Local News

Homeless people can't be cited, arrested or fined for camping in Grants Pass, for now. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports a Josephine County Circuit Court judge has issued a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit against the city. The lawsuit, filed in January by Disability Rights Oregon and five homeless plaintiffs, alleges Grants Pass' treatment of homeless people violates state law, including disability protections. On Friday afternoon, Judge Sarah McGlaughlin issued an injunction preventing the city from enforcing its public camping laws until it has fulfilled two conditions. Grants Pass has to increase its designated camping sites to the same capacity it previously offered before the city closed an approximately 1.2-acre site in January. The city must also ensure all resting sites "provide accessible routes and surfaces" for people with disabilities. These restrictions don’t apply to either Riverside Park or Reinhart Volunteer Park. Grants Pass currently has two sites for homeless people to rest near the police station and City Hall. The city only recently got out from under another court injunction, which lasted for four years. It was part of a different lawsuit over Grants Pass' treatment of homeless people, which the US Supreme Court decided in the city's favor.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters logged another busy week of protecting the community. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 563 calls for service along with 220 officer-initiated calls last week which resulted in 36 arrests, 17 citations, 60 warnings and three highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 70 traffic stops in the city and they made 19 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 12 potential troublemakers while arresting two people, citing five more and warning 11 others. The CRT unit also trespassed five individuals from city homes and businesses. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 104 calls last week including 41 for emergency medical service, four reports of fire or smoke, 20 lift assists, seven rescue situations, three assists to other agencies and five false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,060 emergency calls last week.

 

From now until April 18th, US Representative Cliff Bentz's local office is accepting submissions for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to serve as an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and acknowledge the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved in the nationwide competition. Bentz encourages high school students in Oregon's Second Congressional District to showcase their creativity by participating in this competition. He said he looks forward to seeing their original designs. If you have any questions about competition guidelines or would like to arrange an in-person delivery, contact Bentz's Medford District Office at (541)-776-4646.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved all items on its agenda during its weekly business session this morning. Following a brief public hearing, the Board voted unanimously to approve four requested annexations to the Josephine Community Library District. The addition of the properties in Cave Junction and Williams increases the physical size of the local library district by more than 21 acres. Under Administrative Actions, the Commissioners approved an order designating county-owned property in Clatsop County as Josephine County Forest. They also approved a Forest Reserve Fund to generate revenue for the county and a Forest Management Policy for the future. The Board is moving to permanently adjust its weekly business sessions to Friday mornings at 10 a.m. instead of the traditional Wednesday morning schedule. They approved an extension for the Friday morning meetings through April 30th. The Commissioners also approved an order dissolving the Grants Pass and Illinois Valley Airport Advisory boards while establishing a single "Josephine County Airports Advisory Board." The new panel will consist of seven appointed members representing the interests of both local airports. Applications are being accepted. In the interest of increasing housing in Josephine County, the Board approved plat maps for the Kickin' Cattle Company and Buckmaster subdivisions. The Board opened the meeting by proclaiming April 5th-12th as "Rogue Valley Rough Stock Rodeo Days Week." The rodeo is set for April 11th and 12th at the Josephine County Fairgrounds.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man yesterday for assaulting his girlfriend at a trailer park near Wonder. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 51-year-old Jeffrey Carl Engerseth for the alleged incident in the 13,300-block of Redwood Highway on Thursday at 2:39 p.m.. Deputies said the manager of the trailer park called 9-1-1 to report that a female tenant had told him her boyfriend punched her in the face and gave her two black eyes. The caller said the woman texted him a photo of her injuries and stated that she was too scared to report it herself. The photo was shared with law enforcement. Upon arrival, deputies surveyed the victim's injuries and interviewed both parties before placing Engerseth into custody. The victim was less than cooperative, but confirmed that she had texted the park manager. Engerseth was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for assaulting his girlfriend at a north-city motel late last night. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at Motel 6 on NE 7th Street on Thursday around 11:45 p.m.. Police said a motel worker called 9-1-1 to report that a man later identified as 45-year-old Mandell Yazzie came in to the front desk and advised his girlfriend had attacked him. The worker told dispatchers the man and a woman were arguing in the motel parking lot and he would watch them until law enforcement arrived. Upon arrival, officers determined the conflict between Yazzie and his girlfriend started when Yazzie became upset over a poor relationship with his estranged son and he became intoxicated. The man grabbed the woman by the wrist and she punched him to get her hand back. When she reached around him to grab some belongings to leave, he grabbed her again and bit her twice on the arm. Yazzie was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for violating a court order this week following a traffic stop in east Grants Pass. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies pulled over a Toyota Camry driven by a 36-year-old male subject on the Grants Pass Parkway near NE Agness Avenue on Wednesday. Deputies said a woman who resides on Monument Drive called 9-1-1 to report her ex-boyfriend was following her as she drove toward Grants Pass. The caller said her ex was arrested for domestic violence and is not supposed to contact her. He continued to follow her on Interstate 5, but she got off the freeway, drove directly to the Sheriff's Office and went into the lobby where she filed a complaint. After pulling over the man identified as Brian W. Domin, Jr., deputies discovered that he was driving with a suspended license and that he had violated a jail release agreement by having contact with the victim. Domin was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court and cited for Driving While Suspended. His car was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man yesterday for damaging a government vehicle by drilling a hole in the gas tank to steal fuel for his own vehicle. The Police Department reports officers responded to a vandalism incident at the Grants Pass Veterans Administration Clinic on Williams Highway on Thursday at 12:22 p.m.. Police said they received a citizen report that a male subject later identified as 45-year-old John Joseph Dewitt siphoned gas from a Ford Equinox minivan at the facility and the caller had video surveillance of the incident. The suspect vehicle was described as a white 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup with a blue canopy. Officers tracked down the suspect vehicle heading into Grants Pass on Redwood Highway and stopped it near the South Y intersection. The vehicle was involved in multiple prior criminal incidents in the Cave Junction area. It was impounded. Dewitt was contacted and admitted to the crime. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief, Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle and 3rd-Degree Theft. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for allegedly trying to swindle a resident out of gold on the west side of the city yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the fraud incident at a home in the 1,000-block of Ironwood Drive on Thursday around 2:15 p.m.. Police said a resident called 9-1-1 to report that a man later identified as 28-year-old Gagan Deep had called her and attempted to scam $20,000 in gold bars from her. Details on the incident were sketchy, but the woman agreed to let the man come to her house to pick up the gold -- but not until she alerted law enforcement. Deep reportedly went to the woman's house to pick up the gold and officers arrived just as the suspect was walking back to his running Honda sedan. He was detained and the would-be victim provided her phone to be downloaded for investigation. Deep was lodged at the Josephine County Jail and he was being held pending a review of the fraud case by the District Attorney's Office. His car was impounded for further investigation.