Monday, June 15, 2026

Community effort makes impact: Medford Food Project’s bi-monthly drive collected over 20,000 pounds of food, as lines of cars and more than 140 volunteers sent donations to twelve local food banks -- see the food drive totals.

New zoning takes shape: Ashland’s Planning Commission unanimously approved a manufactured home park zoning district to preserve affordable housing and limit conversions, allowing more units and commercial uses, while tenant purchase rights drew debate -- see the zoning decision.

Fundraising moves back up the mountain: Mt. Ashland is reviving its chairlift campaign, seeking over $1.8 million to replace the Windsor and Aerial lifts, plus $550,000 match and chair auctions, while lifts stay operational in 2026-27 -- follow the chairlift campaign.

The bill all retirees should double check: Car insurance. If you’ve been on the same plan for years, you might be paying way more than you need to. It’s an easy one to forget about, but switching could save you up to $600 this year. Case in point: I shopped around and ended up cutting my premium in half — this free comparison tool makes it easy.*

An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial walk-in-the-door fee to x-rays, surgery, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could save thousands on your next vet bill with Lemonade*.

The slower you walk, the more it works: Tai Chi walking is trending online. Turns out it's centuries old — slow deliberate steps, paced breath, attention on the body. Thirty minutes a day burns fat, lifts your mood, and builds balance. No gym, no treadmill, no pounding on the joints. Take the quick quiz to see if it fits, then use code BASELOCAL for a discount on the coaching plan -- see how it works.*

Weekend reset, anyone? Bear Creek Park is your do-it-all backyard upgrade, from dialing in lines at the skate park or BMX track to snagging shade under the pavilion or catching a show at the amphitheater. Bring a ball, a buddy, and your best excuse for not checking email.

Treat yourself tonight: Decant is that neighborhood go-to when you want dinner to feel slightly upgraded this week, from shareable bites to mains that do not require a decoder ring, all paired with something good in your glass. Quiet enough to talk, flavorful enough to remember it tomorrow.

Fabric fix, anyone: Your stash called, it needs reinforcements. Sunshine Quilt Shoppe has cheerful prints, basics, and the notions you swear you already owned, plus classes and open sew sessions that keep projects moving and ideas flowing. Swing by this week and finally turn that UFO pile into something giftable.

A practice that strengthens how you move and how you think: Tai Chi walking works on two fronts at once. The slow, coordinated steps build lower-body strength and balance, while syncing your breath and movement quiets a busy mind and sharpens your focus. Create a personalized plan that adjusts as you settle into rhythm. *See your starting point →

Google your own name and you'll probably find your home address: It's sitting on a people-search site right now, next to your age, your relatives, and your phone number, free for anyone to look up. Incogni gets it taken down. It contacts 420+ data brokers on your behalf, uses privacy laws to legally demand deletion, and keeps resending requests so your information doesn't creep back online. No hours of opt-out forms, it runs quietly in the background. *Remove my data →

How much bacteria and microplastics come from your cutting board? More than you'd ever want to know. A single cut on a plastic board can shed up to 300 microplastic particles straight into your food, and a wood board absorbs raw meat juice so deep into the grain that scrubbing never gets it out. Thankfully, there's a cleaner solution entering more and more kitchens. *Check it out →

Your homeowners insurance has a blind spot: It covers your house if a tree falls on it. It doesn’t cover your furnace when it quits in January, your AC when it dies in July, or your water heater when it starts leaking on a Tuesday. Those are all classified as "normal wear and tear," and they're 100% on you. American Home Shield can help fill that gap for ~$1/day (even if your appliances and systems are really old).*See what it covers →

The card that pays you to pay down debt: Most balance-transfer cards skip the rewards. Most rewards cards skip the long 0% intro APR. This one has both: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, plus 5% cash back in rotating quarterly categories like grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations (up to the quarterly max, when you activate) and 1% on everything else. No annual fee, and the cash back you earn is automatically matched at the end of your first year. *Worth a look →