Author: Tony Cooper

Despite a debut weekend outdoors at the Jackson County Expo, the annual Holiday Market is going virtual instead of reappearing for its second weekend, organizers announced on Monday. “We had a great time at the first weekend of the Annual Holiday Market. Thankfully everyone came and were safe while they shopped with our vendors,” the Expo said in a statement. “That said, sadly, we have come to the conclusion that we should cancel this weekend’s event.” The first weekend took place on November 13 and 14, held in the Isola Arena with masks and social distancing required. It was supposed…

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The Medford Police Department says that a local woman is missing and may be in danger of harming herself. 47-year-old Jennifer Backes-Allred was reported missing and possibly suicidal on Sunday. She was last seen in the Medford area on Saturday. “Backes-Allred has made concerning statements regarding wanting to harm herself and is possibly armed with a handgun,” MPD said. “She has multiple medical conditions and we are extremely concerned about her well-being.”

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Environmental awareness is essential now. Look folks, the planet is consistently sending cries for help. It’s warning people of their wrongdoings. An increasing number of floods, droughts, climate change, global warming, water scarcity, and pollution are giving us a signal that it is time to make some changes. That is why it is up to us to pass our experiences to our young ones and teach them what we have learned from our mistakes. The earlier kids get educated about the environment, the better they will be with preserving them. In addition, environmental awareness can teach children to make choices that are…

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Students of the Medford School District will begin the 2020-21 school year with fully remote learning, but Superintendent Dr. Bret Champion says that administrators plan to reassess on a “predictable rhythm” to determine if students can return to class in person. Today Dr. Bret Champion said that the rural metrics that were released this week – after the Oregon Department of Education issued updated guidance for rural schools doesn’t apply to the Medford School District. Two metrics that were announced do apply to the Medford School District. One is limited in-person learning. This has the school district thinking about how that approach…

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Jackson County Public Health on Tuesday reported two more deaths attributed to coronavirus, bringing the county death toll to 52 since the pandemic began. According to the agency, an 88-year-old woman tested positive on November 9 and died December 3 at Providence Medford Medical Center. The presence of underlying conditions is still being confirmed. An 89-year-old woman tested positive on November 6 and died at her residence on December 9. She had underlying conditions, officials said. Jackson County also reported 86 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, one of the higher daily case counts for the past several days, though cases…

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Every Oregon coast county is under the state’s Extreme Risk umbrella, according to the updated risk levels of each county in the state, which was released by Gov. Kate Brown’s office on Tuesday. Under the state’s new framework meant to mitigate COVID-19 infections, counties fall under one of four categories depending on the level of spread: Extreme Risk, High Risk, Moderate Risk and Lower Risk. As of Tuesday, 29 counties now fall under the Extreme Risk umbrella. Six of those counties moved up from lower-risk categories — Benton, Clatsop, Coos, Curry, Lincoln and Tillamook — while two other counties — Lake…

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About 327,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine have reportedly arrived in California. According to the Oregon Health Authority, over 35,000 doses are being distributed to hospitals across Oregon. Frontline workers and residents of long-term care facilities in both states are first in line to get the vaccine. Dr. Jim Shames is Jackson County’s medical director. “The plan is that these very cold storage vaccines are going to go to some of our hospitals who have the capacity to receive them and they are going to turn around and vaccinate their staff — the people on the front lines — with…

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The Medford Police Department has launched a murder investigation after discovering a man’s body at the Best Western Horizon Inn on Sunday night. Officers responded to the motel on Barnett Road just after 8 p.m. for an assault report. Arriving at unit number 136, Medford Police said that they found the body of a 28-year-old man in the room. “Injuries to the deceased male were consistent with an assault,” Medford Police said in a brief statement. The victim was identified as 28-year-old Jeffrey Blackwood. Officers found a suspect in the assault, identified as 18-year-old Jackson Frischman, at the scene. He…

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Help support our environment!  Recycling Christmas trees is an annual project to benefit the environment.  Recycling this renewable resource provides organic mulch and compost, so Christmas trees keep giving all year long. Real Christmas Tree Recycling The City of Hutchinson will be recycling REAL Christmas trees December 28, 2020 – January 25, 2021 DROP OFF LOCATIONS DRIFTRIDERS PARK………………………………West Shore Drive SW JAYCEES SOUTH PARK…………………………………..Goebel St SW KIMBERLY PARK………………………………………….Hilltop Drive NE LINDEN PARK……………………………..Sunset St SW NORTHWOODS PARK……………Northwoods Ave NE ROBERTS PARK………………………………………..…Roberts Rd SW ROLLING MEADOWS EAST PARK………………………….7th Ave NW SOUTH PARK…………………………………………………..4th Ave SW VFW  PARK………………………………………………..Sherwood St SE WOMEN’S CLUB PARK…………………………………Campbell Ln NW

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Rogue Community College on Tuesday outlined its tentative plan for fall classes, one that will include some on-campus learning for specific courses. Most fall classes will be offered online, but there will be some in-person lab instruction for science and career technical courses “that require hands-on learning that cannot be duplicated online,” RCC said in a statement. The on-campus courses will be noted in the fall schedule on the school’s website. Even those limited on-campus options will depend on further guidance from state or local public health authorities, RCC said. “If conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic change and make it impossible…

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