Local News

A Grants Pass Police Department investigation has resulted in the arrest of an adult caregiver for allegedly threatening one of his patients late last week. The Police Department reports officers responded to a disturbance at a home in the 2,000-block of Montgomery Lane on Friday. Police said an elderly man who requires a significant amount of care and assistance called 9-1-1 to report that he hit his head when his 46-year-old male caregiver was removing him from bed. They said there was no evidence to prove this claim. The alleged victim also claimed that he was struck by the caregiver when he asked the man to close his window. Once again, there was no evidence to prove the claim. However, a review of video surveillance showed an argument between the two parties with the caregiver standing over his patient with a closed fist. This caused the patient to curl into a fetal position in fear of serious imminent injury. The caregiver was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for suspicion of Menacing. He was being held without bail. The elderly patient was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for an evaluation and eventual placement at a licensed care facility. Officers called in Adult Protective Services and additional resources to help care for the patient.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a woman for attacking her mother at a home just north of Grants Pass last night. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to the disturbance in the 500-block of Tina Way on Tuesday around 7:25 p.m.. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her 44-year-old daughter hit her in the face and was refusing to leave the residence. The victim said she thought her nose was broken, but she declined medical care. Upon arrival, deputies and the Oregon State Police detained the daughter who tried to kick a trooper. She was flagged as emotionally disturbed due to her erratic behavior. The suspect was lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail for Physical Harassment and Menacing. She was also trespassed indefinitely from her mother's home.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended a Wolf Creek man wanted on out-of-state and local warrants yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 47-year-old male subject at a home in the 400-block of Bill Lane on Tuesday at 1:32 p.m.. He was placed into custody without incident. Deputies said the man was wanted by the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office in Washington for numerous crimes including Felony Strangulation, Felony Probation Violation and Felony Bail Jumping. He was also wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Fugitive from Justice. No other details were available in the Sheriff's Log, but the suspect was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. He awaits extradition proceedings that will likely send him back to Washington state.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on a statewide felony warrant following an early morning patrol check at the N Street Industrial Park. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 43-year-old male subject in the 1600-block of SE N Street on Tuesday at 2:44 a.m.. Police said they were patrolling the industrial park area when they observed a man pushing a Toyota Tacoma behind a building. Upon contact, the suspect refused to speak with officers and walked into Sam's Burgers where he claimed his girlfriend works. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the suspect was wanted on an Oregon Department of Corrections felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a previous conviction for Felon in Possession of a Weapon. The warrant was confirmed by the state and the felon was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man wanted on out-of-state and local warrants after a city park patrol check this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 42-year-old man at Lawnridge Park on NW Hawthorne Avenue on Monday morning. Police said they contacted the man for an observed ordinance violation and learned that he was wanted on a Bexar County, Texas, felony warrant for 2nd-Degree Assault on a Family Member. The suspect was also wanted on two Josephine County warrants -- one containing a secret indictment for Felony Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and the other for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was lodged in jail and faces possible extradition to send him back to San Antonio. According to the report, uncapped needles were located inside the man's tent and they were properly disposed of.

 

The Board of Commissioners is expected to adopt five ordinances that change the Josephine County Code during its weekly business session this morning. The Board will hold five public hearings on the second readings of each of the ordinances. The first readings were approved after April 3rd hearings. The ordinances pertain to repealing chapters related to the Urban Area Planning Commission, Jackson-Josephine Regional Board, Jefferson Behavioral Health and Job Council. The other ordinance amends the chapter for the Solid Waste Agency. All five ordinances are considered housekeeping items to keep the Code current. As part of the Consent Calendar, the Commissioners will consider one resolution to establish an Administrative Internal Service Fund and a second resolution to establish a County Services & Fleet Fund. Today's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

This week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, an annual event that honors the essential role emergency response coordination professionals play in keeping the nation's communities safe and secure. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek proclaimed April 14th-20th as Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in the state and encouraged all Oregonians to join in the observance. Oregon has 43 standalone 9-1-1 centers known as Public Safety Answering Points that serve as the first and single point of contact for people seeking immediate relief during an emergency. Nearly 800 dedicated telecommunicators across the state answer at least two million emergency calls annually for law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services. These 9-1-1 professionals respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance during intense personal crises and community-wide disasters. The critical work of Oregon's public safety telecommunicators directly supports the operations of federal, state and local government agencies. Oregon's 9-1-1 program was established by the 1981 Oregon Legislature and is directed by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.

 

The Four Way Community Foundation is assisting the Grants Pass School District in presenting a special variety show event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Performing Arts Center (PAC) and to launch a fundraising campaign to update and beautify the facility. The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 18th, at 6:30 p.m. in the PAC at Grants Pass High School, which is located at NE 8th and Olive streets. In 1996, the local foundation was instrumental in the community-wide effort to raise funds to build the 730-seat venue, providing over $500,000 from a bequest from the estate of Mel Voorhees, the Kay Pratton Fund and other charitable gifts. Numerous individuals and businesses made donations to build the facility, and voters passed a bond for the new high school which included creating the PAC, which opened in May of 1999. The GPHS PAC has the finest acoustics of any venue between Seattle and San Francisco. It is in use almost every day by community groups, visiting performers and students. After 25 years of almost constant use, the theater needs some items that are beyond the scope of annual school district allocations.

 

The City of Grants Pass will convene a roundtable discussion related to public safety funding tomorrow. Thursday's roundtable session will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street. During its April 1st workshop, a majority of the City Council wanted to hold a public safety funding conversation before deciding whether to proceed with the referral of a food & beverage tax to voters in the November general election. During the session, city staff will present an overview of public safety services provided by the police and fire departments along with the various funding options the Council has considered. This will be followed by questions and answers. City officials said this roundtable discussion is being treated as a normal Council workshop and does not provide an opportunity for public comment. A quorum of Council members may be present.