The Josephine County Fairgrounds, which just hosted its County Fair Wed., July 29, through Sun., Aug. 2, will, piece by piece and in due time, take on a fresh new look in the coming months and years. The first step was improving the seating of the fairgrounds grandstand, replacing worn-out[Read More…]
Outdoors
Council Appoints Copley, Approves Park Events
Moments after she was appointed to Position 1 on the Rogue River City Council, Dee Copley was appointed to two liaison positions to the Rogue River Community Center and to the Tree City, USA, Committee at the council’s Thursday, July 23 meeting. The liaison position for the Tree City, USA[Read More…]
State Officials Urge Oregonians To Avoid Contact With Bats
Oregon health and wildlife officials are reminding residents to avoid handling bats after the state recorded an unusually high number of rabies-positive bats this year. According to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), 22 bats have tested positive for rabies in 2026, matching the highest annual total recorded since tracking began[Read More…]
National Night Out A Hot One!
Rogue River’s third National Night Out came in hot – literally! Even with temperatures just into triple digits and sliding slightly into the 90s, probably for an hour into the annual event, many people arrived to feel the cool grass at Rooster Park, quench their thirst with cool water, and[Read More…]
Oregon Initiative That Had Little Chance Fails
Three strikes, and let’s hope he’s out. Portland-area activist David Michelson’s third attempt to criminalize hunting, fishing and ranching in Oregon has failed to get enough valid signatures to make the November ballot. Election officials determined that more than 38,000 of the 142,000-plus submitted signatures were invalid. That put him[Read More…]
Oregon National Guard Expands Wildfire Response
As Oregon continues to battle an active wildfire season, the Oregon National Guard has expanded its emergency response by activating approximately 20 additional service members and four helicopters to support firefighting operations across the state. The July 28 activation adds aerial wildfire suppression to the Guard’s ongoing medical evacuation mission,[Read More…]
Containment Improves As Crews Strengthen Fire Lines
Firefighters continue making steady progress on several Oregon wildfires as containment increases and crews focus on reinforcing fire lines, protecting homes, and extinguishing lingering hot spots. Recent favorable weather conditions, combined with the tireless work of hundreds of firefighters, have allowed incident management teams to strengthen established containment lines while[Read More…]
West Nile Virus Detected Again
West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected in mosquitoes collected near the Jackson County Expo in Central Point, marking the second positive mosquito sample found in the county within the past two weeks. The mosquitoes were collected on July 21 by the Jackson County Vector Control District (JCVCD) during routine[Read More…]
$80 Million Investment To Expand Timber Production, Support Rural Jobs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced $80 million in loan guarantees to support timber businesses in Oregon and Nevada, a move the agency says will expand domestic lumber production, create rural jobs, improve forest management, and help reduce wildfire risks. The funding, announced by USDA Acting Under Secretary[Read More…]
ODOT Launches Rural Intersection Safety Improvements Across Southwest Oregon
Drivers traveling rural highways throughout Southwest Oregon will soon notice new warning signs and safety improvements as the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) begins work on a regional intersection safety project. The project includes upgrades at approximately 63 intersections along state highways in Jackson, Josephine, Coos, Curry and Douglas counties.[Read More…]