Local News

The Oregon Broadband Office is pleased to announce that Josephine County is among the awardees of Broadband Technical Assistance Program (BTAP) grants of up to $150,000 per county. The grants can be used for eligible broadband planning and pre-construction activities, staffing and grant application support. A total of $1.5 million will be distributed to 11 projects to prepare for broadband infrastructure. Applicants had until February 2024 to apply for this competitive grant, which underwent a rigorous scoring review by Oregon Broadband Office staff and the Oregon Broadband Grant Application Review Committee based on the criteria outlined in the Program Handbook. The $150,000 grant for Josephine County will support efforts to attain a consultant who will perform strategic and feasibility planning services as well as stakeholder meeting engagement, permitting analysis, request for proposal and selection of lead applicant for the program, and application preparation. The consultant will serve as the Josephine County Broadband Coordinator and grant detailed activities. The funding came from the Oregon Universal Service Fund.

 

US Senator Ron Wyden announced he will hold four in-person town hall meetings in southwest Oregon -- including Josephine County -- next week. The Josephine County Town Hall is scheduled for Tuesday, April 23rd, at Hidden Valley High School in Murphy. It starts at 12:45 p.m.. Wyden will also hold town hall meetings in Curry County at Gold Beach on Tuesday, and in Coos County at North Bend and Douglas County in Reedsport on Wednesday, April 24th. Heading into these town halls, Senator Wyden will have held 1,081 town halls throughout Oregon -- including 16 so far this year -- in fulfillment of his pledge to hold at least one such meeting each year in each of the state's 36 counties. Wyden said "it's essential that everybody in our state has the opportunity in their community to ask questions, offer suggestions and share ideas." He said he very much looks forward to the upcoming conversations with southwest Oregonians.

 

The Grants Pass Public Works Department is offering tours to help people learn about the journey our water takes during this year's Drinking Water Week, which runs from May 5th-11th. Tours of the Grants Pass Water Treatment and Restoration plants will happen on Wednesday, May 8th. The tours can be scheduled by calling (541)-450-6110. The Water Filtration Plant treats water drawn from the Rogue River before it is released to the reservoir and -- ultimately -- your home. The Water Restoration Plant treats the water that leaves your home's drainage pipes, making it safe to release downstream in the river. Tours take about an hour and the limit is eight people per tour. The Water Treatment Plant has stairs, so comfortable shoes are required.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for roughing up his girlfriend in a rural area near Grants Pass yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 35-year-old male subject at a property in the 1,000-block of Plumtree Lane on Wednesday at 1:12 p.m.. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her boyfriend pulled a chair out from underneath her, causing her to fall and hurt her back. The caller said he also threw the chair at her and punched a door, stating he would hit her that way. The victim -- who advised dispatchers that she has bone cancer -- fled the trailer and hid in the woods to make the 9-1-1 call. She said her boyfriend followed her for a short distance and then returned to the trailer they share. Upon arrival, deputies interviewed both parties and placed the man into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Domestic Menacing and the resulting Probation Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

A Wednesday morning welfare check near Grants Pass High School led to the arrest of a felon on a weapons charge. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers responded to check on a man who passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle parked in the 800-block of NE 8th Street shortly after 7 a.m. yesterday. Police said they were alerted to reports of a passed-out driver with their foot pinned on the accelerator of the vehicle, which was revving loudly and disturbing citizens who said the vehicle was leaking fluid and smelled like it was burning. Upon arrival, officers shut off the running vehicle and contacted the 40-year-old man, discovering that he was a convicted felon who had a pair of brass knuckles in his back pocket. He was placed into custody and the brass knuckles were seized. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on a statewide felony warrant yesterday while investigating a disturbance at the corner of NW 6th Street and Evelyn Avenue. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a report of a female subject throwing rocks in the 800-block of NW 6th near Mini Pet Mart shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday. Police said the 30-year-old woman was standing in the middle of Evelyn Avenue when they arrived on scene. They contacted her and discovered that she was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a previous burglary conviction. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. She was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a Kesterson Park camper for violating her post-prison supervision agreement by relieving herself at a nearby church yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a trespassing complaint at New Song Christian Fellowship in the 100-block of NE Evelyn Avenue at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Police said the property owner provided surveillance video that showed the 38-year-old woman stepping onto the church grounds and urinating in a fountain. The suspect then returned to her campsite at the nearby city park. Officers contacted the woman, warned her for Criminal Trespass and charged her with 3rd-Degree Criminal Mischief. The suspect was lodged in jail for the vandalism incident plus the resulting Felony Parole Violation stemming from a previous criminal conviction. Jail records show the woman has been arrested six times for Parole Violation since last August. She was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local felony warrant at a southwest city residence last night. According to the Police Department, officers arrested the 38-year-old man at a home in the 900-block of SW L Street on Wednesday at 8:09 p.m.. Police said they were notified that the man was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Domestic Menacing. An investigation led to the suspect's whereabouts and his subsequent arrest. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and he was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for attempting to steal merchandise from Fred Meyer yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at the store on the Grants Pass Parkway on Wednesday around 2:45 p.m.. Police said the suspect selected more than $217 worth of items from Fred Meyer, passed all points of sale and tried to leave the store before he was confronted by loss prevention. The man dropped the stolen items and fled the scene on foot. Officers searched the area and located the 44-year-old suspect hiding behind Parkway Christian Center on the other side of the Parkway. He was placed into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft. He was also trespassed from Fred Meyer.