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]

Politics & Elections

Oregon National Guard Returning Home After Controversial Trump Deployment Blocked in Court

Diane Megaw Jan 7, 2026

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said yesterday that the Oregon National Guard troops federalized under Title 10 have begun demobilization activities, more than 100 days after their mobilization, as legal challenges worked their way through the…

News

Lawsuit Says Oregon’s New Union Law Punishes Anyone Who Tells Workers They Can Opt Out of Paying…

Diane Megaw Jan 7, 2026

The Freedom Foundation filed a lawsuit challenging HB 3789, an Act relating to union misrepresentation, which took effect on January 1, because the new law imposed penalties as high as $1 billion for informing public employees of their…

News

Oregon Stores Can Now Swipe Everyone’s ID for Age-Restricted Purchases Under New Law

Diane Megaw Jan 6, 2026

Several laws passed in Oregon last year came into effect on January 1, including one that allows retailers to swipe everyone's license for age-restricted purchases. Oregon Stores Can Now Legally Swipe ID For All Age-Restricted…

Environment

Oregon Scientists Warn Wildfires Can Create Toxic Chromium That Lingers in Groundwater for Years

Diane Megaw Jan 6, 2026

Research published in November by the University of Oregon noted that serpentine rocks rich in Chromium-3- a vital micronutrient- can become a toxic heavy metal when exposed to the extreme heat produced during a wildfire, and this toxin…

News

Oregon Voters Will Decide This Year Whether to Block Gas Tax and Payroll Tax Hikes after the…

Diane Megaw Jan 5, 2026

A statewide vote on increases to the gas tax, payroll tax, and vehicle registration fees is now certain this year after enough petitioners signed to force a ballot. Oregon Gas And Taxes On Ballot Measure In 2026 Last Monday,…

News

Oregon Lawmakers Warn Trump’s Venezuela Attacks Bypass Congress and Risk a New War

Diane Megaw Jan 4, 2026

President Donald Trump's recent military actions in Venezuela have drawn sharp criticism from Oregon lawmakers. Oregon Lawmakers React To Trump's Military Intervention In Venezuela Trump’s recent action in Venezuela, including…

Crime & Courts

Medford Man Won’t Face Charges After Fatal Home Invasion Shooting That DA Calls Self-Defense

Diane Megaw Jan 3, 2026

MEDFORD, Ore. — The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office indicated yesterday that no criminal charges will be filed in the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Martin Uriel Jimenez Jr., who was shot during a violent home invasion in the early…

Business

Oregon Pacific Power Bills Drop Slightly in January After Years of Sharp Increases

Diane Megaw Jan 3, 2026

Pacific Power customers in Oregon will see a slight decrease in their electric bills starting January 1, 2026. Pacific Power Electricity Bill Decrease In January Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) officials confirmed that, after…

News

Oregon Rural Hospitals Get $197 Million Lifeline After Years of Shrinking Services

Diane Megaw Dec 30, 2025

Amid rising service cuts in Oregon's rural healthcare sector, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that the state will receive $197.3 million in 2026 to improve rural healthcare, and more may follow over the next…

News

Oregon Will Allow 24 Hour Squatter Eviction Notices Starting January 1

Diane Megaw Dec 29, 2025

A raft of new Oregon laws takes effect Jan 1, including HB 3522, which makes it easier to evict genuine squatters on a 24-hour notice. Oregon Squatters Can Get 24 Hours Notice From Jan 1 House Bill 3522 will make it simpler for…

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