Oregon
BREAKING: Oregon Ducks land commitment from elite QB
Frankfort (Ill.) Lincoln-Way East On300 quarterback Jonas Williams announced his commitment to Oregon on Saturday.
The blue-chip 2026 passer chose to play for head coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks over his other finalists in Alabama, LSU and Ohio State.
Offensive coordinator Will Stein led the charge in recruiting the four-star Williams who becomes commit No. 3 for Oregon in the class. The On3 Industry tabs Williams as the nation’s No. 9 quarterback and No. 92 prospect overall.
Williams talks about his decision
Williams visited Oregon twice, hitting camp in June and returning for Saturday Night Live this past weekend.
“Oregon has been my dream school for awhile,” Williams said. “A lot of people talk highly of Oregon and it definitely lived up to that standard. When I got there I really liked Coach Stein and how he teaches. That’s really important. I’m going to spend a lot of time with him the next four years of my life.”
The 6-foot-1 1/2, 200-pound Williams gave Lanning and Stein his pledge on Tuesday.
“I really like Coach Lanning,” Williams said. “He’s one of the most humble head coaches I’ve met. The whole coaching staff has a sense of integrity to them. I feel comfortable with them and can trust them.”
Williams called Stein and told him he was coming and five minutes later he was on with Lanning.
“It shows how much Oregon loves their players and pours into their players and it speaks volumes to a recruit,” Williams said.
With Williams and fellow touted quarterback Faizon Brandon committing on Saturday, nine of the Top 10 ranked passers have declared.
“I didn’t feel sped up,” Williams said. “I think I took my time with it. I went on the visits I needed to go on. There was nothing more I needed to see.
“When I went to Oregon the first time in June I was like I want commit. That’s why I went back down this past weekend. I was like this is where I want to be.”
Oregon stacking terrific recruiting classes
Oregon signed On3’s No. 3 ranked class in 2024. They have On3’s No. 5 ranked class at this point in 2025. With guys like Williams in the fold they’ll make a run at an elite class in 2026 as well.
“Oregon has been on a roll recently with the 2025 class getting Dakorien Moore and guys like that,” Williams said. “That’s more intriguing for a quarterback to see the type of wide receivers they have. I’m going to be throwing to weapons. A lot of people say the best receivers are at Ohio State or Alabama but Oregon is up there too.
“I also think the position for me coming in will be good. I think I fit in well with the players. I’ve been around the players a bit. I think it’s a good fit for me.”
Aaron Sibarium explains how Oregon County’s homeless housing scoring system prioritizes certain individuals, potentially disadvantaging others in need.
Aaron Sibarium details Multnomah County, Oregon’s, homeless housing priority system, which awards higher scores to LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC residents. This system could give preference to a transgender immigrant over a homeless woman with a child. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is now investigating these race-based criteria.
PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – As we approach the hottest days of the year, people are finding ways to stay cool.
It’s been two weeks since Portland turned on splash pads across the city.
The water was just one of the ways people were keeping cool on Friday.
“Did you see our cooler? We have a bunch of water in there. More water, stay in the shade, I mean look at these trees, it makes you feel comfortable,” said Beaverton resident Ailan Roman.
Oregon Health Authority says young children and older adults are just a couple of groups of people that face a higher risk of heat related illness.
OHA says in addition to staying hydrated and lounging in the shade, wearing loose fitted, lightweight clothing can make a big difference.
Roman makes sure her, and her grand kids are protected using several different defenses.
“Sunscreen, we have to put that in order to protect our skin,” Roman said.
When temperatures rise, OHA officials recommend staying in air-conditioned buildings.
But for some Portlanders, that’s not always an option, so to cool down, they must get creative.
“We get cheap kiddy pools, and we just stick our feet in it, drink lots of water and beer and weight our feet in the pool and that’s how we stay cool,” said park goer, Jill.
And most Oregonians can agree, water in all its forms is the best way to beat the heat.“You have the water view and then you have the water fountain and I think it’s quiet, I don’t see no issues around,” said Roman.
The CDC shares how you can recognize heat related illnesses. While OHA shares how to avoid issues in the heat.
Copyright 2026 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.
Video shows rafting Oregon’s iconic Wallowa-Grande Ronde River
Learn about an overnight rafting trip on a famous 40 mile stretch that includes both the Wallowa and Grande Ronde rivers.
The beloved Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest returns for a series of events from June 19 to June 21.
In 1964, this event was founded by four locals to lift community spirits after a tsunami washed out the Elk Creek Bridge. Now, the event draws thousands of tourists and is recognized as the first and oldest sandcastle contest in Oregon.
Registration for the contest is available online through the Cannon Beach events site.
To start off the weekend, contestants can pickup their competition materials from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on June 19.
The same day, Bill Rose will provide a live sandcastle demonstration on the beach off Second Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Then, the kickoff celebration will take place at Steidel Community Hall from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Competition day starts 8:30 a.m. on June 20 when the beach opens for parking. During the time of the contest, parking is allowed in every public parking lot, on the beach and the sides of the street.
The contest will be on the beach west of Ocean Avenue near Madison Street.
The artists can begin crafting their masterpieces at 9 a.m. when the sandcastle building starts. Only natural materials native to the beach can be used.
Final judging takes place at 2 p.m. Judges are looking for team effort, enthusiasm, composition, detail, adherence to the rules and final appearance.
Spectators and competitors can celebrate from 7 to 10 p.m. with s’mores and music on the beach at the west end of Second Street. There is free admission for the party.
For those looking to get their steps in, the weekend wraps up with the Singing Sands 5K Fun Run at 9 a.m. June 21.
Registration for the run is on the beach at the Tolovana Wayside entrance at 8 a.m.
The Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce and Information Center is available to answer any questions at 503-436-2623.
Makenzie Stamets is an outdoor intern at the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at mstamets@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @MakenzieStamets.
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