July 22, 2026

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

Fire Weather Forecast for southern Oregon and northern California National Weather Service Medford, OR | 155 AM PDT Wed Jul 22 2026

Hot today with isolated to scattered thunderstorms, especially this afternoon and evening. The focus areas will be in the Cascades, but also the foothills of eastern Douglas and Jackson Counties and over the east side in Oregon. Isolated thunderstorms could also impact the west side valleys and the Warner Mountains in NE California. Drier weather is expected Thursday into this weekend. Enhanced east side southwest to west winds are possible both afternoons and evenings Friday and Saturday. These winds could overlap with very low humidity resulting in critical fire weather conditions there.

DFPA Protected Lands

ROSEBURG, Ore. - Saving Grace Humane Society has named Natasha Fischer as its new executive director following a nationwide search for the organization’s next leader.

Fischer officially began her new role July 13 and brings more than a decade of experience in nonprofit development, community engagement and marketing communications.

She began her nonprofit career with Children’s Home Society in Florida and most recently served as executive director of the Emerald Art Center in Springfield. During her time there, Fischer worked to strengthen community partnerships and expand the organization’s reach.

“I am thrilled to join the Saving Grace family,” Fischer said. “I have long held a deep passion for advocating for the most vulnerable among us and ensuring every animal has a voice.”

Fischer said she is looking forward to working alongside Saving Grace staff, volunteers and supporters while building on the shelter’s work throughout Douglas County.

“I am honored and energized to be working with such a dedicated and caring team and to expand our impact and build upon Saving Grace’s remarkable work here, creating a humane community in Douglas County,” she said.

Fischer holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from the University of Colorado Boulder and a master’s certificate in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Denver.

Her appointment follows the departure of former Executive Director Jennifer Barta, who stepped down May 1 after serving in the position for two years. Saving Grace thanked Barta for her leadership and credited staff, volunteers and supporters with keeping the organization’s programs running during the transition.

Since beginning the job, Fischer has been meeting with employees, volunteers, community partners and supporters to learn more about the region’s needs and opportunities for the organization.

Saving Grace Humane Society is Douglas County’s only full-service animal shelter. The nonprofit provides shelter, food, medical treatment and other care to thousands of animals each year while working to reunite lost pets with their families and place animals in new homes.

The organization also provides community services and advocacy programs focused on strengthening the bond between people and their pets.

More information about Saving Grace Humane Society is available at savinggracehumanesociety.org.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. - Two additional bats found in Douglas County have tested positive for rabies, bringing the county’s total to three confirmed cases this year.

The Douglas County Environmental Health Division, working with the Douglas Public Health Network and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Division, received confirmation of the positive tests from the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

Nineteen bats have tested positive for rabies across Oregon so far in 2026. Three of those bats were found in Douglas County, including the county’s first confirmed case announced in May.

The two most recent bats were submitted for testing by Douglas County Environmental Health in accordance with the Oregon Health Authority’s Investigative Guidelines for Animal Bites and Rabies.

In one incident, a Douglas County resident picked up a sick bat found during the day and was bitten on the finger. The resident has been informed of the positive test result and is receiving follow-up medical care.

The second bat was discovered by a dog. County officials said the dog was current on its rabies vaccinations and has received follow-up veterinary care.

In Oregon, bats are the only wildlife reservoir species that naturally carry and sustain the rabies virus. Other animals, including foxes, skunks, dogs and cats, can become infected after coming into contact with an infected bat.

Health officials are reminding residents not to touch bats or other wild animals. Pet owners should also make sure their dogs, cats and ferrets are current on their rabies vaccinations.

Anyone needing wildlife advice can contact the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Roseburg Field Office at 541-440-3353 or Umpqua Wildlife Rescue at 541-440-6895.

Anyone bitten or scratched by a bat should wash the affected area with soap and running water and seek immediate medical care. Rabies can be prevented following an exposure, but treatment should not be delayed.

Rabies Safety Tips

• Never touch a bat with bare hands. A bat found on the ground or active during daylight hours may be sick or injured.
• If a child or pet picks up a dead bat and it needs to be collected for testing, use gloves or another object to place it in a sealed plastic bag. The bat should then be placed in a freezer to preserve it for testing.
• Do not approach or handle wounded wildlife.
• Do not feed, capture or play with wild animals, including foxes, squirrels, birds, skunks, opossums, bats, beavers, rats, venomous snakes or raccoons.

Additional information is available through Douglas County’s animal bite and rabies prevention guide.

Animal bites and rabies concerns can be reported to the Douglas County Environmental Health Division at 541-440-4559 or the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Division at 541-440-4328.

Outside regular business hours, residents may call Douglas County’s non-emergency dispatch line at 541-440-4471.

More information about rabies and animal exposures is available from the Douglas Public Health Network’s Animal Bites webpage, the Oregon Health Authority and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

ROSEBURG, Ore. - A Japanese tradition centered on remembrance, gratitude and community is returning to Roseburg this summer.

Roseburg Sister Cities, Inc. will hold the Roseburg Obon Festival from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at Stewart Park. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public. Organizers say the festival will include food, music, dance and lanterns as the community comes together to honor loved ones and recognize the connections carried forward across generations.

Event Details

• Date: Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026
• Time: Noon to 8 p.m.
• Location: Stewart Park, 2058 NW Stewart Park Drive
• Admission: Free
• Host: Roseburg Sister Cities, Inc.

Obon is a summertime Japanese and Japanese American tradition commemorating ancestors. Lanterns, food offerings and Bon Odori community dancing are among the customs commonly associated with the observance. While Obon has Buddhist roots, festivals are often communitywide cultural events where families, neighbors and visitors are encouraged to participate.

Roseburg Sister Cities describes the local festival as both a time of reflection and a celebration of Japanese culture. The organization is reviving the event following a years-long hiatus.

A Roseburg Tradition Dating Back to 1997

The returning festival is closely connected to Roseburg’s longstanding sister-city relationship with Kuki City, Japan.

That connection began with a pen-pal relationship between students at Joseph Lane Junior High School and Shobu Junior High School in 1985. Roseburg students first traveled to Shobu in 1987, and students from Japan made their first visit to Roseburg in 1989. A formal sister-city agreement was signed in 1993.

Shobu became part of the larger Kuki City in 2010, but the relationship continued. Roseburg and Kuki formally reaffirmed their partnership in 2015. The program has included student exchanges, adult delegations, homestays, cultural workshops, art exchanges and visits between residents of the two communities.

Roseburg Sister Cities sponsored its first Japanese Obon Festival in 1997. That celebration featured taiko drumming, food and cultural booths. The 2026 event marks an effort to bring that tradition back to the community nearly three decades after the first festival.

Acclaimed Koto Musician Announced

One of the performers announced for the festival is Masumi Timson, a Salem-based musician, instructor and owner of Masumi-Koto.

Timson holds a Shihan master’s degree in koto from the Seiha Conservatory of Japanese Traditional Music. She performs classical and contemporary koto music and sings traditional Japanese songs accompanied by the koto and shamisen.

Her work has also crossed into jazz, blues, tango and Western classical music. Timson has recorded with Pink Martini and performed with the group at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, the Grand Rex Theatre in Paris and several major venues in Tokyo.

Timson currently directs the Koto Club at Willamette University and teaches Japanese language and culture at Chemeketa Community College.

Oregon Koto-Kai has also announced plans to perform at the Roseburg festival. The approximately 20-member ensemble blends traditional and contemporary music played on the koto, a 13-stringed Japanese instrument with movable bridges. The group was founded in 2012 by koto master Mitsuki Dazai and regularly performs at cultural events throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Organizers have also invited local food vendors and artists to participate. A complete entertainment schedule, vendor list and schedule of activities had not been publicly released as of July 21.

Roseburg Sister Cities is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting friendship and understanding between Roseburg and Kuki City through cultural exchanges and community programs. Additional festival announcements are expected through the organization’s website and Facebook page.

See the Facebook event page located here.

ROSEBURG, Ore. - A Red Flag Warning is in effect Wednesday for parts of Southern Oregon, including the Umpqua National Forest, as thunderstorms could produce abundant lightning over dry vegetation.

The National Weather Service in Medford said the warning remains in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, for Fire Weather Zones 617, 622 and 623.

The affected area includes portions of Southern Oregon along the Cascades and the western foothills and slopes of the Cascades. The warning covers the Umpqua National Forest, Eastern Rogue Valley and Southern Oregon Cascades.

Thunderstorms are expected to move north to northeast at approximately 20 mph. While most storms are expected to produce rain, forecasters warned that dry lightning strikes could occur outside the storms’ wetter cores. Some stronger thunderstorms may also produce hail.

Isolated thunderstorm outflow gusts could reach 45 mph. Strong, shifting winds near thunderstorms can contribute to rapid and unpredictable fire growth if lightning starts a wildfire.

The National Weather Service said breezy southwest to west winds, lower humidity and unstable conditions are expected to develop during the afternoon and evening hours Thursday through the weekend. Any new fires that start could spread rapidly under those conditions.

Residents and visitors are urged to follow all current fire restrictions and avoid activities that could create sparks.

County emergency alert registration information and links to current fire restrictions are available at weather.gov/medford/wildfire.

A detailed map of the warning area can be viewed at https://weather.gov/wrh/hazards?wfo=mfr.

DRAIN, Ore. - The North Douglas County Fair returns this week, bringing three days of longtime community traditions to the Drain Civic Center and historic Methodist Church.

The fair runs Friday, July 24, through Sunday, July 26, but preparations begin earlier in the week. Exhibit entries can be dropped off from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday or from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. Judging begins at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Established in 1922, organizers describe the North Douglas County Fair as Oregon’s oldest continuously held fair. The celebration brings together residents from Drain, Yoncalla, Elkton, Rice Hill, Scottsburg and Curtin.

The exhibit hall will feature locally grown produce, flowers, baked goods, canned foods, textiles, photography, artwork, crafts and other projects. Ribbons and cash prizes are available in several categories.

Friday Features Kids Day and Teen Night

The fair officially opens at noon Friday, along with the exhibit hall, vendor market, ice cream parlor and water slide.

Kids Day begins at 3 p.m. with photo booths, temporary tattoos, tractor rides, a bubble station, parachute activities and other attractions. The WOWtruck opens at 4 p.m., followed by traditional competitions including a diaper derby, sack races, an egg-and-spoon race, a pie-eating contest and dime toss.

Teen Night begins at 7 p.m. and includes the North Douglas County Fair queen coronation, Teen Take Over, cornhole, basketball, games, face painting and relay activities. A family movie is scheduled for 8:30 p.m., and the fair closes at 10 p.m.

Parade, Car Show and Music Planned Saturday

Saturday begins with the annual fair parade at 10 a.m. The fairgrounds, exhibit hall, vendor market and water slide will also open at that time.

The One More Time Marching Band and car show begin at 11 a.m. The WOWtruck and ice cream parlor open at noon, along with a fair princess meet-and-greet and cornhole tournament.

Booher’s Family Band will perform at 1 p.m., followed by the pie auction at 3 p.m. and lumberjack games at 4 p.m. A merchant raffle and cake walk begin at 6 p.m., with the Muddy Creek Band taking the stage at 7 p.m. Saturday’s activities continue until 10 p.m.

Fair Concludes Sunday Afternoon

The final day begins at 10 a.m. Sunday with the exhibit hall, vendor market and North Douglas Travel Club pancake breakfast.

Worship begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by Church at the Fair at 11 a.m. and Gospel Hour at 12:30 p.m. Exhibitors can begin collecting their entries at 1 p.m., and the 2026 fair concludes at 2 p.m.

The North Douglas County Fair is powered largely by volunteers, community organizations and businesses from throughout northern Douglas County. Organizers say volunteer shifts begin at just two hours. Additional information is available through the fair’s official website.

Limited Time Events

• Wellness Walk | Every Saturday Through September | 9am at the Thrive Umpqua office in Roseburg (556 SE Jackson)
• Seven Feathers’ Wine Trolley Tour | June 6 - September 27 | Link
• 2026 Summerfest @ Roseburg Cinema | June 15 - August 20th | Link
• Zumba in the Park | 6:30-7:30 p.m. At Stewart Park every Wednesday through August 26 | FREE!
• 53rd Annual Square Dance Festival | July 22 - 25 | Diamond Lake | Link
• UACT Play - "Frozen" | July 23 - August 3 | Link
• Myrtle Creek Summer Festival at Millsite Park | July 23 - 26 | Link
• North Douglas County Fair | July 24 - 26 | 205 W A Ave in Drain | Link

Monday, July 20th

• DJ Trivia Night @ Workman's Bar & Smokehouse | 7 pm
• Open Mic Night @ Little Brothers Pub | 6 - 8 pm
• Celebrate Recovery | Westside Christian Church | Dinner at 5:30, Large group at 6:30.
• Monday Night Auxiliary Bingo | Winston VFW | 4:30 pm | must have papers by 5:30, $17 for all games.

Tuesday, July 21st

• 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
• Celebrate Recovery | Winston Assembly of God | Dinner at 5:30, Large group at 6:30.
• Music on the Half Shell 2026 | Steward Park | 7 PM
• Trivia with Amy @ Two Shy Brewing | 6 - 8:30 pm | Link

Wednesday, July 22nd

• 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
• 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 6:30 pm. Food available. Ages 7+. $1 for non-members.
• Celebrate Recovery | Redeemers (Old movie theater) | Dinner at 5:30, Large group at 6:30.
• Wednesday Night Karaoke with Mr. Michael | Winston VFW | 5 - 9 pm| 21+
• Group Meet - Knitting of Any Kind | Studio Arts Connection (1350 NE Stephens, Roseburg) | 1 - 3:30 pm | Knitting, crochet, hand quilting felting spinning, etc
• Canyonville Farmer's Market | Wednesdays from 9:30 am - 1:30 pm at Seven Feathers Casino Parking Lot | May - October
• T. Bone Stone's Old School Blues Jam @ The Rosebud Theatre | 6 pm | Link

Thursday, July 23rd

• DJ Trivia @ North Forty Beer Company | 7 - 8:30 pm
• Karaoke Night @ Workman's Bar and Smokehouse | 9 pm - 12 am
• Karaoke Night at Kodiak | Every Thursday and Saturday | 8 pm
• DJ Bingo @ Brix Bar & Grill | 7 - 9 pm
• Thirsty Thursday Cornhole Night @ Lookingglass Brewery | Every week on Thursday | 6 - 8 pm | Link
• Al-Anon Meeting in Oakland (Weekly) | Oakland Ice House - 212 Lucust St | 2 - 3 PM
• Riddle City Library Summer Reading Program |  Learn all about Oregon rocks with the South Douglas Gem and Mineral Club! | 1 pm
• Music off Central | Every Thursday at 7 pm at Central Park in Sutherlin
• Live Music: Carol & Guy @ Two Shy Brewing | 6 - 8 pm | Link
• Myrtle Creek Summer Festival at Millsite Park | July 23 - 26 | Link

Friday, July 24th

• Friday Pizzas! @ Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards | 12 - 4 pm
• Karaoke Night @ Winchester Pub & Grill | 8 - 11 pm
• Kick Up the Dust - Line Dancing Lessons @ Workman's Bar & Smokehouse | 7 - 8 pm
• Bingo @ Roseburg Senior Center | (Every Wed and Fri) - Doors Open at 5 pm, starts at 6:30 pm. Food available. Ages 7+. $1 for non-members.
• Karaoke Night at Kodiak | Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday | 8 pm
• Friday Night Live Music | Winston VFW
• Group Meet - Open Painting Watercolor and Small Acrylic | Studio Arts Connection (1350 NE Stephens, Roseburg) | 1 - 3:30 PM
• Riverbend Live! 2026 Concert Series | 7 - 9 pm | Link
• North Douglas County Fair | July 24 - 26 | 205 W A Ave in Drain | Link
• Myrtle Creek Summer Festival at Millsite Park | July 23 - 26 | Link

Saturday, July 25th

• Umpqua Valley Farmers Market | 9 am - 1 pm | SE Jackson St | Link
• Roseburg Saturday Farmers Market | 2525 W Harvard Ave | 9 am - 2:30 pm | Link
• Karaoke Night @​ Brix Bar & Grill | (Every Saturday) @ 7 - 10 pm
• Karaoke Night @ Lookingglass Brewery | 6 - 8 pm | Link
• Karaoke Night at Kodiak | Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday | 8 pm
• Saturday Night Karaoke with DJ Dan | Winston VFW | 5 - 9 pm | 21+
• Live Music: Inoke @ Spire Mountain Cellars | 5:30 - 8:30 pm | Link
• Live Music: The Fabulous Delmontes @ Two Shy Brewing | 6:30 - 8:30 pm | Link
• Oakland Vintage Street Fair | 10 am - 3 pm | Downtown Oakland
• 2 hour Free Concert in City Park (Paul Tamm Pavilion) | The Winds of Umpqua | 10 am - 12 pm
• North Douglas County Fair | July 24 - 26 | 205 W A Ave in Drain | Link
• Myrtle Creek Summer Festival at Millsite Park | July 23 - 26 | Link

Sunday, July 26th

• Live Music: Gary Allen @ Melrose Vineyards | 3 - 5 pm | Link
• North Douglas County Fair | July 24 - 26 | 205 W A Ave in Drain | Link
• Myrtle Creek Summer Festival at Millsite Park | July 23 - 26 | Link

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That is the scoop for this Wednesday morning. Have a great day!

- The Roseburg Receiver Team