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 Job Openings Fall to Five Year Low as Higher Wage Workers Take the Biggest Hit

Diane Megaw Feb 16, 2026

New data for Oregon’s declining job market indicate that job openings declined to the lowest level in five years as unemployment surges, with workers earning over the median of $26.56/hour taking the hardest hit. Oregon Job…

Politics & Elections

Oregon Lawmakers Clash Over Plan to Roll Back Trump Inspired Tax Cuts and Raise State Revenue

Diane Megaw Feb 15, 2026

Oregon Democrats advanced SB 5107, a proposal seeking to raise more than $300 million for the state budget by eliminating three tax breaks modeled after President Donald Trump’s 2025 federal tax law. The plan, passed along party lines…

Politics & Elections

Oregon Moves to Close Loophole Allowing Out-of-State Lenders to Charge Interest Rates Above 36%

Diane Megaw Feb 15, 2026

Despite no Republican support, House Bill 4116, a bill that seeks to close a loophole letting out-of-state lenders make loans to Oregonians at exorbitant interest rates, passed the House Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection last…

Oregon Industries Could Face Uneven Strain as U.S.-Born Workforce Shrinks and Immigrant Workforce…

Diane Megaw Feb 14, 2026

With January employment data indicating that the nationwide US-born workforce is shrinking while the foreign-born workforce grows, Oregon’s labor market, with a larger-than-average share of migratory workers concentrated in sectors like…

News

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden Accuses Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent of Hiding Epstein Financial…

Diane Megaw Feb 14, 2026

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden confirmed that his follow-the-money investigation continues, even though federal Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has refused to turn over bank statements and other financial data linked to disgraced financier…

Crime & Courts

Texans Plead Guilty in Multi-State ATM Robbery Ring That Assaulted Technicians in Oregon and…

Diane Megaw Feb 13, 2026

Two Texans pleaded guilty to four counts of bank robbery and two counts of attempted bank robbery for their scheme to steal from banks by assaulting and threatening ATM technicians in multiple states, including Oregon and Washington.…

Environment

Oregon House Passes Clean Energy Bill Aimed at Lowering Costs and Speeding Renewable Development

Diane Megaw Feb 13, 2026

Oregon's Clean Energy Bill, HB 4031, passed the House yesterday, taking a step further towards reducing energy costs for Oregonians and advancing renewable energy development. Oregon House Passes Clean Energy Bill Oregon’s HB…

News

Multnomah County to Reduce Homeless Services Budget by $87 Million Despite Rising Need

Diane Megaw Feb 12, 2026

MULTNOMAH COUNTY, Ore. — Despite increasing homelessness, Multnomah County officials anticipate $87 million less for shelters, rent assistance, and eviction prevention in the next fiscal year, as bottlenecks due to overloaded caseworkers…

News

Oregon State Park Visits Fall by More Than Two Million as Closures and Wildfire Smoke Cut Into Peak…

Diane Megaw Feb 11, 2026

While visits to Oregon State Parks remain popular, day-use visits were down by nearly 2,4 million visitors in 2025 compared with 2024’s record-breaking season. But some parks hosted more visits, reflecting the strong demand for outdoor…

News

Remains of 60-Year-Old Eugene Man Found Outside Ashland After Weeks of Searching

Diane Megaw Feb 11, 2026

ASHLAND, Ore. — The remains of 60-year-old Damon Lee Petrie of Eugene, who was reported missing in December, were found near Mill Creek Drive and Highway 66 outside of Ashland on Saturday by a hiker. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office…

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