The JPR news team gathers for a roundtable discussion of the top news stories they've been working on this week. Top stories include:
SOU students seek clarity amidst growing budget crisis
About 25 Southern Oregon University students questioned administrators at a town hall as the school warned of deepening financial trouble. Leaders project cash reserves could fall below safe levels this year and run short by 2027, raising concerns about programs, tuition and the university’s long-term stability.
Medford wrestles with the price tag of the proposed Emeralds baseball stadium
Medford officials are weighing whether to fund a new baseball stadium for the Eugene Emeralds, with cost estimates ranging from $60 million to $130 million. Councilors remain cautious as funding gaps, engineering uncertainties and delays tied to a planned conference center complicate the project’s feasibility and timeline. The Eugene Emeralds, a High-A minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, are seeking a new home in Medford by April 2029.
New pesticide regulations proposed for Del Norte County's Easter lily industry
California regulators have released a draft order targeting pesticide pollution from Easter lily farms in Del Norte County’s Smith River Plain, the world’s largest growing region for the flower. The proposal would set contamination limits, require water testing and establish crop buffers. Environmental groups say the plan falls short, while growers warn monitoring costs could be burdensome.
- Maria Carter, JPR news director
- Jane Vaughan, JPR reporter
- Roman Battaglia, JPR reporter
- Justin Higginbottom, JPR reporter
