KLDR - Local News

Board Adopts Ordinance for Accessory Dwelling Units and Hears from BLM Rep

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners this morning adopted an ordinance that paves the way for the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on rural properties. The Board voted unanimously on the second reading of the ordinance that amends the Rural Land Development Code by adding a chapter on ADUs that did not exist before today. The first reading was approved on June 12th. Assistant Legal Counsel Stephanie Nutall testified that ADUs were added to state statutes to increase affordable housing in Oregon. She said ADUs are limited to 900 square feet and they must be located no more than 100 feet from an existing single-family dwelling on rural properties outside the urban growth boundary that are at least two acres in size. In other business, the Board heard from BLM Field Manager Heidi Lowery on the agency's intentions for the Pipe Fork property near Williams. The Commissioners are on the verge of selling the 320-acre forested parcel to a nature conservancy organization and a group from Williams for $2.32 million. The property would then be turned over to the BLM for management. However, the Board expressed concerns about whether the property would be logged and if it would remain open to public access in perpetuity. Lowery told the Board the BLM owns the adjacent property that it is managing as a Research Natural Area to monitor Port Orford Cedar trees for root-rot disease. She said the agency does not plan to log the property and will leave it open to the public unless the disease infects the area or there is some sort of disaster like a fire. Board Chair John West suggested that before the sale is completed, legal counsels from the county and BLM could draw up a memorandum of understanding or deed restriction to codify those intentions in writing. The sale of the former Josephine County timber property must be completed by August 15th.

Posted on 6/26/24 1:54PM by Sam Marsh

Commission Hears Passionate Testimony in Favor of Funding 4-H Service District

The Board of Commissioners will not be voting on budgets for Josephine County, the Law Enforcement Service District and 4-H Extension Service District until Friday, but the Board heard plenty of testimony on one of the spending plans this morning. Finance Director Sandy Novak made brief presentations on all three budgets, but there was no public testimony in hearings pertaining to Josephine County or the Law Enforcement Service District. As expected, there was plenty of testimony on the 4-H Extension Service District budget after two of the Commissioners -- John West and Herman Baertschiger -- vowed to defund the district that two-thirds of Josephine County voters approved in 1996. An unofficial tally showed 17 citizens testifying in favor of the service district and five testifying against it. The OSU Extension Service had multiple representatives at the meeting and offered to answer questions from the Board, but none were asked. Testimony in favor of the district was passionate and included several prominent members of the community. Perhaps the most reasonable suggestion to solve the problem came from veteran Commissioner Dan DeYoung who stated the Board should fund the district for one year and then place a measure on the November ballot asking voters whether they want to continue to pay for OSU Extension Services. Public hearings and final decisions on the budgets will occur on Friday at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

Posted on 6/26/24 12:30PM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Woman for Threatening Sister with Baseball Bat & Hatchets

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman for threatening her sister with a baseball bat and throwing hatchets at her and others in the northwest part of the city yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 35-year-old female subject for the incident at a home in the 900-block of NW Donna Drive at 3:20 p.m. Tuesday. Police said the subject's sister called 9-1-1 to report the woman was throwing hatchets at the family car and nearly hitting her and other witnesses. The caller said her sister first came at her with a baseball bat while intending to cause bodily harm. At least three witnesses corroborated the victim's account of the incident. According to the report, the hatchets struck the victim's car numerous times -- but no one was injured. The suspect reportedly lives in a tent in the home's backyard. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Domestic Menacing. She was being held without bail.

Posted on 6/26/24 11:22AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Collared Felon for Parole Violation after Traffic Stop at GP Gas Station

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended a man for violating his post-prison supervision yesterday after a traffic stop at a business off the Grants Pass Parkway. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested a 36-year-old male subject at the Arco AM/PM gas station in the 100-block of NE Terry Lane on Tuesday at 3:50 p.m.. Deputies did not disclose why they pulled over the vehicle, but they identified the passenger as a subject wanted on a felony warrant issued out of the Warner Creek Correctional Facility for Parole Violation stemming from his alleged escape from a transitional leave program. The suspect was placed into custody without incident. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 6/26/24 11:21AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Assisted CHP with Finding Hit & Run Suspect after Highway 199 Stop in CJ

The Oregon State Police assisted California Highway Patrol (CHP) with locating a suspect involved in a hit-and-run crash with serious bodily injury in California. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Chevrolet Impala driven by the 49-year-old Prineville man near the intersection of Redwood Highway and Hanby Lane in Cave Junction on Tuesday at 7:35 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the motorist for several traffic violations and several indicators of impairment were observed. The man was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center where a telephonic search warrant for two vials of his blood was granted and executed. Based on the results of the blood draw, he was arrested. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving, Driving While Suspended and two bench warrants for failing to appear in court. His vehicle was impounded. According to OSP, an investigation is ongoing regarding the hit-and-run collision by CHP.

Posted on 6/26/24 11:19AM by Sam Marsh

Officers Snared Uncooperative Motorist for DUII after Traffic Stop near GPHS

Grants Pass Police arrested an uncooperative motorist for impaired driving last night following a traffic stop near Grants Pass High School. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a black Dodge 4x4 pickup driven by a 22-year-old man near the corner of NE 8th and Olive streets on Tuesday at about 8:30 p.m.. Police said they stopped the vehicle because the young driver was doing several burnouts near the intersection of NE 8th and A streets. They said he exhibited signs of impairment, but refused to participate in field sobriety tests twice and requested the presence of an attorney. A search warrant was obtained and the suspect was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented a high level of impairment. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. Due to his uncooperative nature, he was being held without bail. His vehicle was released to a neighbor.

Posted on 6/26/24 11:18AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Evicted Camper from Park after Citing Him for Ordinance Violations

Grants Pass Police evicted a camper from a city park early yesterday after citing him for multiple ordinance violations. According to the Police Department, officers contacted the man at Lawnridge Park on NW Hawthorne Avenue on Tuesday morning. Police said they were alerted to a citizen complaint that transients were actively smoking marijuana in the park and that tents were not being removed after being posted by law enforcement. The male subject had been warned the previous day about being in a Buffer Zone and the subject had not moved his tent. The man was cited for two counts of Buffer Zone Violation and he was trespassed from the park for 30 days. No evidence of marijuana use was found.

Posted on 6/26/24 11:15AM by Sam Marsh

JMET Raid in Sunny Valley Results in Seizure of 2,600 Illegal Marijuana Plants

The Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) raided an illegal cannabis growing site in Sunny Valley yesterday. On Tuesday morning, JMET -- with assistance from Josephine County Public Health & Building Safety -- served a search warrant in the 300-block of Sunny Glen Way. During execution of the warrant, more than 2,600 marijuana plants were seized and destroyed. The property also had multiple electrical, water and solid waste code violations, which could result in the criminal forfeiture of the property. According to JMET, the primary suspect was not at the property during the search. If located, he or she will be charged with Unlawful Manufacture of Marijuana, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana and Unlawful Appropriation of Water. Detectives said the investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.

Posted on 6/26/24 6:30AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Man for Probation Violation after Downtown Daycare Incident

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for violating terms of his probation after he caused a disturbance in the downtown area this week. The Police Department reports officers eventually arrested the 58-year-old male subject in the 300-block of NE 7th Street around midday Monday. Police said the subject caused numerous calls for service including the Critter Campus Daycare regarding his violent and tumultuous behavior. They said he was reported to be yelling at kids on the playground at the daycare and telling staff he was going to hurt the kids. The man bent the frame of a gate trying to get in. Officers contacted the man at A-1 Market & Deli where he was displaying pre-assault indicators to the owner of the daycare. They said he was noticeably under the influence of alcohol while holding a can of beer. His probation officer was contacted about the incident. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and the resulting Probation Violation related to past arrests for Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Criminal Mischief, Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Trespass. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 6/26/24 6:29AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Collared Washington State Fugitive after Lincoln Savage Disturbance

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended man wanted on an out-of-state fugitive warrant following a disturbance at a local middle school this week. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies arrested a 61-year-old male subject at Lincoln Savage Middle School on New Hope Road in Murphy on Monday. Deputies said multiple callers reported a man jumping in and out of traffic, flipping everyone off and writing on signs with a sharpee pen at the entrance to the school. No one was hurt and there was no damage estimate available. Upon arrival, deputies contacted the subject and discovered that he was wanted on a Pierce County Sheriff's Office warrant issued in Tacoma, Washington, for failing to appear in court for Burglary. He was immediately placed into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and he was being held without bail pending extradition proceedings.

Posted on 6/26/24 6:28AM by Sam Marsh

Early Detection & Defensible Space Credited with Limiting Cienaga Lane Fire

Early detection and defensible space preparations allowed for a positive outcome with a fast-moving grass fire in the Azalea Drive area late yesterday. On Tuesday at 5:15 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and the Oregon Department of Forestry were dispatched to the blaze in the 100-block of Cienaga Lane. Rural Metro officials said ODF detection cameras on Mt. Sexton notified agencies of a column of smoke coming up near Azalea Drive. After Josephine County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police units assisted in locating the fire, crews were able to make an aggressive attack, limiting damage to the loss of a small outbuilding and one vehicle. The fire was halted at an estimated 3.25 acres. Multiple residents in the neighborhood had spent numerous hours this past spring building defensible space for their properties. Fire officials credited this effort with saving homes that could have been lost in this incident.

Posted on 6/26/24 6:26AM by Sam Marsh

USFS Invests $200K to Remove Two Dams on Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest

The US Forest Service has announced an investment of over $2.88 million to fund five Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) projects in the Pacific Northwest for the current fiscal year. One of those funded projects is in Southern Oregon. Forest Service officials said this funding is part of a larger $12 million national investment in GNA projects for the same period. They said the projects aim to enhance watersheds, restore forest health and reduce wildfire risks in Oregon and Washington. The funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allows the Forest Service to partner directly with state agencies for these projects. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife received $200,000 for priority fish passage projects including the removal of the Pomeroy and Parrot Creek dams on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. In other projects, the Oregon Department of Forestry received $1 million to support forest restoration on federal lands and the Oregon Department of Transportation received $485,000 to mitigate hazard trees along forest roads and state highways crossing Forest Service lands.

Posted on 6/26/24 6:18AM by Sam Marsh