February 23, 2026

Good morning Douglas County! Here are today's updates live from the Roseburg Receiver Communications Center.

The Umpqua Valley Public Defender will introduce its new Equal Justice Initiative during a public art show in Roseburg featuring Portland artist Jerome Sloan and his work, “Breaking Free – Sparrows.”

The event will include a silent auction and facilitated community dialogue focused on justice and representation. A $5 entry donation will be collected at the door. Organizers said proceeds will support the Equal Justice Initiative, with select auction works benefiting the effort.

Addressing Oregon’s Public Defense Shortage

According to organizers, Oregon continues to face a shortage of public defense attorneys, particularly in rural communities. In areas such as Roseburg, delays in appointing defense counsel can lead to extended court timelines and disruptions in rehabilitation efforts.

UVPD representatives said overwhelming caseloads often shift attention away from addressing underlying issues such as poverty, mental health challenges and limited access to services. The Equal Justice Initiative is designed to strengthen long term stability in rural public defense.

The initiative includes:

• Building a recruitment and mentorship pipeline for law students
• Providing hands on rural legal training and financial support
• Supporting long term sustainability for public defense in rural Oregon
• Expanding community centered advocacy efforts

Organizers said the effort is intended to serve communities across the state, from Portland and Pendleton to Coos Bay and Klamath Falls.

Featured Artist: Jerome Sloan

The event’s featured artist is Portland based visual artist and muralist Jerome Sloan. His highlighted work, “Breaking Free – Sparrows,” will serve as the silent auction centerpiece.

Sloan was sentenced in 1994 to life without the possibility of parole for a murder he has maintained he did not commit. According to event materials, he declined to testify against others in the case. During nearly three decades of incarceration, Sloan developed a visual art practice focused on drawing and pastels.

While incarcerated, he participated in art competitions in the early 2000s and received recognition for his work. Organizers said he also facilitated cognitive programming and social emotional development alongside counselors, and later worked as a mural painter within the prison system.

His sentence was commuted by the Governor of Oregon in June 2021. He was released in May 2022 after serving nearly 30 years.

Following his release, Sloan began working as an Intensive Case Manager with POIC, a Portland based organization that responds to gang impacted individuals hospitalized with gunshot wounds. He also serves on the board of ReGroup, a nonprofit that supports formerly incarcerated individuals.

Sloan has completed murals in attorney offices in Portland and Salem and has participated in multiple exhibitions. His work focuses on incarceration, accountability, reform and second chances.

Silent Auction Feature

“Breaking Free – Sparrows”
Pastel on paper, 2026
Estimated value: $1,500
Minimum bid: $700
Justice category: Criminal justice reform

The piece depicts a sparrow moving through a sky of clockwork forms that gradually resemble prison doors and watchtowers. According to event organizers, the clocks symbolize institutional time, while the bird represents resilience and freedom.

Additional works from Sloan’s “Breaking Free” series will be available for purchase. However, organizers said only “Breaking Free – Sparrows” will directly benefit the Equal Justice Initiative.

Broader Themes Of Justice

The exhibition will also feature artists exploring justice across a range of topics, including incarceration, systemic inequality, representation, corruption, Indigenous and cultural identity, digital healing practices and access to the natural world.

Organizers said the show is intended to highlight the layered and interconnected nature of justice through multiple mediums and lived experiences.

Community members from across Oregon are invited to attend the Roseburg event and participate in the discussion surrounding equal access to legal representation and broader justice issues.

The Facebook event link can be found here.

ROSEBURG, Ore. — A community-organized autism awareness walk is scheduled for Sunday, March 1, in Roseburg following a recent criminal investigation involving student injuries at Fremont Middle School.

The event, titled an Autism Awareness Solidarity Walk, will begin at 1:30 p.m. at Fir Grove Park and is expected to run until approximately 3 p.m.

According to organizers, the walk is intended to raise awareness and bring community attention to issues involving students with autism and other disabilities. Families and supporters are invited to attend. Participants are encouraged to bring signs, water, and autism awareness items.

The walk follows an announcement from the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office that a grand jury declined to indict two instructional aides after reviewing a criminal investigation related to injuries sustained by two students in a specialized classroom setting.

District Attorney Rick Wesenberg said the grand jury returned a “no true bill,” meaning jurors determined there was insufficient evidence to move forward with criminal charges.

According to the district attorney’s office, the injuries occurred during classroom activities involving large padded mats. One student sustained a broken arm, and another suffered a minor cut that did not require stitches. Prosecutors stated that while aides were observed moving mats prior to the injuries, investigators were unable to establish that either individual intentionally caused harm.

Officials noted that families of the injured students may pursue civil remedies if they choose.

Separately, an investigation involving a Fremont Middle School teacher remains ongoing. That case includes charges of official misconduct and harassment and has not yet been presented to a grand jury.

Organizers of the March 1 walk say they are seeking broader community awareness and additional local media coverage of the event.

Event Details:

• What: Autism Awareness Solidarity Walk
• When: Sunday, March 1, 2026 | 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.
• Where: Fir Grove Park, Roseburg
• Who: Open to families, community members and supporters
• Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1030116893511684

ROSEBURG, Ore. — Crews with the City of Roseburg Public Works Department have begun removing downtown parking meters as part of an update to the city’s parking program, replacing them with new signage that reflects free but time-limited parking.

Work started Wednesday, Feb. 18, along Kane Street near the U.S. Post Office and is progressing west through the downtown core toward Sheridan Street. According to the city, all remaining meters will be removed and replaced with approximately 160 new parking signs.

The new signs will designate free on-street parking with time limits of one, two, or three hours, expanding free parking into areas previously served by meters. Public Works staff fabricated the signs in-house and are also removing outdated signage as the project moves forward.

The meter removal is part of a broader set of changes to parking rules in downtown Roseburg and the Laurelwood neighborhood that were rolled out this winter. The updated program allows for on-street permit parking and adjusts permit fees for the Downtown Parking Garage and surface lots to better align with enforcement costs.

Earlier this year, the Roseburg City Council renewed its parking enforcement contract with ACE Parking and approved revised parking fees that took effect in January. The council also established a new $50 monthly permit for designated on-street parking spaces. Those permits will become available once installation of the new signage is complete.

Monthly Parking Permit Fees

The city provided the following breakdown of current monthly permit rates. Officials noted that fees were reduced at the Phillips and Shalimar lots:

• Downtown Parking Garage (Washington Avenue/Rose Street, 299 spaces):
  • Level 1: Free parking up to four hours
  • Level 2: $30 (previously $22)
  • Level 3: $25 (previously $17)
  • Oversized vehicles: $35 (previously $25)
• Armory Parking Lot (Kane Street/Washington Avenue, 41 spaces): $45 (previously $35)
• Court Street Parking Lot (600 block of Court Street, 24 permit spaces): $30 (previously $22)
• Phillips Parking Lot (800 block of SE Stephens Street, 45 spaces): $20 (previously $28)
• Rose Parking Lot (Cass Avenue/Rose Street, 52 spaces — 17 permitted, 35 free up to four hours): $35 (previously $30)
• Shalimar Parking Lot (700 block of SE Stephens Street, 19 spaces): $20 (previously $32)

Businesses and organizations may continue to receive bulk-purchase discounts on parking permits. A 10% discount applies when purchasing 10 to 15 permits, while purchases of more than 15 permits qualify for a 15% discount. Those discount rates remain unchanged.

The City Council’s Downtown Parking Committee will continue reviewing the parking program and may recommend additional adjustments in the future.

PORTLAND, Ore. — PacifiCorp has reached a $575 million settlement with the United States to resolve federal claims tied to six wildfires in Oregon and California, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

The agreement addresses allegations that the utility’s electrical equipment ignited the fires. Officials said the settlement will reimburse the federal government for wildfire response costs and support restoration efforts on public lands. The settlement does not include an admission of liability, and PacifiCorp continues to deny the claims.

Fires Included in the Settlement

Four of the fires occurred in Oregon:

• 242 Fire: Began Sept. 7, 2020, near Chiloquin; burned 8,916 acres of federal land.
• Archie Creek Fire: Began Sept. 8, 2020, near French Creek in the Umpqua National Forest; burned about 67,000 acres of federal land.
• Echo Mountain Complex Fire: Began Sept. 7, 2020, near Otis; burned roughly 2,500 acres, including federal land.
• South Obenchain Fire: Began Sept. 8, 2020, east of Eagle Point; burned 14,780 acres of federal land.

Two additional fires occurred in California:

• Slater Fire: Began Sept. 8, 2020, in the Klamath National Forest; burned 157,229 acres of federal land across multiple national forests.
• McKinney Fire: Began July 29, 2022, near the Klamath National Forest; burned about 39,000 acres of federal land.

Federal officials said the settlement funds will help repay suppression costs and support restoration across approximately 290,000 acres of public land affected by the fires. The U.S. Forest Service spends more than half of its annual budget on wildfire suppression, according to the agency.

Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office representatives said the agreement is intended to recover costs tied to wildfire damage and response. PacifiCorp stated the settlement resolves a significant portion of outstanding wildfire-related claims in Oregon and California while providing financial certainty for customers and the utility.

The settlement was negotiated by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for Oregon and the Eastern District of California, along with the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior. Officials noted the claims resolved in the agreement are allegations only and that no determination of liability has been made.

Heavy rain is possible for much of the region from Monday afternoon through Tuesday.

A Hydrologic Outlook from the National Weather Service in Medford said a warm sourced atmospheric river, commonly referred to as a Pineapple Express, will likely bring periods of moderate to heavy rain.

Forecasters said widespread amounts of 2 to 4 inches along the coast with up to 6 inches in the coast ranges of Curry County are expected. Up to an inch of rain is forecast for many of the west side valleys including the Roseburg area, with 1 to 3 inches along the Cascades and mountains.

Compounding the hydrological concerns, the warm rain is expected with snow levels well above 7,000 feet, which will result in snowmelt and therefore higher than expected runoff in area watersheds.

Forecasters said small streams and creeks are likely to rise rapidly during this event with nuisance flooding and ponding of water on roadways during periods of heavy rain. Significant rises on main stem rivers and flashier creeks are also expected. Given that rivers are still running fairly low for this time of year, river flooding potential is a bit lower than usual, but there is at least a low probability of some flooding, especially in the Coquille basin, and along more flashier streams such as Deer Creek in Roseburg.

Flood Watches may be issued by the National Weather Service if this situation worsens.

Last Wednesday, Douglas County Commissioners Tom Kress, Chris Boice and Tim Freeman issued a proclamation at their weekly business meeting calling upon all citizens of the county to observe February 2026 as Scouting America Month.

A county release said Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, was incorporated on February 8th,1910 in Washington D.C. by Chicago newspaper publisher William D. Boyce. For 116 years, scouting has focused on youth development by building character, citizenship and outdoor skills.

Commissioner Kress presented proclamation certificates to a group representatives, volunteers and scouts from Scouting America’s Pacific Crest Council’s Doug Fir District here in Douglas County.

Chairman of the Doug Fir District, Chris McCullough said, “We are excited to have a great year of scouting coming. All of our scouts are going to summer camp and they are out there in the community doing great things. As the proclamation mentioned, they log thousands of hours in community service projects each year in Douglas County”. McCullough said, “I’m proud to say that Scouting is still strong in Douglas County”.

A copy of the video presentation can be found on the Douglas County Government Facebook page and on its YouTube channel as well at: https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountyeGovernment and https://www.youtube.com/@douglascountyoregongov

The Roseburg City Council will consider authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation for a signal improvement project as part of its meeting on Monday night.

In October of 2023 the council authorized the city manager to enter into an IGA with ODOT for the ARTS Grant for the Roseburg Signal Improvements Project. The project will provide various improvements to 22 traffic signal-controlled intersections around the city. The ARTS Grant Includes just over $1,342,000 for the engineering and construction of the project. The city’s required match is ten percent or $134,247. The construction portion of the match is proposed in the FY 26-27 Street Light and Signal Improvement capital fund. ODOT has requested that the IGA be executed as soon as practical. The project is currently in design and is expected to be advertised for bid in January of 2027.

The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report will be given along with the quarterly budget report for the last quarter of 2025. Councilors will go over the 2026-2027 budget calendar.

Councilors will consider appointments with the Public Works Commission and the Homeless Commission.

Other items are on the agenda as well. The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the council chambers of Southeast Douglas Avenue. It can been on the city’s Facebook page or viewed later at: https://roseburgor.gov/

A water main replacement project is resuming this week along Southeast Pine Street between Southeast Oak Avenue and Southeast Sykes Avenue in Roseburg.

A city release said a project that began in September has resumed to replace about 3,200 linear feet of 6-inch-diameter water main with new 8-inch-diameter pipe. The project was put on hiatus over the winter due to weather constraints according to Public Works Director Ryan Herinckx.

The project will also install six new fire hydrants, replace about 70 water service connections and mid-block water main replacements on Southeast Mosher and Southeast Cass Avenues between Pine and Southeast Stephens Streets.

NorthCore USA of Albany is working weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. to replace pipeinstalled between 1938 and 1962 – making the newest existing pipe more than 60 years old.

Herinckx said construction should be completed by early summer.

During working hours, one lane of Pine Street will be closed to traffic through the work zone.

For more information on the project, contact the City of Roseburg Public Works Department at 492-6730 or via email at: pwd@roseburgor.gov

The event will be on Saturday, March 14th at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. The evening includes a social mixer, buffet dinner, and a dessert dash. There will also be live and silent auctions, inspiring stories and the return of the popular Golden Cork drawing.

Safe Haven Executive Director Evie Kumar said, “Our theme this year is “A Family That Supports” and this community continues to live that out in remarkable ways”. Kumar said, Taste of Italy is more than a fundraiser. It’s a night where people come together to strengthen families and help our moms build a future filled with stability and hope”.

Tickets are $85 per person or $550 for a table.

Supporters who can’t be there in person can still join in the excitement by purchasing a Golden Cork for $100. Buyers select one of four premium live-auction items and before the auction begins, one Golden Cork is drawn. The winner wins the item they choose and do not need to be present to win. Only 90 corks are being sold this year.

Diamond Sponsors for a Taste of Italy are Umpqua Dairy and First Community Credit Union.

Limited Time Events

• In Studio Classes @ Create & Sip Studio | January 8 - May 17th | Every Week on Wed - Sun
• "Shifting Landscapes" + Add'l Exhibits @ Umpqua Valley Arts | January 9 - March 6 | Every week Tuesday - Friday | 10 AM - 6 PM | Link

Monday, February 23rd

• DJ Trivia Night @ Workman's Bar & Smokehouse | 7PM
• Open Mic Night @ Little Brothers Pub | 6 - 8 PM

Tuesday, February 24th

• Bingo @ Roseburg Elks Lodge #326 | 6:30 PM
• DJ Bingo @ Workman's Bar and Smokehouse | 6 PM
• DJ Trivia @ Urban NY Pizza & Grill | 7 PM
• Free Line Dancing Lessons - Elements Lounge @ Seven Feathers Casino Resort | Every week on Tuesday | 7 - 9 PM | Link
• Open Mic Night @ Kodiak Bar & Grill | Every week on Tuesday @ 6 - 8 PM
• Tuesdays! Free Line Dancing Lessons at Elements Lounge in Seven Feathers Casino Resort | 7 - 9 PM | Link
• All Ages Jazz Jam @ North Forty Beer Company | 5 - 7:30 PM | Link

Wednesday, February 25th

• DJ Trivia @ Backside Brewing Co. | 6 - 7:30 PM
• Karaoke/Open Mic Night @ Idle Hour Tavern | 9 PM - 12:30 AM
• Open Mic at Brix | Every Wednesday | 6 - 8 PM | Link
• Karaoke Night at The Wild Rose Saloon | 7 - 10 PM | Link
• Trivia Night @​ Lookingglass Brewery | 6 - 9 PM
• Trivia Night @​ Little Brothers Pub | 6 PM
• Bingo @ Roseburg Senior Center | (Every Wed and Fri) - Doors Open at 5 PM, starts at 6:30PM. Food available. Ages 7+. $1 for non-members.
• Live Music: Bob Hall @ Two Shy Brewing | 6 - 8 PM | Link

Thursday, February 26th

• DJ Trivia @ North Forty Beer Company | 7 - 8:30 PM
• Kick Up the Dust - Line Dancing Lessons @ Workman's Bar & Smokehouse | 7 - 8 PM
• Karaoke Night at Kodiak | Every Thursday and Saturday | 8 PM
• DJ Bingo @ Brix Bar & Grill | 7 - 9 PM | Link
• Draper Jam Night | 8 - 11:30 PM | Link
• Thirsty Thursday Cornhole Night @ Lookingglass Brewery | Every week on Thursday | 6 - 8 PM | Link

Friday, February 27th

• Friday Pizzas! @ Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards | 12 - 4PM
• Karaoke Night @ Winchester Pub & Grill | 8 - 11 PM
• Karaoke Night @ Workman's Bar and Smokehouse | 9 PM - 12 AM
• Bingo @ Roseburg Senior Center | (Every Wed and Fri) - Doors Open at 5 PM, starts at 6:30PM. Food available. Ages 7+. $1 for non-members.
• Karaoke Night at Kodiak | Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday | 8 PM
• Home & Garden Show @ Douglas County Fairgrounds | Feb 27 - Mar 1 | 10 AM - 6 PM | Link
• Supper Club Dinner @ Melrose Vineyards | 5:30 - 8:30 PM | Link

Saturday, February 28th

• Umpqua Valley Farmers Market | 9AM - 1PM | SE Jackson St | Link
• Roseburg Saturday Market - Outside Winter Market | 10AM - 2PM | Harvard Ave - Rife's Home Furniture Parking Lot (Every Saturday until December 20th)
• Karaoke Night @​ Brix Bar & Grill | (Every Saturday) @ 7 - 10PM
• Karaoke Night @ Lookingglass Brewery | 6 - 8PM | Link
• Karaoke Night at Kodiak | Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday | 8 PM
• Home & Garden Show @ Douglas County Fairgrounds | Feb 27 - Mar 1 | 10 AM - 6 PM | Link
• Cheese & Thank You Kickoff | Columbia Bank - 445 SE Main St in Roseburg | Link
• Release Party w/ USA Today Best Selling Author Lisa Shelby @ Yours Truly Bookshop | 12 - 2 PM | Link
• Peace at Home Fundraiser| Seven Feathers Casino Resort | Link

Sunday, March 1st

• DJ Trivia Night @ Brix Bar and Grill | Every Sunday | 6 - 8 PM
• Home & Garden Show @ Douglas County Fairgrounds | Feb 27 - Mar 1 | 10 AM - 6 PM | Link
• Live Music: Wild at Heart @ Melrose Vineyards | 3 - 5 PM | Link

• We now have 19,063 Facebook group members!! Thank you all so much for being here!
• There is now an opportunity to advertise your local business with The Roseburg Receiver! If your company is interested, please email info@theroseburgreceiver.com. Your ad will be featured in The Roseburg Scoop emails, videos, website, and much more.
• Project Skywatch is still underway to get deployed in the Spring; however, more funding is still required. To donate, become a business sponsor, or read more information of Project Skywatch, visit https://www.theroseburgreceiver.com/project-skywatch/
• Roseburg-based IT and cybersecurity company Integotec is partnering with The Roseburg Receiver this spring to support Project Skywatch, providing full camera and equipment installation (excluding hardware), including cabling, custom mounts, lift rental, and ongoing support/management; the project is nearing initial funding but still seeking monthly sponsors to keep cameras online long-term, and Integotec will also contribute weekly cybersecurity tips and content to the platform.

The Roseburg Receiver is powered by the community. If you have local news, helpful information, an incident update, or an upcoming event to share, please email us at info@theroseburgreceiver.com so others can stay informed.

Two quick reminders:

• Protect privacy: For public safety or incident-related posts, please do not share personal or identifying information (names, addresses, license plates, etc.). Event posts, community announcements, and press releases may include names when appropriate.
• Safety first: Never post while driving

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Email: community@theroseburgreceiver.com

That is the scoop for this Monday morning. Enjoy your day!

- The Roseburg Receiver Team