. 7--Rogue Federal Credit Union is taking down the U.S. Forest Service buildings on McAndrews Road and Poplar Drive to build a new branch, but not without paying its respects to history. Rather than simply...

County's home prices fall again; sales slow.
August 7, 2007... Byline: Greg Stiles Aug. 7--Southern Oregon Multiple Listing Service figures released today, however, showed existing homes were more apt to hold their value. The median price for new homes dropped 11.6 percent to $318,000 during the...

Back to School.
August 7, 2007... Byline: Greg Aug. 7--With the start of school less than a month away, retailers are gearing up for one of the make-or-break selling seasons. "We don't sell to a ton of youngsters, but come August and September, moms come in with their...

Best Buy nears deal for Medford, Ore., store.
August 9, 2007... Byline: Greg Stiles Aug. 9--MEDFORD -- Best Buy might have left Delta Center behind, but the electronics retailer apparently still wants to dispatch its Geek Squad to Medford. No one is saying it's a done deal, but the Richfield,...

Measure 37 claimant seeks relief.
August 13, 2007... Byline: Sanne Specht Aug. 13--JACKSONVILLE -- A Measure 37 claim could force the city to waive sections of its building code. Thomas Owings filed a claim in December 2006 requesting $3.2 million or the opportunity to divide his hilly...

Mail Tribune, Medford, Ore., Homegrown Business column.
August 13, 2007... Byline: Jim Craven Aug. 13--HOME GROWN BUSINESS: Southern Oregon Builders OWNERS: Merlin Fjarli, Clint Fjarli, Bruce Fjarli AGES: 77, 56 and 51 ADDRESS: 670 Mason Way, Medford PHONE: 541-779-2233 EMPLOYEES: 8 ...

Forensics lab finishes major addition.
August 13, 2007... Byline: Mark Freeman Aug. 13--ASHLAND -- The world's top wildlife forensics lab is making new high-tech strides in the fight against wildlife diseases, while also keeping in stride with the needs of Ken Goddard's 11-year-old granddaughter....

Southern Oregon company receives award.
August 14, 2007... Byline: Greg Stiles Aug. 14--Mike Card's persistent efforts to improve Oregon's transportation system, boost trucking industry awareness and maintain a longtime family business haven't gone unnoticed. Last weekend, Card's company,...

Airlines, private pilots spar over funding for air traffic control system.
August 16, 2007... Byline: Greg Stiles Aug. 16--There is a tug of war between commercial airlines and general aviation pilots over future funding of the nation's air traffic control system. On one hand, commercial airlines are pushing to eliminate their...

County jobless rate increases to 6.1 percent.
August 17, 2007... Byline: Greg Stiles Aug. 17--Jackson County payroll employment declined in July and it was the public sector that took the brunt of the hit. Total payroll employment declined by 1,890 jobs from June to July, the Employment Department...

Ashland library levy would cost less if the system reopens.
August 17, 2007... Byline: Damian Mann Aug. 17--ASHLAND -- If Jackson County finds a way to reopen its libraries, a proposed levy on Ashland residents might be reduced and the money used to extend the hours at their branch. Ashland Mayor John Morrision...

'Bo Club' building to get full restoration.
August 17, 2007... Byline: Bob Albrecht Aug. 17--Two dusty chandeliers, with six light fixtures each, hang from the bare wood-beamed ceiling. The floor is gone, with nothing but a few concrete slabs, dirt and rocks remaining. The front of the building is...

Developers hope to avoid sprinkler clause.
August 19, 2007... Byline: Meg Landers Aug. 19--MEDFORD -- In a debate over whether the city should accept the wishes of local real estate interests and ease its mandate that new hillside homes include fire sprinklers, Medford officials decided to first find...

Table Rocks destination resort clears first hurdle.
August 19, 2007... Byline: Damian Mann Aug. 19--Developers of a proposed destination resort near the Table Rocks can push ahead with plans for a championship golf course and up to 1,200 residences on a 2,100-acre property after a critical deadline passed...

Mail Tribune, Medford, Ore., business profile column.
August 20, 2007... Aug. 20--HOME GROWN BUSINESS: Shower Doors and More OWNERS: Ron Harris and Garr Erskine AGES: 43 and 47 ADDRESS: 4770 Industry Drive, Central Point PHONE: 770-4550 EMPLOYEES: 11 E-MAIL: sdmron@clearwire.net ...

Sporting goods megastore will open in fall.
August 21, 2007... Byline: Greg Stiles Mail Aug. 21--After years of planning and waiting, Stu Utgaard will soon see one of his Sportsman's Warehouse stores in Southern Oregon. The 45,200-square-foot store, scheduled to open Nov. 17, has shot up quickly...

New rules haven't hurt local orchards.
August 22, 2007... Byline: Greg Stiles Aug. 22--In California and Washington, a new round of federal regulations has created a shortage of agricultural labor. New laws going into effect in September require workers' identities to be verified within 90...

District changes school bond schedule.
August 22, 2007... Byline: Bob Albrecht Aug. 22--A $10 to $12 million shortfall in the Medford School District's budget for repair and upgrades to 18 schools prompted the School Board on Tuesday to alter its bond-issue schedule with hopes of saving about $3...

White City sees boom in industrial development.
August 24, 2007... Byline: Greg Stiles Aug. 24--WHITE CITY -- Urban renewal, new residential development and road improvements have done a lot to remake this unincorporated urban area. Not that long ago, the erstwhile World War II training grounds were...

End of local rail era is just a rumor on the Internet.
August 25, 2007... Byline: Greg Stiles Aug. 25--Carloads of rail ties seen along Union Pacific lines south of the Siskiyou Summit have prompted some observers to wonder if the end was near for Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad's southbound traffic into...

Mail Tribune, Medford, Ore., Home Grown column.
August 27, 2007... Aug. 27--HOME GROWN BUSINESS: Rogue Valley Cycle Sport OWNER: Merrill Hayes AGE: 62 ADDRESS: 1390 Biddle Road, Medford; 191 Oak St., Ashland PHONE: 857-0819 and 488-0581 EMPLOYEES: 12 E-MAIL: info@roguecycle.com ...

Erickson aircraft fight fires in Greece.
August 28, 2007... Byline: Greg Stiles Aug. 28--It comes as no surprise to find Erickson Air-Crane S-64E Helitankers smack in the middle of the fires scorching Greece. An Erickson spokesman confirmed Monday that four of the Central Point company's...

Pear harvest under way.
August 28, 2007... Byline: Greg Stiles Aug. 28--Southern Oregon pear growers began picking several weeks ago, but with the shift to fall and winter varieties, it means the Rogue Valley's biggest player is joining the harvest. Harry and David Holdings'...

Greenway: Is it safe or not?
August 29, 2007... Byline: Damian Mann Aug. 29--Paul Boswell is fed up with the Bear Creek Greenway because he said it is littered with homeless camps and garbage. "I got really irritated," said the 68-year-old Medford resident, who rises early for what...

Cheese & chocolate for all.
August 30, 2007... Byline: Sarah Lemon Aug. 30--CENTRAL POINT -- Welcoming a chocolate factory to the neighborhood will help Rogue Creamery promote its property as a tourist destination for gourmets, company spokesmen and city officials say. Lillie Belle...