The Evans Valley Fire District Board of Directors unanimously voted to accept a new contract for Chief Tom Davidson, pending revised language that would disqualify him if he were fired “for cause,” specifically outlining “fraud, ethical violations, gross negligence, and willful misconduct” at its meeting on Thursday, May 21. The[Read More…]
News
Officials Warn Residents To Prepare Early For Severe Wildfire Season
With drought emergencies already declared in counties across Oregon, state emergency officials are warning residents to prepare now for what could become one of the driest and most dangerous wildfire seasons in more than a decade. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) is urging households to create evacuation plans,[Read More…]
Headlines & Highlights For May 27, 2026
A look back at notable stories making headlines in the Rogue River community over the years. May 27, 1981 — Community Builds Baseball Field At No Cost To Taxpayers What began as a joking remark about RRHS’s “cow field” grew into a community-wide effort to create a modern baseball facility.[Read More…]
Oregon Events Honoring America’s 250th Anniversary
The Bureau of Land Management is inviting Oregonians to take part in a series of public events celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026, while also marking the agency’s 80 years of public land stewardship. The events are part of the nationwide Freedom 250 commemoration and are designed[Read More…]
Prepare For Busy Summer Roads, Fire Season
Southern Oregon residents are preparing for camping trips, river outings, coastal vacations and long holiday drives — marking the unofficial beginning of summer travel season. State transportation officials say travelers across Jackson and Josephine counties should expect heavier traffic, active construction zones and increasing wildfire concerns as temperatures rise. Popular[Read More…]
Southern Oregon Drivers Should Expect Delays As Highway Projects Continue Through Summer
Motorists traveling through Jackson and Josephine counties this summer may encounter construction zones, lane closures and traffic delays as several major transportation improvement projects continue across Southern Oregon. Projects range from bridge repairs near Lost Creek Lake to Interstate 5 pavement work north of Grants Pass and accessibility upgrades in[Read More…]
Gold Hill Planning Commission Reviews Housing Rules
The Gold Hill Planning Commission met this week to keep pushing forward on updates to the city’s land use rules, housing regulations, and annexation procedures. Commissioners spent much of the meeting discussing how to modernize the development code without losing the small-town character that makes Gold Hill special. A major[Read More…]
Chief Gets Standing Ovation At City Council Meeting
As expected, Rogue River Police Chief David Rash received a standing ovation at the Rogue River City Council Workshop on Thurs, May 21, after he had been named the Police Chief of the Year award from the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP). Mayor Pam VanArsdale read Rash’s nomination[Read More…]
IP28 Advances To Signature Verification As Oregon Debate Intensifies
The proposed PEACE Act – Initiative Petition 28 (IP28) – has officially cleared another hurdle in its long path toward a potential appearance on Oregon’s November ballot. According to official initiative petition submission logs from the Oregon Secretary of State, petitioners submitted 120,935 signatures by the May 20 deadline, surpassing[Read More…]
Fire Chief Hammond Retiring
Jackson County Fire District 1 Chief Mike Hammond announced that he planned to retire at the end of December of this year, at the beginning of what would have been his chief’s report during the fire department board of directors’ meeting on Wed., May 20. “It’s close to time for[Read More…]