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Top local stories of 2022 By Dave Smigelski Dec 31, 2022 01:00 AM A A 4 View all photos A look back at news stories that helped define past year Firefighters arrive to the memorial for wildland firefighter Logan Taylor at Harry & David Field in Medford. Taylor was killed fighting the Rum Creek Fire Aug. 18. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] When it comes to picking the top stories of the year, some of it comes down to numbers — which stories readers clicked on the most — and some of it involves a subjective look at the topics that dominated conversations on social media, in city council meetings, county commission meetings, crime reports and elsewhere. The most-clicked stories of the year are sometimes the biggest stories of the year — like the Almeda Fire in 2020 — but not always. In 2022, the most-read story on MailTribune.com was the death of an Instagram influencer who was killed in a car crash near Selma in May. But while that headline garnered 150,000 clicks, no one could argue the tragic crash was a more significant story than inflation, homelessness or the lack of affordable housing, which continued to dominate the local conversation in 2022, along with fires, smoke, drought and crime. In the governor’s election, won by Democrat Tina Kotek, homelessness emerged as the No. 1 issue for all three candidates in the race. In the Rogue Valley, tents have become common sights throughout the city, and Medford continued to throw large sums of money at the problem. Wildfires and smoke have dominated the news cycle for at least a decade in the Rogue Valley, and 2022 was no different, even though Jackson County was mostly spared from the giant megafires that have become so common in recent decades. In some ways, the big wildfire stories of 2022 were the ones that didn’t happen, and the smoke that didn’t choke us this year. The Oregon Department of Forestry, U.S. Forest Service and local firefighters fought dozens of fires sparked by lightning and other causes this year and were wildly successful at knocking them down before they exploded into conflagrations. The smoke that has choked the valley for months at a time over the past decade was largely absent this year, except for a few short periods when smoke from surrounding counties entered the valley. That doesn’t mean the region escaped unscathed, however. Homes burned, and people lost their lives in fires in Josephine and Siskiyou counties. Firefighter Logan Taylor, 25, of Talent, was killed Aug. 18 by a falling tree as he battled the Rum Creek Fire near Galice. The lightning-sparked fire burned more than 20,000 acres in one of the most heavily-used recreation corridors in Southern Oregon, and Taylor was killed in the early hours of the firefight. Across the border in Siskiyou County, California, four people were killed when the McKinney Fire exploded in the Klamath River canyon July 29. Killed were John Cogan, 76; Charles Kays, 79; Judith Kays, 82; and Kathleen Shoopman, 73, all from the town of Klamath River, California. In Weed, California, a fire that broke out at Roseburg Forest Products Sept. 2 killed two people in Weed and raced through the community of Lake Shastina, destroying 118 structures before it was corralled. Killed were 73-year-old Marilyn Hilliard and 65-year-old Lorenza Glover. In Medford, perhaps the biggest fire story of the year was the Carson-Pacific Pride Fire April 12, which destroyed several businesses in downtown Medford and released thousands of gallons of petroleum products into Bear Creek. A local man, John Charles Salmons, 50, was sentenced to 17 years in prison after being convicted of arson in the case. Other top stories of 2022 include: Cascade Christian High School caps perfect season: Cascade Christian rolled to a 41-6 win over No. 1 seed and previously unbeaten Kennedy in the 3A state championship football game at Cottage Grove High School, securing the Challengers’ first state title since 2017 and putting the cherry on top of a perfect 13-0 season. Rogue Retreat founder terminated: Rogue Retreat founder and executive director Chad McComas was terminated in August from the organization he founded over 24 years ago. McComas had been on administrative leave since mid-June, after two local organizations claimed meetings at McComas’ Set Free Christian Fellowship endorsed gay conversion therapy in 2018. Two subsequent investigations failed to uncover any evidence McComas had discriminated against anyone, but fallout from the allegations resulted in decreased financial support for Rogue Retreat, and the agency’s board blamed his ouster on financial difficulties. Medford woman and her dog fight off bear attack: In September, Cloris Leffler and her two dogs fought off a black bear that attacked her in her backyard along North Ross Lane in west Medford. The 48-year-old suffered bite wounds to her left leg and scratches on her arm and left side. The bear was later killed by police, who killed a second bear the following day not far away, part of a wave of bear sightings in the city this fall. Oregon Shakespeare Festival artistic director gets racist death threats: A groundswell of support for Oregon Shakespeare Festival artistic director Nataki Garrett followed news in September that she had obtained private security after receiving racist death threats. Wildfire risk map: A wildfire risk map released by state officials in July created controversy and led to threats against state officials. The map, part of a wide-ranging legislative effort to address wildfires in Oregon, placed every property in the state into a fire risk category. Properties in high or extreme risk zones could require the owner to abide by stricter building codes and create defensible space. State officials moved a public meeting that was scheduled to discuss the map to online only after threats were made against forestry officials. The Zoom meeting was attended by more than 1,200 people, and officials later rescinded the map for revisions due out in 2023. Abortion rights protests erupt in Rogue Valley: Protests erupted in the Rogue Valley June 24 as residents who support abortion rights decried the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that legalized abortion nationwide. Chip Wright hands off Champion Karate to successor: Chip Wright, owner of Chip Wright’s Champion Karate in downtown Medford, named Riley Hackett as successor to the Chuck Norris System karate school Wright ran for 39 years. Black Bird Shopping Center takes wing to Phoenix: Black Bird Shopping Center made news in April when the retailer with the iconic black bird statue in the parking lot announced it would open a second store in Phoenix, the first expansion by the family-owned business founded in 1965 on West Main Street in Medford. Butte Creek Mill reopens: While renovation of the iconic landmark that burned down Christmas Day in 2015 is not complete, it’s far enough along that customers were able to buy pancake mix and other products when the mill celebrated a grand reopening event in October to celebrate the mill’s 150th anniversary. Rogue X begins to rise: Construction began in August on one the largest public construction projects in Medford history, the $76 million Rogue X aquatics and events center in west Medford. The recreational facility at Howard Memorial Park, at the corner of Ross Lane and Rossanley Drive, is one of the largest and most expensive municipal projects in Medford’s history. The Rogue Credit Union Community Complex, dubbed Rogue X, is expected to open sometime in late 2023. Illegal grows continue to plague Southern Oregon: Illegal marijuana grows continued to be a big problem in Southern Oregon 2022. Police in four Southern Oregon counties — Jackson, Josephine, Klamath and Douglas counties — seized roughly $2.78 billion worth of black market pot in 2021, according to figures compiled by the Mail Tribune in January. Raids in 2022 continued on pace, with numerous related issues, including fire hazards at grows, violence against workers, unpaid wages, a grow where the property owners were fined more than $1 million and another grow that stole more than 1 million gallons of water all by itself. Rogue River Blue goes to Washington — For the first time in over a decade, a Rogue Creamery cheese was featured at a White House State Dinner Dec. 1. First lady Jill Biden announced the award-winning Rogue River Blue would be part of a cheese course served to French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte. Top online stories of 2022 The stories that garnered the most clicks at MailTribune.com in 2022 include: 1. Instagram influencer killed in crash near Selma 2. McKinney Fire near Oregon border grows to more than 51,000 acres 3. McGrath’s Fish House closes in Medford 4. Actor Patrick Duffy asking $14 million for Eagle Point ranch 5. 75-year-old Ashland woman arrested after alleged 112 mph I-5 chase 6. Police rescue 13 starving dogs in Grants Pass 7. Alex’s Story: Medford family fights back after killer drug takes their son 8. Pastor gets rude welcome to Medford 9. 3 structures lost, 1 arrest during 5-acre firefight near White City 10. Pot busts in Southern Oregon exceed $2.7 billion 11. Buildings, businesses destroyed in Medford gas station fire 12. Black Bird takes wing to Phoenix 13. Rogue Retreat founder terminated 14. Endangered salmon will swim in shadow of Mount Shasta for first time in 80 years 15. Medford father of 3 killed in freeway hit and run 16. Ashland restaurant makes top 50 list 17. El Pollo Loco scouts Southern Oregon locations 18. Woman remembered as nurse, mom, Army vet 19. Sickler posts Measure 114 plans on Facebook 20. Medford braces for next disaster Logan Taylor The iconic Black Bird statue in the parking lot at Black Bird shopping center on West Main Street in Medford. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune] Cascade Christian’s football team celebrates with the state trophy in Cottage Grove. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune]