Tag: sustainability

Some Good News

I first learned about this from Representative Pam Marsh, Ashland’s citizen elected to serve in Oregon’s state legislature.

Here is the KOBI 5 article and a link to it. I think it’s something worth celebrating in this age of Trump, the Golden Age of Corruption, and also the Golden Age of Science Denial.

Oregon’s first floating solar project unveiled in Jackson Co.

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – On Friday, several organizations as well as U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, gathered as the state’s first floating solar project went online. The project aims to deliver affordable, renewable energy while also conserving water.

1,700 solar panels have been mounted on water-safe floating platforms on Medford Irrigation District’s reservoir in Central Point. These panels will be able to supply energy to families and businesses in Jackson County, lowering energy costs and creating revenue for the irrigation district.

Not only that, but the panels also shade the reservoir which can preserve water in the warmer months. It can also improve water quality by slowing algae and weed growth. Being the first of its kind here, it will be studied for other communities facing similar issues of high energy bills and drought. Julie O’Shea, executive director for Farmers Conservation Alliance said,

“This project benefits Medford Irrigation District and their strategies and plans to be able to modernize their irrigation infrastructure which is so critical when we’re facing the drought we’re facing this year. And we’re hoping [to] save water from preventing evaporation and so many other benefits. There’s many other irrigation communities in the state and across the west working on floating solar projects right now.”

Many organizations are behind the project, including the Medford Irrigation District, Energy Trust of Oregon, Farmers Conservation Alliance, Imagine Energy and more. More general and subscription information can be found online.

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Pam also noted, “It’s a project with multiple benefits that will also generate a funding stream of $75,000 a year to the district.”

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Saturday’s Theme Music

It’s Saturday, January 31, 2026. Almost time to close the books on 2026’s first month.

Colder air returned to Ashland as last night’s temps found the mid-thirties. We’re already close to our high now, 57 F. This remains a hell of a lot better than places like Pennsylvania, where my sister told me it was 9 degrees F during our text exchange.

It’s still a dry winter for us in Ashland. Mt. Ashland, our local ski resort, is closed due to a lack of snow. Even snow machines couldn’t create the needed conditions. That doesn’t spell good news for our local tourism, and that ripples out to employment and the economy.

Our local economy is already suffering with tourism and college enrollment down, utility prices up, and wheat exports cratered. Southern Oregon wheat farmers had a bad 2025 as fertilizer prices jumped and wheat prices fell. It can take years to recover from setbacks like these for farmers, and right now, the Trump solution is a handout. Long term solutions aren’t being addressed. It feels like we’re dying from a thousand cuts.

As American states dig out from Winter Storm Fern’s effects, I’m watching for the Trump Effect (TE). The TE is the combination of unforeseen circumstances brought on by short-sighted decisions and the Trump philosophy. Short-sighted decisions were witnessed when Trump unleashed Elon Musk and DOGE last year. Firing people and breaking systems, the Trump Administration then needed to rehire people to come back and fix things — or train people to replace them.

The Trump philosophy (TP) is about the Federal government’s cutback on services and assistance given to states. For example, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agent (MEMA) said the Trump administration announced the disaster assistance threshold for Mississippi was increased from $5.5 million to $22 million. That leaves a gap that MEMA doesn’t think it can cover.

As with everything — deep breath — we’ll see.

Trying to raise my spirits, Papi the ginger wonder and I played this morning, a game of chase with a laser pointer. Papi endured it for about 2.25 minutes but during that time, he was a wild thing. Watching him, Les Neurons popped “Gimme Dat Ding” by the Pipkins, a 1970 novelty song. It was perfect for Papi’s red dot pursuit — “Gimme dat! Gimme dat!”

Hope you have a comfortable day wherever you are, no matter the season, and that peace and grace come along with some props. Cheers

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