John Denver Tribute Show Concert Coming To Ragland!

Ted Vigil is America’s premier John Denver tribute artist and he’s coming to the Ross Ragland theater on Saturday, October 3rd! 

Ted’s show embodies the late great music icon in look as well as voice with an unforgettable performance.  He has performed with John Denver’s own lead guitarist, Steve Weisberg, who described Vigil’s performance as “uncanny”.

Ted has performed at John Denver’s own “Windstar Foundation” in Aspen, CO, John Denver’s former home. Performing throughout the country, Ted Vigil has wowed sellout crowds from coast to coast and everywhere in between.

For this wonderful and exciting show, expect to hear John Denver’s most beloved hits, like “Take Me Home, Country Roads’, ‘Leaving on a Jet Plane’, ‘Annie’s Song’, ‘Rocky Mountain High’, ‘Thank God I’m a Country Boy’, ‘Sunshine on My Shoulders’, and many more.

You will definitely not want to miss this performance. Without question, this is the closest you will ever see, or hear, to the great John Denver.  Sat, Oct 3rd, 2026 at 7:00 pm. Click to buy tickets for the show at https://www.ragland.org/

Around the State of Oregon

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has reported that around 35,000 residents have lost their SNAP food benefits due to federal budget cuts, with rural areas of the state facing the most significant impact.

Current statistics from the Oregon Department of Human Services indicate that food insecurity affects one in eight Oregonians, including one in six children. The recent changes introduced by H.R. 1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, include stricter federal work requirements and altered eligibility criteria for certain adults.

Experts highlight that lower-income families, households with children, communities of color, and rural populations are disproportionately affected by these changes. In response, the state has initiated a program aimed at assisting individuals in navigating the new SNAP qualification process.

Numerous Oregonians who must adhere to SNAP work or activity requirements may be eligible for exemptions due to factors such as health issues, employment, education, caregiving duties, or other personal circumstances.

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is urging individuals to reach out to the agency for a thorough assessment of their situations, ensuring they retain the food benefits for which they are eligible.

Presently, an impressive 93% of Oregonians under SNAP work or activity regulations qualify for such exemptions. Jessica Amaya Hoffman, the ODHS SNAP Director, emphasized that life changes can influence the applicability of these rules, noting that new caregiving responsibilities, health changes, or the commencement of a job or training program may alter one’s status.

She encourages individuals to contact the agency before making assumptions about their obligations, assuring them that ODHS staff will provide guidance and support in navigating their options.

State Representative Court Boice has urged Sheriff John Ward of Curry County to resign, pointing to a documented history of misconduct, a persistent disregard for a circuit court order, and the initiation of a federal investigation.

Boice emphasized that the residents of Curry County deserve a sheriff who adheres to state laws rather than one who elevates himself above them. He noted that the evidence compiled by the Curry Commission Board, much of which is now under federal scrutiny, reveals conduct that is inconsistent with the responsibilities of the county’s top law enforcement position.

Furthermore, Boice highlighted that the Curry County Board of Commissioners has sought oversight for over two years through various means, including litigation, an internal review, an independent investigation, and referrals to multiple state and federal agencies.

An independent investigation concluded that Ward had engaged in deceitful practices, including dishonesty, misrepresentation, and the omission of critical information while performing his official duties. Additionally, Ward has ignored a circuit court order for approximately ten months, which mandated the release of financial and administrative records to the board.

Recent research indicates a positive outlook for the psilocybin treatment sector in Oregon.

A study conducted on psilocybin treatment clinics in Oregon and Colorado has revealed that these treatments are safe and yield encouraging results.

Findings from the Oregon Health Science University study highlight patient responses three months post-treatment, with seventy-five percent of participants reporting alleviation in symptoms related to PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, approximately twenty-five percent of patients noted an enhancement in their overall sense of well-being. Notably, only one percent experienced adverse reactions necessitating medical attention. The study will continue to monitor these patients to assess the long-term effects of the treatment.

A 68-year-old man from Eugene, Jorge Luis Ochoa, was arrested after police discovered him in a vehicle with two teenagers on Maxwell Road, as reported by the Eugene Police Department.

Officers responded to a call in the 1000 block of Maxwell Road on August 19^th, where they found Ochoa with a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old in the backseat.

Investigators from the Violent Crimes Unit revealed that Ochoa had met the teenagers at Washington Jefferson Park and offered them a ride, with subsequent actions during the encounter on Maxwell Road prompting criminal charges. The teenagers were taken to a local hospital for evaluation before being returned to their homes.

Ochoa has been booked into the Lane County Jail on a charge of second-degree sexual abuse, and the investigation is still ongoing.

A recent study by financial technology firm SmartAsset reveals that a single adult in Oregon now requires an income of $110,074 to live comfortably, reflecting a 5.2% increase from the previous year.

 For a family of four, the necessary income rises to nearly $281,000. This positions Oregon as the seventh-most expensive state in the country for individuals seeking a comfortable lifestyle.

The study employs a 50-30-20 budgeting framework, allocating half of the income to essential needs, 30% to discretionary spending, and 20% to savings or debt repayment. Comparatively, the income threshold for comfort varies significantly across the nation, ranging from approximately $81,000 in West Virginia to $129,000 in Hawaii.

An effort to add constitutional protections for hunting, fishing, farming and other traditional activities in Oregon has cleared an early procedural step on the road toward a possible spot on the November 2028 ballot.

The proposed constitutional amendment, known by supporters as the Oregon Freedom Amendment, would protect the rights of Oregonians to hunt, fish, farm, trap, ranch, grow food, practice what supporters describe as “diligent animal husbandry,” and participate in wildlife management.

The Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division has referred Initiative Petition 25 to the state attorney general, beginning the process of developing the measure’s official ballot title and summary.

The referral means supporters have met the initial sponsorship signature requirement required under Oregon election law. State initiative records identify Petition 2028-025 as an amendment designed to protect the rights to hunt, fish, farm, trap, ranch, grow food and participate in wildlife management.

“Putting it in the Constitution really sends a clear message that Oregonians and the Legislature are in support of solidifying these rights,” said Lauren Kuenzi, director of government and political affairs for the Oregon Farm Bureau.

The proposal follows another initiative that sought to significantly expand Oregon’s animal cruelty laws. That measure, IP-28, would have affected activities including hunting, fishing and pest control, but failed to gather enough valid signatures to qualify for the 2026 general election ballot.

Supporters of the Oregon Freedom Amendment say the proposal recognizes the important role that hunting, fishing, agriculture, ranching, trapping, food production, animal husbandry and wildlife management play in Oregon’s communities, economy and natural-resource heritage.

However, the latest development does not mean the measure has qualified for the ballot. The attorney general’s ballot-title process is only an early step. Supporters must still meet additional requirements, including collecting the required number of valid voter signatures, before Oregon voters could see the proposed constitutional amendment on the November 2028 ballot.

2-year-old found dead in Central Point, one hour after reported missing

Detectives are investigating the death of a 2-year-old child in rural Central Point.

According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, dispatchers received a call for a missing child in the 9900 block of Blackwell Road at 4:30 a.m. Deputies and Oregon State Police troopers arrived and immediately began searching for the child.

The child was found dead at 5:41 a.m. Detectives are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the death, after the child was found on a neighboring property.

The Major Assault and Death Investigation Unit responded to assist. The unit consists of detectives from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, Medford Police Department, Central Point Police Department, Ashland Police Department and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

The case remains open and ongoing with detectives following additional leads.

Four pedestrians struck after SUV rolls over in Springfield crash

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — Four pedestrians were struck after a two-vehicle crash caused an SUV to roll onto a sidewalk in Springfield on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Springfield Police Department (SPD).

Police responded around 3:16 p.m. on Tuesday, to the intersection of South 35th Street and Oregon Avenue following a report of a crash involving vehicles and pedestrians.  A preliminary investigation found that a 2026 Volkswagen SUV traveling west on Oregon Avenue collided with a 2015 Toyota SUV traveling north on South 35th Street.

Three of the four pedestrians were taken by ambulance to a hospital. Police said their injuries ranged from minor to serious but were not considered life-threatening.

Police did not provide information about whether the fourth pedestrian was injured.

In July, Oregon experienced a decrease of 4,100 jobs in its seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment, following a revised increase of 1,300 jobs in June.

The most significant job losses occurred in professional and business services, which saw a reduction of 1,800 jobs, followed by leisure and hospitality with a decline of 900 jobs, and government, which lost 700 jobs. Conversely, the retail trade sector recorded the largest gain, adding 500 jobs.

Over the past year, the professional and business services sector has shown a slight downward trend, with a total loss of 2,500 jobs, equating to a 1.0% decline.

The majority of this decrease stemmed from the management of companies and enterprises, which eliminated 2,200 jobs, or 4.6%. The other two sub-sectors within this category experienced minimal changes, with professional and technical services gaining 200 jobs (0.2%) and administrative and waste services losing 500 jobs (-0.5%).

In July, the leisure and hospitality sector employed 203,800 individuals, falling short of its average of 207,300 jobs recorded from 2023 to 2025 by 3,500 jobs. This sector has seen a reduction of 3,800 jobs since January, following a relatively stable trend over the previous three years. Despite these recent challenges, the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry within this sector managed to add 200 jobs in July, achieving a record high of 31,300 jobs.

USDA works to remove roadless rule restrictions that exacerbate rising wildfire risks

WASHINGTON, DC, Aug. 18, 2026 – Today, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the U.S. Forest Service has filed a proposed rule to rescind in its entirety the national 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a one-size-fits-all restriction that has frustrated land managers and served as a barrier to wildfire risk reduction work across large swaths of America’s national forests.  

“Our forests can’t afford another decade of inaction. Across the country, we’ve watched preventable conditions – overgrown stands, insect outbreaks and disease – turn healthy landscapes into tinderboxes,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

“For too long, outdated restrictions have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities. Today, we filed a proposal to restore authority to local forest managers who know the land best, removing the barriers that have kept them from doing the work the land demands. It’s time to turn the page on the failed roadless rule and return our forests to health and productivity.” 

For 25 years, the 2001 Roadless Rule restricted road construction and limited the Forest Service’s ability to carry out critical active management work within inventoried roadless areas. Today, that includes more than 44 million acres of the 193-million-acre National Forest System. The rescission is intended to prioritize local agency decision-making over regulatory rules that are the same across the country, regardless of specific land management issues and needs. 

“This proposed rule is commonsense policy sought since the first Trump administration. In the years since, the need for it has only become more apparent,” said Deputy Secretary Stephen A. Vaden. “It is a credit to President Trump that we can begin to put into place a rule that will allow us to properly manage our national forests, because the first step to managing forests is to have access to them.” 

The agency will seek public comment on the proposal and on a draft of the environmental impact statement filed today in the Federal Register. The rescission removes national designation of roadless areas but does not mandate timber cutting or road construction. The action removes regulatory burden and sends decisions about roadless areas to the local national forest managers. 

“Active forest management is not an option. It’s essential,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “More than 40% of inventoried roadless areas, primarily in the West, have high or very high wildfire hazard potential. And only 5% of those areas have received hazardous fuels reduction treatments since 2014. At the same time, more than a quarter of these lands—11.3 million acres—are already near existing roads. Acting now, thoughtfully and decisively, is the best way to restore the balance, reduce wildfire risk, and secure the long-term health of our forests and neighboring communities.”   

“For 25 years, the heavy thumb of Washington D.C. has hindered Montana’s ability to properly manage wildfire risk and road development on nearly 60 percent of Forest Service land across the Treasure State,” Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte said. “Today’s long overdue decision will empower states like Montana to pursue proper forest management on federal lands with local communities in mind. I’m grateful to President Donald J. Trump and Secretary Rollins for their strong leadership in restoring common sense to active forest management.” 

“Utahns love our forests, and loving these places means taking care of them,” Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox said. “For 25 years, the Roadless Rule has tied the hands of local land managers with a one-size-fits-all federal policy. Rescinding it restores the flexibility to make thoughtful decisions based on the needs of each forest and each community. We can protect the landscapes we treasure by actively managing them for the next generation.” 

“Management of our public lands closer to the people that actually live, work, and play there has been a steady drumbeat of mine during my time as Governor of Wyoming. Proper management includes an opportunity to keep our forests healthy and less prone to fire dangers. Wyoming has demonstrated our commitment to sensible stewardship,” said Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon. “The USDA and USFS, under the leadership of Secretary Rollins and Chief Schultz, are doing great work recognizing our efforts, making this trust a reality by rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule. This step reflects a commitment to locally-driven, durable planning and empowering those who know these lands the best.”

The proposed rescission reflects the administration’s commitment to return authority to local line officers and ensure they have the tools needed to restore forest health and productivity. The rescission aligns with Executive Order 14192, Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation, to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens, Executive Order 14225, Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production, Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy, and Executive Order 14153, Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential. 

Returning roadless-area decisions to forest-level land management planning provides flexibility the national rule did not. Future land management decisions would be based on natural resource conditions and needs and informed by states, tribes, and communities. Rescinding the rule allows forest managers to address watershed, economic, and wildfire-risk conditions within the sideboards of existing laws, regulations, and policy. That would put those decisions within the same planning framework that guides individual plans throughout the National Forest System.   

More than 95% of inventoried roadless areas are in 10 Western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The proposed rule does not apply to national forests in Colorado and Idaho because those lands are under separate state-specific roadless regulations. 

To comment on the proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement, go to Regulations.gov. Public comments must be received by midnight on Sept. 21. Information will be available Aug. 19 on theForest Service Roadless Areas webpage. 

Oregon Guard senior leaders visit airmen fighting Grasshopper Fire

TYGH VALLEY, Ore. — Oregon National Guard senior leaders flew from Salem to the Grasshopper Fire camp aboard an HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter with Golf Company, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation, Aug. 17, 2026, to visit Air National Guard members supporting wildland firefighting operations, thanking the airmen for volunteering to fight one of the state’s largest active wildfires.

Brig. Gen. Alan Gronewold, Oregon’s adjutant general, led the visit alongside Brig. Gen. Jenifer E. Pardy, director of the Joint Staff; Chief Warrant Officer 5 Lenora Landwehr, command chief warrant officer; Chaplain (Col.) Jacob Scott, the state chaplain; and Chief Master Sgt. Brent Cavanias, command senior enlisted leader. Jonna Papaefthimiou, resilience officer for Gov. Tina Kotek’s office, also joined the visit to meet with the airmen on the governor’s behalf.

“This is a big deal for Oregonians, big deal for the Guard, to go out and see National Guardsmen out fighting fire, doing what we’re trained to do,” Gronewold told the group. “What we’re here to do is protect Oregonians and their property, and you guys are doing that.”

The Grasshopper Fire had burned more than 90,000 acres and was 47% contained as of Aug. 17. The fire camp supporting the response has grown to approximately 1,800 personnel, with about 1,550 directly engaged in firefighting operations.

Among the airmen Gronewold and the other leaders met with were Senior Airman Colby Shoals and Senior Airman Connor Carlson, both assigned to the 270th Air Traffic Control Squadron, nicknamed “Chaos,” out of the 173rd Fighter Wing. Shoals said the physically demanding work of wildland firefighting fits naturally with the team’s usual training.

“It’s right up our alley,” Shoals said. “What we do day to day at the base, we’re already working together out in the field, so it’s pretty much another day on the job for us.”

Carlson said the team has taken on some of the more physically demanding tasks on the fire line, including carrying water on their backs to perform wet mop-up work.

“We’ve been able to pick up a lot of those heavier tasks, like carrying a bladder pack on us, so we can do that wet mop-up where it’s easier rather than doing dry mop-up,” Carlson said.

Shoals said the mission mirrors the teamwork and mutual accountability the airmen already rely on in their day-to-day work.

“Everybody’s like a big family there, so everybody has each other’s backs,” Shoals said. “If somebody looks like they’re not doing so well or getting a little tired, everybody’s checking on each other.”

SVU Detectives Arrest Medford Man on Rape, Sex Abuse of Teen Girl; Detectives Believe Suspect Has More Victims

MEDFORD, Ore. – Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) Special Victims Unit (SVU) detectives arrested a Medford man this morning at a business in the 500 block of the Medford Center.

The suspect, Evan James Sutherlin, 20, of Medford, is lodged in the Jackson County Jail. He is charged with first-degree rape, third-degree sexual abuse, and first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse.

The case started June 2nd, 2026, when JCSO deputies responded to a report of a then 19-year-old man sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl in the Jacksonville area. From there, SVU detectives took over the investigation leading to his arrest.

As SVU detectives continue their investigation, they believe Sutherlin may have more victims. Anyone with information about the pictured suspect is asked to call SVU Detective Jill Wenzel at 541-770-8928.

OREGON FREEDOM AMENDMENT

SALEM, OR — August 19, 2026 — Today, chief petitioner of Initiative Petition 25 (IP 25), officially known as the Oregon Freedom Amendment, announced a major procedural milestone in their effort to qualify for the statewide ballot. The Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division has formally referred IP 25 to the Oregon Attorney General to begin drafting the measure’s official ballot title and summary.

The referral to the Attorney General indicates that IP 25 has successfully met the initial sponsorship signatures threshold required by Oregon election law. The Oregon Secretary of State’s official initiative records identify Petition 2028-025 as:

“Amendment to protect rights to hunt, fish, farm, trap, ranch, grow food, and wildlife management”

“This is about protecting the people’s ability to continue the practices that have helped sustain Oregon communities for generations,” said Kari Goodheart, Chief Petitioner of the Oregon Freedom Amendment. “Hunting, fishing, farming, ranching, trapping, growing food, caring for animals and managing wildlife are deeply connected to Oregon’s land, culture, food supply and way of life. The people should have a constitutional safeguard for these activities.”

What is the Oregon Freedom Amendment (IP 25)?

The Oregon Freedom Amendment is a proposed state constitutional amendment for the November 7, 2028 general election, explicitly designed to establish constitutionally protected rights for individuals across Oregon.

• Constitutional Rights Protection: The amendment seeks to protect the rights of Oregonians to hunt, fish, farm, trap, ranch, grow food, practice diligent animal husbandry, and participate in wildlife management.

The Oregon Freedom Amendment is intended to place these activities and traditions within the protections of the Oregon Constitution, recognizing the importance of hunting, fishing, agriculture, ranching, trapping, food production, responsible animal husbandry, and wildlife management to Oregon’s communities, families, economy, and natural-resource heritage.

The U.S. Forest Service is allocating over $15 million to support 20 wood innovation projects throughout Oregon, aimed at enhancing active forest management, increasing manufacturing capabilities, and bolstering rural economies.

This federal investment of $15,091,037 is designed to sustain Oregon’s prominent position in the wood products sector while promoting forest health and mitigating wildfire risks. These efforts are part of a larger national initiative, with a total funding of $105.5 million through the USFS Wood Innovations Program.

The funding is categorized into three grant types, with $10 million allocated for Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance grants, which includes $2 million each for Prairie Wood Products in Prairie City to revitalize and modernize a sawmill, Malheur Forest Products in John Day to reopen a dormant sawmill, and Wren Hill Lumber in Philomath to enhance operational capacity and efficiency.

The Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation (OLSHF) is proud to partner with the Tribal Charitable entities of Oregon to support Oregon’s K-12 students.

During the coming 2026-2027 school year the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation will receive generous grant funding from the Wildhorse Foundation, (Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla); the Three Rivers Foundation (Coos, Umpqua and Siuslaw); the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund; the Coquille Tribal Community Fund and the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation in support of the School Vision Screening Program (SVS).

All of the mentioned Tribal Foundations understand how important vision is to learning in K-12 students. Studies consistently show that 80% of learning in K-12 students is visual and that 25% of those students have correctable vision issues, yet only about 10% have the glasses they need. OLSHF’s School Vision Screening Program, with the help of tribal support, provides highest quality objective, efficient, equitable and safe vision screening to students throughout Oregon. The screenings are followed by resources for student families for low-cost/no-cost vision exams and eyeglasses. With the help of Oregon’s Tribes, OLSHF provided this service to over 200,000 students last school year, (2025-2026) and screened the 2-millionth student in 2024!

Funding from all five of the Oregon Tribal Foundations helps cover the costs of OLSHF School Vision Screening in almost 60% of Oregon Counties, including urban centers as well as rural and remote communities. When students can see to their potential, they have a greater ability to learn to their potential and have a better chance to contribute to their families, themselves and communities.

The Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation shares a long history of partnership with Oregon’s tribes, going back many years. OLSHF and the Lions of Oregon look forward to continuing to help students achieve their potential with their partners at the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation, the Coquille Tribal Community Fund, the Three Rivers Foundation, the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund and the Wildhorse Foundation, into Oregon’s future.

Thanks for reading the the news on BasinLife.com from Wynne Broadcasting.