Local News

The City of Grants Pass started the 2025 southwest Oregon fire season on Sunday, with the fire danger level in the "low" category. Adopted City Municipal Code 9.15 Regulated Closure took effect on Sunday at 12:01 a.m.. Several restrictions have gone into effect in the Grants Pass city limits. Smoking in areas of flammable vegetation is now prohibited. All open fires are prohibited including campfires, cooking fires and warming fires except at locations designated by the Grants Pass Fire Marshal. The use of natural gas, propane and charcoal barbecues and smokers as well as natural gas and propane ornamental fires is still allowed. Power saw use is permitted all day during low fire danger. Each power saw is required to have one shovel and one fire extinguisher of at least 8-ounce capacity. A fire watch of one hour is required following the use of each saw. The cutting, grinding and welding of metal in areas of flammable vegetation is permitted during low fire danger as is the mowing of dry, cured grass. Motor vehicles -- including motorcycles and ATVs -- are only allowed on improved roads free of flammable vegetation except for the culture and harvest of agricultural crops. The City Fire Marshal or an authorized representative may -- in writing -- approve a modification or waiver of these requirements. For more information about fire season regulations, call Grants Pass Fire Prevention at (541)-450-6200.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters logged a busy seven days of activity in the week that included Boatnik. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 644 calls for service along with 265 officer-initiated calls that resulted in 51 arrests, 42 citations, 54 warnings and five highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 72 traffic stops in the city and they made 29 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) made a total of 31 contacts with potential troublemakers while arresting two people, citing 20 more and warning 11 others. The CRT unit also trespassed 11 individuals from homes and businesses. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 118 calls last week including 45 for emergency medical service, seven reports of fire or smoke, 12 lift assists, eight rescue situations, 12 assists to other agencies and 10 false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,288 emergency calls last week.

 

The Grants Pass Firefighters Association is thanking the community for its generosity after another successful "Fill the Boot" fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In less than four hours on Friday, firefighters were able to raise more than $10,000 for MDA. The MDA supports research, care and families impacted by the neuromuscular disease. All of these donations go directly to this important organization. Fire officials said they could not have raised such a large amount of money in a short time without "our awesome community's support." They said if you missed them on Friday, they will be back next year.

 

A joint interagency task force served a search warrant related to child pornography at a Medford residence early yesterday. The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) and Medford Police Department served the warrant at a home in the 3,000-block of Edgewood Drive on Thursday shortly before 8 a.m.. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports the search warrant was obtained after investigators discovered images of child porn were uploaded from the residence. Detectives interviewed possible witnesses and involved parties, but no arrests were made. The investigation is ongoing. SOCET began the investigation after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which led to subpoenas and the search warrant. The SOCET investigation was assisted by the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force and Ashland Police Department. During the search, investigators seized digital devices that will be forensically examined by the task force for further evidence of child exploitation. The investigation is active and ongoing. SOCET is a joint interagency task force that was launched in June 2020 to combat child exploitation. It consists of investigators from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Medford Police Department, Oregon State Police and the US Department of Homeland Security.

 

The Oregon State Police jailed a Williams man for crashing into another vehicle on Highway 238 near Murphy and then fleeing the scene late yesterday. OSP reports troopers responded to a hit-and-run crash near milepost 6 of Williams Highway on Thursday at 6:08 p.m.. Troopers said a 16-year-old male juvenile was driving a Lincoln LS and trying to turn onto a street when the driver of a Nissan Titan sideswiped the right rear side of his vehicle. The victim said the driver -- identified as 40-year-old Del Andrew Schneider -- failed to stop and exchange information. No one was injured. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office was able to locate the Nissan and detain Schneider. Upon being interviewed by troopers, he was arrested for Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage and lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail. According to OSP, Schneider's vehicle was blocking a driveway so it was towed to Grants Pass.

 

Grants Pass Police captured a woman who was wanted on a local felony warrant yesterday after spotting her near a marijuana dispensary in the north part of the city. The Police Department reports officers arrested 26-year-old Aria Elizay Echavarria near Cannabis Connection in the 1900-block of NE 7th Street shortly after 11 a.m. on Thursday. Police said they observed Echavarria walking through the parking lot and knew she was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for 3rd-Degree Robbery, 2nd-Degree Theft and Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. After the warrant was confirmed, Echavarria was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on $50,000 bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man on two outstanding warrants while investigating a trespassing complaint in Cave Junction yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies were alerted to the incident involving 38-year-old Ian Derek Berry in the 300-block of North Sawyer Avenue on Thursday around 9:55 a.m.. Deputies said the property owner reported that people were camping on his land behind the Dollar General store and he wanted them removed. One of the squatters contacted was Berry who was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Probation Violation as well as a Medford warrant for failing to appear in court for Furnishing False Information to Police. Berry was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. He was being held on $40,000 bail. Berry and two other illegal campers were trespassed from the property for one year. The others gathered their things and left upon request.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for violating terms of her post-prison supervision by continuing to trespass at a downtown business yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing call at Rogue Fly Shop on SE 6th Street on Thursday during the noon hour. Police said 61-year-old Marjorie Rose Anderson was under the influence of alcohol and sleeping on the property. They said she had personal items and trash scattered all around her. She had been trespassed from the property on May 22nd. Anderson was awakened, placed into custody and lodged in jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass plus the resulting Parole Violation stemming from a 2023 conviction for an unspecified crime. She was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for violating terms of her probation after a traffic stop at a city park late last night. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a Ford Explorer driven by 25-year-old Caitlin Caidence May Fossen at Tussing Park on Thursday around 10:45 p.m.. Police said they stopped Fossen after she was observed operating her vehicle on a public roadway with expired registration tags. Upon contact, officers discovered that her driving privileges had been suspended and she was driving unlawfully. Her corrections officer was contacted and she was placed into custody. Fossen was lodged in jail for Probation Violation related to a 2023 arrest for an undisclosed criminal allegation. She was being held on a no-bail detainer. Because Fossen was driving with a suspended license and she had been provided with prior warnings about her vehicle being towed if she continued to drive, the Ford Explorer was impounded.