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’s Flood Victims Face Double Trouble with Rising Scam Threats

Diane Megaw Mar 22, 2025

With flooding and landslides, on Thursday, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) advised residents that they may have another threat to deal with: flood-related fraudulent schemes, especially scams involving online fundraising…

Crime & Courts

Oregon Prisoner Who Escaped From Court Found Hiding Under Blanket

Diane Megaw Mar 22, 2025

ROSEBURG, Ore. — An adult in custody, 24-year-old Alexander Matthew Pearson of Reedsport, was returned to custody on Friday shortly after he had fled a Douglas County Circuit Court courtroom following his probation violation hearing that…

Crime & Courts

Oregon Sneaker Scam Duo Plead Guilty to $80 Million Fraud Involving Fake Preorders and Bank Loans

Diane Megaw Mar 21, 2025

Two Eugene residents, Michael Malekzadeh, 42, the owner of the now-defunct Zadeh Kicks, and Bethany Mockerman, 42, its Financial Officer, pleaded guilty to criminal charges on Thursday relating to the Zadeh Kicks fraud scheme. The…

Crime & Courts

Medford Man Sentenced to 50 Months for Shooting at Car Over Cash Stolen During Party

Diane Megaw Mar 21, 2025

MEDFORD, Ore. — Two days after a dispute over money allegedly stolen at an Ashland party on May 4 last year, 21-year-old Elijah Zeigler fired multiple shots at the vehicle of two men in northeast Medford, leading to a conviction on…

Crime & Courts

Eugene Police Arrest Two Teenagers Shooting at Cars With Lifelike Airsoft Gun

Diane Megaw Mar 21, 2025

EUGENE, Ore. — Responding to reports of teenage boys shooting at passing cars passing a downtown parking garage on Tuesday just before 9:30 a.m., Eugene Police Department (EPD) officers arrested the pair. They found a realistic-looking…

News

Mystery Substance Sparks Evacuation and Officer Health Scare at Deer Ridge Prison

Diane Megaw Mar 20, 2025

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ore. — After officers at the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution (DRCI) in Madras, Jefferson County were informed of suspected contraband in a special housing unit on Tuesday, March 18, a search was conducted. The area…

Crime & Courts

Portland Police Seize Money, Gold And Stolen Goods In Retail Theft Organized Crime Ring…

Diane Megaw Mar 20, 2025

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) swooped on organized retail theft suspects on Tuesday with search warrants at three different locations. Thousands of dollars in cash, Amazon gift cards, and stolen goods were seized in the…

News

Southern Oregon Flooding & Landslides: Governor Kotek Declares State of Emergency

Diane Megaw Mar 20, 2025

On Tuesday, Governor Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency due to the potential threat to life, safety, and property and significant damage to infrastructure caused by flooding and landslides across Southern Oregon that started on…

Education

Oregon Senators Tackle Alarming School Attendance Crisis with New Legislation

Diane Megaw Mar 19, 2025

A bipartisan group of Oregon senators is planning to introduce legislation to address chronic absenteeism at schools in the state. Oregon School Absenteeism Legislation In The Pipeline Oregon Senators Suzanne Weber, R-Tillamook,…

Crime & Courts

Oregon Nurse’s Blood Alcohol Hits 3x Legal Limit After Work, Lands Third DUII Arrest in a Year

Diane Megaw Mar 19, 2025

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — A registered Springfield nurse, 39-year-old Jesse Flannery, was charged with felony DUII after allegedly leaving the PeaceHealth Riverbend hospital- where he worked at the time, visibly intoxicated in February. This is…

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