The Oregon Ducks are in the middle of a busy time in the world of recruiting, with top-ranked players taking official visits and making their commitment announcements almost every day now.
Earlier this week, one of Oregon’s commits in the 2026 class, 4-star safety Xavier Lherisse, made a significant announcement on his social media, declaring that he was cancelling all of his future official visits that had been planned, and locking in with the Ducks.
Lherisse stands at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, and is rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 362 player and No. 32 safety in the 2026 class. He was in Eugene earlier this month for an official visit, and obviously saw enough to shut down his recruitment and tell all other schools who were pursuing him not to waste their time.
This is the second big announcement that Oregon got from a blue-chip safety this week, with the other coming on Thursday night when 5-star Jett Washington, the No. 18 player and No. 2 safety in the class, announced his commitment to the Ducks.
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Washington is the top-ranked safety to sign with the Ducks in Oregon history, and the 16th-ranked overall player to ever join the Ducks.
Later on Friday, 5-star safety Joey O’Brien is expected to announce his commitment between Oregon and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, as well.
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Klamath County residents have been encouraged to take precautions through at least 10 a.m. Thursday.
Smoke from wildfires across the state is pushing air quality into dangerous levels in parts of Central and Southern Oregon.
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The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory as air quality index readings topped 150 Wednesday morning near Bend and La Pine, made worse by smoke from the Cram Fire near Madras.
In a photo provided by the Wasco County Sheriffs Department, the Cram Fire burns a hillside. Smoke from the fire is worsening air quality in Central Oregon.
Courtesy of Wasco Sheriffs Department
Further south in Klamath and Jefferson counties, the AQI climbed over 170, affected by smoke from fires burning across Southern Oregon.
The Klamath County Public Health Department issued a health alert Wednesday for county residents. That DEQ advisory is in effect until at least 10 a.m. Thursday, while conditions are expected to slightly improve before then in Deschutes and Crook counties with intermediate smoke remaining.
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AQI levels range from 0-50 for “good” air quality to 300-500 for “hazardous” conditions.
Public health officials are encouraging people affected by poor air quality to stay safe by:
Avoiding strenuous outdoor activity
Using air purifiers
Running air conditioning on recirculate mode
Keeping windows and doors closed
Using N95 masks, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly
Keeping pets indoors — as much as possible
“Wildfire smoke contains fine particles that can be harmful to your health. People at the highest risk are those with health conditions, older adults, children and infants,” Deschutes County Public Health Director Heather Kaisner said in a press release. “People who have asthma or other lung conditions should keep medications available and contact their healthcare provider if necessary.”
Multiple counties are also providing the public with cleaner air-conditioned locations to visit,such as local libraries to avoid the smoke and heat.
Resources: Stay safe and informed during wildfire season with OPB’s wildfire guide at opb.org/wildfires. This resource offers essential safety tips and preparedness guidance to help you navigate fire and smoke events. This resource was created as part of our commitment to serving the public as wildfire seasons become longer and more dangerous.
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Former Oregon State third baseman Trent Caraway has a new home in college baseball.
Caraway announced his commitment to the LSU Tigers on Tuesday via social media.
Caraway, a rising junior, was the most outstanding player of the Corvallis regional during the 2025 postseason. He hit six home runs in the postseason overall, an OSU record, finishing the season batting .267 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI.
Caraway entered the transfer portal after Oregon State’s run to the College World Series, and had his name in the MLB Draft but did not get selected.
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Seven OSU players were drafted, but Caraway not being selected was a surprise: MLB.com ranked him the No. 145 overall prospect, and there are 615 total picks across 20 rounds.
In the age of NIL, there is less incentive for underclassmen to make the jump to the professional level if their value does not exceed potential earnings in college. That could be the case for Caraway, who took a step back statistically in 2025 and could see a boost to his draft stock with improvement at LSU.
— Ryan Clarke covers the Oregon State Beavers for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at RClarke@Oregonian.com or on Twitter/X: @RyanTClarke. Find him on Bluesky: @ryantclarke.bsky.social.
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A mountain biker was reported missing in Oregon after not returning home from a biking trip in Mount Hood, according to authorities.
Ralph Sawyer, 52, was reported missing on Friday around 10:30 p.m. – two hours after he was expected to return home after leaving that morning for a mountain biking trip, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a news release.
A search and rescue mission was immediately launched to locate him, the sheriff’s office said.
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MISSING TEEN SURFER FOUND ALIVE ON REMOTE ISLAND MILES FROM SHORE: ‘DIDN’T GIVE UP HOPE’
Ralph Sawyer, 52, was reported missing on Friday at about 10:30 p.m.(Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office)
“Sawyer has a long history of mountain biking in the area and is familiar with the terrain,” the release noted, adding that the bike used was specifically designed for gravel roads.
The man had still not been found as of Monday, but officials said his car, a blue Kia Soul, was located shortly after midnight on Saturday with his cell phone inside.
Sawyer is described as 6’1″ with brown hair. He was last seen wearing an orange bike helmet, blue shirt and black biking shorts.
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Sawyer is described as 6’1″ with brown hair. He was last seen wearing an orange bike helmet, blue shirt and black biking shorts.(Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office)
The search for Sawyer has been centered along East Still Creed Road to Veda Lake and Kinzel Lake, along with the U.S. Forest Service roads around Trillium Lake, located about 40 miles southeast of Portland.
Officials said about nearly 40 searchers were involved in the search on Saturday and 70 were mobilized on Sunday, covering hundreds of miles by ground and on vehicles, including ATVs and motorbikes. Technical rope teams were deployed to search over steep terrain while drones and a helicopter from the Oregon National Guard searched from the air.
TOURIST WHO MISSED NORWEGIAN CRUISE SHIP DISCOVERED DEAD ON MOUNTAIN TRAIL IN ALASKA
The search for Sawyer has been centered along East Still Creed Road to Veda Lake and Kinzel Lake, along with the U.S. Forest Service roads around Trillium Lake.(Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office)
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An Air Force Reserve Command combat search and rescue unit and K9 units were deployed on Monday in addition to the groups involved in search efforts over the weekend.
