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]

News

Oregon Teen Awarded $20 Million Settlement After Welding Class Fire at Ontario School

Diane Megaw Jun 10, 2026

Following a fire in a welding class at a school in the Ontario School District in February 2025, an Oregon teenager was awarded a $20 million settlement earlier this year after her clothes caught on fire. The girl, who suffered…

News

Portland Gun Violence Has Dropped From 2022 Highs but Budget Cuts Could Put Progress at Risk

Diane Megaw Jun 10, 2026

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland has seen a major drop in shootings- including homicide and non-homicide shootings- but budget fights could put the significant progress made at risk. Portland Shootings Reduce, Budgets Threaten To…

News

Oregon Gas Prices Remain Near $5 a Gallon Even as National Average Falls

Diane Megaw Jun 8, 2026

National gas prices are slowly going down, but Oregon drivers are still paying among the highest prices in the country, nearly a dollar above the U.S. average, with several metro areas still around $5 a gallon. Oregon Drivers…

News

Oregon Gives Immigrants New Privacy Protections in Hospitals, Housing and Workplaces

Diane Megaw Jun 7, 2026

A recent coordinated legislative push is establishing unprecedented privacy protections for Oregon's immigrant communities across healthcare, housing, and labor sectors. Oregon Immigrants To Get Privacy Protections in Healthcare,…

Oregon and Washington I-5 Toll Debate Turns to Who Pays More if Some Drivers Get Discounts

Diane Megaw Jun 7, 2026

Controversial tolls on Interstate 5 are being debated, as uncertainty remains about what they will cost and when they will start. Officials are weighing in on discounts, but the drawback is that discounts for a few will increase costs…

Half of Oregon Families Are Cutting Back on Fresh Produce as Grocery Costs Soar, Survey Says

Diane Megaw Jun 7, 2026

A recent survey shows that Oregon families are cutting back on fresh fruit and vegetables- currently at one of the highest rates in the country, adding another household-budget pressure point as grocery prices continue to rise. In…

News

Oregon Returns Civil Jurisdiction to Umatilla Tribes After More Than 70 Years

Diane Megaw Jun 6, 2026

In a landmark step for tribal sovereignty, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed an official proclamation on May 26, returning sole civil legal jurisdiction to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), ending over…

Crime & Courts

Portland Facebook Marketplace Meetup Turns Into Shooting and Robbery That Injures 18-Year-Old

Diane Megaw Jun 5, 2026

PORTLAND, Ore. — After Portland Police responded to a call shortly after 9 p.m. on Wednesday, an 18-year-old man was hospitalized with a significant injury. He had been shot and robbed during a Facebook Marketplace meetup in the 9100 block…

News

Oregon Expands Tobacco Rules June 5 to Block Youth Sales of Nicotine Pouches and Lozenges

Diane Megaw Jun 4, 2026

On June 5, the “tobacco products” definition in Oregon comes into operation, banning underage sales of oral nicotine pouches, lozenges, other emerging nicotine products, to prevent youth nicotine addiction. More Tobacco Products…

News

Record U.S. Power Demand Projections Put Oregon Data Center Grid Costs in the Spotlight

Diane Megaw Jun 3, 2026

As national power demand projections show escalating record highs, in Oregon, regulators recently approved a new PGE structure meant to make large data centers pay more for the growth they drive. Power Demand Surges As More AI…

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