Local News

Governor Tina Kotek has declared a state of emergency due to flooding and landslides from recent winter storms in the state including southwest Oregon. Following Oregon Revised Statutes, Governor Kotek determined a potential threat of life, safety, property and significant damage to infrastructure exists due to flooding and landslides that have caused and continue to cause an emergency. The emergency declaration covers a total of 11 counties including Josephine, Jackson, Douglas, Coos and Curry counties in southwest Oregon. From February 24th through last weekend, ongoing storms have caused significant flooding and landslides throughout the state, resulting in one fatality, critical transportation failures, and loss of power and communications capabilities. The declaration directs the Oregon Department of Transportation to provide appropriate assistance and seek federal resources to repair and reconstruct the $10 million or more in damages that impact the federal aid highway system in the impacted counties. The declaration is limited to the provision of assistance by ODOT to repair and reconstruct eligible roads that are part of that system.

 

The Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management has closed Rainie Falls Trail as a result of damage caused by recent heavy rains. The BLM is also advising caution on the Rogue River Trail when it becomes accessible again. The closure order covers BLM-managed public lands south of Rainie Falls Trail. The trail sustained heavy damage including multiple landslides and heavy erosion. Members of the public may not enter closed areas and all uses -- including hiking, hunting and dispersed camping -- are prohibited. BLM officials said the heavy rainfall caused significant flooding, landslides, fallen trees and damage to facilities across the Medford District. Crews are out in the field conducting damage assessments and prioritizing repairs. If you find damage on BLM lands, please report it to the Medford District Office at (541)-618-2200. Avoid driving through flooded areas or on roads that look compromised. Watch out for debris and potentially damaged facilities like boat ramps and restrooms.

 

The Grants Pass City Council last night approved commercial activity and waived fees allowing Concerts in the Park to return to Riverside Park in June. The City Council approved two resolutions. One was a waiver of park reservation fees for Concerts in the Park produced by the Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber will be responsible for a $1,650 refundable deposit. The second resolution approved commercial activity at Riverside Park for the Concerts in the Park series. The Medicine Show Revival was approved to be held in Riverside Park on Easter Sunday, April 20th. The event is part of a 7-day-long event that begins in rural areas and culminates in Riverside Park, focusing on personal resilience and some alternative health treatments. Organizers will be assessed a reservation fee of $355.50. The Council made several committee appointments.

 

The Grants Pass City Council, during their Wednesday night business session approved commercial activity and waived fees allowing Concerts in the Park to return to Riverside Park in June. The Council approved two resolutions. One was a waiver of park reservation fees for Concerts in the Park produced by the Grants Pass and Josephine County Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber will be responsible for a $1650 refundable deposit. The second approved commercial activity at Riverside Park for the Concerts in the Park series. The Council then approved an ordinance vacating the property lines between two tax lots on Southeast J Street and Southeast 11th creating one parcel. The property owner of both lots intends to develop the property with a new industrial building, requiring the vacation of property lines to meet minimum setbacks. There is no cost to the city. The Urban Forest Management Plan submitted by the Urban Tree Advisory Committee was approved. The Plan outlines the committee’s vision, goals, and strategies for urban forest management for the City and guides the committee’s recommendations to the Council. The Medicine Show Revival was approved to be held in Riverside Park on April 2oth. The event is part of a 7-day long event that begins in rural areas and culminates in Riverside Park focused on personal resilience and some alternative health treatments including acupuncture. They will be assessed a reservation fee of $355.50

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for multiple fraud crimes after he attempted to use two people's identities to cash a check belonging to one of them at a local bank. The Police Department reports 30-year-old David Araya Rodriguez was arrested for the incident on Tuesday at 12:55 p.m.. Police said Rodriguez used the identities of two people to try to cash a $600 check at Rogue Credit Union on SE 7th Street. The suspect used one person's driver's license in an attempt to cash the check, which had been stolen out of the other person's vehicle two days ago. Rodriguez admitted to officers that he unlawfully entered the victim's vehicle and stole the check. He told officers he found the other person's driver's license in a box on NE B Street and took it. Following the investigation, Rodriguez was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two counts of Felony Identity Theft plus single counts of 2nd-Degree Forgery, Attempted 2nd-Degree Theft and Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle. He was being held without bail pending his court arraignment at 1:30 this afternoon.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man on a statewide felony warrant after he overdosed on narcotics at a temporary homeless campsite in the downtown area. The Police Department reports officers and emergency personnel responded to an overdose at the campsite on NE 7th Street on Tuesday at 5:35 p.m.. Police said fellow campers pulled 30-year-old Jacob Levi Reeder out of the porta-potty after he overdosed on drugs. He was lying down and semi-conscious with pale skin when they arrived on scene. Medics were able to revive him with a series of Narcan injections. Officers followed an ambulance that transported Reeder to Three Rivers Medical Center for an evaluation. They discovered that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a past 4th-Degree Assault conviction. After Reeder was cleared by doctors, he was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on two outstanding felony warrants after he stole a small number of items from the Dollar General store on the west side of the city. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at the Dollar General in the 1900-block of SW Bridge Street at 3:20 p.m. Tuesday. Police said 35-year-old Marcus Allen Weeks stole about $12 worth of food and paint from the store before fleeing on a bicycle. They located him a short time later and recovered the stolen items before placing him into custody. A routine records check revealed that Weeks was wanted on two Jackson County felony warrants for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Burglary, 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief, 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass and 3rd-Degree Theft. Weeks was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants plus a new charge of 3rd-Degree Theft. He was being held pending transfer to the Jackson County Jail in Medford. His bike was logged into evidence for safekeeping.

 

Two people were hurt late yesterday in a motor vehicle accident on Riverbanks Road west of Grants Pass. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the two-vehicle collision near milepost 15 of State Route 260 on Tuesday at 4:58 p.m.. Troopers said a preliminary investigation indicated a Nissan Sentra driven by an 18-year-old Grants Pass man failed to maintain his lane and crashed head-on into a Dodge Ram pickup driven by a 37-year-old Cave Junction man. According to OSP, the two occupants of the Dodge were transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with unspecified injuries while the two occupants of the Nissan denied any injuries. Both vehicles were towed to Grants Pass. The young driver of the Nissan was either cited or warned for a traffic violation.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Brookings man for impaired driving last night following a traffic stop on Redwood Highway just west of Grants Pass. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Chevrolet Colorado driven by a 28-year-old motorist on US Highway 199 near Midway Avenue on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the vehicle for several traffic violations and the driver showed signs of impairment by both alcohol and drugs. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests so he was transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided breath and urine samples, but refused to be evaluated by a drug recognition specialist. The suspect was charged with suspicion of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Controlled Substances. He was cited to appear in court and his pickup was impounded.