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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Hedrick principal to take helm at North Medford High School Out with the old Pioneer Mike, in with the new OSF to commission three new 'American Revolutions' plays Jackson County residents join committees to help set marijuana rules Man hits bull elk at 68 mph on I-5 Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Trail man pleads guilty to federal weapons charges in bizarre drugs and guns case Emergency Services, May 5 Man arrested after spitting on cars Emergency Services, May 4 Emergency services, May 3 Politics and Elections Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline opponents rally in Medford BREAKING: Baltimore prosecutor charges officers in Freddie Gray's death Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Medford School Board, Position 6: Curt Ankerberg vs. Janet Lightheart Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Education Hedrick principal to take helm at North Medford High School More kindergartners vaccinated in 2015 Elementary students honor local police officers Levy backers eye final push Two seats contested on Central Point School Board Environment State waives college placement tests for students who hit high marks Stopping fire in its tracks Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline opponents rally in Medford Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Residents say armed mine supporters sully Josephine County's reputation State News Police video bills approved by Oregon House ACLU touts video app for people recording police Volunteers battle invasive plant in Southern Oregon OSU warns that Benton County GMO ban could hurt research Oregon gun sale background check bill heads to governor Nation - World There's a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Obituaries Milton (Mick) Laverne Cady Connie Leigh Doolittle (Barber) R. 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Medford/Jackson County Chamber has trip planned just for you Cars We Remember: Car enthusiast wishes new model designs were ‘more different’ Women's Leadership Conference prompts Lithia's own version Ride & Drive: 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Real Estate News Single-family home sales take off Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option New home in an old house Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house People In Business Transportation Erickson finds room to work at Medford airport Lithia Motors nets $40.7 million in first quarter Lithia Motors reports second-best quarter ever Business briefs Medford airport's record run continues Agriculture 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house New bosses take charge at Harry & David Dancin Vineyards covers up Opinion Latest Our View: Oregon's full of givers, and can use more Letters to the Editor, May 5 Michael Gerson: The intricate knot of urban poverty Rick Holmes: The war we’d rather forget John Floyd: Fraternities’ actions toward veterans abhorrent Editorials Our View: Oregon's full of givers, and can use more Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board Other Views: Gun-bill recalls misguided, futile Our View: Bill gives ex-convicts a glimmer of hope Our View: Medical marijuana market not at risk Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, May 5 Letters to the Editor, May 4 Letters to the Editor, May 3 Letters to the Editor, May 2 Letters to the Editor, May 1 Columns Michael Gerson: The intricate knot of urban poverty Kathleen Parker: Wife of the party Dana Milbank: Clinton's opponents need to smoke her out George Will: The Lusitania's role in history Charles Krauthammer: Men wielding power in hellish times Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Guest Opinion: Uniting to restore our sovereignty to we, the people Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was wrong: 'American Pageant' is a political agenda, not history The Medford School Board was right: 'American Pageant' is a fine book, and the board did its homework Lifestyle Latest stories Suzette Martinez Standring: The maternal staircase Go Ask Alice: Those were the days Cars We Remember: Car enthusiast wishes new model designs were ‘more different’ Food for Thought: Protein-packed meals and snacks Dear Monty: Water rights of property owners Food Food for Thought: Protein-packed meals and snacks Prudence Hilburn: Chocolate chips make cookies delightful Andrea Honaker: Mexican-inspired dips for Cinco de Mayo Set a table from your local farmers market Let's do brunch! Home and Garden Dear Monty: Water rights of property owners Paul Rogers: ‘Living’ mulches a healthy alternative to bark Heirloom tomatoes bring ageless flavor Betty Montgomery: You can have a variety of ferns in your garden Clean out household chemicals Friday and Saturday Health Search on for new medical provider for Butte Falls, Prospect clinics Dr. Murray Feingold: Turn down that noise Health Watch: Pack your pantry with healthy items HealthStyle: It’s all in the family dinner 'Game changer' for heart patients Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, May 1 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 24 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Milestones and Achievements Wedding: Melody Ann Madi and Lyman Martin Stiles Engagement: Anders-Stanley ENGAGEMENT: Sellers-James Witham's birthday bash draws hundreds for 1950s prices Charlesworth-Murphy Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Ashland Blues Society hosts open blues jam tonight in Talent Page Hamilton comes home REVIEW: Carson, Patton shine in 'Arsenic and Old Lace' 5 picks for live entertainment Live Music in Local Clubs Theater REVIEW: Randall Theatre's 'Little Shop of Horrors' a rollicking good time REVIEW: Carson, Patton shine in 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Some Oregon Shakespeare Festival crew members seek to unionize Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' 'Much Ado' at SOU Music Ashland Blues Society hosts open blues jam tonight in Talent Page Hamilton comes home Thunder's Edge, Steel Cranes tonight at Club 66 The Farr Side: CMAs do it right, in many ways Live Music in Local Clubs Community Events Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic at OSF's Black Swan in Ashland Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo A Taste of Ashland pairs food and wine at galleries Rogue Valley Earth Day 2015 Movies Victor D. Infante: ‘Avengers’ begs the questions, ‘Why superheroes, and why now?’ Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ has a lot going on Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ knows how to party Catching up with the Avengers Interview: Sofia Vergara talks ‘Hot Pursuit’ Dining Restaurant inspections, May 3, 2015 Taqueria Picaro offers casual Mexican cuisine Restaurant inspections: April 26, 2015 Island Grindz serves up Hawaiian specialties Have you wandered down the Bear Creek Wine Trail yet? Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Hedrick principal to take helm at North Medford High School ... Police video bills approved by Oregon House ... ACLU touts video app for people recording police ... Hedrick principal to take helm at North Medford High School ... Police video bills approved by Oregon House ... ACLU touts video app for people recording police ... NASCAR Earnhardt Jr. secures emotional Talladega win Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted May. 3, 2015 at 4:49 PM By The Associated Press Posted May. 3, 2015 at 4:49 PM » Social News TALLADEGA, Ala. — At a track that has always been good to his family, in front of an adoring crowd that so clearly favors him over everyone else in the field, Dale Earnhardt Jr. cruised to an emotional first win of the season. NASCAR's most popular driver won Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, where he received a thunderous ovation as he pumped his fist outside the car window during a slow victory lap. He stopped at the flag stand to grab the checkered flag and flew it out his car window as he savored his trip around the track and into victory lane. It is Earnhardt's sixth victory at Talladega — but first since 2004 — and he choked back tears after he climbed from his No. 88 Chevrolet. "It's just real emotional. I haven't won here in a long time. It was my daddy's birthday a couple of days ago, and I'm just real emotional, man," he said. The late Dale Earnhardt, a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee, won 10 times at the Alabama track. He would have celebrated his 64th birthday Wednesday. Earnhardt Jr. won four consecutive races at Talladega from 2001, after his father's death in the season-opening Daytona 500, through 2003. He then finished second in back-to-back Talladega races before grabbing his fifth victory in 2004. But his dominance ended that season, then came several years of slumping results on the track. He finally turned it around last year with a victory in the season-opening Daytona 500, but poor strategy in this race last year cost him any shot at the victory. His fan base was livid over Earnhardt's decision to lay back in the field last May, and he vowed to not do it again. On Saturday, he admitted he feels a sense of responsibility to his fans to perform well at Talladega. Earnhardt delivered Sunday, leading a race-high 67 laps and easily winning when no one from a single-file line of cars behind him could challenge him. The win almost certainly put him in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, and was Earnhardt's first with new crew chief Greg Ives. "Everything is just so good for me right now, my personal life, my racing, the team I'm with, I don't know why," Earnhardt said. "I don't feel like I deserve it. I just feel overcome, you know, with a lot of emotion." Jimmie Johnson finished second as Hendrick Motorsports dominated the race. But Johnson couldn't pull out of line to attempt a pass on Earnhardt, who was watching his mirror carefully to see who from the line would make a move. He thought for sure it would be Johnson. "I didn't know what he had up his sleeve, maybe they got busy behind him and he couldn't form a charge," said Earnhardt, who was worried in the closing laps his car was going to overheat. "I didn't know if the engine was going to last. I had faith in it that it would because we build fast cars and they are tough. All those guys in the motor shop and the body shop, they earned their money." Paul Menard was third and Ryan Blaney was a surprising fourth in the only Ford that could challenge the horsepower from the Hendrick Chevrolets. Martin Truex Jr. was fifth and followed by Sam Hornish Jr. in another Ford, then Ryan Newman and Kevin Harvick as Chevy drivers took six of the first eight spots. Denny Hamlin was ninth in the highest-finishing Toyota and Josh Wise rounded out the top 10. Pole-sitter Jeff Gordon was a disappointing 31st despite a strong race car. He was penalized for speeding on pit road during the final pit stops, and the infraction dropped him to 30th on the restart with 26 laps remaining. He was unable to work his way through the field as Earnhardt led a 10-car breakaway, and the second line of traffic struggled to catch the leaders. He was collected in a last-lap crash that began when Carl Edwards spun. "Everybody was single file and just waiting for that final lap," Gordon said. "You knew it was going to get crazy. They finally spread out at one to go. I was just trying to find the lane that would not just be clear but have the momentum." As the laps wound down, nobody seemed to want to make a move to challenge Earnhardt until finally Tony Stewart, the leader of the second line of cars, dropped to the bottom of the track in an effort to make something happen. Only no one would work with Stewart, and he was shuffled back to a 19th-place finish after leading laps and challenging for the win. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted May. 3, 2015 at 4:49 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Fantasy Football Post-Draft Positional Rankings May. 3, 2015 at 7:00 am 2015 Fantasy Football Outlook for Ravens Stars Apr. 29, 2015 at 6:30 pm Fantasy Football Outlook for Seahawks Stars Apr. 22, 2015 at 3:05 am 2015 Fantasy Outlook for Chargers' Stars Apr. 17, 2015 at 6:15 am Fantasy Outlook for Dolphins Stars Apr. 14, 2015 at 6:37 am Biggest Fantasy Winners, Losers in Free Agency Apr. 8, 2015 at 2:45 am calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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