The fenced-in quarter-acre property located off the greenway in Medford provides 50 tent and pop-up shelter sites with water and sanitary facilities. The city is working with the landowner to expand the space and extend the lease into at least the spring. In the meantime, Rogue Retreat’s Matt Vorderstrasse says organizers hope to find a long-term solution. “We know that this is something that we want to see be more permanent in the community, and so the timeline going forward is we would like to find a suitable location for it to be located permanently,” Vorderstrasse says. Before fire tore…
Author: Tony Cooper
A Medford man accused of shooting and killing another man in 2018 was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Friday in Jackson County Circuit Court. Police arrested Cody Templeton in January of 2018 after he allegedly shot a man who was staying in his apartment on Ellendale Avenue, 39-year-old Thomas Peterson. Peterson was originally taken to the hospital in critical condition, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He died a short time later. Upon Peterson’s death, Templeton was charged with murder. He was 23 years old at the time. Following a bench trial in November, Judge Lisa Greif…
It has been a slow, difficult and emotional rebuilding process for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Medford, Oregon whose homes were destroyed by the devastating wildfires. Despite the challenges, Latter-day Saints in the area have incredible hope, and have united together to rebuild as neighbors and as a community. The first of two major wildfires in the Medford area broke out on Sept. 8. The fires destroyed 2,483 homes and 173 commercial structures, leaving thousands of people homeless. UPDATED: NOVEMBER 30, 2020 AT 11:04 AM Volume 0% MEDFORD, Ore. — It has been a slow,…
More and more families are considering homeschooling their children as the Coronavirus Pandemic continues. According to a poll by the Federation for Children, 40% of families are more likely to homeschool after COVID-19 lockdowns. Local homeschooling community, Arrows, has already seen an increase in interest in programs. “I have information meetings once or twice a month and those have normally been 10 to 12 people that are interested and now its like 30 to 40. I have one tonight that’s 50 people,” said Arrows director, Becky Abrams, “We actually have some people joining us this fall who were already contemplating homeschooling…
The Medford School Board is poised to vote on a resolution that would urge Governor Brown to further loosen COVID-19 metrics for schools, bringing more students into classrooms.
A federal judge has denied Oregon school shooter Kip Kinkel’s request to put two questions before the state Supreme Court. Kinkel is serving 112 years after in 1999 he pleaded guilty to murdering his parents and then going on a shooting rampage at Thurston High School that killed two and wounded 24 others. He wanted the Oregon Supreme Court to consider whether the punishment is cruel and unusual because of his age at the time just 15.
Late Saturday night, Josephine County health officials reported a new death from the coronavirus within the county. According to health officials, the new death was from a 91-year-old man who tested positive for COVID-19 on December 2 and passed away on December 10 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass. Josephine County Public Health says that the man did have underlying health conditions. This is the tenth death that the county has seen since the start of the pandemic and is the fourth death so far this week. The Oregon Health Authority also reported 43 new cases of the virus…
ACCESS Food Pantry in Medford has served the community of Jackson County since 1976. The Nutrition Director at ACCESS, Marcee Champion said they typically serve about 5,000 people a month and see a 10 percent increase around the holidays. ACCESS will be closed through Thanksgiving but will reopen Monday for people who will need food next month. The pantry relies heavily on donations and volunteers, but Champion said they have had plenty of food because of the generosity of the community. Today, one local business donated eight thousand dollars to the food bank. One main contributor to ACCESS is the…
KDRV The Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined an investigation into the killing of 19-year-old Aiden Ellison outside of Ashland’s Stratford Inn last week. The Ashland Police Department announced the FBI’s involvement in a statement released on Thursday morning, reporting that the federal agency was investigating any potential violations of federal laws — including the possibility of bias crime charges. “While, at this time, this has not been substantiated, under state or federal law, to have been a bias crime, it is important to examine all aspects of this case and determine whether a bias crime has been committed,” Ashland Police…
Helping Hands International and the Salvation Army are working to transform the field outside of HOPE House into a functional park for the residents, but they need a few volunteers to help with the project. HOPE House is a transitional living development that helps the homeless in Medford get back on their feet. The non-profit Helping Hands committed to help the Salvation Army revamp an empty field next to the HOPE House dorms into a community park — including an amphitheater, sports court, picnic area, walking path, community garden, and splash pad. “This transformed HOPE park will give us space…