MONDAY 3/23/26
STARTING TODAY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS DEPLOYING ICE AGENTS AT STRATEGIC AIRPORTS AROUND THE COUNTRY IN ORDER TO HELP TSA AGENTS, WHOSE NUMBERS HAVE DWINDLED DURING THE PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. THE ROGUE VALLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS NOT RECEIVING THAT HELP. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DANNY JORDAN TELLS KMED THE WAIT TIMES ARE NORMAL AT THE AIRPORT, AND THE ICE OFFICERS WILL BE DEPLOYED AT LARGER AIRPORTS WHERE SECURITY LINES ARE MUCH LONGER. MANY TSA HAVEN’T RECEIVED A PAYCHECK FOR 5 WEEKS DURING THE PARTIAL SHUTDOWN. JORDAN ADDS EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE REPORTS SAYING SOME SMALL HUB AIRPORTS COULD BE SHUT DOWN, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS GIVING NO INDICATION OF THAT OCCURRING AT THIS TIME.
OIL PRICES DIPPING A BIT THIS MORNING ON REPORTS OF BETTER TALKS IN THE IRAN WAR BUT THE GAS PRICES CONTINUE HIGHER. TRIPLE A NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 3.95 A GALLON WHILE OREGON IS ALMOST A DOLLAR MORE AT 4.84. JOSEPHINE COUNTY’S GAS PRICE AVERAGE IS A BIT HIGHER AT 4.93 WHILE JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS PAY EVEN MORE THAN JO COUNTY, 4.96 A GALLON.
JACKSON COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT’S NEW LIBRARY DIRECTOR STARTS TODAY. FRANK PHILLIPS IS TAKING OVER FOR THE RECENTLY FIRED KARY MAY. MAY WAS DISMISSED DUE TO CONTROVERSY SURROUND AN INCIDENT AT THE TALENT LIBRARY. A PATRON HAD BEEN OBSERVED VIEWING NAKED PICTURES OF CHILDREN ON A DISTRICT COMPUTER.
EVEN WITH GAS PRICES SOARING IN OUR STATE THE BLOOM SEEMS TO BE OFF THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE ROSE. OREGON LIVE REPORTING DEMAND IS FLAT FOR EV’S . NEW DATA FROM THE STATE OF OREGON SHOWING THAT GROWTH IN REGISTRATIONS OF NEW GAS-POWERED CARS OUTPACING GROWTH IN ELECTRICS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AT LEAST A DECADE. REGISTRATIONS FELL OFF SHARPLY IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF LAST YEAR AFTER THE FED TAX CREDITS EXPIRED.