LAYOFFS AT HARRY AND DAVID REPORTED COMING IN FROM FORMER EMPLOYEES. IT’S ESTIMATED AROUND 100 TENURED AND SUPERVISORY WORKERS GOT PINK SLIPS. ACCORDING TO THE ROGUE VALLEY TIMES, 1-800 FLOWERS DOT COM, HARRY AND DAVIDS PARENT COMPANY, CITES AN ONGOING “TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY” AND A RECENT FISCAL REPORT DISCLOSING DECLINING REVENUES RESULTING IN COST REDUCTIONS, INCLUDING WORKFORCE REDUCTION.
SOME RESIDENTS PUSHING BACK AFTER THE CITY OF ASHLAND PUTS UP NOTICES SAYING THEY’LL BE SPRAYING THE MEDIAN ON SISKIYOU BOULEVARD WITH GLYPHOSATE, MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS ROUNDUP WEED KILLER. NBC5 5 SAYS THE SPRAY ZONE INCLUDES THE STREET IN FRONT OF ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND SEVERAL RESIDENTIAL AREAS. ROUNDUP HAS BEEN COMING UINDER GREATER SCRUTINY IN RECENT YEARS OVER HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS. A STATEMENT FROM THE ASHLAND PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT SAYS THE CITY USES PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES AS A TOOL TO HELP OUR TEAM SAFELY NAVIGATE MEDIAN AREAS TO AVOID CONTACT WITH VEHICLES.”. A CHANGE DOT ORG PETITION IS CURRENTLY BEING CIRCULATED ASKING THE CITY CEASE THE SPRAYING.
AND IN THE RECENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, K THROUGH 12 MONEY PROBLEMS WERE LARGELY SIDESTEPPED, BUT HIGHER EDUCATION GOT A HELPING HAND. 15 MILLION DOLLARS COMING INTO SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY FROM HOUSE BILL 5204, WHICH PASSED ON THE SESSION’S FINAL DAY AND AWAITS GOVERNOR KOTEK’S SIGNATURE. MORE WORK TO BE DONE AT SOU GIVEN RISING EXPENSES AND DECLINING ENROLLMENT.