Local News

Round Two of a surprisingly strong series of winter storms is hitting Southern Oregon and Northern California. The National Weather Service has posted a Winter Storm Warning for the region that is in effect until 7 a.m. Thursday and a Winter Weather Advisory for the area that is in effect until 10 a.m. tomorrow. For the Winter Storm Warning, heavy snow is expected with accumulations of 5 to 12 inches above 1,500 feet and up to 18 inches over the highest elevations. This includes Highways 199, 238 and Interstate 5. For the Winter Weather Advisory, snow is expected in local valleys with accumulations between 1 and 4 inches. All schools in Southern Oregon from Glendale to the California border are closed for a second straight day due to the winter storm. All state offices in Josephine and Jackson counties -- including courts -- are also closed today. Travel could be very difficult to impossible at times. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning and evening commutes. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. For updated road information in Oregon, visit "tripcheck.com." For updated road information in California, visit "quickmap.dot.ca.gov."

 

Pacific Power crews continue to respond to widespread storm-related outages across its Southern Oregon and Northern California service areas. Snow accumulation and continued winter weather has resulted in hazardous conditions impacting repair and restoration times, but repair crews are making progress by restoring electricity to thousands of customers. More than 300 field crews and other personnel are involved in the restoration efforts, working around the clock to make repairs. Tom Eide, Pacific Power's vice president of operations, said their crews are working through three feet of snow in some areas, with downed trees blocking roads. He said they thank their customers for their patience and understanding as they continue to work in these difficult conditions. Pacific Power encourages customers to report outages by calling 1-(877)-508-5088 or by texting OUT to 722797. Text STAT to 722797 to check the status of your outage. Visit "pacificpower.net/outages" for a map showing current restoration estimates

 

UPDATE: JOSEPHINE COUNTY HAS CANCELLED THIS EVENT DUE TO SNOWY WEATHER. THE NEXT YOUTH TREE PLANT IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 5-7, 2026

Weather permitting, more than 1,000 children are scheduled to take part in the 35th Annual Ross Roe Memorial Youth Tree Plant over the next three days. Organized by the Josephine County Forestry Department, the plant is a three-day event just inside the southwest city limits of Grants Pass. This is the only continuous youth tree plant in the state of Oregon. About 4,000 trees will be planted during this year's event, mostly pine trees along with some Douglas firs. Children from local schools, scout groups, 4-H clubs and other groups from Josephine and Jackson counties participate in this event every year. More than 100,000 trees have been planted by 23,000 area children since 1990. The annual tree plant was renamed to honor Ross Roe after his death in 2019 at the age of 91. Roe was a Grants Pass businessman who was instrumental in the creation of the event 35 years ago.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners should make quick work of a light agenda for its weekly business session tomorrow. There are no public hearings, administration action items or proclamations on the meeting docket. Under Public Comment from Citizens, participants are given three minutes to address the Board on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Board members may review public comments and address those topics. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

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 yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 100-block of Sycamore Drive on Monday around 6:15 p.m.. 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.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for three felony-level crimes after responding to a shoplifting incident at Walmart early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 31-year-old Anthony Boyd Mooney behind La Burrita Mexican Restaurant on Monday at about 11 a.m.. Police said Mooney passed all points of sale at Walmart with nearly $700 worth of merchandise. They said he scanned around $300 in items, but skip-scanned about $400 more and then exited the store before being stopped by loss prevention. The stolen merchandise was recovered, but the suspect fled on foot. Responding officers chased Mooney in the area before finally placing him into custody. A records check revealed that he was wanted in connection with a separate incident that generated charges of Felony Burglary, Felony Theft and Felony Criminal Mischief. Mooney was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on probable cause of the felony crimes plus new charges of 2nd-Degree Theft and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail. His pickup was seized for further investigation.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a male transient on two local warrants early yesterday after finding him sleeping in front of a north-city ice cream parlor. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to two men -- including 36-year-old Ian Seiwell Hogue -- sleeping under blankets by Udder's Ice Cream off NE 7th Street on Monday around 3 a.m.. Police said Hogue left the area while they were checking for warrants. They said he was found to be wanted on two Grants Pass warrants for failing to appear in court for Felony Possession of Fentanyl and Possession of Methamphetamine. Officers tracked down Hogue and placed him into custody near a marijuana dispensary. He was lodged in jail on the warrants and was being held on $20,000 bail. Both he and the other man -- identified as "Shaun Gee" -- were trespassed from Udder's.

 

One person was injured and another was cited after a motor vehicle accident in southwest Grants Pass early yesterday. Grants Pass Police and emergency crews responded to the two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Redwood Highway and Allen Creek Road on Monday shortly after 10 a.m.. Details about the incident were sketchy, but a Nissan Sentra and a Toyota RAV-4 driven by female motorists were involved in a rear-end collision. The northbound turn lane on Allen Creek Road was temporarily closed by debris in the roadway. According to GPPD, one of the drivers was transported to the hospital with minor injuries while the other refused medical transport. The Nissan was towed from the crash scene. Following an investigation, a motorist identified only as "Farris" was cited for No Operator's License.

 

A Grants Pass woman was injured early yesterday when she lost control of her car and crashed on Interstate 5 in the north part of the city. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to a single-vehicle wreck in the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 58 on Monday shortly before 8 a.m.. Troopers said the driver -- a 26-year-old Grants Pass woman -- stated that she lost control of a Toyota Camry she was driving while attempting to enter the freeway and crashed into a concrete barrier. According to OSP, the driver was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with suspected minor injuries. No one else was hurt. Her 23-year-old male passenger recovered the damaged vehicle with help from friends.