October 27, 2026

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

ROSEBURG, Ore. - Roseburg is encouraging residents to keep local businesses in mind as they make plans for holiday shopping, meals and celebrations.

Mayor Larry Rich proclaimed Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2026, as Small Business Season during the City Council meeting Monday, Oct. 26. He presented the proclamation to Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kira Zavala.

The proclamation recognizes the role small businesses play in creating jobs, supporting local organizations and shaping Roseburg’s character. It also acknowledges business owners’ contributions as volunteers, community leaders and supporters of schools, nonprofits and other local efforts.

The Chamber plans to mark the two-month campaign with business spotlights, educational outreach and community engagement. Those efforts will highlight ways residents can support local businesses, including actions that do not require spending money.

“Shop Local Saturdays” will take place each Saturday throughout November and December, encouraging residents to visit Roseburg businesses and keep more of their holiday spending in the community.

The city is encouraging residents to shop, dine and celebrate locally during the holiday season while recognizing the contributions small businesses make year-round.

ROSEBURG, Ore. - Douglas County has received 23,923 ballots for the Nov. 3 general election, bringing voter participation to 26.76%, according to the county’s latest election update.

The return rate is 3.03 percentage points ahead of participation at the same point in the 2022 gubernatorial general election.

With Election Day approaching, the Douglas County Clerk’s Office is encouraging registered voters who have not received their ballots to contact or visit the office for assistance.

Voters can return completed ballots at any of the county’s 17 official ballot drop sites. Ten locations offer drive-up drop-off.

The county also reminded voters to sign the voter statement on their ballot return envelope. An unsigned envelope cannot be accepted for counting until the signature requirement is resolved.

Voters whose envelopes have a missing signature or a signature that does not match their registration record should follow the instructions in the notice they receive. According to the county, voters have 21 days after Election Day to resolve those signature challenges so their ballots can be counted.

The update also highlighted an increase in voter registration over the past decade. In 2016, when Oregon Motor Voter was implemented, approximately 72% of eligible Douglas County citizens age 18 and older were registered to vote. Today, the county reports that figure is approximately 97.7%.

Oregon Motor Voter expanded registration opportunities for eligible Oregon residents. The county encouraged eligible citizens to participate in the election and to address any ballot issues promptly.

ROSEBURG, Ore. - A free program at Roseburg Public Library will explore how Americans decide which places to preserve, from prominent landmarks to modest homes and Main Street storefronts.

The library and the City of Roseburg’s Community Development Department will host “The Art of Historic Preservation,” a recorded Smithsonian Associates presentation, at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10. The event is available in person only at the library, 1409 NE Diamond Lake Blvd.

Public historian Ken Turino will trace the preservation movement in America, including the work of William Sumner Appleton and the contributions of women whose roles have often been overlooked.

The presentation examines how preservation has expanded beyond grand buildings, monuments and places associated with famous figures to include diners, workers’ housing, working landscapes and other spaces that hold community memories. Turino also considers why some places are saved while others are lost, and how much a historic building can change while retaining its identity.

Following the recording, Community Development Department staff will discuss Roseburg’s historic districts, the city’s approach to preservation and the role of the Historic Resource Review Commission.

For more information, contact Roseburg Public Library at 541-492-7050 or library@roseburgor.gov.

ROSEBURG, Ore. - The Bureau of Land Management’s Roseburg District is lifting a fire prevention order and its associated emergency closure effective at 12:01 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26.

The action rescinds restrictions, prohibitions, and an emergency closure established under an order dated June 11 that took effect June 13. Roseburg District Manager Heather Whitman signed the original order.

The rescission removes the measures imposed by that specific order. It does not indicate that restrictions or closures established under separate orders have been lifted.

What does this mean?

Starting at 12:01 p.m. Oct. 26, the fire restrictions and emergency closure imposed by the June order are no longer in effect.

The notice does not identify the affected locations or list the activities restricted under the original order. Visitors with questions about access or activities on BLM-managed lands can contact the Roseburg District Office at 541-440-4930.

ROSEBURG, Ore. - The Douglas Forest Protective Association ended the 2026 fire season at 8:01 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, lifting public and industrial fire restrictions on lands under its protection and management.

DFPA credited recent soaking rains and cooler weather for the decision.

The change allows backyard debris burning outside incorporated cities without a DFPA burn permit. Residents should first contact their local fire department, however, because burning rules may differ between fire districts.

Permits are still required from DFPA for burning logging slash, including excess debris from commercial tree harvests. Those permits can be obtained by calling 541-672-6507.

Although fire season has ended, DFPA urged residents to remain cautious when burning yard debris or using fire in the woods. A few sunny, dry days can increase fire risk even after an extended stretch of cool, wet weather.

Before lighting a debris pile, residents should clear a fire trail around it and have water and firefighting tools nearby. Piles should remain attended until fully extinguished. Anyone responsible for a burn that escapes containment may face charges for firefighting costs and associated damage.

People heading into the woods should also check access and fire rules for their destination. Private timberland owners and neighboring public land agencies may still have restrictions or closures in place.

Information about private industrial forestland restrictions is available through the Oregon Forest Industries Council.

DFPA thanked the community for its cooperation and support during the 2026 fire season.

ROSEBURG, Ore. – A motion to keep Roseburg’s Flock license plate cameras “as is” was made and seconded Monday night, but councilors postponed consideration before taking a final vote on whether to retain the system unchanged.

Councilor Shelley Briggs Loosley introduced the motion during a lengthy discussion about public safety, privacy and the city’s use of automated license plate readers. Later in the debate, Councilor Tom Michalek moved to postpone the decision until the next meeting to allow more research.

Mayor Larry Rich announced that the postponement passed 5–2. That vote was on delaying consideration, not on keeping or removing the cameras. Briggs Loosley’s original motion remains pending, and the cameras remain in operation.

The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Nov. 9.

Monday’s discussion included additional information from Police Chief Gary Klopfenstein and another round of public testimony from residents asking the city to cancel its Flock contract. Speakers questioned the collection of vehicle movements, the potential for misuse, data security and whether safeguards would remain adequate as technology changes.

Roseburg operates 15 Flock cameras at an annual service cost of $37,500, according to the agenda packet. Council authorized the program in March 2023.

Klopfenstein defended the cameras as an investigative tool and explained the steps officers must follow to search the system or act on an alert.

He said searches require a crime category and a police case number or dispatch incident number. A Flock alert alone does not justify stopping a vehicle, he said. Officers must confirm the information and establish probable cause.

Klopfenstein also said Roseburg has not purchased Flock’s optional AI search feature and that the national lookup tool is unavailable to Oregon customers.

Several council questions focused on what happens to information after a camera collects it. Councilors asked about deletion, backup copies, the use of images to improve Flock’s products and whether agencies sharing data could have search capabilities Roseburg does not.

Councilor Zach Weiss challenged both the use of the cameras and how the debate was being framed. He said constitutional questions were only part of his concern. The larger issue, he argued, was what the city would be accepting as normal and where the technology could lead over the next 10 or 20 years.

Weiss described how each generation can come to accept conditions that earlier generations would have questioned. He warned that introducing a surveillance system now could establish a baseline for future expansion, even if current officials have no plans to broaden its use.

He said his concerns were not limited to who controls the system today. Future officials could have different priorities, and the technology’s capabilities could change.

Weiss also questioned the idea of using surveillance to prevent crimes before they happen, saying that approach carries an assumption of criminality. He said he wants his daughter to grow up with an expectation of innocence as she goes about her life.

During questions to Klopfenstein, Weiss pressed for a distinction between Flock’s optional AI search feature and the image-processing technology already used to identify vehicles and license plates. He also asked about ongoing model training, backup data deletion, and whether agencies sharing Roseburg’s data could use search capabilities the city has not purchased.

When the discussion turned to public safety, Weiss objected to suggestions that questioning Flock meant placing less value on protecting the community. He said his position also reflected concern for public safety, including the longer-term consequences of accepting the technology.

Councilor Ellen Porter said councilors needed more time to examine residents’ concerns before making a decision. She suggested comparing those concerns with existing restrictions and considering whether a local ordinance could address remaining issues while allowing police to continue using the cameras.

Porter asked staff to gather written comments received through city administration, Senate Bill 1516, and the court decision discussed during the meeting into one collection for council review. Council agreed to have the materials compiled.

She also questioned whether councilors had adequately informed themselves to make a decision that evening, saying it would be premature to approve the motion without further review.

Other members emphasized the cameras’ value to police investigations.

Rich supported keeping the system, pointing to local cases described by police, including investigations involving children.

“For me, it’s public safety,” Rich said.

Councilor Katie Williams said she values both privacy and public safety and does not consider license plate readers an invasion of privacy. She rejected treating the two priorities as an either-or choice.

Councilor Andrea Zielinski also spoke in favor of keeping the cameras. She cited state restrictions and local police procedures while saying residents were right to expect transparency and accountability.

Briggs Loosley expressed support for the officers and chief when making her case for retaining the system.

Michalek said people he has spoken with have generally favored the cameras. Although he supported their use, he ultimately moved to delay consideration so councilors could conduct additional research.

The postponement left the motion to keep Flock unchanged unresolved. Councilors are expected to resume consideration at their next meeting after receiving the additional review materials.

ROSEBURG, Ore. – The Roseburg City Council agreed Monday to discuss at its next meeting whether homelessness should become a standing agenda item, following a motion by Councilor Zach Weiss.

Weiss advocated addressing homelessness at every council meeting, but Monday’s vote only scheduled a discussion of that proposal. Council has not yet approved adding it to every agenda.

The discussion is set to return at the next regular meeting, scheduled for Nov. 9.

Weiss raised the issue near the end of Monday’s meeting after questioning why a discussion about the Homeless Commission’s future had been scheduled for January.

The agenda packet’s tentative schedule listed “Homeless Commission Modifications or Dissolution” for Jan. 11, 2027. A separate work study on urban campground options remained unscheduled.

Pointing to council’s earlier agreement to discuss changes to the commission, Weiss asked whether the timing was intended to leave the decision to the incoming council.

Mayor Larry Rich defended that approach. With a substantial change in council membership approaching, he said the incoming members should help determine how they want to operate.

Rich said he did not want the outgoing council to establish an approach that its successors might immediately replace. He argued that the people responsible for carrying out those decisions should have a chance to shape them.

Weiss objected, saying that reasoning overlooked the councilors who would remain in office and delayed work on an issue that needed attention regardless of who was serving.

He argued that homelessness should appear on every council agenda for the foreseeable future.

Councilor Ellen Porter seconded his motion to have council discuss that proposal.

During the exchange, the scope of the motion was clarified: Council was being asked to schedule a conversation about a recurring agenda item, rather than establish one that evening.

“My motion was to have a discussion about putting it on every single agenda,” Weiss said.

Weiss expressed frustration with the lack of progress he had seen during his time on council. He said long gaps between discussions made it difficult to develop ideas and maintain momentum.

Regular attention, he argued, could help council identify options, work toward solutions and keep the public informed.

Porter supported the proposal and questioned why council would wait for incoming members to address the Homeless Commission while continuing to make decisions about Flock cameras and other matters before the end of the year.

She described homelessness as a major community issue that deserved a place on every agenda and expressed frustration with what she viewed as years of limited progress.

Councilor Andrea Zielinski raised questions about how a recurring item would work and what staff would need to prepare.

She said staff would need direction about the subjects council wanted to address. An open-ended discussion, she cautioned, could make it difficult to know what information or proposals to bring forward.

Weiss said those details could be worked out when council discussed the proposal. He envisioned some meetings involving specific ideas and others providing updates, without requiring the subject to dominate every meeting.

Rich also cautioned that regularly listing a subject on the agenda does not necessarily produce results.

He pointed to an earlier effort to provide recurring downtown parking updates that he felt had not resolved the underlying problem. He urged councilors to identify a purpose and direction for the homelessness discussions.

Porter argued that an initial conversation could help establish those goals. Councilors needed an opportunity to exchange ideas, identify concerns and determine what work they wanted to pursue, she said.

The debate followed concerns raised during the meeting about people living outside as winter approaches.

Council comments described people at the Point with serious medical conditions and disabilities who may need assisted living, adult foster care or other support beyond what an outdoor camp can provide.

Concerns were also raised about repeated camp cleanups and the difficulty of packing up belongings and relocating, sometimes only to move again soon afterward.

Weiss suggested those moments could provide an opportunity to connect people with services. He said he had not seen service organizations at the cleanups he had attended and suggested the city could help coordinate outreach.

Earlier in public comment, mayoral candidate Max Smoot urged council to address conditions facing people living outside before winter. He called for basic amenities and an end to camp sweeps, arguing that repeated displacement was making conditions worse.

Council ultimately approved bringing Weiss’s proposal back for discussion at the next meeting. The decision on making homelessness a standing agenda item remains ahead.

Limited Time Events

• Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch @ The Farmstand by Lehne Farms | September 26 - October 31 | Saturdays in October | Link
• Epic Expressions Photography - Free Halloween Photos @ Epic Quest Adventures, Sutherlin | Through October 31 | By reservation | Free, donations welcome | Link
• Grimm Times at Fairview Manor @ Douglas County Fairgrounds, Roseburg | October 29, 30, 31 | 7 - 10 pm | $15 ages 13+, $10 ages 12 and under | Link
• Terror on Central Haunted House @ 109 E. Central Ave., Sutherlin | October 30 - 31 | 5 - 10 pm | $5, children under 8 free | Link

Monday, October 26th

• 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, October 27th

• 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.
• Live Music: CorMae, CallowRuse, Mammalodon @ The Rosebud Theatre | 6 -10 pm | Link

Wednesday, October 28th

• 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+.
• 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+
• Canyonville Farmer's Market | Wednesdays from 9:30 am - 1:30 pm at Seven Feathers Casino Parking Lot | May - October
• Halloween Trunk-or-Treat @ Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2001 Bertha Ave., Roseburg | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | Trunk decorating begins at 6 pm
• Downtown Roseburg Clean-Up | 5 - 6 pm | Link
• Live Music: Bob Hall @ Two Shy Brewing | 6 - 8 pm | Link
• T. Bone Stone's Old School Blues Jam @ The Rosebud Theatre | 6 pm | Link
• Wicked Wednesday feat. Chandler P @ Workman's Bar & Smokehouse | 6 pm | Link

Thursday, October 29th

• 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
• Grimm Times at Fairview Manor @ Douglas County Fairgrounds, Roseburg | 7 - 10 pm | Family Night Special: $45 for two adults and three youths | Link
• Local on Vendor Night @ Cooper Ridge Vineyard | 4 - 6 pm | Link

Friday, October 30th

• 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+.
• Karaoke Night at Kodiak | Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday | 8 pm
• Friday Night Live Music | Winston VFW
• The Ghosts of Roseburg Past: Historic Walking Tours | October 16, 17, 23, 24, & 30th | 7 pm | Link
• Terror on Central Haunted House @ 109 E. Central Ave., Sutherlin | 5 - 10 pm | $5 admission, children under 8 free | Link
• Winston VFW Halloween Party @ VFW Post 9745, 570 W. Douglas Blvd., Winston | 6 - 10 pm | Live music from StickShift with Steve Scott, costume contest | $10 cover, cash only | 21+
• The Ghosts of Roseburg Past: Historic Walking Tours | 7 pm | Link
• Grimm Times at Fairview Manor @ Douglas County Fairgrounds, Roseburg | 7 - 10 pm | $15 ages 13+, $10 ages 12 and under | Link
• Beauty and the Beasts Halloween Burlesque Show @ Workman's Bar & Smokehouse, Roseburg | Doors 7 pm, show 8 pm | $25 presale, $30 at door | 21+ | Link
• FIFTH FRIDAY: Taste of the Umpqua - Downtown Roseburg | 5 - 8 pm | Link
• Live Music: Rovers & Dragons Celtic Band @ North Forty Beer Company | 6:30 - 9 pm | Link
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow | Drain Civic Center | 6:30 pm | Dinner, Talent Show, Cartoon movie screening, Fire Dancers. | Link
• Live Music: Eliot Lipp w/ Special Guest Baloogz @​ The Rosebud Theatre | 6 pm

Saturday, October 31st

• 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+
• The Ghosts of Roseburg Past: Historic Walking Tours | October 16, 17, 23, 24, & 30th | 7 pm | Link
• Grimm Times at Fairview Manor @ Douglas County Fairgrounds | October 23, 24, 29, 30, 31 | 7 - 10 pm | Link
• Thrive Umpqua Community 5K Fun Run/Walk @ Ford's Pond, Sutherlin | Registration 9 - 9:45 am, run begins 10 am | Free registration, costumes encouraged | Link
• Canyonville Community Library Halloween Storytime @ Canyonville Community Library | 11:30 am | Halloween stories and take-home craft
• Roseburg Saturday Farmers Market Annual Trunk-or-Treat @ Tiffany Plaza, 2525 W. Harvard Ave., Roseburg | 12 - 3 pm | Free | Decorated trunks, candy, witches dance, food trucks
• Flashbak Rock & Roll @ Melrose Vineyards, 885 Melqua Road, Roseburg | 2 - 5 pm | Live music, costumes encouraged
• Epic Trick-or-Treat @ B's Sweet Treats, 1350 NE Stephens St., Roseburg | 3 - 6 pm | Free cupcakes and mini pizzas for children
• Leap of Faith Dance Center Trunk-or-Treat @ 1035 SE Lane Ave., Roseburg | 3 - 6 pm | Halloween treats and games | Link
• Dynamic Martial Arts Trunk-or-Treat @ 1223 NE Cedar St., Roseburg | 4:30 - 6 pm | Decorated vehicles, candy, costumes encouraged
• Roseburg Neewollah Parade & Downtown Trick-or-Treating @ SE Jackson St. and SE Douglas Ave., Roseburg | Lineup 4:30 pm, parade 5 pm, downtown trick-or-treating 5 - 7 pm | Free
• Roseburg Senior Center Halloween Trunk-or-Treat @ 1614 SE Stephens St., Roseburg | 5 - 8 pm | Donations accepted | Trunk setup 3 - 5 pm
• Sutherlin Downtown Trunk-or-Treat @ Central Avenue, Sutherlin | 5 - 7 pm | Free | Candy, food trucks, photo opportunities | Link
• Bulldog Barns Third Annual Halloween Treat and Greet @ 1751 S. Calapooia St., Sutherlin | 5 - 8 pm | Haunted maze, candy, popcorn, cotton candy, photo booth
• Terror on Central Haunted House @ 109 E. Central Ave., Sutherlin | 5 - 10 pm | $5 admission, children under 8 free | Link
• Pine Grove Community Church Fall Festival @ 1729 Buckhorn Road, Roseburg | 6 - 8 pm | Games, prizes, food, candy, cake walks
• River of Life World Outreach Center Harvest Party @ 8384 Old Highway 99 N, Roseburg | 6 - 7 pm | Free | Games, prizes, candy, family activities
• Shafty: Portland's Tribute to Phish @ The Rosebud Theatre, Roseburg | Doors 6 pm, show 7 pm | $20 presale, $25 at door | Link
• Grimm Times at Fairview Manor @ Douglas County Fairgrounds, Roseburg | 7 - 10 pm | $15 ages 13+, $10 ages 12 and under | Link
• The Blade Axe House & Tia's Street Tacos Halloween Party @ The Blade Axe House, Roseburg | 7 - 10 pm | $20 per person | Ages 10+ | Costume contest, axe throwing, darts
• 80's 90's y2k to now HALLOWEEN BASH @ Backside Brewing Co. | 8 pm | Link
• Halloween Party & Costume Contest @ North Forty Beer Company | 8 - 11 pm | Link
• Steampunk Halloween Bash w/ Soul Shock @ Workman's Bar & Smokehouse | 9 pm | Link
• Richwine Vinyards Halloween | 15330 Old Highway 99s, Myrtle Creek | Link
• Trunk or Treat Canyonville
• BOO-BASH @​ Lookingglass Brewery | 6 - 10 pm

• We now have 24,924 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.

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.

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

- The Roseburg Receiver Team