The JPR news team gathers for a roundtable discussion of the top news stories they've been working on this week.
Top stories include:
Government ammunition sale scandal
Curry County commissioners have accused Sheriff John Ward of misconduct regarding the sale of $10,000 worth of county-ordered ammunition to deputies and one community member in 2020. Officials allege these sales, conducted at a discounted government rate when civilian supplies were scarce, may have violated state laws against using a public position for financial gain.
Fortuna enacts mobile home rent caps
The Fortuna City Council has passed a rent-stabilization ordinance to protect residents in the city’s four mobile home parks from skyrocketing housing costs. The new law implements an annual 5% cap on rent increases and bans hikes when a home is sold. While many residents on fixed incomes supported the move, some expressed concern that the ordinance allows park owners to pass the costs of capital improvements through to tenants.
Klamath Basin farmers face severe water cutbacks
Water managers in the Klamath Basin are outlining 2026 allocations amid uncertainty from low snowpack and ongoing environmental requirements. Plans aim to balance irrigation needs with protections for endangered fish and river flows, with projected supplies dependent on spring conditions and subject to change as drought concerns persist.
Guests
- Maria Carter, JPR news director
- Jane Vaughan, JPR reporter
- Roman Battaglia, JPR reporter
- Justin Higginbottom, JPR reporter
