Jackson County Sheriff Nate Sickler says the county jail will close its basement housing unit beginning July 1, reducing operational capacity from about 292 beds to 230. Sickler said rising medical, staffing and operational costs have forced difficult decisions across the agency.

An 81-year-old Central Point woman died Wednesday evening after she was struck by a vehicle in a Phoenix business parking lot. Police said bystanders and first responders attempted life-saving measures, and the driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

The Oregon Court of Appeals has overturned Robert Paul Keegan’s 2023 manslaughter conviction in the shooting death of Aidan Ellison, sending the case back to Jackson County Circuit Court.

A family safely escaped a Gilman Road home Sunday night after reporting a burglary in progress and shots fired by the homeowner. Medford Police say the suspect was found wounded inside the residence and taken into custody.

A Heat Advisory is in effect Monday and Tuesday for much of southwest Oregon and parts of Northern California, with afternoon highs of 95 to 100 expected in the Rogue Valley and nearby low-lying valleys.

Southern Oregon University’s Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the university’s Vitality Plan, moving SOU into a yearlong implementation phase tied to emergency state funding. The plan calls for more than $20 million in reductions and includes the sunsetting of three academic programs.

The Medford Cruise returns June 19 and 20 with car shows at Fichtner-Mainwaring Park, a Friday evening gathering, Saturday judging events and the downtown cruise from 5 to 8 p.m. Drivers should expect road closures and no-parking restrictions along the route.

An illegal marijuana grow hidden inside a rural Central Point pear orchard was raided this week, leading to the seizure of about 25,000 plants, 16,000 pounds of usable cannabis and additional plants from hoop-style greenhouses, according to JCSO.

Red Flag Warnings have been issued for Friday across parts of Southern Oregon and Northern California, including Klamath, Lake, Modoc and Siskiyou counties, as thunderstorms are expected to bring abundant lightning over dry fuels.

Jackson County deputies and partner agencies spent several hours cleaning up graffiti and clearing overgrown weeds around White City. The Sheriff’s Office said crews painted over and pressure washed graffiti at 10 locations while also improving sidewalk and bike path access.

Rural Metro Fire says a fast mutual-aid response helped stop the West Jones Fire at 17 acres Monday evening near Grants Pass. Several homes were threatened along West Jones Creek Road and Rancho Vista Drive, but officials said all residences were protected.

All Oregon Department of Forestry districts are now in fire season, triggering prevention reminders and local restrictions across the state. In Southern Oregon and Northern California, agencies are also updating fire danger levels, burn rules and equipment-use restrictions as conditions dry out.

Firefighters made strong progress Monday on the Spencer Gulch Fire near Jacksonville, and all evacuation levels have been canceled. ODF Southwest Oregon says the fire remains 75 acres, with hose line around the perimeter and overnight crews continuing mop-up work.

Chad McPherson has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty in a Prospect homicide case and a related animal abuse investigation, according to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

Medford Police arrested an 18-year-old man Thursday after a reported stabbing on Greenwood Street left a 40-year-old man hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Police said there is no ongoing threat to the public.

The first significant heat wave of the summer is expected to bring 90-degree and triple-digit temperatures to much of Southern Oregon and Northern California this weekend, prompting heat advisories across several west side valleys, coastal areas and parts of far Northern California.

Rogue Community College and Southern Oregon University will both hold commencement ceremonies Saturday, recognizing more than 1,300 students across the Rogue Valley. RCC will celebrate its largest graduating class since 2018, while SOU marks its 100th commencement since reopening at its Ashland campus.

A Central Point elder mistreatment investigation has led to animal abuse and neglect charges after police say more than 60 cats were found inside a Valley Oak Boulevard home, including several that were deceased. Investigators said hazardous conditions required officers and animal control staff to wear protective suits and respirators.

Fair season is getting closer in the Rogue Valley. The 2026 Jackson County Fair returns July 14–19 at The Expo in Central Point with opening night bull riding, four nights of headline entertainment, carnival rides, food vendors and the 4-H and FFA youth activities that remain the heart of the county fair tradition.

A half-mile stretch of Oregon 234 near Eagle Point will close for about two weeks beginning July 6 while crews repair sunken and cracked pavement. ODOT says the closure will affect the highway between Modoc Road and Dodge Road, with detours available through Dodge Road, Antioch Road, Modoc Road and Table Rock Road.