The Medford City Council has agreed to pay contractors $368,000 to restripe a portion of Main Street, the final procedural step in a decision that has generated months of controversy.

The contract with Tualatin-based Specialized Pavement Marking is not the only cost the city will incur as it strips a buffered bike lane from Main Street and replaces it with diagonal parking.

Rogue River built a big lead in the first half, then needed a late goal from Beckett Powell to clip North Valley 4-3 in the non-league boys’ soccer season opener for both teams Thursday in Rogue River.

Sawyer Ordonez, Caiden Minegar and Trey Wardle scored goals for the Chieftains as they took a 3-0 lead with just under 14 minutes left in the first half.

But the Knights’ Able Ward, a freshman, pulled North Valley within two goals by the break.

Try as I might, I couldn’t restrain the juvenile jokester in me when Earl Swift called last week from his home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

“Joe’s Bar and Grill,” I answered, adding, “Grill speaking.”

Josephine County teens ages 14-17 are invited to share their creativity in a teen writing and art contest organized by the Rogue Writers Collective.

Teens may submit work in three categories: story, poetry and art.

Finalists and winners will be selected from all three categories.