Local News

West Nile Virus has been detected in a mosquito pool collected this month in Eagle Point, marking the first positive pool found in Jackson County this year. August and September are considered peak months for West Nile Virus activity in Southern Oregon. The mosquitoes were collected and tested by the Jackson County Vector Control District as part of a routine surveillance program. Residents are advised to take basic precautions against mosquitoes since West Nile Virus is spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. People should consult their health care providers if they experience any flu-like symptoms -- especially in people over 50 years of age with underlying medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The virus also affects wildlife and domesticated and farm animals. Horse owners should get their horses vaccinated for West Nile Virus. Horses with neurological disease should be examined by a veterinarian. Testing is available at Oregon State University in Corvallis. Jackson County Vector Control suggests taking steps to protect against mosquitoes such as eliminating or treating any sources of standing water around your home.

 

One person was critically injured in a logging accident that occurred near Kerby early yesterday. On Thursday at 9:27 a.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response were dispatched to the incident on a Forest Service Road off Kerby Mainline Road. IVFD officials said one individual was transported via ground ambulance to Station #2 in Selma where they were subsequently life-flighted to a Jackson County hospital by Mercy Flights helicopter. No details about the accident were disclosed. The injured party was not identified and there was no word on their condition.

 

The Oregon State Police jailed a Rogue River man who allegedly tried to run over a Grants Pass woman with a vehicle on Highway 99. OSP reports troopers arrested 68-year-old Jeffery Charles Hoff for the incident near milepost 5 of Rogue River Highway on Wednesday night. Troopers said they responded to reports of a female subject yelling for people to call 9-1-1 due to a vehicle attempting to run her over. They searched the area and located a Ford Explorer driven by Hoff. The suspect advised troopers he believed the female was the same woman whose friend broke his property during an earlier incident. According to OSP, the 41-year-old victim said she did not know the suspect. Hoff was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County for Menacing. He was being held without bail. Because he used his vehicle as a weapon, it was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office assisted the California Highway Patrol by making an arrest while recovering a vehicle that was stolen out of Crescent City. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies chased down and pulled over a stolen Honda Civic driven by 40-year-old Phia Teao on Redwood Highway at the south end of Redwood Avenue early Wednesday morning. Deputies said CHP alerted them that the 2000 Honda was stolen from a Crescent City resident and was last seen heading north on US Highway 199 toward Oregon. They spotted the stolen car near Applegate Avenue, followed it and pulled it over. After confirming the car had been stolen, deputies arrested Teao and lodged him at the Josephine County Jail on felony charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. He was being held without bail pending extradition to California. CHP and the registered owner were notified about the recovery of the stolen car, which was towed into Grants Pass.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for stealing a bicycle from a southeast city apartment complex. The Police Department reports officers responded to the theft complaint at the Garden Grove Apartments on Fruitdale Drive on Wednesday afternoon. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report a female transient entered her patio and took her son's Ambush brand BMX bike valued at $500 before riding away. The incident was captured on surveillance video which helped officers identify the suspect as 27-year-old Brittany Grace Demars. Officers searched the area and found Demars without the bicycle at Morrison Centennial Park. They said she admitted to stealing the bike and it was returned. However, it had sustained damage to the modified brake line. Demars was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft and 3rd-Degree Criminal Mischief. She was being held without bail. Her personal property was turned over to a male companion at her request.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office is seeking public assistance in locating a woman who has not been seen in more than a year. Sheriff's officials recently reported that 32-year-old Raven Alexis Baysinger had been identified as a missing person and she was last seen at Griffin Park in May 2024. They said she has not been seen or heard from since. Baysinger is believed to possibly be in the Wilderville area, but she has not made any contact with family members. Baysinger is described as a white female adult, 5-feet-6-inches tall and 145 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Raven Baysinger is urged to contact the Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office is participating in a high-visibility impaired driving enforcement event being funded through the Oregon Impact DUII Grant. Funds from this grant allow the Sheriff's Office to increase staffing for impaired driving-specific patrols between now and Labor Day, September 1st. Sheriff's officials say impaired driving continues to be a preventable problem in Josephine County. They encourage local residents to do what they can to help. Before drinking, choose a non-drinking designated driver. If you don't have a designated driver, call a taxi or Uber. Don't let family or friends drive drunk or under the influence of drugs. If you're hosting a party or get-together, make sure your guests have a safe way home.

 

In an unexpected turn of events, the Josephine County Board of Commissioners on Thursday approved a new lease for the Grants Pass library branch -- but only after adding back a clause that undermines months of negotiations. Board Chair Andreas Blech introduced an amendment to reinstate the "termination for convenience" provision, allowing either party to end the lease with just 30 days' notice. The Commissioners voted 2-1 to approve the amended lease agreement. Josephine Community Library Vice-President Rachele Selvig said the amendment puts them right back where they started. She said "after months of good-faith negotiations, the outcome does not provide the stability the community deserves." Library leaders said the draft reflected a fair compromise: the district would assume additional maintenance costs plus an amortized contribution toward the roof replacement on the building at 200 NW C Street. In return, the County would maintain the $1-per-year lease commitment for the next five years, with no option to terminate during that time except for cause. The vote did not reflect the pact. By reintroducing the "termination for convenience" clause, library leaders said the Commissioners have undone the core assurance of stability the district required.

 

Total payroll employment in Jackson County fell by 640 jobs in July, mostly due to seasonal reductions in local government education. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 101,025 people working in Jackson County last month for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 5.4%, which was up from 5.3% in June and an increase from 4.8% in July 2024. Government employment declined by 1,000 jobs due to 1,100 fewer jobs in local government education for summer vacation. State and local government had small gains. Jackson County's private sector job gains were broad-based in July. Job totals rose in construction, retail trade, leisure & hospitality, and professional and business services. Private education & health services was the only private industry with an employment decline over the month. Over the year, payroll employment in Jackson County climbed by 250 jobs, or an increase of 0.3%.