Land Use Hearing Appeal Approval Motion Not Seconded, Resulting in Non-Action
The Josephine County Board of Commissioners were at a stalemate following a failed appeal motion during Wednesday's land use hearing. The hearing was a continuation from October 13, regarding a request for an appeal of the decision to allow a boat manufacturing business in a residential neighborhood. Commissioner Chris Barnett recused himself from the hearing due to his connection with one of the involved parties. The applicant for the appeal, Andie McCarty, claimed issues with the business at 176 Devon Drive included draining issues, noise incompatible with the residential cul de sac, and the accumulation of aluminum shavings. The opponent of the appeal request and owner of the property, Douglas Williams, said he has gone through the right avenues to create his business legally and claimed he has been harassed by some of his neighbors. In summation, Douglas thanked the board for their time, and Andie said she wants the business to be successful, but in a more appropriate space. Commissioner Andreas Blech felt the biggest issue was noise, and asked if the two parties could come to an easement. Andie didn't think an easement would solve the problem. Douglas felt most of the noise would be mitigated if he had power rather than using a generator.
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2026 JoCo Fair Theme Announced: Home of the Brave: 250 Years of Heroes
The Josephine County Fair Board has unanimously selected the theme for the 2026 Josephine County Fair. In recognition of our Nation’s historic 250th birthday, the 2026 theme will be
“Home of the Brave: 250 Years of Heroes.” The decision was made during the Fair Board’s regular monthly business meeting Tuesday. As part of the celebration, the Fair Board is developing a Wall of Heroes, where community members will be invited to display photos of current and past family members who have served in any branch of the military. The wall will also include a dedicated section honoring first responders. The 2026 Josephine County Fair will take place Wednesday, July 29 through Sunday, August 2. Additional details about the Wall of Heroes, entertainment, and special activities will be announced at a later date.
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Employment Reports Delayed Again After Federal Government Shutdown
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has resumed production of the monthly employment reports for the nation on a delayed schedule after the lapse in federal government appropriations that began on Oct. 1, 2025. In a release from the Oregon Employment Department, the most recent update from the BLS today says they will not publish an October 2025 Employment Situation news release. Establishment survey data from the Current Employment Statistics survey for October 2025 will be published with the November 2025 data. Household survey data from the Current Population Survey could not be collected for the October 2025 reference period due to a lapse in appropriations. The household survey data is not able to be retroactively collected. The collection period for November 2025 data will be extended for both surveys, and extra processing time will be added. According to the release, as of August, preliminary estimates showed Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.0%, and employers added 6,900 jobs to non-farm payrolls.
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