Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a transient for sleeping in front of a business in the downtown area late last night. Police said they contacted 46-year-old Jason William Whittenberg while he was sleeping under a business's store front patio cover near the corner of SE 6th and I streets on Monday around 11 p.m.. Police said Whittenberg was blocking the entrance to the building and sidewalk. They said he is known to them from previous contacts and wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. Whittenberg was lodged in jail on the warrant and trespassed from the downtown area.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for trashing a home he shares with his girlfriend following a weekend argument. The Police Department reports officers arrested 43-year-old Gerald L. Proffit for the incident in the 800-block of SE Grandview Avenue on Sunday at 4:27 p.m.. Police said they responded to a domestic disturbance at the home that was reported by a third party. They said Proffit returned home after a verbal argument with his girlfriend and destroyed the place, causing well over $1,000 in damage to several items including an urn that contained the ashes of the woman's deceased son. Officers arrived on scene, surveyed the damage and interviewed both parties before placing Proffit into custody. Proffit was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief and he was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing items from several stores and making a general nuisance of himself in the Grants Pass Shopping Center. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing call at KFC in the local shopping center off NE Beacon Drive on Sunday at 12:47 p.m.. Police said the KFC assistant manager called 9-1-1 to report 38-year-old Steven Karsten Juergensen refused to leave their bathroom after being asked to do so several times. They said he was found to be in possession of what appeared to be drug paraphernalia which he tried to flush down the toilet and items that appeared to have been stolen. Juergensen told officers that his mother bought him the items, but an investigation determined he had stolen them from Southern Oregon Goodwill, Harbor Freight, Joann's and Staples. He was immediately placed into custody. Juergensen was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Tampering with Physical Evidence, three counts of 2nd-Degree Theft, 3rd-Degree Theft and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail. All the stolen items were returned to the businesses from which he was trespassed.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested an aggressive panhandler who frightened customers at a local fast food eatery. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a disturbance at Sonic on Union Avenue on Sunday at 9:20 a.m.. Police said 31-year-old Shane Codyglen Weidman was at Sonic asking for money and food from customers when he started yelling and cussing at a family in a car. They said the suspect threatened to fight a customer until restaurant workers told him to leave. That's when he started cussing at and threatening the manager. Responding officers located Weidman across the street a short time later and placed him into custody. Weidman was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and he was being held without bail. He was also trespassed from Sonic.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for several violations following a weekend traffic stop at Home Depot. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a white box van driven by 27-year-old Dakota Robert Connolly at the store on NE Mill Street on Sunday around 8:55 p.m.. Police said they stopped Connolly for failing to stop for a stop sign at the corner of SE Mill and J streets. After activating lights and siren, they said he failed to yield until entering the Home Depot parking lot. Upon stopping the vehicle, he refused to exit the van or reveal his identity and retreated to the rear of the vehicle. Connolly eventually exited the van after numerous commands and the deployment of a pepper ball. With a K-9 assist, he was placed into custody without incident. Connolly was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Obstruction of Governmental Administration, Failure to Carry and Present an Operator's License, and Driving While Suspended. He was also cited for Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device, Failure to Yield to Police and No Insurance. His van was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office is joining other local law enforcement agencies in warning people not to drink or do drugs and then drive. During the Christmas and New Year holiday periods, law enforcement often sees an increase in impaired driving deaths. In fact, recent data shows December drunk driving deaths are the highest in 15 years. As a result, you'll likely see more law enforcement on the roads as part of the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign, which aims to educate people about the dangers and consequences of impaired driving. If you're celebrating and drinking this holiday season, always remember to plan ahead with a sober driver to take you home. If you're the designated driver, it's important to take the role seriously and don't consume alcohol or use drugs. Safety tips include never drink and drive, and don't let someone behind the wheel if that person has been drinking. If you're hosting a gathering, make sure everyone has a sober ride home. Always wear your seat belt -- it's your best defense against impaired drivers. Always call 9-1-1 if see an impaired driver.

 

Give the gift of the outdoors and save this holiday season with the Oregon State Parks 12-month parking permit sale during December. Shoppers can buy the annual parking permits for only $25 through December 31st. They're normally $30. The permit is good for 12 months starting in the month of purchase at the 25 parks in the state that currently charge for parking. The annual permit is an even better option for frequent park visitors in 2025 when day-use parking fees will increase from $5 to $10 on January 2nd. Purchasing permits is easy. Visitors can buy them online at the Oregon State Parks store. They're also available at select park stores operated by friends' groups, park visitor centers and local businesses throughout the state. The 24-month permit is $50 and is also available at the Oregon State Parks store. The permits are transferable from vehicle to vehicle. For more information or to purchase your permit, visit "stateparks.oregon.gov."

 

A Josephine County man has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally manufacturing marijuana and filing false tax returns with the IRS. The US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon reports 52-year-old Steven Shirley was sentenced last week to 24 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $290,291 in restitution to the IRS and $12,896 in restitution to the BLM for damage the marijuana grows caused to the environment of federally-managed land. According to court documents, Shirley began purchasing properties in the Cave Junction area in 2012 as president and minister of Earth Peoples Park, an Oregon nonprofit religious organization. After purchasing a property, Shirley leased the land to third parties and used profits from the lease to purchase more properties. By 2019, Shirley -- through Earth Peoples Park (EPP) -- owned or co-owned 21 properties in Josephine County and received at least $400,000 per year through property leases. In September 2019, investigators from the Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) learned 16 of the properties had large-scale unlicensed marijuana grows. On October 21, 2019, JMET executed search warrants and seized more than 15,000 marijuana plants and nine firearms and determined that a portion of BLM lands were used for these grows.

 

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Potential Outlook for southwest Oregon and northwest California calling for rain and lots of it. The Flood Potential Outlook is for significant rises on rivers, creeks and streams as well as possible main stem river flooding for Coos, Curry, Douglas, Josephine and Jackson counties in Oregon and for Siskiyou County in California. A series of wet frontal systems will produce periods of moderate to heavy rain from tonight through this coming weekend. Significant rises are expected late this week -- but especially Saturday night into early next week. Five-day precipitation totals of two to five inches are possible over west side valleys, with five to ten inches possible in the mountains and along the coast. More than a foot of rain could fall in the Curry County coastal ranges. This rainfall will increase the risk for both flash flooding over area burn scars along with small stream and river flooding. A Flood Potential Outlook is issued when there is the potential for significant rises or flooding along rivers and streams. The exact scenario for flooding remains uncertain. Watches and warnings will be issued if this situation worsens. Grants Pass set a new precipitation record with 2.02 inches in the 24-hour period ending at 7 a.m. today.