KLDR - Local News

Deputies Jailed Man for Chasing Children While Wielding Gun in New Hope Area

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for chasing two children while wielding a gun in the New Hope area. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 66-year-old Robert Lewis Taylor for the incident in the 100-block of East Intervale Road on Friday at 4:34 p.m.. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that a man with a gun chased her daughter and friend into a home. The caller's husband also had a gun and witnesses were trying to separate the two men, who were aggressively yelling at each other. An investigation determined Taylor was yelling that the children were being too loud and that he also told the children that he was going to chase them down with his car. While the suspect was carrying a gun, he did not point the weapon at them or discharge it. One witness reportedly had video of the incident. Arriving deputies interviewed the involved parties and then placed Taylor into custody. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two counts of Menacing and he was being held without bail.

Posted on 1/27/25 6:11AM by Sam Marsh

Trespassing Call at North GP Motel Led to Arrest of Suspect on Felony Warrant

A weekend trespassing investigation at a north Grants Pass motel led to the arrest of a man on an outstanding warrant and for drug possession. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers responded to a trespassing call at the Motel 6 on NE 7th Street on Friday around 11:45 p.m.. The motel manager reported several subjects were warming themselves with a fire in the parking lot. Upon arrival, police said they contacted the subjects who were keeping warm with a propane-fueled barbecue. The subjects left in different directions, but officers followed one woman who entered a nearby motel room. They knocked on the door and that's where they found 24-year-old Calvin Matthew Bertik sleeping on a bed. A routine records check led to the discovery that Bertik was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Burglary, 3rd-Degree Theft and Methamphetamine Possession. He admitted that he had a meth pipe and a small baggie of the narcotic stimulant on his person. They were seized. Bertik was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Meth Possession. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 1/27/25 6:10AM by Sam Marsh

Suspicious Activity Call at Motel 6 Resulted in Gun and Drug Seizures + Arrest

A report of suspicious activity at a north Grants Pass motel resulted in the seizure of an assault rifle and drugs as well as the arrest of a woman on an out-of-county warrant. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to a suspicious vehicle and a man knocking on doors at Motel 6 on NE 7th Street on Saturday at 3:39 a.m.. Police said a motel guest called 9-1-1 and reported a male subject in a black mask was pounding on doors. The man claimed that he was looking for someone, but refused to say who he was looking for. He was associated with a Chevrolet Silverado that had been moved across the parking lot a few times. Upon arrival, police contacted two women in the suspect vehicle and they observed a loaded assault rifle in plain view on the back seat. The women denied having any knowledge of the firearm and claimed they did not who it belonged to. Both were found to be convicted felons and they were detained, but not arrested. The firearm and some drug paraphernalia were seized by law enforcement. The male suspect was identified as "Joshua Pitts," but he was not located. Meanwhile, officers searching for Pitts located another woman whom they identified as 32-year-old Azea Soluna Zoray in a motel room and they discovered that she was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. She was lodged in jail on the warrant.

Posted on 1/27/25 6:08AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Officers & Firefighters Kept Promise to Protect & Serve Community

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters kept their promise to protect and serve the community last week. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 490 calls for service along with 350 officer-initiated calls which resulted 30 arrests, 30 citations, 73 warnings and seven highly intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 91 traffic stops in the city and they made 13 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 150 potential troublemakers while arresting three people, citing three more and warning 22 others. The CRT unit also trespassed three individuals, posted 113 transient camps and removed trash from 11 campsites. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 112 calls last week including 35 for emergency medical service, five reports of fire or smoke, 26 lift assists, two rescue situations, 10 assists to other agencies and nine false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 944 emergency calls.

Posted on 1/27/25 6:00AM by Sam Marsh

ODF on High Alert for New Fire Starts with Extended Dry Pattern across State

Due to the extended drying pattern we are experiencing throughout the state, the Oregon Department of Forestry encourages anyone who may have completed a debris or slash burn in the past few months to check out the burn site. ODF officials said embers can smolder beneath the surface -- even in winter -- after a burn and reignite in dry conditions. Windy weather over the weekend may have stirred up residual embers, which could start a fire. If you feel heat at your burn site, drown the site with water, stir and repeat until it's cold to the touch. Officials said similar weather conditions -- light easterly flow and below freezing temperatures -- will stick around through the end of the month and possibly into February. ODF districts across the state are prepared to respond to any new fire starts.

Posted on 1/27/25 5:58AM by Sam Marsh

IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon for 2024 Income Tax Processing Now Available

Free electronic filing through the combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon opens today when both the IRS and Oregon Department of Revenue begin processing e-filed 2024 federal and state income tax returns. Paper-filed return processing will begin in mid-February. The IRS estimates that 640,000 Oregon resident taxpayers preparing their own returns this year will have the option to electronically file both the federal and state income tax returns by filing directly with the IRS and the state. Taxpayers are encouraged to use IRS Eligibility Checker to see if they qualify. E-filed returns will be processed in the order they are received. However, as in years past, the department won't be issuing personal income tax refunds until after February 15th. A refund hold is part of the department's tax fraud prevention efforts and allows for confirmation that the amounts claimed on tax returns match what employers and payers report on Forms W-2 and 1099. E-filing is the fastest way for a taxpayer to get their refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund two weeks sooner that those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.

Posted on 1/27/25 5:56AM by Sam Marsh

Rogue-Siskiyou Forest to Host Public Meeting on NW Forest Plan Changes in Medford

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest will host a community meeting this week to share information about proposed changes to the Northwest Forest Plan. The community meeting is scheduled for Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Medford Interagency Office at 3040 Biddle Road. The public is invited to attend and learn more about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The Northwest Forest Plan was created in 1994 to conserve habitat for wildlife and forests while supporting local communities. After nearly 30 years, the US Forest Service is amending the plan to address today's challenges including wildfire risks and economic needs. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) explains these proposed changes and is open for public comment until March 17th. Some of the key focuses of the updated plan include reducing wildfire risks to communities and forests, supporting local economies with sustainable timber and restoration work, and adapting to a changing climate to increase resiliency to extreme weather events such as drought.

Posted on 1/27/25 5:55AM by Sam Marsh

IVFD Chief Holmes Chosen to Attend Executive Fire Officer Program in Maryland

Illinois Valley Fire Chief John Holmes has been selected to attend a prestigious Executive Fire Officer (EFO) program at the National Fire Academy in Maryland. The EFO program is a renowned leadership development initiative offered by the National Fire Academy, specifically designed to prepare senior fire officers for executive-level roles within their departments. This comprehensive program focuses on critical areas such as community risk reduction, strategic planning and policy development, providing participants with the skills and knowledge required to address the complex challenges faced by modern fire and emergency services. Graduates of this program are equipped to lead their organizations more effectively and make a lasting impact on the communities they serve. The Illinois Valley Fire District extends its congratulations to Chief Holmes for this outstanding achievement.

Posted on 1/27/25 5:52AM by Sam Marsh

Jo County Deputies Incarcerated Man for Felony-Level Sex Crime on Thursday

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office has jailed a man for a felony-level sex crime. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 53-year-old Kieth James Benson on Thursday night in an unspecified location. No details about the incident that led to Benson's arrest were disclosed nor was there any entry in the latest Sheriff's log. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on allegations of Felony 1st-Degree Rape. Jail records indicate the offense may have occurred on Thursday. Benson was being held without bail pending his arraignment this afternoon.

Posted on 1/24/25 10:43AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man for Alleged Theft-by-Receiving and Criminal Trespass

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for theft and trespassing crimes yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 62-year-old James Thomas Holt in an unspecified location on Thursday afternoon. Holt was charged with misdemeanor crimes of Theft-by-Receiving and 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass, but no details about the incident were available because there was no entry in the Police log. The information came from jail bookings. Holt was lodged at the Josephine County Jail and he was being held without bail.

Posted on 1/24/25 10:42AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Frequent Flyer for Returning to Store after Being Trespassed

Grants Pass Police arrested a well-known offender for returning to a store from which he had already been banned. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing call at Fred Meyer on Wednesday. Police said 30-year-old Jacob Levi Reeder returned to Fred Meyer after being trespassed from the store last summer. He was observed in the store by loss prevention and contacted by officers while he was walking away. Reeder admitted to knowing that he was no longer allowed to be at the store, so he was placed into custody. Reeder was lodged in jail on a Grants Pass warrant for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass along with a new charge of 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. His trespass warning at Fred Meyer was updated.

Posted on 1/24/25 10:40AM by Sam Marsh