Jeff Golden, an Ashland Democrat whose Oregon Senate district covers most of Jackson County, announced on Friday he has changed his mind about seeking a third term in Salem.

In a statement, Golden, who is 75, said the run-up to the Oregon Legislature’s short session, which started on Feb. 2, had been “a particularly intense time in my personal and professional life.”

Grants Pass senior Sahara Fino was the top qualifier in the 100-yard breaststroke during preliminary races at the Southwest Conference Swimming Championships on Friday at Rogue X Pool in Medford.

Fino knocked two seconds off her personal-best time to finish first in one minute, 9.98 seconds. She came into Friday’s girls’ prelims as the No. 2 seed.

Two Jackson County school districts, including the largest district in Southern Oregon, have new leadership.

On Friday, the Medford School District announced its school board selected Interim Superintendent Jeanne Grazioli to serve as the district’s superintendent.

Grazioli has served as interim superintendent for 10 months.

Don’t be afraid to go down the rabbit hole.

The “Rabbit Hole” in this case is the Pulitzer Prize-winning David Lindsay-Abaire play that opened Friday at Barnstormers Theatre in Grants Pass, an emotional examination of grief, loss and the journey toward healing.

Powerfully acted, tightly directed and intensely delivered, this “Rabbit Hole” is an intimate, honest experience, and one more than worth jumping into.