Local News

Multiple agencies worked together to extinguish a weekend grass and structure fire in the Sunny Valley area. On Saturday at 3:19 p.m., ODF, Rural Metro Fire Department and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue were dispatched to a grass fire that had spread to a structure in the 2,000-block of Leland Road near Dog Creek Road. The first-arriving unit from ODF stationed in Sunny Valley was able to stop the fast-moving wildfire at just over a half-acre. A water delivery truck from "H2O to Go" also helped with containment. Structural units from Rural Metro and Grants Pass worked to put out the structure fire. Most of the occupant's personal belongings were saved. The occupant was not on scene upon arrival of firefighters, but they appeared as the blaze was controlled. An evaluation was conducted due to minor burns, but they declined transport to the hospital. The cause of the initial fire that started in the grass surrounding the structure was under investigation by ODF, but there were indicators that current fire season regulations were not being followed.

 

Two people were injured last night when their vintage truck rolled off Redwood Highway near Selma. On Sunday at 9:13 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response and Oregon State Police were dispatched to the single-vehicle crash on US Highway 199 between Eight Dollar Mountain Road and Gold Canyon Drive. IVFD officials said arriving units found two occupants from the truck that rolled over and stopped off the highway, half on the hill and half in a ditch. Both were evaluated at the scene and then transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for further evaluation. Jerry's Towing hauled the damaged pickup to Cave Junction. OSP was investigating the cause of the crash.

 

The Oregon Department of Transportation is continuing work on the bridge retrofit project on Rogue River Highway this week and beyond. Starting on Tuesday, Birdseye Creek Bridge on Highway 99 will be closed for approximately 30 days. Please use an alternate route and watch for workers. The contractor has provided a pedestrian transport vehicle that can accommodate at least two ADA passengers, a maximum of 10 able-bodied pedestrians and up to three bicycles with a secured rack during the closure. The ODOT project is replacing bridge structures at Birdseye Creek, Foots Creek and Millers Gulch for earthquake resilience. The estimated project completion date is June 2025. For updated road conditions and closures, visit "tripcheck.com."

 

Grants Pass police and firefighters were busy protecting the community during the first week of school. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 684 calls for service along with 439 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 40 arrests, 30 citations, 112 warnings and six highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 126 traffic stops in the city and they made 13 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. Many of the traffic stops were due to moving violations in city school zones. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 333 potential troublemakers while arresting seven people, citing 10 more and warning 78 others. The CRT did not issue any trespass warnings, post any transient camps or remove trash from any campsites. There are now two designated campsites on SE J Street and at the corner of 6th & A streets. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 100 calls last week including 39 calls for emergency medical service, five for reports of fire or smoke, 15 lift assists, six rescue situations, six assists to other agencies and 10 false alarms.

 

Starting tomorrow morning, the City of Grants Pass will begin offering low-income residents an opportunity to receive grants to help with weatherization and rehabilitation repairs to their homes. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and there are income qualification limits. The program is only available for owner-occupied stick-built homes. Manufactured homes, mobile homes and rentals are not eligible. A limited amount of funding is available through the Community Development Block Grant program administered by the US Housing and Urban Development Agency. Applications for the program will become available on Tuesday at 8 a.m.. Paper applications will be available at the Grants Pass Community Development Department, 101 NW A Street, Suite 202. They will also be available to download from the city's website at "grantspassoregon.gov." More information about this program and a link to a list of frequently asked questions can be found at "grantspassoregon.gov/1486."

 

US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have announced a federal investment of $143,430 for the City of Medford to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower overall energy use. The federal investment is from the US Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. The City of Medford will use this funding to establish a plan baseline for energy use, identify how to reduce consumption and emissions, and develop an equity framework for prioritizing actions and investments while engaging and educating community members. Medford Mayor Randy Sparacino said the funding will help them continue to implement sustainable strategies to improve energy efficiency in the community. He thanked Senators Wyden and Merkley for their "unwavering" support.

 

Josephine County Sheriff’s Deputies detained a female Friday afternoon at 5:33 p.m. at the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Fielder Lane.No reason was given for the detention in the Sheriff’s log, but an older Datsun was reported off the road. The woman, identified as Dayanna R, Snyder, 32-years-old, was arrested on an Oregon State Parole Board felony warrant and lodged in the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Ms. Snyder has been jailed five times since August of 2023. Past charges include attempt to elude police, driving while suspended-misdemeanor, and post-prison sanction

 

A Jackson County Task Force arrest two suspects during a Thursday morning raid in Rural Phoenix.
The Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) detectives served a search warrant at a black-market cannabis grow in the 4400 block of Colver Road. Detectives seized approximately 850 illegal marijuana plants, 40 lbs. of processed cannabis, and an assortment of THC and psilocybin mushroom products.There was no licensing for any type of cannabis growing, handling, or processing at this location. Two suspects were arrested on the property and charges are being referred to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. The suspects are Steven Robert Mialocq, 47, and Alyssa Monique Valverde, 34, both of Phoenix. The two are charged with three felony counts each including unlawful possession, distribution, and manufacture of a marijuana item. The Oregon Water Resources Department Enforcement section will issue a Notice of Violation (NOV) to the responsible party for unauthorized use of a well to water the cannabis crop. This type of water violation is subject to both civil and criminal penalties. During the search warrant, Jackson County Code Enforcement responded to the scene and issued a total of $44,000 in fines to the responsible party. Fines were for building code violations, non-permitted electrical installations, and failure to obtain land use approval for marijuana production. Investigations are open and ongoing with detectives working additional leads. No further information is currently available for release. IMET was assisted by Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies, and Oregon State Police (OSP) detectives.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for allegedly beating up his girlfriend in a downtown neighborhood this week. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in the 700-block of SE Riverside Avenue on Thursday. Police said the Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center received multiple calls about a man and woman physically fighting at that address. Some callers advised the man was going after the woman with a hatchet, but that was not confirmed. Responding officers contacted the female victim who stated her boyfriend had struck her several times that morning and threatened her. She denied medical treatment for minor injuries, but photos were taken for evidence. A short time later, the 40-year-old male suspect was contacted. He stated the fight had been verbal and that he did not touch his girlfriend. Crimes scene photos of the woman's injuries refuted that claim and he was placed into custody