When I first started hanging out in Grants Pass back in 1976, the Brewery had just opened and was the place to go. The owners had converted the turn-of-the-century (circa 1886) brewery into a restaurant and adjoining bar, and it was a fun place.

No matter how many candles you light at church praying that your car never gets hit, sometimes it’s just inevitable. And when fate deals you a bad hand, Apland’s Auto Body (2163 NE Spalding Avenue; and 2584 Bullock Road in Medford) is there to help. Founded in 2009 by Mike and Jodie Apland

Every time my wife and I go on vacation, we stress out about the animals. Vetting the housesitters is a major ordeal, almost like sitting through an interview with the C.I.A. Our dog, Brody, gives them the sniff test, and if they don’t treat our Mau Mau like the princess she is, it’s all over.

When it comes to health care, you ideally want to avoid chronic or catastrophic illnesses and keep any nagging health “issues” to a minimum. In this fast-paced, stress inducing Digital Age, it’s not always easy to do, and that’s where Optimal Health of Southern Oregon, a full-service family practice located at 1600 NW 6th Street comes in. Wendell Heidinger, MD, focuses on wellness, prevention, and lifestyle change.

Marijuana may be getting all the headlines with the recreational users, but when it comes to medical treatments, hemp is the wave of the future. Kit and Lisa Doyle, founders of Seed Oil Company and owners of the Murphy Hemp Store (6790 Williams Highway) learned that through direct observation.