Local News

Grants Pass Police evicted six campers from city parks on Wednesday after they were found to have violated ordinances. At Lawnridge Park, a man was cited for Fentanyl Possession and trespassed from the park for 30 days. A total of nine campsites were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network (UCAN). At Baker Park, one woman was cited for Misuse of Open Space and Scattering Rubbish while another woman was cited for Misuse of Open Space and Staking a Tent. Both were issued 30-day exclusions. Eight campsites were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to UCAN. At Morrison Centennial Park, one man was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Staking a Tent while another man was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Scattering Rubbish. Both were trespassed from the park for 30 days. Five campsites were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to UCAN. At Gilbert Creek Park, a woman was cited for Marijuana Possession and she was issued a 30-day exclusion. At Kesterson Park, a man and woman were cited for Scattering Rubbish. Six campsites were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to UCAN.

 

A Grants Pass man was killed when he crashed his vehicle on Redwood Highway at Hayes Hill earlier this week. In a Wednesday press release, the Oregon State Police reported that troopers and emergency personnel were dispatched to the single-vehicle accident near milepost 16 of US Highway 199 on Monday at 7:08 p.m.. OSP said the preliminary investigation indicated a northbound Dodge Ram 1500 driven by 28-year-old Brandon Richard Cain failed to negotiate a curve, left the highway and struck a tree on the southbound shoulder. Troopers said Cain was declared deceased at the scene. They said excessive speed is considered to be the primary factor in the crash. According to OSP, Redwood Highway was not impacted during the on-scene investigation. OSP was assisted at the fatal crash scene by Rural Metro Fire Department, Illinois Valley Fire District and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

 

A Jackson County Grand Jury has indicted a Shady Cove man for killing his father last weekend. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports 34-year-old Travis Clayton Driver was indicted yesterday on a charge of Felony 2nd-Degree Murder. The victim in the June 1st homicide in rural Shady Cove was identified as 64-year-old Lowell Driver, III. An Oregon State Police forensic pathologist conducted an autopsy this week revealing the cause of death as blunt force trauma. Last Saturday at 11:03 a.m., sheriff's deputies responded to a call for a possible homicide with an armed suspect on scene at a property in the 23,000-block of Highway 62. Deputies arrived on scene with the SWAT Bearcat. After receiving another 9-1-1 call for the potential suspect at the Trail Market, deputies responded and placed the suspect into custody without incident. Detectives from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and Central Point Police Department responded to the scene to assume the homicide investigation. Travis Driver remains in custody at the Jackson County Jail in Medford. The Jackson County District Attorney's Office will prosecute the case.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a resident of an assisting living center for threatening employees with a hammer this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested a 52-year-old man for the incident that occurred at The Bridge Retirement and Assisting Living Center on SW Bridge Street on Tuesday morning. Police said the man felt staff members were laughing at him following a series of mornings that made him increasingly upset about violations of the noise curfew at the facility. They said he retrieved a hammer from his room, walked upstairs and proceeded to yell threatening profanities throughout the facility, telling staff he was going to be "smashing faces." The incident was seen on video surveillance. According to the report, frightened staff members locked themselves in a room to avoid being hit with the hammer and then called 9-1-1. Responding officers seized the hammer as evidence and placed the suspect into custody. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Misdemeanor Menacing. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for possession of a stolen motorcycle frame and narcotics during a welfare check at a downtown supermarket this week. According to the Police Department, officers responded to perform a welfare check on a 38-year-old male subject in the parking lot of Safeway on SE 7th Street on Tuesday evening. The man was slumped over in a parked pickup truck. Police said they contacted the man in the driver's seat of the pickup with drugs and drug paraphernalia in plain view. A consent search uncovered approximately four grams of methamphetamine that was seized. Further investigation located a Harley Davidson frame in the truck bed that had been reported stolen. Officers said the man admitted to knowing the frame was "probably" stolen as he got it for free. It was recovered and the registered owner was notified. It had been listed as stolen by the California Highway Patrol. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Possession of Methamphetamine. He was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving and placed his passenger on a detox hold following a traffic stop on Interstate 5 north of Grants Pass. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Chrysler 300 sedan driven by a 21-year-old Woodburn man near milepost 61 of I-5 on Tuesday night. Troopers said they stopped the car after observing numerous traffic violations and the driver showed strong signs of impairment. They said the driver performed very poorly in field sobriety testing. The driver and his passenger -- a 28-year-old Woodburn man -- were both taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center due to their high levels of inebriation. The driver was cited to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering and Driving While Suspended. The car was impounded and towed to Grants Pass.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office is pleased to announce that Deputy Sergio Quintero recently graduated from the Basic Police Academy in Salem. Deputy Quintero joined the Sheriff's Office in early 2018 as a Corrections Deputy working in the adult jail facility. During that time, Quintero also served as the Civil Deputy for about 18 months. He moved to the Patrol Division last December and will now finish up his field training before is released to patrol Josephine County solo. Sheriff Dave Daniel said he is proud of Deputy Quintero's commitment to the citizens of Josephine County and his dedication to the Sheriff's Office in answering the call to "Protect with Courage and Serve with Compassion."

 

The Grants Pass City Council approved a $255.2 million budget for the 2025 Fiscal Year during its Wednesday night business session. The City Council also approved a resolution declaring the city's election to receive state-shared revenues. City Council President Vanessa Ogier filled in for an absent Mayor Sara Bristol. In other business, the Council approved the vacation of a property line on tax lots 1008 and 1009 on SE Demi Court. Both lots are owned by the same individual, with the intention of developing a new residential accessory structure. Logan Werner was appointed to the Grants Pass Urban Tree Advisory Committee. The Council then moved to public comment and -- following discussions held during the Monday workshop -- limited individual time for comments to two minutes. The Business Session was adjourned at 6:48 p.m. and Councilors reconvened as the Urban Renewal Agency. The URA approved a grant for restoration, rehabilitation and restoration for a property located at 245 SE G Street. The URA then adjourned and reconvened again as the City Council to adjourn the meeting at 7:02 p.m..

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday approved the second reading and adopted an ordinance creating a permanent funding mechanism for the Fairgrounds. Following a public hearing in which there was no public comment, the Board voted unanimously to amend the Josephine County Code by adding a chapter that pertains to the Fairgrounds Permanent Fund. County Legal Counsel Wally Hicks testified that the fund was created after the sale of The Flying Lark to River Valley Community Church for $9.5 million. He said $9 million of the proceeds will be kept in an interest-bearing account from which the Fairgrounds can borrow money for projects, equipment and other expenses. The money must be paid back to the account, which will be administered by the Board of Commissioners and the Fair Board. The Commissioners opened the meeting with the annual presentation of the Raskin Awards to Shelter Friends and Dr. Rebecca Cross-Hall of Riverside Veterinary Clinic.