Southern Oregon & Northern California News
Latest local news from Southern Oregon and Northern California, covering Medford, Ashland, Grants Pass, Klamath Falls, Jackson County, Josephine County, Klamath County, Siskiyou County, Del Norte County, and communities throughout the region.
KCC Study Shows Major Economic Impact Across Klamath Basin
A new economic analysis finds Klamath Community College supports more than 1,200 jobs and contributes tens of millions of dollars to the regional economy through college operations, student spending, and alumni who remain in the Klamath Basin workforce. KCC Economic Impact for 2026
KCC, Klamath Tribes Build Pathway to Trades Apprenticeships
Klamath Community College and the Klamath Tribes are partnering to provide hands-on construction and job-readiness training for tribal members. Nineteen participants recently rebuilt park benches and picnic tables in Chiloquin as they work toward future registered apprenticeship opportunities.
KCC Highlights Childcare Investment, Top Nursing Ranking
Klamath Community College is highlighting two workforce-focused updates in the Klamath Basin: a $363,000 Cascade Health Alliance award for its Childcare Learning Center and a No. 2 statewide ranking for its Licensed Practical Nursing program.
Klamath Basin Graduates Take Their Next Step
Klamath Community College and Oregon Tech celebrated their 2026 graduates in Klamath Falls last week, honoring students who earned degrees, certificates and workforce-focused credentials. The ceremonies highlighted persistence, family support, rural opportunity and the next steps for hundreds of graduates across the Klamath Basin.
Historian Unearths Story of Silent Film Shot in Klamath Basin 100 Years Ago
Klamath Falls native and independent historian Karen Caverly-Molineaux discovered that Hollywood stars and a film crew spent weeks in the Basin producing the surviving 1926 silent feature “The Ice Flood.” Her research brings the nearly forgotten production—and the community that welcomed it—back into view.
Klamath Coffee Business Earns SBA Honor
A Klamath Falls coffee business has been named the Portland District SBA Rural Business of the Year, marking the first time the award has been presented to a rural business in Oregon. Owners Carly and Ryan Lynch were honored during a ceremony at their Spring Street location and credited the Klamath Community College Small Business Development Center for helping them build and grow the business.
Basin Transit, KCC Partner on CDL Training Effort
Basin Transit Service says it partnered with Klamath Community College to help a staff member earn a commercial driver license with a passenger endorsement. The agency says the training will allow the employee to operate a college vehicle used to support student and athletic transportation needs.
KCC Names Teichert as Commencement Speaker
Klamath Community College has announced that Klamath Falls City Manager Jonathan Teichert will serve as keynote speaker for its June 12 commencement ceremony. Teichert, who credits community college with changing his own educational path, said he is honored to speak to this year’s KCC graduates.
KCC Launches $1M Childcare Campaign
Klamath Community College has launched a $1 million capital campaign to support its new Childcare Learning Center, a 29,000-square-foot facility expected to open in fall 2027. The center will serve up to 144 children while also providing training space for KCC students studying early childhood education.
Healthcare Pathways Grow In Klamath County
A group of southern Oregon school district superintendents and Asante Health representatives visited Klamath Falls for a closer look at a growing healthcare education partnership. The tour highlighted how local schools, Sky Lakes Medical Center and Klamath Community College are connecting students with classroom instruction, college credit and hands-on clinical experience.
KCC Names New VP of External Programs
Klamath Community College has named Lucas Ritter as its new Vice President of External Programs. Ritter is a Klamath Falls native and longtime Air Force officer who will begin the role May 4. College officials say he will oversee outreach, grants, and workforce initiatives.
Klamath Forum Focuses on Global Education
The second annual Global Engagement Forum at Klamath Community College brought together students, educators, and community members to explore the benefits of international exchange programs. Speakers highlighted the value of cultural intelligence, global collaboration, and the role international students play in strengthening the local economy.
Klamath Music Announces 2026 Glenn Justus Memorial Scholarships
Klamath Music has announced the 2026 Glenn Justus Memorial Scholarship, awarding two $2,000 scholarships to support local students actively involved in music and continuing the legacy of a longtime advocate for the Klamath Basin music community.
French Exchange Students Attend Winter Term on KCC Campus
Nine French exchange students are spending their winter term at Klamath Community College, gaining hands-on experience while immersing themselves in American culture through a growing international partnership.
New KCC Trustee Wants Local Kids to Stay
Rejeana Jackson, newly appointed to the Klamath Community College Board of Education for Zone 5, says she wants to help strengthen career pathways so local students can build their futures in Klamath Falls instead of leaving for work elsewhere.
High-tech ‘Lucina’ simulator prepares KCC nursing students for real-life labor and delivery
Klamath Community College nursing students are gaining hands-on experience with labor and delivery scenarios through a new high-tech simulator designed to replicate both routine births and complex medical emergencies.
KCC Students Find Confidence at National Leadership Conference
Six Klamath Community College students gained confidence, leadership skills, and national exposure after attending the Circle of Change Leadership Conference in California, where one student earned a prestigious scholarship among dozens of applicants.
Longtime acupuncture clinic under new ownership with help from KCC’s SBDC
Shasta Acupuncture, a trusted holistic wellness clinic in the Klamath Basin for nearly two decades, has entered a new era under the ownership of longtime local practitioner Lian Xue. With guidance from Klamath Community College’s Small Business Development Center, Xue successfully navigated the purchase process and is now expanding the clinic’s commitment to community-centered healing.