KLDR - Local News

Jackson County and State of Oregon Recognize National Salvation Army Week

In honor of more than 127 years of local service, both Jackson County and the State of Oregon have officially proclaimed this week as "National Salvation Army Week" -- celebrating the enduring impact of The Salvation Army in Southern Oregon and across the nation.Established in 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, National Salvation Army Week is a time to recognize the unwavering work of The Salvation Army to meet human needs without discrimination. For over a century, The Salvation Army Medford Corps has stood as a trusted place of refuge, compassion and practical support for families and individuals facing hardship.In a recent Point-in-Time Community Needs Survey conducted by The Salvation Army, local data revealed the most pressing needs of those served include food insecurity, housing and utility assistance, clothing and transportation access.The demand for services is increasing at an unprecedented rate. More than 2,500 individuals sought help for the first time this past year alone, many of whom had never previously needed assistance. Lines form daily outside The Salvation Army's Social Services Center in Medford as people seek food, shelter and support.Throughout National Salvation Army Week, the Medford Corps is inviting the public to recognize this moment with action. Community members are encouraged to donate nonperishable food, making financial gifts toward emergency services or volunteer.To learn how you can help the movement, visit "medford.salvationarmy.org" or call (541)-773-6965

Posted on 5/16/25 4:32AM by Chuck Benson

Commissioners Scrap Ordinance Dealing with Weekly Business Session Rules

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners this morning decided against passing an ordinance that deals with the time, place and manner of its weekly business sessions. During a public hearing on the second reading of the ordinance, Legal Counsel Wally Hicks read the entire script and noted that weekly business session dates and times would be determined and adjusted by the Board of Commissioners. Several citizens spoke in favor of scrapping the ordinance and starting over, calling for consistency in the scheduling and location of the meetings. For many years, the Board held its business sessions on Wednesdays at 9 a.m., with an evening meeting held once each month. The current Commissioners initially moved the meetings to Fridays at 10 a.m. before deciding that Thursdays at 10 a.m. was a better time slot. In other business, the Board approved a request for a fee waiver from the Illinois Valley Fire District. Two IVFD representatives testified that the district is building a new facility in Selma and they asked for the waiver of traditional planning and development fees. The vote was 2-0, with Board Vice-Chair Chris Barnett absent while attending the statewide Commissioners College. During the public comment period, one citizen requested that meeting agendas be made available to the public five days in advance. Another citizen asked the Board to work with the Grants Pass City Council to help remedy the current homeless situation. He said there will be a peaceful rally at the Courthouse on Saturday. Other comments heard by the Board included complaints about a security guard at the May 1st protest event, a complaint about the Board moving its monthly radio show off KAJO to a station in Medford, a claim that Commissioner Chris Barnett bused in and paid people to support him at last week's meeting, a question about Barnett's integrity and a call for the entire Board of Commissioners to resign.

Posted on 5/15/25 12:28PM by Sam Marsh

GPPD Deployed K9 Officers to Help Arrest Man for Felony Crimes at Baker Park

The Grants Pass Police Department deployed two of its K9 officers to help arrest a man for alleged felony-level crimes at a city park yesterday. The Police Department reports officers -- assisted by K9s "Kick" and "Maro" -- arrested 34-year-old Kaleb James Farmer at Baker Park at 2:32 p.m. Wednesday. Police said they were looking for Farmer who was wanted for probable cause of Felony 2nd-Degree Assault, Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Tampering with Evidence related to a criminal investigation. No other details were available. Farmer was spotted near the old RADE building at the park and officers were concerned he might try to run away. They deployed the K9s to ensure containment and compliance of the suspect, who was placed into custody without incident. Farmer was lodged at the Josephine County Jail where he was being held without any scheduled bail.

Posted on 5/15/25 12:26PM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Received Help from Jackson County and OSP in Arrest of Pot Suspect

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office received assistance from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police with arresting a marijuana trafficking suspect at a fast food eatery in Grants Pass yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies and state troopers placed 35-year-old Cory Richard Klimek into custody at the Taco Bell on NE Terry Lane on Wednesday at 2:25 p.m.. Few details were disclosed about the incident, but deputies said Klimek was in possession of a large amount of marijuana at the time of his arrest. The cannabis was seized as evidence and for eventual destruction. Klimek was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Unlawful Possession and Delivery of Marijuana. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 5/15/25 12:25PM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Snared Pair after Their Jeep Broke Down on Oxyoke Road near Hugo

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested two people after their vehicle broke down in the Hugo area yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to the incident in the 600-block of Oxyoke Road on Wednesday shortly after 3 p.m.. Deputies said they were alerted to a Jeep Liberty that broke down in the middle of the roadway while hauling a 5th-wheel trailer. The caller said the Jeep was initially on fire, but the flames subsided. The two occupants of the vehicle were identified as 46-year-old Dustin Thomas Roy Kelly and 44-year-old Megan Eileen Taffee. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that Kelly was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. He was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail. Deputies also discovered that Taffee was wanted for probable cause for two counts of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. She was cited and released. However, a short time later she was arrested for Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle and 2nd-Degree Theft and also lodged in jail. According to the report, a consent search of the vehicle uncovered a firearm and a "small amount of a drug substance." The gun was seized and the substance was destroyed.

Posted on 5/15/25 12:24PM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Nabbed Woman on MPD Warrant after Trespass Call at Local Church

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on an outstanding warrant while looking into a trespassing complaint at a local church late yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident at Parkway Christian Center on NE Beacon Drive on Wednesday around 4:15 p.m.. Police said a pastor of the church called 9-1-1 to report a woman and two men doing drugs near the entrance to their gymnasium. The pastor was concerned due to a teen event scheduled to take place there at 5:30. Officers arrived on scene, contacted the trio and discovered that 51-year-old Holly Nicole Heffner-Kriss was wanted on a Medford warrant for Probation Violation. She was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail. Heffner-Kriss and her male companions were trespassed from the church. The drug call was deemed to be unfounded.

Posted on 5/15/25 12:22PM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Arrested Man on Local Felony Warrant after Selma Area Traffic Stop

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man on a local felony warrant early yesterday during an early morning traffic stop near Selma. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies pulled over a pickup driven by 48-year-old Hans Christian Oftedal at the intersection of Draper Valley and Indian Creek roads on Wednesday shortly before 1 a.m.. Deputies said they stopped Oftedal because the license plates on his truck were unreadable. They quickly discovered that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for a weapons offense. Oftedal was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. His keys were taken to a female acquaintance in Selma so she could pick up his truck and dogs.

Posted on 5/15/25 12:21PM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Collared Man on Warrants and Second Man for Drugs at Resting Site

Grants Pass Police arrested one man on outstanding warrants out of the Portland area and another man for drug possession at a downtown resting site yesterday. GPPD officers were performing patrol checks at the site at 711 NW 5th Street when they first contacted 19-year-old Michael Raymon Chezem in the morning and 26-year-old Bill Deiontre Woods about two hours later. Police said they discovered that Chezem was wanted on a Multnomah County warrant for Felony 3rd-Degree Assault and a Clackamas County warrant for failing to appear in court for Methamphetamine Possession. He was lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail. Officers said Woods was seen holding burnt foil and a smoking device as they walked through Resting Site 5. He was detained and further investigation revealed the foil and smoking device both contained fentanyl residue. He was lodged in jail. Meanwhile, a woman identified as "Shani Fedosky" was cited for Utilization of Space.

Posted on 5/15/25 12:18PM by Sam Marsh

GP Man Faces Federal Charges for Fentanyl Trafficking and Possessing Firearms

A Grants Pass man is facing federal charges for trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing numerous firearms. According to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon, 38-year-old Christopher Smith has been charged by criminal complaint with Possessing with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Approximately one year ago, investigators with the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) task force and US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) obtained information that Smith was actively distributing fentanyl throughout Josephine County from his Lower River Road residence in Grants Pass. On May 9th, investigators executed a state search warrant on Smith's residence where they located and seized approximately 400 grams of fentanyl, two digital scales with fentanyl residue, two 3D printers, two ghost guns, 74 additional firearms and an unmarked firearm suppressor. Smith was present during the search and placed under arrest. He made his first court appearance yesterday before a US Magistrate Judge in Medford. The case was investigated by RADE and DEA. RADE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. It includes members from the Grants Pass Police Department, Josephine County Community Corrections, Oregon State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Posted on 5/15/25 6:45AM by Sam Marsh

GPPD Assisted RADE with Arrest of Suspect for Drug Trafficking at Local Motel

The Grants Pass Police Department assisted Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) with the arrest of a suspect for felony drug trafficking at a north-city motel this week. GPPD officers and RADE detectives arrested 40-year-old Matthew Ryan Barton at the Red Lion Inn & Suites on NW 6th Street on Tuesday morning. RADE has not yet released any details of the investigation that led to Barton's arrest, but he was in possession of large quantities of both methamphetamine and fentanyl when he was placed into custody. The drugs were seized as evidence and for eventual destruction. Barton was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on suspicion of felony crimes of Manufacture, Possession and Delivery of Meth as well as Manufacture, Possession and Delivery of Fentanyl. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 5/15/25 6:44AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Community Corrections Client for Weapon & Drug Crimes

A Josephine County Community Corrections client apparently forgot to check his personal belongings before visiting his probation officer this week. Grants Pass Police arrested 33-year-old Jeffrey Allen McPeake at the Community Corrections Office on NW 4th Street on Tuesday. Police said McPeake's corrections officer conducted a consent search of his client's belongings and found two restricted knives, two sets of brass knuckles and assorted drug paraphernalia with methamphetamine residue. He is a convicted felon and he was detained until officers arrived on scene to place him into custody. McPeake was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for four counts of Felon in Possession of a Weapon, Meth Possession and the resulting Probation Violation related to previous arrests for Delivery of Meth and 2nd-Degree Theft. He was being held without bail and the rest of his property was logged into safekeeping.

Posted on 5/15/25 6:43AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man for Stealing Vehicle from Rental Company in California

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing a vehicle out of California early yesterday, but there was no room for him at the Josephine County Jail. The Police Department reports officers contacted 49-year-old John Robert Leblanc near the Garden Grove Apartments on Fruitdale Drive on Wednesday right before midnight and arrested him about 10 minutes later. Police said Leblanc was driving a vehicle that had been reported stolen by the Novato, California, Police Department on May 9th. They said the suspect failed to return the vehicle to a rental company which had sent him demand letters and text messages to which he did not respond. According to GPPD, the stolen vehicle was recovered and the rental company was notified. Leblanc was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. He was cited to appear in court and released because the jail was not accepting new intakes.

Posted on 5/15/25 6:42AM by Sam Marsh