The Oregon governor’s opposition adds a major twist to a proposed animal cruelty measure that has divided hunters, farmers, ranchers, animal-rights advocates and political leaders across the state.

Unofficial Wednesday morning election results show Steve Bitzer appearing to win the Klamath County Commissioner Position 2 race outright, while Oregon voters rejected Measure 120 and several major statewide races moved toward November matchups.

More than $26.4 million in new state shelter funding has been awarded to regional coordinators serving Southern Oregon, the South Coast, and Central Oregon. The awards are part of more than $102 million announced statewide through Oregon’s Statewide Shelter Program.

Klamath County is now under a state drought emergency after Governor Tina Kotek declared emergency status for Klamath, Coos, and Wheeler counties. State officials say 70% of Klamath County is in moderate to severe drought, while the Klamath Basin’s snow water equivalent was reported at just 4% of normal in late April.

Nearly $48.7 million in federal Secure Rural Schools funding is headed to Oregon counties, with Southern Oregon communities receiving some of the largest allocations in the state. Douglas, Klamath, Jackson, and Josephine counties are among the top recipients.

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley will host a series of town halls across Central and Southern Oregon on March 20–21, including stops in Klamath, Lake, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties. The events are part of his ongoing effort to hold annual conversations in all 36 counties statewide.

State funding will support a new wastewater treatment plant in Chiloquin and an infrastructure study of the aging sanitation system in Gilchrist.