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]

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Oregon Homeowners With Dry Wells Could Get More Help as Drought Worsens

Diane Megaw Jun 17, 2026

In light of the worsening drought, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek urged the state Legislature’s Emergency Board to allocate an additional $1 million into a program that helps low- to moderate-income homeowners repair or replace dry or…

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Southwest Oregon Fire Danger Rises to High as Equipment Restrictions Begin Tomorrow

Diane Megaw Jun 16, 2026

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) warned that the Southwest Oregon District will be raised to "high" (yellow), with the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) raised to Level 2 (two) tomorrow at 12:01 a.m. Southwest Oregon…

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Trump Allows Commercial Fishing Again in Protected Pacific Areas but Oregon’s Coastal Fleet May See…

Diane Megaw Jun 14, 2026

On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation reopening swathes of the previously protected Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to commercial fishing. The question being asked is whether this perceived…

Oregon Clean Energy Group Sues Defense Department Over Frozen Wind Project Reviews

Diane Megaw Jun 13, 2026

Clean energy groups nationwide- including Portland-based Renewable Northwest- filed a lawsuit on May 31 against the US Department of Defense (DoD), which the groups accuse of following an anti-wind energy political agenda by refusing to…

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Oregon Pulls Out of Trump’s 250th Anniversary Fair as State Cites Cost and Partisanship

Diane Megaw Jun 13, 2026

Both Oregon and Washington states have withdrawn from President Donald Trump's upcoming Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., organized by Freedom 250, a nonprofit aligned with Trump. While state fair organizers say all 50…

Oregonians Can Apply for COVID Test Refunds After GS Labs Overcharge Settlement

Diane Megaw Jun 11, 2026

The lawsuit against GS Labs has been settled, and Oregonians affected by COVID-19 testing overcharges, unlawful administrative costs, and late delivery of test results by GS Labs can now apply online for refunds. Refunds Payable…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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,…

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