KLDR - Local News

Oregon & Idaho Senators Push to Reauthorize SRS Program Supporting Rural Counties

US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley of Oregon announced that they and two Idaho senators along with 17 other Senate colleagues have reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Program (SRS). SRS is administered for counties hosting both US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management forested lands. If passed, the bill would be extended through Fiscal Year 2026. Wyden, Merkley and Republican Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch introduced the legislation in the 118th Congress and the Senate unanimously passed it in November 2024. However, it did not receive a vote in the US House of Representatives before the end of the congressional session. The senators say the program needs to be reauthorized as soon as possible to avoid a gap in funding for rural counties that rely on the program for needed services. Congress first enacted SRS in 2000 to financially assist counties with public, tax-exempt forestlands. The US Forest Service and BLM administer the funds. SRS payments are critical to maintain education programs for many rural counties that contain federal lands exempt from property taxes. More than two-thirds of the land in Josephine County is federally-managed.

Posted on 2/12/25 6:16AM by Sam Marsh

North Medford High School Gymnasium Roof Collapses Under Weight of Heavy Snow

The roof of North Medford High School's gymnasium collapsed Tuesday morning under the weight of snow following a strong winter storm last week. The Oregonian reports no one was injured in the collapse, a spokesperson for the Medford School District said. School officials had noticed a crack in a roof-supporting beam on Friday and closed the gym and the surrounding area to students as a precaution, according to the district. "The structure has performed well for 60 years, and the crack developed under the extreme weight of approximately 700,000 pounds of snow -- a significant load," the district said in an email to parents on Tuesday morning. The school's approximately 1,700 students were sent home early following the incident. Footage provided by the school district shows the roof's gym starting to sink at 10:46 a.m. yesterday. It quickly collapsed moments later, sending dust and some materials into the air. The incident occurred just months after the district completed summer renovations on the gym to make the building earthquake-proof. The district said it is consulting with engineers and developing a plan to repair the gym.

Posted on 2/12/25 6:14AM by Sam Marsh

Pacific Power Foundation Awards Grants to Support 2 Local Arts and Cultural Groups

The Pacific Power Foundation knows local organizations who provide music, theater, community festivals and connections to local history are vital to their communities. The local organizations create beauty, unite people across cultures, generate jobs and foster the creativity needed to tackle complex problems. To support this crucial work, the Pacific Power Foundation is donating more than $175,000 in new grant funding to community-serving organizations in Oregon, Washington and northern California. A total of 64 grants were awarded to local organizations in the most recent round, which is focused on art and culture. Local recipients included the Illinois Valley Family Coalition in Cave Junction and the Rogue Valley Art Association in Medford. The Pacificorp Foundation -- doing business as Pacific Power in Oregon, Washington and northern California -- is one of the largest utility-endowed foundations in the United States.

Posted on 2/12/25 6:12AM by Sam Marsh

Board of Commissioners Weekly Session Scheduled for Wednesday Afternoon

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will hold its weekly business session tomorrow afternoon instead of tomorrow morning. The Board gave no reason for the later time on its agenda and several calls to the Commissioners' Office today went unanswered. Under Administrative Actions, the Board is scheduled to consider a collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Two weeks ago, it was denied by the Board. In other business, the Commissioners will consider an order setting a public hearing for fees charged by the Recreation Department, an order terminating a memorandum of agreement that authorizes Josephine County to provide on-site sewage services on behalf of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and approval of a final plat map for Fruitdale Cottages. As always, there will be Requests and Comments from Citizens in which residents are given three minutes to address the Board on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 2 p.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

Posted on 2/11/25 1:23PM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Jailed Sex Offender for Not Complying with Registration Mandates

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a sex offender late last night for not complying with his registration requirements. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 44-year-old Joseph Michael Correia at the corner of Merlin Avenue and Pleasant Valley Road at 10:18 p.m. Monday. Deputies said they spotted Correia while patrolling the Merlin area. They said a routine records check revealed that he was wanted for Felony Failure to Report as a Sex Offender. According to the Sheriff's Log, Correia has a history of assaultive behavior and he is a risk to escape. However, he was placed into custody without incident. Correia was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail without bail. He was scheduled to be arraigned in Circuit Court this afternoon.

Posted on 2/11/25 11:24AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Investigation into Hit & Run Crash Led to Arrest of Alleged Suspect

An investigation into a hit-and-run crash that occurred last week in west Grants Pass resulted in the arrest of the alleged offender last weekend. Grants Pass Police were alerted to the incident that occurred in the 900-block of SW Laurel Street last Thursday afternoon. Police said a motorist later identified as "Kevin Haugen" crashed his white Ford Explorer into a vehicle parked in front of the victim's residence. The suspect left the scene without stopping and did not attempt to contact the victim. According to GPPD, the incident was caught on video from a surveillance camera which led them to the suspect's home in the 1900-block of Rogue River Highway on Sunday afternoon. Haugen admitted to hitting the parked vehicle and driving away. He was cited to appear in court for Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage and No Insurance.

Posted on 2/11/25 11:23AM by Sam Marsh

No One Hurt in Monday Morning Crash between 2 Trucks in North Grants Pass

No one was injured in a collision between two trucks in north Grants Pass early yesterday. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews responded to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of NE 7th Street and Hillcrest Drive on Monday shortly after 8 a.m.. Troopers said evidence at the scene and video surveillance indicates a white Dodge Ram pickup driven by a 60-year-old man failed to stop at a stop light and struck a gray Dodge Ram pickup driven by a 29-year-old man. No injuries were reported, but both vehicles were towed from the scene. Although video evidence showed the white Dodge had a solid red stop light on 7th Street, it was unclear in the OSP report if any citations were issued. Both drivers were given a copy of the crash report.

Posted on 2/11/25 11:21AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Cited Driver for Crashing into Parked Vehicles in NW Neighborhood

Grants Pass Police cited a motorist last weekend after she crashed into two parked vehicles in a northwest city neighborhood. According to the Police Department, officers and emergency crews responded to the three-vehicle collision in the 1,000-block of NW Washington Boulevard on Sunday around 4:45 p.m.. Police said an investigation determined that 33-year-old Tarren Thomas was driving a Lincoln SUV north on Washington Boulevard when she wrecked into a Honda CRV and a Ford Focus parked along the curb. They said they contacted Thomas at the scene and there were no signs of impairment. Thomas was subsequently cited to appear in court for Failure to Maintain Lane and No Insurance. Her SUV sustained moderate damage and it was towed away. Crash reports were supplied to all the involved parties.

Posted on 2/11/25 11:20AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Nabbed Motorist for Impaired Driving after Josephine County Traffic Stop

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving in Josephine County last night. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Dodge Journey driven by a 35-year-old male subject in an unspecified location on Monday at 9:06 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the Dodge for traffic violations and the driver showed strong signs of impairment. They said the driver performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was more than twice the legal driving limit. The suspect was lodged at the Sobering Center for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. His vehicle was impounded.

Posted on 2/11/25 11:18AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man on Outstanding Warrant in Weekend Patrol at Market

Grants Pass Police arrested a man wanted on a local warrant during a weekend patrol check at convenience store. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 38-year-old Austin Bently Bowman at A-1 Market & Deli on SW G Street on Sunday afternoon. Police said they observed Bowman outside the store and knew that he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for probable cause of 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was immediately detained. After the warrant was confirmed, Bowman was cited to appear in court and then released.

Posted on 2/11/25 11:17AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Placed Klamath Falls Man on Mental Hold after Disabled Vehicle Call

The Oregon State Police placed a Klamath Falls man on a mental hold early today after responding to a report of a disabled motorist on Interstate 5 near Sunny Valley. OSP reports troopers were dispatched to a disabled Dodge Dart in the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 70 at 1:09 this morning. Troopers said the 27-year-old male driver of the vehicle made several suicidal statements to dispatchers and he met the criteria for a Peace Officer's Mental Hold. The distraught man was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for the hold and his vehicle was left at the scene at his request.

Posted on 2/11/25 11:16AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Jailed Medford Felon for Several Crimes after Weekend Traffic Stop in GP

The Oregon State Police jailed a Medford man for several crimes after a weekend traffic stop on the east side of Grants Pass. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Dodge Ram pickup driven by 42-year-old Matthew Roy Barbosa on the Grants Pass Parkway underneath the Interstate 5 milepost 55 overpass around midday Saturday. Troopers said they stopped Barbosa for traffic violations and quickly learned that the pickup had been reported stolen. The suspect was detained and a search of the vehicle located a hidden compartment filled with US currency, a digital scale and drug paraphernalia. The convicted felon was also found with unspecified weapons. According to OSP, Barbosa gave inconsistent statements about how he came to be in possession of the stolen truck and he was placed into custody. The cash, drugs, drug paraphernalia and weapons were seized as evidence. Barbosa was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Methamphetamine Possession and two counts of Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon. He was being held without bail. The stolen pickup was returned to a 65-year-old Grants Pass woman.

Posted on 2/11/25 6:41AM by Sam Marsh