Southern Oregon- Cold mornings and warm afternoons are putting Southern Oregon residents on notice as autumn weather brings changing conditions for gardens, farms, and outdoor activities. A freeze warning for portions of Jackson and Josephine counties early this week highlighted the seasonal threat to sensitive vegetation. While the warning was[Read More…]
Author: Teresa Pearson
Coast Guard Rescues Injured Rafter
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew rescued a 68-year-old rafter with a leg injury Thursday, Oct. 1, from a remote section of the Rogue River where ground responders could not reach the group by road. The MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station North Bend responded to a location approximately[Read More…]
Samuels Pleads Guilty In Fentanyl Case, Admits Drug Caused Death
A Medford man has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and admitted that fentanyl he distributed caused another person’s death, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. Richard Scott Samuels, 60, is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 17, 2026. He faces a maximum[Read More…]
Advantage Dental To Pay $4.5 Million
Advantage Dental Services, LLC will pay $4.5 million to settle allegations that it improperly billed the Oregon Health Plan for patient phone calls that did not provide meaningful dental counseling or obtain patients’ consent, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced. The settlement resolves allegations that the company used thousands of[Read More…]
Social Security Impostor Scams
A caller claims your Social Security number has been linked to a crime. They warn that your benefits will stop or that you could be arrested unless you act immediately. The person sounds official, but the threat is a warning sign of a scam. Social Security impostors contact people by[Read More…]
Employers Cut Hiring While Jobs Remain Difficult To Fill
Employers across Jackson and Josephine counties have pulled back from the rapid hiring seen after the pandemic, but thousands of positions remain open and difficult to fill, according to new data from the Oregon Employment Department. Private employers in the Rogue Valley reported 3,787 job vacancies during 2025. Of those[Read More…]
Wildfire Insurance Protections Extended Through Oct. 29
Oregon has extended temporary insurance protections for residents in designated wildfire-affected areas through Oct. 29. The emergency order limits certain insurance policy cancellations and nonrenewals. It also requires insurers to provide additional time for premium payments and gives affected policyholders more time to report damage and submit certain claims information.[Read More…]
County Removes Six Vacant Sheriff’s Office Positions
Josephine County commissioners unanimously approved the removal of six vacant positions from the Sheriff’s Office budget Sept. 29. The reductions include two patrol deputies, two corrections deputies, and two major-crimes detectives. No current employees were laid off because all six positions were unfilled. Commissioner Gary Richardson said the county’s updated[Read More…]
Two Found Dead After Williams Highway Barricade
Two people were found dead inside a residence on Williams Highway after an incident Tuesday involving Oregon State Police detectives assisting with a missing-person investigation, authorities said. At about 10 a.m. Oct. 6, detectives were conducting follow-up work at a property in the 10,400 block of Williams Highway when they[Read More…]
Medford Begins Writing Rules For Massive Data Centers
Medford officials have directed city staff to begin drafting land-use regulations aimed at restricting massive data centers while preserving smaller facilities already serving local businesses. The direction followed a Sept. 30 joint study session involving the Medford City Council and Planning Commission. The two bodies reached a consensus that the[Read More…]