In the parking lot of El Tapatio in Ashland, canopies of tents cover the parking lot. Under each one, a different grouping of donated items to support people who were displaced by the Almeda Fire that ripped through southern Oregon a little over a week ago. In addition to providing food, toiletries, clothing and other items for those affected by the fires, the relief center at El Tapatio is helping people find semi-permanent and permanent housing. “My number one priority is not thinking about today, but thinking about what happens in a few months, a few weeks, in years to come,” Yahaira Padilla,…
Author: Tony Cooper
Brandon Nathaniel Lyon, 22, faces attempted murder, assault and arson charges accusing him of setting a fire that sent a 54-year-old man to the hospital with third-degree burns, according to Medford police Lt. Mike Budreau. Budreau described the case as “a strange one for us” with no clear motive, and no clear connection between Lyon and the 54-year-old burn victim beyond that both men are homeless. “This is very unusual, very concerning,” Budreau said. “There’s no connection at all between them.” At about 3:56 a.m. Tuesday, Lyon was allegedly captured on surveillance video using a lighter to set fire to the victim’s blanket…
AS EARTH EDGES ever closer to climate calamity, the holiday season presents a new opportunity to take action and make a greener, cleaner choice when it comes to the center piece of many households: the Christmas tree. But while you might want to make the best-practice purchase, both the artificial and natural tree industries argue their product is best for the environment.
Grace Cascade Christian Schools will be offering in-person classes this coming fall. According to a letter sent Cascade Christian parents students will have the option to return to school. They will also have the option to do comprehensive distance learning. With the recent revisions to school metrics regarding reopening schools, the Oregon Department of Education says that some private schools in rural areas now have the potential for in-person instruction. This includes Grace Cascade Christian Schools. The schools say that they are complying with Covid-19 guidelines set for Oregon small businesses and nonprofits, since school is considered both a small business…
Jackson County is reporting 90 new COVID-19 cases and one new death as of Sunday morning. Two cases were also removed from the total case count that had a previous reporting date. This brings the total number of reported COVID-19 cases in Jackson County to 4,857. The total number of COVID-19 deaths is 50. Public health officials report the county’s 50th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old female who tested positive on November 10th and died on December 11th at Providence Medford Medical Center. The patient had underlying conditions.
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission is asking for a voluntary recall of two potential cannabis vape ingredients: squalene and squalane. They’re derived from olives and have been used to dilute the liquid that goes into vape pens so it can easily vaporize. The agency said the ingredients have been linked with Vitamin E acetate and the safety problems that put thousands of vapers in the hospital with lung damage last year. OLCC spokesperson Mark Pettinger said commissioners will meet this week to consider a mandatory ban on the ingredients and, perhaps more importantly, a more stringent product review process. “We can go…
A branch of the Singler football coaching tree finally made it onto the field. And Mitch Singler did so in one of the game’s most hallowed venues. Singler took his perch in the press box and helped facilitate Duke’s offense when it opened the season last Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium under the watchful eyes of Touchdown Jesus. The locale and top-10 opposition was daunting enough. Playing a game in the COVID-19 era, with a relative smattering of fans on-site but untold thousands taking heed, added to the unusual nature. “It was actually kind of crazy to have coaches text me like,…
NewsWatch 12 is partnering with the American Red Cross to support those impacted by the wildfires burning in Oregon. Donations support the work the Red Cross is providing to families that have been affected by the wildfires in Oregon. Your support helps the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to, and help people recover from disasters. Your generous donations make it possible for the Red Cross to provide food, water, showers, first aid and emotional support to our neighbors in need. To donate, click here. Thank you in advance for your generosity. Jackson County Emergency Management is urging those who want to donate, volunteer,…
Police have made a string of arrests for looting in areas damaged or threatened by the Almeda fire and South Obenchain fire. Medford police were on anti-looting patrol Saturday when they saw homes that appeared to have been burglarized along South Pacific Highway in north Phoenix. They located stashes of what appeared to be stolen property in bushes along the Bear Creek Greenway. Several men with warrants for their arrest returned to the stash sites, Medford police said. Several people were arrested on suspicion that they helped steal and hide items from burglaries of homes around the 3500 block of South Pacific Highway in north Phoenix,…
Whilst Christmas is bound to look very different this year, the festive countdown is officially on. Cue the turkey, advent calendars and Christmas crackers. But our much-loved celebrations are costing us more than we realise, with experts linking festive mass consumption to long-term environmental damage in previous years. It’s estimated that an extra 30 per cent of rubbish is produced and discarded during the festive period, which amounts to around three million tonnes of waste. But how do we go about doing better, without saying goodbye to all that festive magic? Here are a few ideas because a wasteful Christmas just won’t cut it any longer… Eco-friendly Christmas trees…