Roman Battaglia

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Reporter at Jefferson Public Radio

Not active here On Blue Sky @ https://t.co/GSOBIdoIuz

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Articles

One year after cuts, Josephine County may restore 4-H, extension service

3 weeks ago | ijpr.org | Roman Battaglia

Commissioners serving on Josephine County’s budget committee voted Monday to restore the remaining funds and to resume collecting taxes for the district. Commissioner Ron Smith said previous commissioners made a mistake when they defunded the district last year. “It’s time for the community to come together and support this organization," he said. "It was a travesty that it was undone.
Kotek says Oregon is ready for fire season, but federal help is uncertain

1 month ago | opb.org | Roman Battaglia

Oregon faces another high-risk fire season as forecasters predict hot, dry weather across the state. Last summer ranked among the most expensive wildfire seasons in Oregon to date. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek speaks to reporters at a press conference in Medford on May 20, 2025. At a press conference Tuesday in Medford, Gov. Tina Kotek said that state agencies are fully staffed and ready to respond, but she added they will need help from the federal government as well.
Kotek says Oregon is ready for fire season, but federal help is uncertain

1 month ago | ijpr.org | Roman Battaglia

Oregon faces another high-risk fire season as forecasters predict hot, dry weather across the state. Last summer ranked among the most expensive wildfire seasons in Oregon to date. At a press conference Tuesday in Medford, Gov. Tina Kotek said that state agencies are fully staffed and ready to respond, but she added they will need help from the federal government as well. “I am a little worried about the federal situation," she said.
A looming wildfire season means electric utilities are preparing for possible outages

1 month ago | ijpr.org | Roman Battaglia

Meteorologists with Pacific Power are anticipating a warmer and drier summer than normal — a combination that raises the risk of wildfires, especially east of the Cascades. Last summer, residents in Talent were frustrated by more than 40 power outages, a number that was reported to be even higher by some residents. Special settings made the electrical grid more sensitive, so even small issues, like a tree branch falling, triggered an outage.
New Shasta County clerk supports hand counts, despite state ban

1 month ago | ijpr.org | Justin Higginbottom |Roman Battaglia |Maria Carter

Clint Curtis, an attorney licensed in New York and self-described election integrity advocate, will fill the position vacated by Tom Toller, who stepped down this month due to health issues. Toller was appointed in July 2024 after the elected clerk resigned amid health concerns. At Wednesday’s meeting, Curtis said the appointment fulfills a long-held mission. “We can show the world exactly how this can be done so everybody’s happy with it,” he said.
New lawsuit against Josephine County alleges retaliation by commissioners

2 months ago | ijpr.org | Roman Battaglia

The lawsuit filed by Trish House seeks $1.2 million for her claims of wrongful termination. In the lawsuit, lawyers for Trish House say she faced more scrutiny after participating in an ethics complaint against the commissioners. "Plaintiff witnessed and informally documented numerous instances of unethical behavior, including improper hiring of unqualified political associates, interference in contract approvals, and misuse of county resources," the lawsuit reads.
Weather balloon launch suspensions could lead to less accurate forecasts from Medford

2 months ago | klcc.org | Roman Battaglia

The Medford office is temporarily suspending evening weather balloon launches because low staffing levels are affecting launch safety. Medford and other local offices were already facing staffing shortages, but the Trump Administration's efforts to downsize the federal workforce have made the issue more serious. Weather balloons are typically launched twice a day from 100 stations across the country.
After years of drought, Klamath Basin farmers get long-awaited water relief

2 months ago | klcc.org | Roman Battaglia

An unusually wet winter has been a relief after a tough drought period. The Bureau of Reclamation released its annual operations plan on Monday, allocating 330,000 acre-feet of water to farmers from Upper Klamath Lake. Water is prioritized first to protect endangered species in the lake and river. Next, water is allocated to farmers, and finally, it can go to wildlife refuges. Elizabeth Nielsen is the executive director of the Klamath Water Users Association, which represents farmers and ranchers.
Finalists selected for Shasta County Clerk position

2 months ago | ijpr.org | Roman Battaglia

Two of the five finalists for the county’s top elections job applied for the position last year, after the elected county clerk stepped down due to health issues. Supervisors appointed Tom Toller to the seat in July 2024. Now, Toller is stepping down this month, forcing county supervisors to appoint another clerk until the seat is up for election next year. Deputy County Clerk Joanna Francescut has been the favorite among community members.
Weather balloon launch suspensions could lead to less accurate forecasts from Medford

2 months ago | opb.org | Roman Battaglia

The Medford office is temporarily suspending evening weather balloon launches because low staffing levels are affecting launch safety. Mitchell Erickson launches a weather balloon in South Dakota on April 7, 2004. Eric Kurth / National Weather ServiceMedford and other local offices were already facing staffing shortages, but the Trump Administration’s efforts to downsize the federal workforce have made the issue more serious.