Local News

Total payroll employment in Jackson County rose by 410 jobs in September. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 103,303 people working in Jackson County last month for seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 4.6%, which was the same as in August. Private education & health services had the largest private-sector gains over the month with 170. A small increase was noted in transportation, warehousing & utilities. Industries with estimated job losses in September were construction, professional & business services, manufacturing, and leisure & hospitality. Government had a gain of 550 jobs over the month with an increase of 580 in local government education and a slight uptick of 20 jobs in federal government. Over the past year, payroll employment in Jackson County slipped by 70 jobs, a decrease of 0.1%. Since September 2023, industries adding jobs were private education & health services, and leisure & hospitality. Industries with over-the-year losses included retail trade, manufacturing, construction, financial activities and professional & business services.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two people for working together to steal hundreds of dollars' worth of merchandise from Grange Co-op late yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 43-year-old Timothy David Plumlee, Jr., and 21-year-old Heather Elaine Dixon at the store off West Schutzwohl Lane near Dowell Road on Wednesday at 4:25 p.m.. Police said Plumlee and Dixon worked together to steal more than $395 in boots, shoes and wallets by concealing the items and taking them past all points of sale at Grange Co-op. They were confronted by loss prevention and escorted back into the store to wait for law enforcement. According to the report, the incident was reported by an employee in Central Point who observed the crime on video surveillance. Plumlee was wanted on a statewide felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a previous burglary conviction. He was also found to be in possession of 25 grams of methamphetamine as well as two knives -- one of them spring-activated. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing any weapons. Plumlee was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrant and for 2nd-Degree Theft, Felony Possession and Delivery of Meth, Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon and the resulting Felony Parole Violation. Dixon was cited to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Theft and then released.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended a fugitive wanted on a statewide felony warrant at a Sunny Valley residence early yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 54-year-old Scott Wayne Chitwood at a home on Old Stage Road on Wednesday at 10:13 a.m.. Deputies said Chitwood was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation related to a previous robbery conviction. They said he was also found to be in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine. Chitwood was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and for Meth Possession. He was being held on a no-bail detainer. In addition to capturing the fugitive, the Sheriff's Office seized three vehicles -- a 1984 Ford Club Wagon 3500, a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt and a 2003 Hyundai Tiburon. All three were located on Copper Queen Road and they were towed to Grants Pass. It was unclear in the report if they had been reported stolen.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local warrant and for drug possession during a downtown patrol check yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers spotted 39-year-old Travis Randal Davenport near the corner of SE 6th and L streets on Wednesday at 3:25 p.m.. Police were familiar with Davenport from previous contacts and they knew he was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Disorderly Conduct. During a consent search, they found him to be in possession of a glass pipe with residue that tested positive for methamphetamine. Davenport was placed into custody and lodged in jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Meth Possession. He was being held on $15,000 bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for multiple crimes yesterday after she was caught stealing from Walmart. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to a shoplifting complaint at the store on NE Terry Lane on Wednesday around 2 p.m.. Police said 30-year-old Samantha Kay Bonnell entered Walmart and passed all points of sale with about $19 worth of stolen items. She had been trespassed from the big box retailer on Tuesday. During a consent search, Bonnell was found to be in possession of a white crystal substance that tested positive as methamphetamine. It was seized for destruction. Bonnell was lodged at the nearby Josephine County Jail for 3rd-Degree Theft, 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass and Meth Possession. She was once again trespassed from the store.

 

No one was injured when a vehicle rolled over on Redwood Highway at Hayes Hill yesterday. On Wednesday at about 2:20 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, Rural Metro Fire Department, American Medical Response, Josephine County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police were dispatched to the single-vehicle crash on Highway 199 near Hayes Hill Road. IVFD officials said the occupants were outside of the vehicle when emergency personnel arrived on scene and they did not sustain any injuries. The Oregon Department of Transportation moved the overturned vehicle to the side of the highway to ensure it was clear for other motorists. OSP was conducting an investigation into the cause of the accident.

 

An Applegate man escaped injury yesterday when he crashed his vehicle on Williams Highway near Provolt. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle wreck near milepost 12 of Highway 238 on Wednesday at 1:17 p.m.. Troopers said a 56-year-old man was driving an eastbound Ford F-350 pickup when he lost control while negotiating a corner and slid into a ditch, turning the truck over onto its side. They said he was not injured. Caveman Towing removed the vehicle and hauled it to Grants Pass. No citations were issued.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for attacking his fiancee twice over the past week. The Police Department reports officers were alerted on Tuesday morning to a domestic assault that happened at a home on NW B Street. Police said an investigation determined that a 36-year-old male subject and his fiancee became involved in an argument which became physical on Monday night. They said the man grabbed a metal back-scratcher and struck the woman, causing physical injury. The victim waited to call 9-1-1 until Tuesday morning and then drove to the police station to be interviewed. According to the report, the woman said a similar incident occurred last week. Officers contacted the suspect at the couple's residence and he admitted to both incidents, so he was placed into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 2nd-Degree Domestic Assault, Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Domestic Strangulation, Domestic Menacing and Probation Violation related to a previous arrest for 4th-Degree Assault and Resisting Arrest after he allegedly attacked his own mother.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for threatening to kill a woman in a rolling case of domestic violence in the south part of the city this week. According to the Police Department, a female subject walked into a business in the 1500-block of Williams Highway late Tuesday afternoon to report the incident. Police said the hysterical victim called 9-1-1 to report a male subject was trying to kill her. She advised dispatchers that the man had struck her several times. She also said she hadn't eaten or had any water in days. The 29-year-old suspect was sitting in a blue Honda sedan with no plates outside the business. He threw the victim's items out of the car and left prior to law enforcement arrival, but he was stopped and detained a short time later. The suspect was arrested and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Domestic Menacing. He was being held without bail. The Women's Crisis Support Team responded to the business to speak with the victim.