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

Grants Pass I-5 Grass Fire Held to About 80 Acres After Aggressive Initial Attack

Diane Megaw Aug 2, 2026

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Southwest Oregon District is continuing suppression efforts after responding to a grass fire that started burning along I-5 near Grants Pass yesterday. Multiple units, including…

News

Oregon Homebuyers Face Nearly $900 More a Month as Mortgage Rates Hit 6.66%

Diane Megaw Aug 2, 2026

A recent survey indicates that the average 30-year fixed mortgage reached 6.66% last week, adding around $900 to Oregon homeowners' monthly mortgage payments on a $500,000 home with 20% down. In 2021, on a $500,000 home with 20% down,…

News

Oregon Faces Critical Fire Risk as 40 MPH Gusts Could Push Wildfires Toward Record Year

Diane Megaw Aug 1, 2026

Fears have arisen that existing and new wildfires could spread after the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a fire watch for central and eastern parts of Oregon on Saturday. Warm temperatures with low humidity and strong winds are…

News

Oregonians Could Pay Less for Electricity as New Energy Market Delivers $5.42 Million in Savings

Diane Megaw Jul 31, 2026

The Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM)- PacifiCorp's new regional energy market- delivered $5.42 million in gross benefits to the company and its customers since implementation on May 1, according to a new report. Built on the foundation…

U.S. Private Hiring Slows for Fifth Straight Week as Oregon Employers Post Fewer New Job Ads

Diane Megaw Jul 31, 2026

Despite U.S. private employers adding an average of 15,000 jobs per week during the four weeks ending July 11, hiring slowed, falling from 35,750 weekly jobs in early May. In Oregon, employers posted 900 fewer job ads. Hiring nationwide…

News

Hillsboro Pauses New Data Centers for 120 Days as City Reviews Land Use Rules

Diane Megaw Jul 29, 2026

HILLSBORO, Ore. — At a special meeting on Monday, the Hillsboro City Council voted to enact a 120-day temporary land use moratorium on data center and battery energy storage system (BESS) developments. Following several weeks of public…

News

Oregon Pushes Robocall Crackdown After Americans Got 29.6 Billion Scam Calls and Texts in 2025

Diane Megaw Jul 29, 2026

As part of a 50-state coalition, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield is pressuring the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to strengthen its rules cracking down on these illegal operations, after these scams resulted in losses of $2…

More Than 70,000 Oregonians Lost SNAP Benefits in One Year as Food Bank Visits Hit Record High

Diane Megaw Jul 27, 2026

More than 70,000 Oregonians lost SNAP food assistance in one year between April 2025 and April 2026, while food-bank visits reached a record 2.9 million. Number of Oregon SNAP Beneficiaries Reduced A national SNAP tracker…

Crime & Courts

Fake ICE Officers Pulled Driver Over and Assaulted Him on Oregon Highway, Police Say

Diane Megaw Jul 26, 2026

Police warned the public that they should be on the lookout for fake cops after 3 men claiming to be "ICE" pulled over a vehicle and assaulted the driver while he was driving on Highway 211 near milepost 5, east of Woodburn on Friday.…

News

Idaho Climber Still Missing on Mount Jefferson After Witnesses Report Unsurvivable Fall

Diane Megaw Jul 26, 2026

LINN COUNTY, Ore. — Linn County Police reported that Jared John Empey, 37, of Kuna, Idaho, who fell after leaving to solo-summit Mount Jefferson on Friday in what witnesses described as a fall that was not survivable, is still missing.…

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