Montague mayor vindicated after civil grand jury report

A Siskiyou County judge dismissed six charges against Montague Mayor Takeshi Murakami on October 29. The county civil grand jury had accused Murakami of misconduct while serving as the mayor and acting fire chief. The allegations included holding both of those offices at the same time, using his office to benefit his private business and endangering other firefighters.

14 Ashland businesses owe city $1.1 million in unpaid food and beverage tax

ASHLAND, Ore. – 14 Ashland businesses owe the city over $1.1 million in outstanding food and beverage tax payments, according to Ashland Interim Finance Director Bryn Morrison. During an Ashland City Council & Parks Joint Business Meeting on Thursday, Morrison said it’s been four years since the city received...

Medford to host: Drug take-back event

Initial results show Josephine County jail levy voted down

Josephine County voters appear to have rejected a five-year renewal of a property tax that funds the county’s adult jail and juvenile detention center. Preliminary results show about 55% voted against Measure 17-129. Without renewed funding, the county projects it would cut the adult jail’s capacity by more than...

Ashland unveils new and improved Hunter Park tennis courts

ASHLAND, Ore. – If you’re looking to hit the courts, you’re in luck. Ashland’s new and improved Hunter Park tennis courts are officially open. The city hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday afternoon to unveil the refurbished courts after nearly three months of construction. Major improvements...

Jackson County extends open burning deadline to Nov. 15

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. - Open burning in the Air Quality Maintenance Area is now allowed through Nov. 15. According to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, the extension comes after limited burn days since fire season ended on Oct. 28. The Jackson County Air Pollution Ordinance typically bans open burning in the AQMA starting Nov. 1, but commissioners temporarily amended the rule to give residents more time.

Medford City Council Approves Rogue Disposal Residential Rate Increase

MEDFORD, Ore. — Wednesday night, the Medford City Council approved a rate increase proposed by Rogue Disposal & Recycling. RDR proposed a 3.4% increase for residential waste services. Residents using the 35-gallon service will see an increase of 88 cents per month, while the 65-gallon service will increase by $1.48 a month.

North Medford HS Auditorium Closed Due to Structural Problems

MEDFORD, Ore.–Less than 2 years after the North Medford High School gymnasium collapsed, we’re learning the school’s auditorium has structural problems and is temporarily closed. The gym collapsed in February 2025, and work on a new gym is ongoing. This week North Medford HS Principal Allen Barber...

‘Save Hawthorne Park’ group asks seeks public input on proposed stadium

MEDFORD, Ore. – A local citizens’ group is urging Medford residents to make their voices heard on the proposed baseball stadium at Hawthorne Park. Citizens for Hawthorne Park is an advocacy group opposing the development of a baseball stadium at Hawthorne Park. On Thursday morning, volunteers with the group collected signatures and spoke with Medford residents about the proposed stadium at the Medford Thursday Market in Hawthorne Park.

MORNING ELECTION UPDATE: Krause commands lead over Hicks; many Jackson County incumbents ahead

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Incumbent US Rep. Cliff Bentz easily leads Democrat Chris Beck; Medford City Council contested races see incumbents leading. Voters in Jackson County decided Tuesday on races for Congress, the Oregon Legislature, city and county races and several ballot measures in the Nov. 3 general election.

November 6, 2026

Good morning Douglas County! Here are today's updates live from the Roseburg Receiver Communications Center. Fresh headlines, updates, and community info to start the day. CANYONVILLE, Ore. - Oregon DMV will permanently close its Canyonville office at 241 NE Main St. effective Wednesday, Nov. 18, citing vacant positions, an expiring lease and staffing needs across the region.

Invasive aquatic weed detected for the first time in Oregon

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – One of the most aggressive invasive weeds in the world has been detected in Jackson County, according to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA). Hydrilla Verticillata, an A-rated noxious weed, was recently found in ponds on private property in Jackson County. This marks the first appearance of the aquatic weed in Oregon.

Asante CEO declines to respond to state legislators’ inquiry

State lawmakers express ongoing concern regarding nearly $1 million in unreported labor consultant spending; Oregon nurses union demands ‘real answers’. Asante CEO Tom Gessel declined to answer a half-dozen questions posted in a recent inquiry from two state legislators regarding over $1 million allegedly spent on so-called “anti-union” labor relations firms and said Southern Oregon’s largest healthcare provider has not been engaged with groups for “labor-related staff-level education” since 2023.

Judge's ruling keeps OHA, Asante medical records confidential in Schofield case

Oregon Health Authority and Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center are able to keep medical records confidential with a judge's ruling to quash subpoenas regarding their information. One figure mentioned in court hinted that the amount of data required to meet the subpoenas could be 100,000 pages.

Lumber Company Embezzlement Plea

A former lumber company bookkeeper in Douglas County has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $1 million over a decade-long period.

City of Grants Pass clarifies its role with Parker's Place

GRANTS PASS, Ore. - The City of Grants Pass is clarifying its role at Parker's Place Village after receiving questions from community members. According to the city, Elk Island Trading Group owns and operates the shelter. The city's involvement is limited to providing grant funding for construction and monitoring compliance with the grant agreement.

Southern Oregon Agriculture Faces New Labor Challenges as State Report Reveals Gaps in Worker Protections and Enforcement

Southern Oregon’s agricultural industry is entering another period of regulatory change as a newly released state legislative report identifies significant weaknesses in Oregon’s agricultural labor oversight, including inconsistent employment records, fragmented enforcement responsibilities and gaps in communication among agencies responsible for protecting farmworkers. The findings arrive less than two months before agricultural overtime requirements expand again, bringing additional financial and operational considerations to farms, vineyards, orchards and ranches throughout Josephine, Jackson, Douglas and Klamath counties.

Air quality advisory for parts of Grants Pass due to prescribed burns

GRANTS PASS, Ore. - Prescribed burning activities are expected to cause intermittent smoke impacts to parts of Josephine County including Grants Pass for the next 48 hours. According to health officials, smoke can irritate the eyes and lungs and worsen some medical conditions. People most at risk include infants and young children, people with heart or lung disease, older adults and pregnant people.

Krause appears headed for victory in contentious state senate race

As of midnight, Krause is leading Republican Brad Hicks by 7,551 votes, a margin of 53.8% to 42%. This campaign has become the most expensive state senate race in Oregon, with millions of dollars spent on both sides. It has become the race that decides if Democrats retain their supermajority in the state senate. Both candidates have bitterly fought for this seat, covering Ashland and most of Medford, which is being left vacant by Democrat Jeff Golden, who chose not to run for a third term.

Democrats on Track For Another Salem Supermajority in 2027

Legislative · Jackson Co. SALEM, Ore.–While Democrats enjoyed massive success in both federal and state races across the country Tuesday, they look to be expanding their supermajority in Salem. The legislative race everyone was following this week was for retiring State Senator Jeff Golden’s seat in southern Jackson...