Chad McPherson has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty in a Prospect homicide case and a related animal abuse investigation, according to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

Medford Police arrested an 18-year-old man Thursday after a reported stabbing on Greenwood Street left a 40-year-old man hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Police said there is no ongoing threat to the public.

The first significant heat wave of the summer is expected to bring 90-degree and triple-digit temperatures to much of Southern Oregon and Northern California this weekend, prompting heat advisories across several west side valleys, coastal areas and parts of far Northern California.

ODFW will require catch-and-release fishing for native redband trout from June 15 through Oct. 31 on Upper Klamath Lake and several spring-fed creeks that feed into it. The temporary rule also limits anglers to flies and artificial lures only for all species in the affected waters.

Rogue Community College and Southern Oregon University will both hold commencement ceremonies Saturday, recognizing more than 1,300 students across the Rogue Valley. RCC will celebrate its largest graduating class since 2018, while SOU marks its 100th commencement since reopening at its Ashland campus.

A Central Point elder mistreatment investigation has led to animal abuse and neglect charges after police say more than 60 cats were found inside a Valley Oak Boulevard home, including several that were deceased. Investigators said hazardous conditions required officers and animal control staff to wear protective suits and respirators.

Grange Co-op and Farm Supply Company have announced a proposed merger that would create a 13-store agricultural cooperative across Oregon and California. The companies say the merger could strengthen purchasing power, improve product availability and expand offerings for farmers, ranchers, growers and rural customers.

The Klamath & Lake Counties Stand Down will be held Friday, June 12, at the Klamath County Fairgrounds in Klamath Falls. The free event is open to veterans, active-duty service members and their dependents, with services expected to include VA benefits assistance, housing and employment resources, haircuts, clothing, eye exams, mental health support and meals.

A political action committee seeking to repeal Oregon’s non-motorized watercraft permit requirement is making a final push for signatures. Let Us Paddle says it needs support from Oregonians across the state to qualify a proposed November ballot measure aimed at ending the permit requirement for kayaks, canoes, rafts and stand-up paddleboards.

A Williams man is facing multiple potential charges, including DUII and third-degree assault, after a quad ATV crash injured three people, including two juveniles. The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office says the case has been forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for prosecution review.

Fair season is getting closer in the Rogue Valley. The 2026 Jackson County Fair returns July 14–19 at The Expo in Central Point with opening night bull riding, four nights of headline entertainment, carnival rides, food vendors and the 4-H and FFA youth activities that remain the heart of the county fair tradition.

A half-mile stretch of Oregon 234 near Eagle Point will close for about two weeks beginning July 6 while crews repair sunken and cracked pavement. ODOT says the closure will affect the highway between Modoc Road and Dodge Road, with detours available through Dodge Road, Antioch Road, Modoc Road and Table Rock Road.

An unofficial gravel pullout along U.S. 101 north of Brookings will close to parking beginning June 22. ODOT and Oregon Parks officials say the area, often used to access Secret Beach and the Oregon Coast Trail, was never designed or maintained as a trailhead and has created safety and environmental concerns.

Klamath Falls native and independent historian Karen Caverly-Molineaux discovered that Hollywood stars and a film crew spent weeks in the Basin producing the surviving 1926 silent feature “The Ice Flood.” Her research brings the nearly forgotten production—and the community that welcomed it—back into view.

Fire danger on ODF-protected lands across Jackson and Josephine counties will rise to moderate Thursday, bringing new restrictions on campfires, chainsaws, mowing and other spark-producing activities. SCOFMP already lists moderate fire danger across parts of Klamath and Lake counties.

A Jacksonville man pleaded guilty to nine federal tax and fraud charges involving unpaid employment taxes, fraudulent loan applications and identity theft. He agreed to pay nearly $1.2 million in restitution to the IRS and is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 9.

Les Schwab Tire Centers has cut approximately 70 positions at its Bend headquarters as part of a corporate restructuring. The company says affected employees will receive severance and extended benefits, while the changes will help realign headquarters resources as the Oregon-founded retailer continues expanding its network of more than 600 stores.

After rebuilding the historic Butte Creek Mill from the 2015 fire, the nonprofit foundation behind the Eagle Point landmark is preparing for its next major project. A proposed certified community kitchen could support community dinners, cooking classes, educational programs and new opportunities centered on the mill’s stone-ground flour and agricultural heritage.

Southern Oregon will move from showers, breezy nights and possible frost east of the Cascades to its first significant heat event of the season. Temperatures may reach 101 degrees in Medford and Grants Pass by Sunday, while forecasters urge residents to prepare for heat-related illness and remember that area rivers and lakes remain dangerously cold.

Oregon Tech is closing the academic year with several campus updates, including a new dean, a fully online dental hygiene master’s program and recognition for retiring employees who served the university for a combined 113 years.