Rogue Valley Messenger: What do you do as chair of the arts commission?  ​Simone Stewart: I am the leader of the commission. I set the agenda for our meetings and conduct our meetings. I am the point of contact between the city of Medford and the Arts Commission. We

Rogue Valley Messenger: You are an English literature professor at SOU, correct? What is your favorite topic to teach and why? Alma Rosa Alvarez: I am currently an English literature professor at SOU. I have a wide range of favorite topics. I teach U.S. Literature. One of my favorite topics

Rogue Valley Messenger: What important issues are in front of City Council currently?  Clay Bearnson: In my opinion, the most pressing issues that we are starting to tackle are homelessness, the housing crisis, downtown revitalization, and repeat drug offenders that have no fear of any punishment due the turnstile door

Rogue Valley Messenger: What is the Rogue Farm Corps? Stuart O’Neill: Rogue Farm Corps trains and equips the next generation of farmers and ranchers through hands-on educational programs and the preservation of farmland. Many [first generation farmers] are aware of the looming crisis in agriculture, as the average age of

“The 2nd District is large, the size of Florida in fact,” explains Michael Byrne, a stone mason from the Hood River area who is hoping to become the new congressional representative for that district. In fact, the Second District of Oregon covers nearly two-thirds of the state, stretching north to

Rogue Valley Messenger: Just to be clear: You’re not operating the library, “just” raising money to help keep it operating? Amy Drake: Your property taxes cover the operating budget of the library, which is managed by the Jackson County Library District Board and the Jackson County Library staff. The Foundation

Rogue Valley Messenger: How vulnerable is the national monument here in our backyard? Jeanine Moy: All of the Monument is very vulnerable to illegal actions by Trump that could put it at-risk, legal limbo for years. Interior Secretary Zinke recommended that Trump reduce Monument boundaries – but didn’t say by

RVM: Maslow Project talks about “a hand up, not a handout.” Can you explain a bit more about what this looks like? KP: Generally, people think of a “handout” as something you give to someone that meets an immediate need (like food/hunger), but doesn’t change anything in the larger picture.

Wenonoa Spivak is the Director of Programs and Education of Court Appointed Special Advocates—or, as it is better known, CASA. CASA was one of the organizations at the Messenger’s Giving Tuesday event, and will be featured in our upcoming Give Guide. CASA works with hundreds of kids each year to

Henry Rollins is a cultural force. Launched nearly 35 years ago as the take-no-prisoner singer for Black Flag, Rollins has gone to bundle a career as a writer, radio personality, actor and activist. One thing he isn’t, however, is a weed smoker. What then is he doing keynoting the Oregon