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Kingsley Field Cleared for F-35s

Opening New Chapter for Southern Oregon’s Military Economy

By John Oliver Kingsley Field has received formal authorization to prepare for a squadron of F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, clearing the way for facility construction ahead of the aircraft’s scheduled arrival in summer 2027. Air Force Secretary Dr. Troy Meink signed the Record of Decision authorizing the transition at the Oregon Air National Guard installation, home of the 173rd Fighter Wing. The approval allows preparations to move forward as Kingsley Field transitions from the F-15C Eagle to the F-35A. The base will train American F-35 pilots, continuing its fighter-training responsibilities with a different aircraft. Construction authorized by the decision will prepare the installation to accommodate the incoming squadron and support the personnel responsible for flying, maintaining and operating the jets. “Kingsley Field is officially an F-35 base, securing its place at the forefront of American airpower for generations to come,” said Colonel Adam Gaudinski, commander of the 173rd Fighter Wing. The aircraft are scheduled to arrive next summer, placing facility preparations ahead of that target. The signed decision authorizes the base to begin construction; the aircraft’s arrival and the work necessary to receive them remain the next stages of the transition. For Klamath Falls, those preparations could generate business through construction contracts

Oregon Check Fraud Case and purchases of materials, equipment and services. The amount reaching local companies will depend on the projects commissioned, procurement requirements and contract awards. Construction employment would likewise depend on the scope of the work and the firms selected to perform it. The longer-term economic effects will depend on the staffing and spending associated with the F-35 mission. Military personnel, civilian employees and their households purchase housing, food, transportation and other services in the communities surrounding an installation. Any growth in that demand will depend on whether the transition changes the number of people working at Kingsley Field or the resources required to support its operations. Klamath Falls and the surrounding basin would be closest to those expenditures. Contractors and suppliers elsewhere in Southern Oregon could also compete for work connected to the preparations,

although specific opportunities for businesses in Jackson, Josephine and other Oregon counties will depend on the contracts offered. Congressman Cliff Bentz identified the Klamath Basin’s economic future as one of the reasons the approval matters to the region. His work on the transition included coordination with the Department of the Air Force, the Trump administration and Kingsley Field to secure the installation’s selection and qualification for the aircraft. “The decision by Airforce Secretary Meink is extraordinarily good news for Kingsley Field, Klamath Falls, the State of Oregon, and our nation,” Bentz said. Southern and Eastern Oregon’s airspace was another factor Bentz emphasized. The base’s location gives pilots access to extensive areas for flight training, with operations originating at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls. “The airspace in Southern and Eastern Oregon

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see KINGSLEY, page 3

Kotek and Drazan Bring Governor’s Race to Medford Tonight for Live Wednesday Debate By John Oliver Gov. Tina Kotek and Republican challenger Christine Drazan will meet in Medford for a live televised debate Wednesday, October 7, giving Jackson and Josephine County residents an opportunity to hear their competing approaches to Oregon government before general election ballots begin arriving later this month. The debate is scheduled from 7 to 8 p.m. Pacific and will originate from KOBI-TV’s Medford studios. KOBI-TV/NBC5 and Southern Oregon University are organizing the event, which follows the candidates’ October 1 debate at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Southern Oregon viewers can watch the broadcast live on KOBI-TV/NBC5 and KOTI-TV/ NBC2 or stream it through KOBI5.com. KFXO and KTVZ+ will also carry the program into Central Oregon. The broadcast provides access to the candidates’ answers without requiring residents to attend the studio event. Kotek, the Democratic incumbent, is seeking another term against Drazan, a Republican state senator who previously challenged her in the 2022 governor’s race. Their Medford appearance is the second of three scheduled televised debates during the closing weeks of the 2026 general election campaign. The first debate brought disagreements over household affordability, economic conditions, education, wildfire mitigation and data centers. Kotek

defended her administration’s performance and discussed the effects of federal policies on Oregon. Drazan challenged the governor’s record and argued that state leadership bears responsibility for problems confronting residents and businesses. Education exchanges addressed student achievement, attendance and accountability. Kotek cited investments in early literacy, efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism and legislation establishing statewide performance standards. Drazan criticized education policies adopted during Kotek’s years in state leadership and questioned whether those policies had produced adequate results. The Eugene discussion also included financial support for public universities, placing higher education alongside elementary and secondary

school performance. Questions about wildfire mitigation addressed the expense of firefighting and how Oregon finances its response. Kotek pointed to efforts to establish a permanent funding source for fire response. Those subjects connect with issues previously examined in Southern Oregon coverage, including housing costs, wildfire protection, homeowners insurance, transportation, hospital capacity and access to behavioral health services. The Medford location brings the statewide campaign to a region where those concerns affect communities across county boundaries. Organizers have not publicly confirmed that each subject will appear in Wednesday’s questions.

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see GOVERNOR’S, page 3

Links Alleged Fake Logistics Company to Stolen Payments By Bryce Robinson Three Oregon men face federal bank fraud and money laundering charges in an alleged scheme involving stolen checks, altered payment information and a logistics company prosecutors say was created to help divert the money. The indictment describes an operation involving recruited account holders and withdrawals intended to outpace bank fraud detection. A federal grand jury in Portland indicted Cody James VanWinkle, 30, of Gresham; Kei-Jian Buckley, 32, of Beaverton; and Bruce Edward Jones Jr., 30, of Eugene. All three have pleaded not guilty and were released pending further court proceedings. Their trial is scheduled to begin November 24, 2026. Prosecutors allege the defendants stole checks or obtained checks that others had stolen, then changed the payee names and dollar amounts. Payments intended for other recipients were allegedly deposited into accounts controlled by the defendants or routed through accounts belonging to people recruited into the operation. VanWinkle and Buckley are accused of forming Pacific Swift Logistics LLC to facilitate the scheme. Federal authorities describe the company as a sham business. The alleged operation extended beyond the company’s formation to include check alterations, bank deposits, transfers and the distribution of proceeds among the defendants and recruited participants. The charges reach back to an alleged agreement around August 2025. Prosecutors contend that the three defendants worked together to obtain stolen checks, change their payment information and deposit them into bank accounts. Other participants allegedly opened accounts that could receive money obtained through the fraudulent transactions. One transaction identified in the indictment involves a $7,686 fraudulent check that VanWinkle allegedly deposited into a Key Bank account on August 25, 2025. That deposit preceded additional alleged transactions involving Buckley and Jones the following year, with checks and transfers directed into accounts at several financial institutions. In April 2026, Buckley allegedly made a fraudulent $9,800 wire transfer into a Peak Cred-

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see ALLEGED, page 11

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Wednesday, October 7, 2026

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OREGON

Gold Beach Nickel Project Secures Buyer as Developer Prepares Economic Studies By Ellen Ward Homeland Nickel has signed a binding agreement to sell future nickel concentrate from its proposed Red Flat mine near Gold Beach to U.S. refiner Westwin Elements, establishing a prospective customer as the company prepares resource and economic studies for the Curry County project. The September 28 agreement anticipates approximately 20,000 metric tons of concentrate annually if Red Flat enters production. Westwin would have exclusive purchasing rights and, subject to its acceptance of the preliminary economic findings, would finance a detailed feasibility study covering drilling, environmental assessment, permitting work and development economics. Homeland expects to deliver an updated mineral resource estimate and preliminary economic analysis during the first or second quarter of 2027. Westwin would then have 90 days to review the reports. The companies previously signed a nonbinding memorandum in May before proceeding to the purchasing agreement. Red Flat consists of 84 mining claims covering approximately 2,015 acres in the coastal mountains about nine miles southeast of Gold Beach. The property is reached from Highway 101 through Hunter Creek Road and connecting forest roads. Its terrain contains nickel-bearing soil and rock formed through the weathering of underlying mineral formations. The deposit is classified as nickel laterite. Iron in the weathered material gives portions of the ground a reddish appearance, while nickel occurs in both the soil and rock components. Homeland is updating historical exploration estimates to establish the mineral inventory that will support its economic calculations. Those calculations will examine whether the deposit can support commercial production. The subsequent feasibility study would provide a more detailed assessment of mining, processing and development requirements, along with the

environmental work needed to pursue approvals. The agreement’s anticipated shipment volume refers to nickel concentrate, which contains nickel and other material requiring further processing. Westwin operates a pilot refinery in Lawton, Oklahoma, and is pursuing a larger commercial refining operation. The companies intend to connect future Oregon production with U.S. capacity to manufacture high-purity nickel. Homeland, a Canadian mineral exploration company, holds nine nickel properties in Oregon. Red Flat is the property covered by the September purchasing agreement. The company has also identified the possibility of future purchasing arrangements involving its other deposits. Nickel is used in steelmaking, rechargeable batteries and alloys manufactured for applications involving heat and corrosion. The U.S. Geological Survey included the metal on the federal government’s final 2025 critical minerals list, which identifies materials important to the economy and national security whose supplies face potential disruption. The Oregon project would require development work on federal land and review under applicable state requirements. Federal mineral

protections in southwestern Oregon also govern the treatment of existing claims in designated watersheds. In January 2017, the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service described a 20-year mineral withdrawal encompassing approximately 101,000 acres in Curry and Josephine counties. The order prohibited new mining claims in the covered areas while preserving valid existing rights. The protected lands include portions of the Hunter Creek–North Fork Pistol River and Rough and Ready–Baldface Creek watersheds. Federal agencies identified rare plants, salmon and steelhead, recreation and other natural resources as reasons for protecting the areas from potential impacts associated with mineral development. Under the withdrawal, exploration and extraction remain possible on valid pre-existing claims. Development proposals in the covered areas must address the mineral rights attached to the claims and obtain the approvals required for the proposed operations. Oregon’s Department of Geology and Mineral Industries administers exploration, surface mining and reclamation approvals. An operating-permit application must describe the pro-

posed site, its boundaries, mining plans and the restoration of disturbed land. The department coordinates review with other natural-resource agencies. Reclamation security must be provided before an operating permit is issued, establishing financial backing for completion of restoration obligations. Permits remain in effect through mining and reclamation until the department determines that closure requirements have been met. The processing method selected for Red Flat would help determine the state permitting route. Oregon uses a consolidated application process for chemical-process mines, with DOGAMI coordinating review involving the Department of Environmental Quality, Water Resources Department and other participating agencies. That process includes environmental and socioeconomic evaluation, public participation and requirements addressing water protection, air emissions, chemical handling, fish and wildlife habitat and reclamation. Monitoring obligations can extend beyond the end of mining. For residents of Southern Oregon, any eventual construction and production would bring decisions about land disturbance, water protection, access and restoration through the permitting process. The operation’s design would also establish its workforce, equipment and transportation requirements. Future demand for contractors or suppliers could create opportunities for businesses elsewhere in Southern Oregon, including Josephine County, depending on how the Curry County project develops. Homeland’s immediate work remains the updated resource estimate and preliminary economic analysis scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2027. Westwin’s review of those findings would determine whether the project proceeds with the refiner’s financing for the more extensive feasibility study.

Kingsley Field to Receive F-35A Lightning II Fighter Jets From page 1 provides an immensely large and mostly empty airspace for absolutely essential training of the men and women who will fly one of the most amazing aircraft in the world, the F-35A Lightning II,” Bentz said. The training assignment brings together the installation in the Klamath Basin and the airspace available across a larger portion of Oregon. While construction will take place at the base, pilots preparing to fly the incoming aircraft will use the surrounding training environment to develop the

From page 1

skills required for their military assignments. Bentz credited the National Guard Bureau, Meink, the Oregon National Guard, Gaudinski and Deputy Commander Micah Lambert for their work on the transition. The preparations involve both the federal organizations overseeing the aircraft assignment and the Oregon personnel responsible for carrying it out at Kingsley Field. Gaudinski credited Bentz’s support for the installation and the members of the 173rd Fighter Wing. He said the congressman’s advocacy

helped secure the approval and the base’s assignment to train F-35 pilots. “His leadership, advocacy, and unwavering support helped make today possible, ensuring Kingsley will train America’s F-35 pilots and strengthen our nation’s airpower for generations to come,” Gaudinski said. The commander described the pilots’ future responsibilities as deterring adversaries, defending the nation and maintaining American air superiority. Those responsibilities will guide the train-

ing mission as the wing prepares for the aircraft change. “From here, we will forge the fighter pilots who will deter our adversaries, defend our nation, and ensure America maintains air supremacy anywhere in the world,” Gaudinski said. With the Record of Decision signed, Kingsley Field can begin the authorized facility construction and continue preparations for the F-35A squadron. The aircraft are scheduled to reach the Southern Oregon installation in summer 2027.

Governor’s Race Live Wednesday Debate

For residents in Grants Pass, Medford and surrounding communities, the live format offers a chance to compare the candidates’ answers during the same broadcast. Their responses will add to the campaign record established through earlier appearances, including a September Portland business forum that covered taxes, tariffs and economic competitiveness. That Portland appearance was structured

as a forum. Separate disagreements over television debate invitations involved the campaigns accepting different proposed events in the Portland market. Both candidates nevertheless committed to the scheduled encounters in Eugene, Medford and Bend. KOBI has also provided an online form for viewers to submit potential debate questions. The form allows residents to identify issues they

want addressed, although submission does not guarantee that a question will be selected for the broadcast. Following Medford, Kotek and Drazan are scheduled to debate Tuesday, October 13, in Bend, with coverage beginning at 6 p.m. Pacific. KTVZ will produce that event and carry it live through its television and digital platforms. The Wednesday broadcast gives Jackson

and Josephine County households another opportunity to review both candidates before voting begins. Residents planning to watch online can find the debate page through KOBI5.com, while television viewers can tune to NBC5 or NBC2 at 7 p.m. Pacific. The candidates’ next meeting in Bend will follow six days later, completing the three scheduled televised debates.

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Wednesday, October 7, 2026

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Click here to donate www.relentlessheroes.org “Every Veteran, Every Day”

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

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OREGON

Oregon’s Shrinking Enrollment Puts Neighborhood Schools on the Closure List By Ellen Ward Portland and Salem-Keizer are moving toward decisions that could reshape their public school systems in 2027, with proposed closures, attendance boundary changes and program relocations affecting families well beyond the campuses under consideration. Both districts are evaluating how to operate fewer schools as enrollment declines, while keeping enough staff, classroom space and educational services available for the students who remain. Portland Public Schools released alternatives October 5 that would close either 14 or 11 schools. Salem-Keizer Public Schools plans to identify up to eight elementary schools recommended for closure Friday, October 9, along with proposed attendance boundary adjustments. Neither district has approved the closures, and families will have opportunities to review the recommendations before school boards make decisions in December. The proposals come as the districts confront a widening gap between the number of students they serve and the buildings they operate. Smaller incoming classes, changing enrollment patterns and the cost of maintaining facilities are driving evaluations that extend beyond annual budget reductions. District administrators are examining whether consolidating students into fewer locations would provide more stable staffing and consistent access to educational programs. In Portland, the more extensive alternative, Scenario A, would close 13 elementary schools and Sellwood Middle School. The elementary schools named are Maplewood, Stephenson, Irvington, Rose City Park, Buckman, Creston, Marysville, Woodmere, Lewis, Beach, James John, Peninsula and Sabin. Students attending those schools would be reassigned to receiving cam-

puses, and the proposal includes 38 attendance boundary changes. Scenario B would retain Stephenson, Rose City Park and Lewis, reducing the closure list to 10 elementary schools and Sellwood Middle School. That alternative includes 34 boundary changes. A third option would preserve the district’s existing school arrangements for now. Portland’s proposed changes also reach schools that would remain open. Seven campuses serving kindergarten through eighth grade would shift to kindergarten through fifth grade: Beverly Cleary, Laurelhurst, Sunnyside, Bridger Creative Science, César Chávez, Faubion and Vernon. Those changes would require new arrangements for students entering the middle grades. Other recommendations include ending the high school component at Metropolitan Learning Center and relocating the Odyssey program into that building. Sunnyside would remain open but lose its designation as an environmental focus option school. Portland officials say dual

language immersion programs would continue, although some would move or combine at designated campuses. Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong is expected to submit a formal recommendation in November, followed by a school board vote in December. The alternatives could change during public review. Parents and teachers have already organized opposition, including petitions asking the district to consider boundary adjustments, central office staffing reductions and efforts to attract additional students before closing schools. Salem-Keizer’s process is approaching its first school-specific recommendations. The district operates 42 elementary schools, meaning a closure list of eight would encompass nearly one-fifth of those campuses. The October 9 release is preliminary and will begin a period of public discussion rather than settle which schools will close. Salem-Keizer serves approximately 36,000 students, compared with more than 40,000 sev-

eral years ago. District officials identify lower local birth rates and smaller kindergarten classes as principal contributors to that decline. As larger classes graduate and smaller classes enter, enrollment decreases, along with the state funding associated with those students. The Salem-Keizer School Board approved evaluation criteria September 8 covering enrollment, building use and condition, educational needs, operating considerations and community effects. The review also examines whether a closure could disproportionately affect historically marginalized or underserved students and neighborhoods. No individual school was approved for closure through that vote. For families, the eventual decisions could change school assignments, transportation arrangements and the locations where children receive specialized services. Boundary adjustments could also affect students whose current schools remain open. Salem-Keizer officials say class-size effects will depend on the final configurations and staffing decisions. The Portland and Salem-Keizer proposals do not include Southern Oregon schools. Future closure considerations in Southern Oregon would depend on enrollment, finances and facility needs within individual districts, with any proposals requiring their own local review and decisions. Salem-Keizer has scheduled five community listening sessions October 14 through October 17 and a final closure decision for December 8. A boundary review task force will work from November through January. In both districts, approved changes would begin taking effect with the 202728 school year, leaving the coming months for decisions about receiving schools, attendance areas, staffing and student transitions.

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Wednesday, October 7, 2026

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NATIONAL Trump Approves Army Firing Squad for Fort Hood Gunman After Years of Appeals By Ellen Ward President Donald Trump has approved the execution of former Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan by a U.S. Army firing squad, advancing the death sentence imposed for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting toward a punishment the American military has not carried out in more than six decades. The Pentagon disclosed the approval October 5 following a recommendation from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Army secretary will determine the execution’s date and location. Neither had been publicly identified in the reporting available October 6, and the announcement did not designate Fort Hood as the execution site. Hasan, an Army psychiatrist at the time of the attack, was sentenced to death in August 2013 after a military court convicted him of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. The presidential action follows years of military appellate proceedings and the Supreme Court’s refusal last year to take up his petition for review. The shooting occurred November 5, 2009, inside a medical processing facility at the sprawling Army installation in central Texas. Soldiers were receiving medical examinations associated with preparations for deployment when Hasan opened fire with a handgun. Twelve soldiers and a civilian who was a retired serviceman were killed, and more than 30 people were injured. Hasan was scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in the weeks following the attack. During his

court-martial, he acknowledged that he was the gunman and described his actions as an effort to prevent American soldiers from deploying and killing fellow Muslims. His statements placed his opposition to American military operations at the center of the explanation he offered for the killings. A responding civilian police officer shot Hasan, leaving him partially paralyzed. He survived and subsequently faced prosecution within the military justice system. The case brought an Army physician before a court-martial for an attack against people at the installation where he served. Hasan represented himself during the trial, called no witnesses and provided no testimony in his defense. His court-appointed standby attorneys expressed concern that his handling of the case

reflected a desire to receive a death sentence. He did not dispute his responsibility for the shooting, and the panel returned unanimous findings of guilt on the murder and attempted murder charges. The sentencing proceedings included testimony from relatives of those killed and others whose families had been affected by the attack. Witnesses described the deaths of spouses, children and parents and the consequences for surviving family members. Among those killed was retired Chief Warrant Officer Michael Cahill, whose wife testified that he had attempted to stop the gunman. On August 28, 2013, the court-martial panel imposed a death sentence following deliberations lasting less than two hours. The punishment also included dismissal from the Army and forfeiture of all pay and allowances. Hasan elected not to present a closing argument during sentencing. The death sentence required automatic review through the military appellate courts. That process took the case through the Army Court of Criminal Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces before Hasan sought review by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court’s docket records that his petition was denied March 31, 2025. The denial left the military court’s judgment in place without a separate Supreme Court decision addressing the merits of his claims. His request for review had challenged the handling of courtroom proceedings involving disagreements with his standby attorneys. Presidential authorization is another required

step before the military can execute a death sentence. Trump’s approval permits the Army to proceed with the arrangements for carrying out the punishment, subject to the remaining procedures and any court orders affecting the case. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell identified an Army firing squad as the approved method. Further litigation remains possible in the civilian federal courts. An analysis published by the Army’s legal community earlier this year described how a prisoner can pursue habeas corpus proceedings after presidential approval. Such proceedings could delay an execution while a federal court considers the challenge. Hasan is held at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where four men are on military death row. Another prisoner, former Army Spc. Ronald Gray, received presidential approval for execution from George W. Bush in 2008, but a judicial stay prevented the sentence from being carried out. The military’s last execution occurred April 13, 1961, when Pvt. John A. Bennett was hanged at Fort Leavenworth following convictions for rape and attempted murder. If Hasan’s sentence is carried out, it would end a 65-year period without an execution in the military justice system. For now, the Army faces the next administrative steps in a case that began nearly 17 years ago. The presidential approval establishes authorization for the firing squad, while the execution schedule and location remain to be set by the Army secretary.

Russia Reports No Plague Cases to WHO as U.S. Monitors Siberian Laboratory Worker’s Death By Ellen Ward Russia reported no recorded plague cases in the Siberian city of Irkutsk to the World Health Organization on Tuesday, October 6, following the death of a research institute employee whose illness prompted hospital quarantine measures and monitoring by American officials. Russian authorities said they had identified the deceased worker’s contacts and that testing for dangerous infectious pathogens had returned negative results. The WHO assessed the apparent risk to the general population as low, while the U.S. State Department coordinated its monitoring with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies. The employee, identified in local reporting as 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East. She developed pneumonia and died after receiving treatment at a hospital in the nearby town of Shelekhov. Regional officials described the cause as pneumonia of unknown origin. Reports of a possible exposure inside the institute brought international attention to the death. A local account suggested that a test tube containing plague bacteria had broken. Russia’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said its investigation found no evidence of an accident involving the handling of pathogens. Authorities also reported that the worker’s biological samples contained no microorganisms associated with her professional activities. The Russian response to the WHO addressed the absence of recorded plague cases in Irkutsk and testing among people who had contact with the employee. Whether those findings conclusively established the cause of her fatal pneumonia re-

mained unresolved. The Shelekhov hospital was placed under quarantine, and people identified as contacts were examined and put under medical supervision. Anna Popova, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, traveled to Siberia for an emergency meeting with regional officials as health authorities conducted their investigation. Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev reported that all known contacts had been traced. He also said no additional employees from the institute had sought medical attention during the preceding days. Rospotrebnadzor reported two COVID-19 infections and two rhinovirus infections among contacts, with no other infectious diseases identified in that group. American officials confirmed Monday that they were tracking reports of suspected pneumonic plague and requested accurate information from Russia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the situation as one requiring close monitoring because of the potential for an infection to spread, while indicating that he did not consider the avail-

able information cause for alarm. The investigation concerns a disease with a long medical history. Pneumonic plague is a severe lung infection caused by Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for the medieval pandemic known as the Black Death. The organism continues to circulate in animal populations in several regions of the world, including parts of Asia, Africa and the western United States. Plague bacteria typically persist through a cycle involving small mammals and fleas. People most commonly become infected after being bitten by an infected flea or through contact with an infected animal. Exposure to contaminated tissues or bodily fluids can also transmit the infection. The disease develops in three principal forms, depending on where the bacteria spread within the body. Bubonic plague affects the lymphatic system and commonly causes painful, swollen lymph nodes. Septicemic plague involves the bloodstream and can produce severe complications, including organ failure and tissue damage. Pneumonic plague affects the lungs. It can

develop after a person inhales infectious respiratory particles or when an existing plague infection spreads from another part of the body into lung tissue. Unlike the more common bubonic form, pneumonic plague can pass directly between people through respiratory particles produced by an infected patient. Symptoms may include fever, weakness, cough, chest pain and difficulty breathing. The infection can progress rapidly, making early recognition and treatment essential. The WHO reports that untreated pneumonic plague can become fatal within 18 to 24 hours after disease onset. Antibiotics provide an effective treatment when administered promptly. Medical care also includes supportive treatment for the complications of severe infection. The availability of antibacterial drugs has substantially changed the management of a disease that once caused widespread mortality before effective treatment existed. Plague remains a rare but persistent cause of human illness in rural portions of the western United States. Its presence in wildlife allows occasional infections to occur even where communities have gone years without a reported human case. Globally, most human cases reported to the WHO between 2019 and 2025 occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar. Health authorities responding to suspected pneumonic plague identify people who may have been exposed, evaluate the nature of their contact and monitor them for illness. Preventive antibiotics may be provided to close contacts, while infected patients receive treatment in isolation. Laboratory testing of blood, respiratory material or other clinical samples is used to identify the bacterium and confirm a diagnosis.

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Wednesday, October 7, 2026

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COMMUNITY GRANTS PASS WEATHER 5 DAY OUTLOOK SOURCE: WEATHER.COM

WEDNESDAY Sunny 94/52

Grants Pass and Medford Prepare for a Weekend of Music, Racing and Harvest Traditions Event Desk Student musicians from across Oregon and Northern California will converge on Grants Pass this Saturday as the city hosts a regional marching band competition alongside an afternoon of downtown tasting stops. In the Rogue Valley, distance runners will race toward Medford, where a national cornhole tournament and visiting performers add to a week of community gatherings running October 7 through October 12. The weekend leads into Monday’s Empty Bowls fundraiser, which brings local artists, restaurants and residents together to support hunger relief in Josephine County. Farms in both counties are also opening their fields for pumpkin picking, hayrides and corn mazes as the October harvest season continues. At Grants Pass High School, the 32nd annual Pride of the Northwest Marching Band Competition will draw bands from Brookings Harbor, Del Norte, Phoenix, Crater, North Valley, Illinois Valley, Douglas, Eagle Point, Roseburg, Century, Liberty and Hillsboro. The Grants Pass High School Band Boosters are organizing the October 10 competition, one of the band program’s largest annual fundraisers. Gates at Mel Ingram Field, 830 NE Ninth Street, open at 10:45 a.m. Preliminary competition begins at 11:15 a.m., followed by finals at 5:15 p.m. Local food vendors will serve spectators throughout the day as marching bands and color guards perform. Downtown businesses will welcome Tap Walk participants from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, turning storefronts into stops for craft beer tastings and food. The route includes at least 20 participating locations, with complimentary trolley service connecting stops. Admission includes a commemorative pint glass, insulated reusable tote, route map and a tasting at each participating business. Earlier Saturday, the Grants Pass Growers Market will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., bringing local produce, prepared foods and handcrafted goods to its weekly gathering. The Josephine County Fairgrounds’ Pavilion Building will host the Enlightened Living Faire from 10 a.m. to

5 p.m., while Fruitdale Grange, at 1440 Parkdale Drive, will hold its RVYM Spaghetti Feed from 3 to 8 p.m. West of Grants Pass, Fort Vannoy Farms is welcoming visitors to its pumpkin patch and corn maze at 5791 Lower River Road. Hours during the coming week are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday. After dark Friday and Saturday, the farm’s haunted corn maze will operate from 8 to 11 p.m., with admission sold through timed tickets. The Applegate Valley’s wine harvest will be part of Saturday’s activities at Schmidt Family Vineyards, 330 Kubli Road. From noon to 4 p.m., tractor-drawn hayrides will carry visitors through part of the vineyard before guided winery tours introduce them to the winemakers and the early stages of production. Samples include grape juice or developing wine. Tours are free for non-drinkers and up to two qualifying wine club members; other participating adults age 21 and older pay $14. Schmidt will also present John Jons on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. His performance joins a regional music schedule that includes Hiss Golden Messenger and opening performer Sam Amidon at Fry Family Farm on Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m. and Jeff Kloetzel at Medford’s Dunbar Farms on Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Medford’s sporting events begin Friday with the American Cornhole Organization’s Medford Major at the Rogue Credit Union Community Complex, known as Rogue X. Competition continues Saturday as players pursue world ranking points on the organization’s national tournament circuit. Rogue X will also host a reptile expo beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, featuring reptiles, amphibians, other exotic animals and supplies for their care. Saturday morning’s Rogue Marathon will send runners along the Bear Creek Greenway from the Ashland area toward Medford. The full marathon begins at 7 a.m. at Emigrant Lake County Park. Half-marathon runners start at 8 a.m. at Blue Heron Park in Talent, and the 10-kilometer race begins at the same time at Medford’s Bear Creek Park. The event

also includes a children’s run. Participants will collect race packets Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Common Block Brewing, 312 E. Fourth Street in Medford. Registration will not be available on race day. Medford’s entertainment schedule includes Thursday’s Comedy Underground performance at H20 Bar, with doors opening at 7 p.m. and the show starting at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, comedian Margaret Cho brings her Choligarchy tour to the Holly Theatre. Walkabout Brewing will host Friday’s Doodlepalooza from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring dog competitions, costume contests and prizes. Harvest outings continue between the two cities. Bigham Farms, at 9445 Pumice Lane in Central Point, will open its pumpkin patch Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with hayrides and a corn maze. Pheasant Fields Farm, at 1865 Camp Baker Road near Medford, will hold its Harvest Festival during the same hours both days, offering pumpkin picking, hayrides, a corn maze and rides aboard the Great Pumpkin Express. Fresh produce and handmade goods will also be available Thursday at Medford’s Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market. Vendors will gather at Hawthorne Park from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday’s activities include train rides and railroad history at Medford Railroad Park, 799 Berrydale Avenue. The park opens from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with model railroad displays and historic equipment available for visitors to explore. Admission is free, and donations are accepted. In Grants Pass, the Downs’ fall racing meet continues Sunday and Monday at the Josephine County Fairgrounds, with Sunday racing beginning at 4 p.m. The fairgrounds will host Empty Bowls at 6 p.m. Monday, October 12. Options for Southern Oregon and the Josephine County Food Bank are partnering on the fundraiser, with local artists donating handcrafted bowls and restaurants contributing to a meal of soup and bread. Guests choose a bowl to keep, and proceeds support food assistance for people experiencing hunger. Tickets cost $35 in advance and $40 at the door.

THURSDAY Sunny 93/52

FRIDAY Mostly sunny 83/48

SATURDAY Mostly sunny 66/41

SUNDAY Mostly sunny 69/39

GRANTS PASS TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

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NEWS DESK LETTER FROM EDITOR

Large Signs, Unanswered Questions: Josephine County Deserves Better By John Oliver A campaign sign can tell you a candidate’s name. It cannot tell you whether that person is honest, competent or prepared to manage public money. It cannot explain a business relationship, address a potential conflict of interest or establish whether campaign promises survive examination. Yet when visibility becomes a substitute for accountability, an election can reward the person whose name appears most often while leaving the most consequential questions unanswered. Josephine County voters should reject that bargain. Running for public office means asking the community to entrust someone with decisions that affect budgets, services, employees and the daily lives of residents. Anyone seeking that authority should expect questions that reach beyond a campaign slogan. Answering those questions is part of earning the office. The pattern deserves a hard look: large signs, controlled appearances, familiar audiences and silence when the discussion becomes uncomfortable. A candidate may speak freely among supporters while declining questions from people who expect specifics. That approach gives voters a carefully managed introduction, but little opportunity to examine the judgment behind it. Repeating a message inside a sympathetic audience does not establish its accuracy. Questions about business practices, financial interests, ethics and potential favoritism are legitimate when they bear on a candidate’s fitness for office. When someone describes their work as unpaid or voluntary, voters may reasonably ask what that means, which entities are involved and whether compensation or other benefits flow through re-

lated arrangements. When a candidate promises responsible management of taxpayer dollars, their record should be open to examination. Those questions become particularly consequential when candidates own businesses that could benefit from decisions they would help make as county commissioners. The possibility of using public authority in ways that benefit private interests demands clear safeguards. Voters deserve to know how candidates will identify and disclose financial conflicts, and under what circumstances they will step aside from deliberations and votes. General assurances of honesty do not answer those questions. Decisions involving businesses owned by friends or associates also deserve examination wherever financial ties or preferential treatment may be involved. When an official participates despite an apparent conflict, residents deserve an explanation of the interests at stake, the disclosures made and the basis for that participation. The public should not have to chase an explanation after money has been committed or a vote has been taken. Candidates should explain be-

forehand how they will handle these situations, including when they will recuse themselves and how the community can examine their decisions. A candidate’s refusal to explain these relationships or describe how potential conflicts will be handled is a serious warning sign. Residents need confidence that county finances will be managed for the community’s benefit and that access to an elected official will not become a private business advantage. These explanations belong before the election, while voters still have a choice. Silence leaves those questions unresolved. It does not correct an inaccurate statement, explain conflicting information or provide voters with a basis for confidence. A substantive response gives the public something to evaluate. Persistent avoidance gives the public a reason to examine the candidacy more closely. No campaign should expect residents to accept unanswered questions as the price of supporting its candidate. Voters should also pay attention to how candidates respond when challenged. The ability to answer calmly and accurately matters. County government involves disagreement, competing

demands and decisions that require explanation. A campaign offers an early opportunity to see whether a candidate can meet those responsibilities. Someone seeking authority over public business should be prepared to discuss that business beyond the comfort of a supportive audience. Political loyalty should never excuse the absence of answers. A familiar name, an appealing slogan or agreement on one issue cannot settle questions about integrity and competence. The same standard should apply to every candidate, including the ones we like. Otherwise, accountability becomes something we demand from opponents and waive for friends. Residents need to examine relevant records, compare promises with performance and recognize when a direct question repeatedly produces no direct response. Candidates should carry the burden of explaining why they deserve public trust. Voters should resist handing over that trust merely because a campaign has purchased enough visibility. An unanswered question about financial interests does not become less consequential because the candidate’s name appears on another roadside sign. Josephine County cannot afford to treat elections as contests in name recognition. The people elected will exercise authority long after the signs come down. Their decisions will have consequences that campaign colors and slogans cannot soften. Before granting that authority, voters should insist on clear answers, verifiable claims and a record that can withstand examination. Put up the signs. Make the case. Then answer the questions. Anyone asking Josephine County for its vote should be prepared to earn it in public.

Alleged Fake Logistics Company Linked to Stolen Payments From page 1 it Union account. Another alleged transfer into that account on the same day totaled $19,500. Buckley and Jones also are accused of depositing a fraudulent $28,000 check into a Heritage Bank account in June. Jones separately is accused of attempting to defraud Key Bank and Emerald Empire Federal Credit Union through deposits of multiple stolen checks. The amounts associated with those alleged deposits ranged from $2,000 to $20,000. The broader scheme allegedly depended on participants moving money before financial institutions could stop the transactions. Prosecutors contend that the defendants and their recruits withdrew funds, attempted withdrawals or transferred money after fraudulent checks were deposited or proceeds entered the accounts. Those movements allegedly occurred before banks could flag the deposits as fraudulent and halt access to the money. Recruited participants who received proceeds are accused of providing a portion to VanWinkle, Buckley and Jones, returning money from the transactions to the men prosecutors identify as directing the operation. VanWinkle and Buckley each face three counts of bank fraud, along with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Jones faces 10 bank fraud counts and the two conspiracy charges. The indict-

ment brings the alleged check transactions and subsequent movement of proceeds into the same federal prosecution. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Sax is prosecuting it for the District of Oregon, and U.S. Attorney

Scott E. Bradford made the charges public September 29. The prosecution involves defendants from Gresham and Beaverton in the Portland metropolitan area and Eugene in the southern Willamette Valley. VanWinkle, also known as COUNTUPCODY,

and Buckley made their initial appearances and entered not guilty pleas September 29. Jones, also known as Juice, appeared for his initial proceedings and arraignment September 24 and also pleaded not guilty. All three defendants are scheduled for trial on the same November date.

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