Local News

The Grants Pass City Council on Wednesday night considered amendments to zoning, system development charges, special event fees and the hiring of a new City Attorney. No action was taken on two amendments that would allow 18 tax lots to opt for the zoning transition overlay, which allows only for high-density housing. The Council then approved an ordinance amending system development charges to add RV spaces to its sewer system methodology. Councilors then approved a resolution creating a fee schedule for city-managed special events including the 4th of July, Art along the Rogue and the Christmas Tree Lighting. The vendor fee for the 4th of July and the Tree Lighting is $60 and $120 for Art Along the Rogue because it is a multi-day event. Food truck fees are now $250. In a split vote, the City Council denied the hiring of Stephanie Nuttall as City Attorney. She currently serves as Assistant Legal Counsel for Josephine County. The Council convened as the Urban Renewal Agency and approved City Manager Aaron Cubic as the Budget Officer.

 

The Josephine County Fair Board has announced that country artists Rodney Atkins and Ned LeDoux will be performing at the Josephine County Fair this summer. Both Atkins and LeDoux are scheduled to perform at the Fairgrounds Grandstand on Thursday, July 31st. This year's county fair runs July 30th-August 3rd. Atkins has entertained thousands of fans with one his many mega-hits such as "These are My People," "Farmer's Daughter" and "Watching You." LeDoux is the son of the late country music legend Chris LeDoux. Singer and songwriter Ned has been releasing solo music since 2017, but he has been a touring musician since his teenage years. His first full-length album in 2017 featured "Forever a Cowboy" which became an instant classic. His most recent album is titled "Buckskin," featuring the single "Safe Haven." Tickets are available online now at "josephinecountyfairgrounds.com."

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners had no public hearings or action items on its agenda for today's business session. The 22-minute meeting started with an invocation by Chad Hanson, a pastor with Edgewater Christian Fellowship, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The session was dominated by public comments including one man who opposed the religious invocation based on his belief of separation of church and state, and because he feels it discriminates against those who are not Christians. Other citizen comments involved opposition to the recent firing of Board Secretary Wendy Watkins and opposition to a Grants Pass couple who are once again trying to be removed from the Josephine Community Library District. Right-wing activist Mike Pelfrey and his wife are the couple attempting to be removed from the library district. He had commentary on the recent injunction placed on the City of Grants Pass for restricting homeless camping, saying that the injunction was approved by "a left-leaning liberal judge." Former Commissioner John West testified that he is concerned that the Board is considering the transfer of $200,000 from the Forestry Department to the Juvenile Justice Department. He said it could lead to the liquidation of County Forestry. Board Chair Andreas Blech said he would review the Charter based on West's comment, Board Vice-Chair Chris Barnett praised Public Works crews for working to keep rural roads clear of snow and Commissioner Ron Smith said he stands firm against the Statewide Wildfire Hazard Map, adding that he was amazed by the huge crowd that gathered for last week's meeting on Senate Bill 762.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman for assaulting a fellow tenant at a rental unit in the downtown area The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident in the 400-block of SW I Street on Tuesday at 8 p.m.. It allegedly occurred on Monday night. Police said a woman advised she recently moved into the residence on February 1st and is in a landlord-tenant arrangement with the property owner. The landlord has two separate living quarters in her backyard and her daughter lives in one of them. The daughter -- 40-year-old Hannah Rachael Rose Staicoff -- was allowed to enter the other woman's quarters to retrieve stored items. But on Monday night, Staicoff entered the other quarters while intoxicated and yelling, attempted to pull the other woman off her bed and physically attacked her by placing her hands around the woman's neck. According to the report, the victim sustained scratching, bruising and redness where Staicoff reportedly bit her. The victim sought treatment for her injuries at Three Rivers Medical Center. They were photographed by responding officers. Staicoff was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Assault and Strangulation. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a local felon for violating his probation by trying to steal merchandise from Home Depot yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at the store on NE Mill Street on Tuesday at 12:40 p.m.. Police said 51-year-old Robert David Smith passed all points of sale with more than $385 worth of Home Depot merchandise before he was stopped by loss prevention just outside the store. They took the suspect to the loss prevention office where he refused to identify himself and was uncooperative. Upon arrival, police identified Smith' and contacted his corrections officer. She instructed them to place her client on a no-bail detainer. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft and the resulting Probation Violation. Smith was also trespassed from Home Depot which retained the stolen items.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for attempting to steal a pair of pants from Grange Co-op late yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a shoplifting call at the store on West Schutzwohl Lane near Redwood Highway on Tuesday at 5:09 p.m.. Police said 24-year-old Lauren Marie Espey passed all points of sale at Grange Co-op with a pair of pants valued at $30. She was stopped by loss prevention in the store parking lot and returned with them to the store. Espey reportedly admitted to the heist and was charged with 2nd-Degree Theft. After being trespassed from the store, she was cited to appear in court and then released.

 

Grants Pass Police cited two people after a vehicle collided with a moped in the downtown area yesterday. The Police Department reports officers and emergency personnel responded to the two-vehicle crash at the corner of SE 9th and G streets on Tuesday at 11:45 a.m.. Police said the driver of a Suzuki sedan made a dangerous left turn that caused the moped rider to collide with the front fender of the vehicle. The moped rider flew over the hood of the Suzuki and landed on the ground. The moped rider was badly injured and transported to a local hospital where the trauma system was activated. Following an investigation, the Suzuki driver was cited for Dangerous Left Turn while the moped rider was cited for Driving While Suspended and Failure to Register Vehicle. GPPD did not identify either person. The damaged moped was logged into evidence for safekeeping.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office cited a young motorist and warned her mother following a traffic stop in downtown Cave Junction yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies pulled over a 2006 Toyota Sienna driven by a teenage girl in the 300-block of South Redwood Highway on Tuesday at 2:46 p.m.. Deputies said they stopped the vehicle for running a red light and discovered that the young driver had no license. She was cited for No Operator's License. The girl's mother was warned that if she continued to allow her daughter to drive without a license, she could possibly be arrested for Child Neglect or Reckless Endangering. The Toyota was parked and secured in a store parking lot and the mother was advised to find a licensed driver to retrieve it.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Grants Pass area woman for felony assault after she allegedly beat up her boyfriend in front of their children. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 100-block of Sycamore Drive on Monday night. Deputies said they received a call from a 30-year-old woman who stated that her boyfriend beat her up and threw her to the ground by her hair. They learned that four children in the home witnessed the incident. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that the female subject had been the aggressor by punching and hitting her boyfriend. She was placed into custody following the investigation. No one was seriously hurt. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. She was being held without bail.