Klamath County, Ore. – The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) is investigating the death of a 57-year-old man in Bonanza as a homicide, following an incident that took place Monday afternoon. At approximately 4:30 p.m., Klamath County 911 received a report about a deceased individual located in the area. Authorities later identified the man as Donald Hadfield. Upon further investigation, KCSO officials determined that Hadfield’s death was not due to natural causes, prompting the activation of the Klamath County Major Crimes Team. The Major Crimes Team, which is comprised of members from the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, the Klamath Falls…
Author: Sarah Prescott
Medford, OR – U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter, a Democrat from Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District, made a dramatic entrance at a news conference Tuesday afternoon, wheeling her suitcase from a flight at Portland International Airport. Just off a whirlwind 48-hour trip to El Salvador, Dexter was determined to shed light on the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man wrongfully deported to El Salvador by the U.S. government. The press conference, held outside the airport’s lost and found area, saw Dexter speaking passionately about the violation of Garcia’s rights and the broader implications of his deportation. “We’re disappearing people,” Dexter…
MEDFORD, Ore. — Cassie Jane Cavagnaro, the woman accused of hitting and killing a cyclist while under the influence of intoxicants in October 2023, has filed a motion to continue her pretrial conference. The motion was granted by a judge on Tuesday, moving the pretrial hearing to August 18, 2025. Cavagnaro’s defense counsel argued that additional time was necessary to continue working with multiple experts and to thoroughly review newly received discovery materials. They also cited the appointment of a new Deputy District Attorney to the case, who would need time to become familiar with the details of the matter.…
Medford, Ore. – The Oregon Senate voted Tuesday to pass Senate Bill 83, which seeks to repeal the controversial statewide wildfire hazard map. The bill received bipartisan support, signaling a shift in the ongoing debate over wildfire risk and its impact on property owners. Senate Bill 83, introduced to the Oregon legislature earlier this year, garnered significant support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The measure seeks to undo the effects of Senate Bill 762, which established the wildfire hazard map in 2021. Developed by the Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon State University, the map categorizes residential…
GRANTS PASS, Ore. — A major drug bust in Grants Pass has resulted in the seizure of over 10 ounces of fentanyl, equating to nearly 150,000 lethal doses of the potent substance. The operation was carried out by the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) team, a multi-agency task force focused on combatting drug trafficking and distribution in southern Oregon. According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), just two milligrams of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, can be fatal depending on an individual’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. The amount confiscated by the RADE team is enough to cause…
Medford, OR – The Bessie Creek Fire, which sparked northeast of Prospect, Oregon, is currently being managed by firefighting crews from the Oregon Department of Forestry. As of the latest update, the fire has burned approximately 10 acres of land, but responders have made significant strides in controlling the situation. Crews have constructed firelines around 60 percent of the fire’s perimeter, with 20 percent of the area mopped up. Despite the ongoing efforts, there have been no evacuation orders issued. Authorities have not implemented any Level 1 (Be Ready), Level 2 (Be Set), or Level 3 (Go Now) evacuations in…
Coos County, Oregon – A tragic head-on collision on Friday, April 18, 2025, claimed the lives of an Umpqua Community College softball player and coach, leading to the arrest of the man accused of causing the crash. Johnathan James Dowdy, 34, was booked into the Coos County Jail on multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree manslaughter and several counts of assault and reckless endangerment. According to the Oregon State Police (OSP), Dowdy’s vehicle struck a bus carrying members of the Umpqua Community College softball team. The collision, which occurred on a rural stretch of highway, resulted in the deaths…
JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Auriel Scattergood, a man accused of brutally attacking and murdering his partner in Ashland in 2021, was found guilty except for insanity on Friday. The ruling, delivered by Circuit Court Judge Laura Cromwell, determined that Scattergood was suffering from a severe mental health disorder at the time of the incident, which led him to believe he was Jesus Christ. The tragic events unfolded on September 15, 2021, when Scattergood assaulted his partner, Meghan Rodriguez, with a bladed weapon at their home on Eagle Mill Road. During the attack, Scattergood also assaulted their roommate, Jon David, and…
ASHLAND, Ore. – Local fire crews are currently responding to a fire on Lowe Road in Ashland, Oregon, after a burn pile got out of control, igniting surrounding flammable material. Ashland Fire and Rescue’s battalion chief confirmed the incident, which has prompted a swift response from the department to contain the fire. The blaze, which began earlier this afternoon, was initially sparked by a burn pile that spread beyond its intended boundaries. Firefighters are working to prevent the flames from reaching additional structures and nearby vegetation. The battalion chief indicated that the situation remains active, with crews on-site assessing the…
Douglas County, Ore. – Two members of Umpqua Community College’s (UCC) softball program were tragically killed in a car accident on Friday evening while returning from a game in Coos Bay, the college confirmed in a statement on Saturday morning. Several other individuals, including students and staff, were injured in the incident and remain hospitalized. According to Umpqua Community College, the accident occurred on the evening of April 18, as the group was traveling back from the away game. The college confirmed that the victims included one student-athlete and one coach. Their identities have not been released as of Saturday…