Author Archive

Sara Jane Wiltermood

Sara Jane Wiltermood

Sara has been involved with the Rogue Valley Messenger from its inception, innocently responding to a craigslist ad asking for writers back in 2012, because she figured, why not? She had received her B.A. in Journalism/Mass Communications from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, in 2007 and was itching to put it to good use back where she was born and raised, in Grants Pass. Little did she know that the then online paper would end up in print, or that she would find herself in the esteemed position of Associate Editor two short years later. She and her husband and daughter, Seth and Lavender, have a small farm outside Grants Pass, where they primarily raise goats and rabbits and sell their products at their farm stand, L-Mae Essentials. They aspire to add produce to their repertoire in coming years. In her spare time, she also works as a Surgery Assistant/Implant Coordinator at Associates for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Grants Pass and Medford.

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According to the Oregon Employment Department, workers in the leisure and hospitality field of Jackson and Josephine County make up 14.5 and 13.7 percent of the workforce, respectively, edging out the national average, which was only 12.8 percent in 2015. Meaning, folks come here to be entertained, and we are

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Earlier this year, the Oregon POUR Authority & Pizza Studio (OPPA) moved from their original tucked-away location across from the post office in Grants Pass to the hottest block in town, H Street. Home to the historic Rogue Theatre, the Haul restaurant, and The Sound Lounge, H Street and the

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Take it from us, the Messenger. It isn’t always easy running a business in the Rogue Valley. And while we are now a non-profit, we’re still a business, needing to make ends meet and the trains run on time. To get a little advice and insights to what it takes

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  No, not pinned as in Pinterest, or pinned at the homecoming dance. Pinned as in straining for what seems like your life with someone who is your same weight. The only advantage is strength and skill. Eagle Point Youth wrestling coach Tony Stanfield fills us in on the massive

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There is great power in telling a story. The teller decides what is true or not, how to present it, and often most importantly, how to land the ending. The Ashland Literary Arts Festival on October 28 at the Hannon Library at SOU gathers an odd group of storytellers together,

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As much as Ashland may be known for its chumminess and collaborative nature—and that includes the culinary scene—the chefs here still like to compete with each other, at least once each year. The annual event takes place November 2 – 5, and 12 of Ashland’s chefs will battle for the

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Why should Ebert and Roeper get to have all the fun? Or Rotten Tomatoes make up their own “tomatometer”? Not only do the viewers of the annual Ashland New Plays Festival on October 18 through 22 get to give their opinion on the plays presented, but the playwrights are right

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  Europe has all the luck. Rome with her Colosseum. Paris her Notre Dame. Countrysides littered with ancient castles and stone walls that have been around for centuries. Yes, the Rogue Valley has her trees, mountains, Table Rock too, but when it comes to man-made architecture, the Costco Warehouse just

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In the movies, boxing looks sweaty with a swollen face. With the speed punching bag at the gym, it looks like a hyperactive feline with a catnip toy. The real world of boxing is about the toughness, the quickness and the strength, and none know this better than Rogue Valley

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  Financial aid for college can be a tricky proposition: Loans can help pay for school, but also can dig a financial hole that takes years to get out of. It is a tricky, billion-dollar question that is limiting access to college for tens of thousands of students nationwide, and