Author Archive
Sara Jane Wiltermood

Pow! Bam! Local Boxer Mike Wilson Fights on His Original Stomping Grounds
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

The Rough Road of Financial Aid For College: Oregon Promise Grant Narrows Eligibility
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

Eclipse Experts: More Than Just a Sunglasses Fashion Statement
Though it sounds like a pitch for a pyramid scheme, viewing this eclipse on August 21 is really the opportunity of a lifetime. It will be hundreds of years before something of its kind can be viewed here, and we will all be gone by then, no matter what the

What Goes Up… The Mt. Ashland Hill Climb Bike Race Separates The Tough From The Tougher
Many of us have enjoyed barreling down the slopes of Mt. Ashland on skis, especially this past season with the superb snowfall. But how about going up those same steep grades? And on a bike, to boot. For the biker’s summer that needs a serious, hardcore kick, the Mt. Ashland

Painting It Forward: Eugene Bennett Continues To Support Local Artists
Eugene Bennett is best known for his luminescent paintings, mid-century modern watercolors that build on the legacies of Monet and Seurat. But his legacy also is helping build another generation of southern Oregon artists. Born in Central Point, Bennett joined the U.S. Navy during the final years of World

Splish! Splash! An Update on our Rogue River
Ah, Christmas in July. Tis the season to hit the river for rafting, fishing, kayaking, or just downright lounging. But how does the river feel about all this? We enlisted our local river expert, Director of Rogue Riverkeeper Robyn Janssen, to weigh in on what threatens our beloved Rogue River

Tale as Old as 1991: OSF’s Beauty and the Beast Strums the Heartstrings of Yesteryear
When I first saw The Lion King Broadway show in my 20s, I was transported back to third grade when I first saw the original animated Disney version in the movie theater. The talking safari animals were mesmerizing, the music was catchy, and all my friends were there watching it

A Red-Hot Handful of Rogue Valley Theatre: Five Plays Not to Miss This Season
As OSF’s opening weekend approaches, curtains are going up all over the region, revealing shows that just cannot be overlooked. With so many talented individuals and groups, it is impossible to mention them all, but attending at least these five will provide a starting line for the marathon of great

Help Yourself
I don’t usually care much for penis jokes. However, when they are well-placed and timed, with a sense of amusement from all parties, they can be jolly good fun. (That’s what she said.) Ahem. At any rate, naughty jokes and more are found in Barnstormers Theatre’s Self-Help, playing through November

Taking the Reins: The Ashland Independent Film Festival Hires a New Executive Director:
Steven Remington is glad to be back home. An Oregonian at heart, he has gained experience guiding various non-profits throughout the Northwest and beyond, including his most recent Executive Director position at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Idaho, and is excited to be back “home” and to take the