A Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office sergeant seized 99.64 pounds of methamphetamine during an October 22 traffic stop in northern Yreka. Juan Collado Penazola, 44, of Washington state, was arrested on drug-related charges. The seizure came one day after deputies discovered 2,254 pounds of illegal marijuana inside a U-Haul trailer on Interstate 5.
A two-alarm fire at an apartment complex on East 9th Street in Medford displaced eight residents and damaged four units on October 29. Firefighters rescued two cats, and nearby painters helped alert residents to the danger. Investigators believe the fire began on an exterior balcony, but the cause remains undetermined.
A Jackson County grand jury has determined that Ashland Police Officer Alex Vela was legally justified in shooting Phillip Battaglia, 36, during an October 26 confrontation on A Street. Newly released evidence details the encounter, including two shots fired, body-camera footage, and statements made to investigators. Battaglia faces five criminal charges.
A Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office sergeant discovered 2,254 pounds of illegally transported marijuana inside a U-Haul trailer during an October 21 traffic stop on Interstate 5. The driver, Omar Jacob Gonzalez, 36, was arrested and booked into the Siskiyou County Jail on marijuana transportation and possession-for-sale allegations.
The 2026 fire season has officially ended across ODF-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties after 166 days. Firefighters responded to 210 fires that burned approximately 17,220 acres, while 95% of incidents were held to 10 acres or less.
Two separate crashes in Josephine County on October 26 left one man dead and two others injured. Brent Smith, 54, died after his pickup rolled down an embankment near Murphy. Hours later, a fiery head-on collision in Wolf Creek injured two people and led to the arrest of Arthur Espinoza, 40.
An Ashland Police officer shot and wounded a knife-armed suspect early Monday morning after responding to a business alarm on A Street. The suspect was transported to Rogue Regional Medical Center, and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation.
The South-Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership has officially ended the 2026 fire season in Klamath and Lake counties. Seasonal fire restrictions have been lifted, including in the Klamath River Canyon, but certain outdoor burning requirements remain in effect.
Medford Police joined regional law enforcement agencies in a domestic violence warrant sweep on October 14, resulting in 22 arrests and 28 warrants cleared. The operation also connected four victims with support services.
A Frost Advisory is in effect early Wednesday for parts of Klamath, Lake, and Modoc counties as a cooler air mass and clearing skies could push temperatures into the low to mid 30s. Sensitive plants, pets, livestock, and agriculture may be affected.
Howard Prairie Resort is getting another round of upgrades as Jackson County Parks installs more than 200 new concrete picnic tables and steel fire pits. The project continues nearly $10 million in improvements made since 2013 at the longtime mountain recreation destination east of Ashland.
The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public input on the proposed Lost Soda Forest Management Project, which could bring thinning, limited timber harvest, prescribed fire, riparian treatments, and new access routes to about 1,600 acres roughly 10 miles east of Eagle Point. The project is intended to improve forest resilience and northern spotted owl habitat while maintaining healthy stream conditions.
The National Weather Service has issued frost advisories and freeze warnings across parts of Southern Oregon and Northern California as the coldest temperatures of the season arrive. Frost and freezing conditions are expected Sunday and Monday mornings, with possible slick roads in Lake and Modoc counties and sneaker wave danger along the coast.