Temps in the low 70s and a chance for a little rain this weekend is just what anglers are looking for after the recent blast of early heat. With much of the area in a moderate to severe drought, cold-water fish like trout and salmon need a break, too. Fish[Read More…]
Outdoors
ODOT Road Construction Update For June 24, 2026
ODOT Announces Highway Projects, Closures and ADA Upgrades Across Jackson and Josephine Counties. Motorists traveling through Jackson and Josephine counties should prepare for construction delays, lane restrictions and temporary closures as several Oregon Department of Transportation projects continue through the summer. Lost Creek Lake Bridge Repairs Continue A $6.1 million[Read More…]
Illegal Grow Hidden In Pear Orchard Near Central Point
A large-scale illegal marijuana operation hidden among pear orchards in rural Central Point was dismantled last week after law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the property. Members of the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) served the warrant June 16 in the 1000 block of Old Stage Road, where[Read More…]
ODF Urges Safe Target Shooting During Fire Season
With fire season now in effect across all Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands, including Oregon’s state forests, officials are reminding visitors that preventing human-caused wildfires is everyone’s responsibility. According to ODF, approximately 70 percent of wildfires in Oregon are caused by human activity. While escaped debris burns remain one of[Read More…]
B My Lucky Lady Fastest Qualifier For $95K Firecracker
Ten quarterhorses, out of 40 entered through six qualifying races, made it through the late June heat of the Summer Solstice and into what will surely be an even hotter cauldron in the Firecracker Futurity at Grants Pass Downs on Sat., July 4. For a little bigger spike in the[Read More…]
Trout Unlimited Opening Up Streams For Fish
Thanks to funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Trout Unlimited is opening up streams for migratory fish across coastal watersheds in Oregon. One of the most ambitious salmon restoration projects on Oregon’s North Coast, the Salmon SuperHwy is an unprecedented effort to restore access to almost 180[Read More…]
ODOT Road Construction Update For June 17, 2026
ODOT Projects Continue Across Jackson And Josephine Counties Several Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) construction projects are underway throughout Jackson and Josephine counties this summer, with motorists advised to expect delays, lane restrictions, and occasional ramp closures. JACKSON COUNTY • Lost Creek Lake Bridge Repairs on Highway 62 A $6.1[Read More…]
Fire Season Level Raises Statewide
Fire agencies across Southern Oregon are increasing restrictions and staffing levels as hot, dry weather pushes wildfire danger higher across the region. Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on June 17, the City of Grants Pass will raise its fire danger level to High (Yellow). The change comes as vegetation dries and[Read More…]
Grants Pass Downs Opens Racing Season
The sound of thundering hooves returns to Southern Oregon this weekend as the 2026 racing season begins at Grants Pass Downs. The popular Racing on the Rogue meet opens Saturday, June 20, at the Josephine County Fairgrounds, kicking off a three-weekend, seven-day season of thoroughbred and quarter horse racing. Presented[Read More…]
State-Federal Partnership Replants 74,000 Trees In Burn Area
A major reforestation effort in Central Oregon has restored hundreds of acres damaged by wildfire, marking a first for cooperation between state and federal forestry agencies. The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and the Ochoco National Forest recently completed a project that planted and protected more than 74,000 ponderosa pine[Read More…]