Local News

The illegal use of fireworks caused a grass fire that nearly reached a house in the northeast part of the city this week. On Thursday at about 6 p.m., Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a reported grass fire in the 400-block of NE 11th Street. Grants Pass Battalion Chief 4 arrived first to find a front yard on fire. Forward progress was stopped without the flames spreading to an adjacent home, other buildings or nearby properties. The cause of the fire was determined to be fireworks, which are only legal in Grants Pass from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4th.

 

Firefighters extinguished a greenhouse fire in the Cave Junction area this week. On Thursday at 9:53 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District and Oregon Department of Forestry were dispatched to reports of a possible grass fire near the intersection of Caves Highway and Smith Sawyer Road. Upon arrival and after making entry onto the property, suppression units found a greenhouse on fire. The blaze was quickly extinguished and overhauled

 

If you are traveling by car this summer, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and Oregon Department of Transportation are encouraging you to be fire safe and well-prepared. The 2024 wildfire season is shaping up to be one for the record books. Fire officials, ODOT and OEM are asking people to take every precaution possible to avoid adding to the problem. While you are packing and preparing to take off and explore the state, it's important to stay up to date on road closures with "tripcheck.com," connect with Oregon Parks and Recreation about campfire restrictions, and make sure you have emergency supplies in case you get stranded. A list of items you should consider for a basic emergency car kit includes jumper cables, flares, a car cell phone charger, map, first aid kit, flashlight with batteries, fire extinguisher, whistle, dust mask, plastic sheeting, wet wipes and blankets plus extra water and snacks. Maintain proper tire pressure as driving on rims will throw off sparks. When pulling off the road, stay on paved surfaces whenever possible. Avoid the side of the road where dry grass and other fuels can come into contact with your vehicle's hot components. Secure chains and make sure they're not dragging.

 

If you are traveling by car this summer, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and Oregon Department of Transportation are encouraging you to be fire safe and well-prepared. The 2024 wildfire season is shaping up to be one for the record books. Fire officials, ODOT and OEM are asking people to take every precaution possible to avoid adding to the problem. While you are packing and preparing to take off and explore the state, it's important to stay up to date on road closures with "tripcheck.com," connect with Oregon Parks and Recreation about campfire restrictions, and make sure you have emergency supplies in case you get stranded. A list of items you should consider for a basic emergency car kit includes jumper cables, flares, a car cell phone charger, map, first aid kit, flashlight with batteries, fire extinguisher, whistle, dust mask, plastic sheeting, wet wipes and blankets plus extra water and snacks. Maintain proper tire pressure as driving on rims will throw off sparks. When pulling off the road, stay on paved surfaces whenever possible. Avoid the side of the road where dry grass and other fuels can come into contact with your vehicle's hot components. Secure chains and make sure they're not dragging.

 

There has been a recent rise in calls to citizens in the Grants Pass area where the callers claim to be officers or detectives from the Grants Pass Police Department. According to GPPD, the scammers use sophisticated software that allows them to "spoof" phone numbers. Although you may be seeing the number on your caller ID as being from the local agency, you're actually talking to a scam artist. The scammers will then threaten to arrest individuals if payments are not made immediately for various reasons. The Grants Pass Police Department will never contact an individual requesting money or payments over the phone. If you receive a phone call, e-mail or text message instructing you to purchase prepaid gift merchant gift cards, cryptocurrency or money orders, it is a scam. Hang up, deleted the message and don't respond. Typical scenarios include bail money for yourself or a loved one, IRS for taxes owed, immigration officials to avoid deportation, Social Security officials for unusual activity, or hospital treatment for a family member or loved one.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department is welcoming a new officer who was hired from the Virginia Beach Police Department, Officer Davis Schmudde brings three years of law enforcement experience to Grants Pass. He and his fiancée Rachel have relocated to Southern Oregon in order to be closer to friends and family. Schmudde earned a bachelor's degree in political science and economics from University of Mary Washington before becoming a police officer. He said he chose a career in law enforcement to serve his community and help keep people safe.

 

Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SOREDI), is reflecting on its 37th birthday this month -- and what a year it has been. SOREDI connected with more than 600 business in the past 12 months through site visits, industry tours, start-up conversations, meetings, letters of support, gap-financing, and business-to-business introductions. SOREDI directly assisted nine companies with expansion incentives through enterprise zone management for their collective $41.2 million investment in new capital and the creation or retention of 233 jobs. SOREDI facilitated three local expansion projects with their groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting celebrations. They include Herb Pharm in Medford, Mycorrhizal Applications in White City and Pacific Wall Systems in Phoenix. SOREDI has a strong future. The Board of Directors recently approved a 3-year investment of reserves, allowing the agency to take on several critical bodies of work.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a woman for breaking into a North Valley area home and taking an inexpensive piece of jewelry late yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 30-year-old female subject for the incident in the 700-block of Brookside Boulevard on Thursday at 4:49 p.m.. Deputies said a man called 9-1-1 to report that a female transient had entered his home, rummaged through the house and stole a necklace valued at $40. The caller said the woman exited the house and started walking west on Brookside. Deputies searched the area and located the subject just a few blocks away, placing her into custody and recovering the stolen necklace. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 1st-Degree Burglary, 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass and 3rd-Degree Theft. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a felon for stealing merchandise from Walmart and possessing a restricted weapon last night. The Police Department reports officers responded to the shoplifting complaint at the store on NE Terry Lane on Thursday around 7:40 p.m.. Police said an investigation determined that a 45-year-old male subject placed a new pair of shoes on his feet, ripped off the price tag and stashed his old pair under the shoe rack. They said he also skip-scanned multiple items at the self-checkout and passed all points of sale without paying. He was detained by loss prevention. The subject was found to be in possession of a spring-assisted knife and .22-caliber ammunition. No firearm was located. He is a convicted felon banned from carrying any kind of weapon. The knife and bullets were seized. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon and 3rd-Degree Theft. He was being held without bail.