Local News

Grants Pass Police cited two male motorcyclists and a female passenger following a traffic stop in the downtown area last night. The Police Department reports officers pulled over two motorcycles for speeding at NW 6th and A streets on Thursday at 9:07 p.m.. Police said both motorcycle riders were found to have suspended operator licenses with no emergent reason to be riding. They said a female passenger on one of the bikes was found to be wanted on a Douglas County warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Contempt of Court. Both motorcyclists were cited for Driving While Suspended and No Motorcycle Endorsement. They were also warned for Speeding. The woman was cited to appear on her warrant in Canyonville Justice Court on September 16th.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for committing domestic violence involving a firearm in the Redwood area of the city early yesterday. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers responded to a report of a disturbance that was occurring on George Tweed Boulevard on Thursday at about 2:30 a.m.. Officers arrived and discovered that 21-year-old Aidan Davis had fled the scene after allegedly firing a rifle into the ceiling, attempting to shoot a 22-year-old female and physically assaulting an elderly male. Both victims sustained minor injuries during the incident, but neither was hospitalized. Police officers located Davis's vehicle abandoned nearby and they began a search for the dangerous suspect. Detectives from GPPD and the Oregon State Police arrived to conduct an investigation. The manhunt resulted in the suspect being located inside a residence on SW Esther Lane where he had been hiding with the assistance of a 20-year-old female identified as "Alyssa Nichols." Nichols was arrested for Hindering Prosecution when she exited the residence. Police surrounded the residence and called for Davis to exit. They deployed a loud diversion device in front of the residence, which caused the suspect to quickly exit the house. He was placed into custody without further incident. Davis was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, two counts of Domestic Menacing plus single counts of Domestic 4th-Degree Assault, Domestic Strangulation and Attempted 1st-Degree Domestic Assault. Both he and Nichols were being held without bail.

 

A Josephine County Community Corrections client was jailed after she tried to assault her parole officer this week. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers arrested a 59-year-old female subject in the 200-block of Redwood Highway on Wednesday. Police said the subject's corrections officer was transporting the woman to a mental health evaluation when the woman grabbed her by the hair and tugged on it. The officer reported her client was not being cooperative and requested police respond to assist. Upon arrival, officers placed the subject into custody. At least one witness saw the incident and reported it to the Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Attempted Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer and the resulting Felony Parole Violation. She was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show the woman had also been arrested for Parole Violation on August 17th.

 

One person was hospitalized after a head-on collision between two vehicles on Williams Highway at the entrance to Gateway Church early yesterday. On Thursday at 7:55 a.m., Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to the crash on Highway 238 between Grants Pass and Murphy. Rural Metro officials said the highway was completely shut down as crews worked to treat patients and process the scene. One out of five occupants was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center with unspecified injuries. Northbound commuter traffic was detoured at the Jaynes Drive intersection. The Oregon Department of Transportation reopened one travel lane with flaggers by 9 a.m.. The cause of the crash was under investigation by the Oregon State Police.

 

Two people were hurt after two Subarus collided head-on in the Merlin area late yesterday. On Thursday at 4:16 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to the two-vehicle crash on Merlin Road near Carton Way. Rural Metro and AMR crews found both vehicles off the roadway, with one of them rolled over. A number of passersby had stopped to provide assistance with keeping the vehicle on its side from rolling onto its top. An off-duty firefighter from Medford Fire-Rescue was also on scene tending to the medical needs of the occupants. Two of the occupants were transported by AMR to Three Rivers Medical Center with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office was investigating the cause of the crash.

 

With hot and dry weather in the forecast through most of Labor Day Weekend, authorities are asking residents to be extremely careful with any activity that could lead to a human-caused fire. Both Grants Pass and Medford recorded high temperatures of 100 degrees on Thursday. Fire officials said the benefits of the cooler and wetter weather from last week have disappeared. Early September generally centered around Labor Day has become recognized as a period when large, fast-moving wildfires have erupted across Southern Oregon and the rest of the state. The September 2020 wildfires devastated multiple areas. Rural Metro Fire Department reminds residents of the Hugo Road Fire in 2018 as well as the Slater Fire, South Obenchain Fire and Almeda Fire in 2020.

 

Josephine County Public Health is investigating several local cases of E. coli including one case that is likely responsible for a young girl's death. Experts are looking into the source of the E. coli infections and at this time do not believe the exposure is linked to any local business, park or recreational body of water. Health officials said E. coli is a common bacterium, although some strains can cause serious disease. They said the local cases are of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, which can cause diarrhea and other symptoms. Most infected people get watery or bloody diarrhea and stomach cramps within one to 10 days of exposure to the bacteria. Most infected people get better on their own within five to seven days. However, some get a more severe illness that damages their kidneys. It is most common in young children and the elderly. Trusted sources confirm a 5-year-old Grants Pass girl who was about to start school as a kindergartner died this week of complications from an E. coli infection at Oregon Health Sciences University hospital in Portland. Her 2-year-old brother became very ill last weekend and is still being treated at OHSU. Call your health care provider if you think you or a family member might be ill with E. coli.

 

The Oregon Health Authority, Jackson County Vector Control and Jackson County Public Health have confirmed the identification of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the Rogue Valley -- the first time the mosquito species has been found in Oregon. Jackson County Vector Control identified the Aedes aegypti mosquito as part of its routine surveillance program, which monitors different mosquito populations in the county and tests for diseases such as West Nile virus and Western equine encephalitis that are common to the Culex mosquito genus. Mosquito surveillance provides Vector Control the ability to determine human risk and implement strategies to control these insects and prevent the spread of disease. This species of mosquito most likely originated in Africa and have been transported globally to other parts of the world. Emilio DeBess, state public veterinarian based at OHA's Public Health Division, said Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are a concern in the United States because they can carry and transmit various diseases that can have serious health consequences such as Zika virus. DeBess said there have been no reports of anyone having acquired viruses from these mosquitoes within Oregon.

 

The Pacific Power Foundation is pleased to provide over $240,000 in grant awards to nonprofits and community organizations in Oregon, Washington and California. Through this funding, the foundation seeks to create opportunities both now and in the future by investing in programs that empower and support young people through education and skill development for an ever-changing world. In Josephine County, three grants were awarded to 71Five to enhance education and workforce success through the VoTech program for 75 priority older youth, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Rogue Valley to support programs that help with project-based activities for youth, and Project Youth+ to support summer STEM programs that offer academic, vocational and recreational experiences. In Jackson County, five grants were awarded to 71Five, Beyond the Fence, the ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum, the City of Butte Falls and the Rogue Valley Family YMCA.