MEDFORD — The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is closing part of its jail as costs for the agency increase, reducing capacity by 20% despite years of community and law enforcement concerns that the jail is already too small for the county’s population.

The equivalent of 17.5 full-time employee positions are also being eliminated as the costs for staff, materials and medical services skyrocket, Sheriff Nate Sickler said this week.

Hidden Valley senior Sam Lesher was named Co-Player of the Year in softball awards recently announced by the Skyline Conference.

Lesher hit .509 this season with a .579 on-base percentage. She had 12 doubles, three homers and drove in 32 runs, while sporting a .974 fielding percentage at second base. She also had 17 stolen bases and was only thrown out once.

We are visiting Holland this week but there is no need to pull on a pair of wooden shoes. Nor do you have to be fluent in Dutch, the official language of the Netherlands.

The Rogue Valley Shakespeare Company is once again serving up a double helping of The Bard, producing two plays in repertory this month.

The company’s fifth season of Shakespeare in the Vines is dishing up “Romeo and Juliet” and “Twelfth Night,” with five performances of each play, opening tonight and running weekends through June 27.