Author

Diane Megaw

Diane Megaw is a veteran regional journalist at Daily Tidings, reporting across Southern Oregon and statewide developments from a Medford area lens.
Her coverage spans business and the economy, housing and labor, public safety and courts, with a focus on what policy and legal decisions mean for local communities.
Contact: [email protected]

Crime & Courts

Jackson County Man Sentenced in Fentanyl Case After Investigators Link Pills to Overdose Death

Diane Megaw Jul 16, 2026

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — A 28-year-old Jackson County, Oregon, man, Eduardo Cortes Cortes, was sentenced to 5½ years in federal prison last Thursday on fentanyl distribution-related charges, after police linked an overdose death to Cortes…

News

Salem Weighs $5 Billion Data Center Proposal as Power and Water Demands Raise Concerns

Diane Megaw Jul 15, 2026

SALEM, Ore. — The City of Salem has officially acknowledged a proposal from Verrus, a developer specializing in data center infrastructure, to potentially establish a facility at the Mill Creek Corporate Center. Proposed Data…

News

White City Vegetation Pile Fire Prompts Three-Alarm Response and Road Closure

Diane Megaw Jul 14, 2026

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — A fast-moving vegetation fire at a White City biomass facility temporarily shut down local roads on Monday afternoon as a three-alarm response attended to the fire. The incident began at approximately 2:31 p.m. at…

News

East Evans Creek Fire Enters More Dangerous Phase as Level 3 Evacuations Expand in Jackson County

Diane Megaw Jul 14, 2026

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — The East Evans Creek Fire that broke out on Friday, currently managed by ODF Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) 1, has entered a more complex phase as warmer temperatures and dry conditions fueled increased…

News

Oregon Sends Fire Task Forces to Jackson County as East Evans Creek Fire Triggers First Major…

Diane Megaw Jul 12, 2026

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — The Oregon State Fire Marshall has mobilized four structural task forces and its Blue Incident Management Team to Jackson County to attend to the fast-moving East Evans Creek Road fire yesterday, the first major…

Politics & Elections

Drazan Campaign Poll Shows Narrow Lead Over Kotek in Oregon Governor Race

Diane Megaw Jul 12, 2026

Ahead of this year's Oregon gubernatorial election on 3 November 2026, early polls are suggesting that it will be a tight race between incumbent Democrat Tina Kotek and Republican Christine Drazan. A new poll puts Drazan slightly ahead at…

News

Missing Oregon Camper Found Alive on Closed Wildfire-Damaged Trail After Search by More Than 100…

Diane Megaw Jul 11, 2026

Search and Rescue Teams from Marion and Benton Counties succeeded in their mission on Thursday night when the missing 68-year-old camper, John Nelson, was found alive in a deep drainage near the South Breitenbush Trail, about five miles by…

Crime & Courts

Armenian National Pleads Guilty in Ryuk Ransomware Case That Hit Oregon Tech Company

Diane Megaw Jul 10, 2026

An Armenian national extradited from Ukraine to the United States, 34-year-old Karen Serobovich Vardanyan, pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges on Wednesday for his role in Ryuk ransomware attacks and an extortion conspiracy targeting…

News

Salem Fireworks Explosion Injures Five and Damages Homes After Police Say Illegal Mortars Were Used

Diane Megaw Jul 6, 2026

SALEM, Ore. — An illegal fireworks explosion at a residence in the 4200 block of Prairie Star Court N, Salem, caused significant injuries and property damage on July 4. At about 10:44 p.m. on Independence Day, Salem Fire and Patrol…

Oregon Minimum Wage Rises but Workers Still Need $33 an Hour to Afford Rent

Diane Megaw Jul 5, 2026

Despite Oregon’s minimum wage hike last week, the increase only reaches a limited number of people- minimum wage workers- who are struggling to cover living costs and need more than an inflationary adjustment. Oregon Minimum Wage…

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