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 & Government

Oregon Leads 26-State Push for AI Safety Rules After Programs Escape Test Environments

Diane Megaw Sep 27, 2026

Both Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and OpenAI have called on Congress to establish mandatory national safety requirements for advanced artificial intelligence systems, as concerns grow over AI systems acting beyond the limits set for…

Business & Economy

Oregon Loses 2,800 Federal Jobs as Trump Downsizing Push Drives Workforce to Lowest Level Since 1990

Diane Megaw Sep 27, 2026

Oregon’s federal workforce has fallen to its lowest level since at least 1990, with about 2,800 federal jobs disappearing since President Donald Trump returned to office, according to recent state and federal workforce data. …

Crime & Courts

17-Year-Old Charged With Homicide After Crash Kills Passenger, Sparks 15,000-Acre Wildfire in…

Diane Megaw Sep 23, 2026

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — A 17-year-old Oregon driver has been arrested on a criminally negligent homicide charge after a rollover crash in rural Jackson County killed his passenger and sparked a wildfire that eventually grew to more than…

Environment

Central Oregon Becomes Testing Ground for Trump Plan to Speed Up Logging After Wildfires

Diane Megaw Sep 23, 2026

The Trump administration is moving to speed up logging on recently burned federal forestland, with Central Oregon providing an early test of the new approach. New National Policy Accelerates Post-fire Projects The U.S. Forest…

Politics & Government

Oregon Sen. Merkley Targets Government Corruption as Trump Reports $2.2 Billion in 2025 Income

Diane Megaw Sep 22, 2026

Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley is taking his campaign against what he describes as corruption in government across the state, while newly released financial disclosures show President Donald Trump reported more than $2.2 billion in income during…

Education

Portland School Board Chair Faces Removal Effort After Audit Questions How $1.83 Billion Was Managed

Diane Megaw Sep 21, 2026

PORTLAND, Ore. — A draft independent audit of Portland Public Schools’ $1.83 billion bond program has prompted a recall effort against School Board Chair Eddie Wang. Former Board Member Launches Recall Effort Against Eddie Wang…

News

New Study Places Oregon 42nd Out of 50 States for Happiness

Diane Megaw Sep 20, 2026

Oregon ranks among the 10 least happy states in the country, according to a new WalletHub study that compares all 50 states across measures ranging from physical and emotional well-being to working conditions and community life. …

Business & Economy

More Than 1 Million Oregonians Could Face 6.3% Electricity Rate Hike After Court-Ordered Salmon…

Diane Megaw Sep 20, 2026

More than 1 million Oregonians served by consumer owned utilities could face higher power bills if the Bonneville Power Administration moves ahead with a proposed rate increase of up to 6.3%, following a federal court order requiring…

Environment

Judge Blocks Trump EPA Cancellation of $243 Million in Solar Funding for Oregon and Washington

Diane Megaw Sep 19, 2026

A federal court ruling has revived a $7 billion solar program that could restore nearly $243 million in federal funding for solar projects serving low-income households in Oregon and Washington. Federal Court Revives Solar for…

Business & Economy

Oregon Mortgage Rates Rise Above 7.2% as U.S. Borrowing Costs Keep Climbing

Diane Megaw Sep 18, 2026

Homebuyers are facing higher borrowing costs as mortgage rates continue to rise, with the national average for a 30-year fixed-rate loan approaching 7%. National Mortgage Rates Approach 7% The weekly average rate on a 30-year…

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