Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on two local felony warrants while investigating an illegal campsite near the Skate Park this week. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a campsite set up in the area of SE Riverside Avenue and 12th Street on Wednesday afternoon. There was trash strewn all over the area. Police said they attempted to contact a 38-year-old male subject for Offensive Littering when he ran away to Home Depot and entered the store. Officers tracked him down and found him hiding in the bushes in front of Fire Mountain Gems. That's when they learned why he was running. The man was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from convictions for Flight to Avoid Prosecution and Felony Attempt to Elude Police. He was also wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for Probation Violation related to arrests for 1st-Degree Theft and Larceny. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the outstanding warrants. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office cited a man who claimed to be immune to the laws of the United States after a traffic stop in Kerby this week. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies pulled over a vehicle with no license plates in the 300-block of Josephine Street on Wednesday night. Deputies said they detained the man after he failed to carry and present a valid driver's license. The man claimed to be a "sovereign citizen" and stated that he was not required to do so. The Sheriff's Office disagreed with the man and cited him to appear in court for No Operator's License and Failure to Display License Plates. He was also flagged for his "sovereign citizen" defense.

 

The Grants Pass Parks Division has been actively addressing various aspects of maintenance and improvement. Parks staff expresses its deepest appreciation to the volunteer group Serve GP, which recently dedicated many hours to enhancing our city park areas. They significantly improved the restroom buildings at Lawnridge Park as well as the Riverside Park ballfield restroom and dugouts. Staff continues preparations for upcoming events by pressure-washing the splash pad at Riverside Park and the area under the bleachers at Reinhart Volunteer Park. A new drinking fountain was installed at the All Sports Park. It features a bottle-filling station to reduce plastic waste and includes an LED counter that indicates how many 20-ounce bottles have been filled. Fresh bark was installed in several downtown alleyways, and a contractor also blew in mulch at the Bourne Railway landscape beds between the Grasshopper Lot and 6th Street. These combined efforts contribute to the overall well-being and aesthetics of city parks, enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors.

 

The Oregon Department of Forestry has officially declared that the beginning of the 2024 fire season in Josephine and Jackson counties is Saturday. ODF officials said the fire danger level in Southwest Oregon will be "low" and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be "1." Lands affected by this declaration include 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and BLM forestlands in the two-county region. The beginning of fire season brings regulations on activities that are known to cause fires. Starting Saturday at 12:01 a.m., all outdoor debris burning -- including piles and burn barrels -- will be prohibited.

 

The latest of run of ballots by the Josephine County Clerk's Office shows some slight changes in the numbers, but no changes in the outcomes of the May Primary Election. In the latest unofficial returns released this week, the race for two seats on the Josephine County Board of Commissioners is down to four candidates, with Chris Barnett facing off against Colene Martin for Position #2 and Pat Fahey taking on Ron Smith for Position #3 in November. Barnett had received 45.4% of the votes compared to 23.6% for Martin, and Fahey garnered 38.6% of the ballots compared to 26.2% for Smith. All three ballot measures in the May 21st election have gone down to defeat. The latest numbers show Replacement of the Josephine County Charter losing by a 67.4% to 32.6% margin. The Animal Shelter and Animal Control Local Option Tax was being defeated by a 60% to 40% tally. The Three Rivers School District Bond Request was being downed 68% to 32%. As of the latest count of ballots, voter turnout in Josephine County was 39.92%.

 

Just in time for a weather forecast of sunny skies and warm temperatures, the Spray Park at Riverside Park is set to open today. According to the City of Grants Pass, the Spray Park will operate from noon to 7 p.m. daily. The Splash Pad at Morrison Centennial Park will also open today. The splash pads at both parks have a control button that is pushed by participants to make the sequencer run the features for three-minute intervals. At Riverside Park, the smaller Kids' Splash Pad has a Flower Shower, Ride & Spray Horse, Ride & Spray Zebra, Water Weave and Pop Dropps. The larger Splash Pad features a 3-Bucket Fill-and-Spill, Mission Hill Showers, Water Fence, Water Arch and several varieties of ground sprayers. The highlight of the larger pad is the Tidal Barrel, which has a "big splash" effect. The barrel fills up and then spills its contents around the base of the trunk, creating a circular sheet of water with a 16-foot radius.

 

The Oregon Department of Forestry has officially declared that the beginning of the 2024 fire season in Josephine and Jackson counties is Saturday. ODF officials said the fire danger level in Southwest Oregon will be "low" and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be "1." Lands affected by this declaration include 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and BLM forestlands in the two-county region. Spring rain, snow and cooler weather patterns allowed for a fairly fire-free spring in Southern Oregon up until mid-April. Since then, ODF Southwest responded to 14 fires -- all human-caused. These fires were stopped at just over 10 acres. The beginning of fire season brings regulations on activities that are known to cause fires. Starting Saturday at 12:01 a.m., all outdoor debris burning -- including piles and burn barrels -- will be prohibited. No fireworks are allowed on or within 1/8th of a mile of ODF-protected lands. Exploding targets and tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge are prohibited. Campfires are allowed in designated campgrounds and on private land with the landowner's permission. Portable stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels may be used in areas free of flammable vegetation. Smoking while traveling will only be allowed in enclosed vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water and other specifically designated locations. A Firewatch is required for all industrial or commercial activities at IFPL 1 and all higher levels, unless otherwise waived. For more information about ODF Southwest fire season regulations, contact the Grants Pass Unit at (541)-474-3152, the Medford Unit at (541)-664-3328 or visit "swofire.com."

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for numerous crimes early yesterday following a violent incident near Rogue Community College. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested a 30-year-old male subject for the incident in the area of Campus View and Demaray drives on Wednesday shortly before 10 a.m.. They were assisted by the Oregon State Police. Deputies said an investigation determined that the suspect went to a house and asked for a ride. After being turned down, he left on foot and stole the victim's weedeater. The victim located the suspect walking on Demaray and confronted him with a baton. The suspect raised a metal water bottle and told the victim they could fight or he could take him to where the weedeater was. The two men left together in a car when the suspect began punching the victim and forced him to stop in the opposite travel lane. The suspect then grabbed the victim's baton and struck him several times in the head, causing significant injuries. A man stopped to render aid to the victim as the suspect attempted to steal the victim's car. The suspect used the baton to strike the man in the head several times before the man managed to get the baton and strike the suspect as deputies arrived on scene. Deputies identified the suspect as 30-year-old Brandon William Measel who is a convicted felon wanted on a Josephine County warrant for Assault, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Domestic Strangulation. He was placed into custody and taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment. The two other men refused treatment. After being medically cleared at the hospital, Measel was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus new charges of 2nd-Degree Assault, Robbery, Menacing, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Criminal Mischief and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man and his wife for felony drug trafficking after performing a welfare check on the east side of the city early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a welfare check request in the 2200-block of NE Industry Drive on Wednesday around 7:45 a.m.. Police said a citizen called 9-1-1 to report a man and woman slumped over in a green Ford station wagon. Officers arrived on scene and observed a tackle box in the man's lap. The 41-year-old man and 40-year-old woman identified themselves before handing over the tackle box which contained a white powdery substance that was later confirmed to be fentanyl. The male suspect was handcuffed after a brief scuffle with police. He suffered a medical episode and was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center. The female suspect admitted the car and narcotics belonged to them. A consent search of the vehicle uncovered a green container containing more fentanyl plus a large quantity of small blue baggies and two scales. According to the report, a total of 60 grams of fentanyl and packaging materials were seized as evidence. They were sent to the Oregon State Police crime lab for additional testing. Both the husband and wife were lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Manufacture, Possession and Delivery of a Schedule 2 Controlled Substance. Both were being held without bail.