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OSP Nabbed Motorist for Impaired Driving in US Highway 199 Stop near GP

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving last night following a traffic stop on Redwood Highway just west of Grants Pass. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Chevrolet C-15 pickup driven by a 54-year-old female subject on US Highway 199 near Redwood Vista Lane on Tuesday at 9:20 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation and the driver showed signs of impairment. They said she performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where she provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit. The suspect was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. She was cited to appear in court and then released. Her vehicle was not impounded.

Posted on 10/2/24 11:29AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Woman for DUII and More after She Crashed at Babe's Bakery

Grants Pass Police arrested a repeat impaired driver after she crashed a vehicle at a north-city bakery and fled the scene this week. The Police Department reports officers were dispatched to the hit-and-run motor vehicle accident at Babe's Bakery on NE 6th Street on Monday night. Police said an investigation determined that 26-year-old Samantha Lee Smith crashed her Toyota Tacoma onto the bakery property, damaging a fence and a flowerbed. Officers later located the suspect vehicle which had its license plates removed since the crash and was parked among other vehicles at a retirement center in the 1,000-block of NE 10th Street. Witnesses described the driver. Smith returned with her boyfriend a short time later and tried to leave the center, but she was detained and placed into custody. She showed signs of impairment, but refused to cooperate with the investigation -- so a search warrant was obtained for a legal blood draw performed at Three Rivers Medical Center. Based on the results of the blood draw, Smith was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage and Tampering with Evidence. She was also cited for No Operator's License and Failure to Install an Ignition Interlock Device on her vehicle. She lost her license and was ordered to install the device due to previous DUII convictions.

Posted on 10/2/24 6:15AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Snared GP Woman on Local Felony Warrants at Foothill Blvd. Home

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Grants Pass woman on two local felony warrants this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 45-year-old Zara Heather Thomas at a home in the 2900-block of Foothill Boulevard on Monday. Deputies said Thomas was wanted on a Josephine County Supervisory Authority warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for methamphetamine possession and a Josephine County Circuit Court warrant for failing to appear in court as a material witness. Thomas was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 10/2/24 6:14AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Prevented Suicide Attempt on Williams Highway between GP & Murphy

The Oregon State Police likely prevented a suicide attempt on Williams Highway between Grants Pass and Murphy this week. OSP reports troopers responded to a report of a suicidal male subject in the 4,000-block of Highway 238 on Monday night. Troopers said it was reported that the 24-year-old man had cut himself with a knife and was threatening to kill himself by jumping in front of passing vehicles. Upon contact, the man resisted detainment and had to be Tased before he was subdued. According to OSP, evidence of suicidal intention was found on the man and he later admitted to being suicidal. The subject was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center where he was admitted on a Peace Officer's Mental Hold.

Posted on 10/2/24 6:12AM by Sam Marsh

Rapid Response by Firefighters Corralled Small Wildfire Northwest of Trail

Rapid response by firefighters corralled a small wildfire in northeastern Jackson County early yesterday. On Tuesday morning, the Oregon Department of Forestry was dispatched to a reported fire in a remote area near Trail. It was located past West Fork Trail Creek and Highway 227. ODF initially responded with two engines, with additional resources on standby. Crews stopped the fire at just 1/100th of an acre and were mopping up by 10:35 a.m.. Investigators were looking into the cause of the blaze. ODF officials said please be aware of the potential for fires to start and spread, even in the cool morning hours. Local vegetation remains very dry and -- for that reason -- "high" fire danger is still in effect in Jackson and Josephine counties. To learn more about current fire season restrictions, please visit "swofire.com."

Posted on 10/2/24 6:10AM by Sam Marsh

Commissioners to Hold 4 Public Hearings at Weekly Business Session

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will hold four public hearings as part of its weekly business session this morning. The first public hearing is for the designation, alienation, sale, conveyance or exchange of county-owned properties. It paves the way for a future Sheriff's Sale of properties that were acquired through foreclosure for unpaid property taxes. The three other hearings are on the second readings of ordinances amending or repealing chapters of the Josephine County Code. One amends the code relating to ballot measures, another repeals a chapter relating to genetically engineered plants and the other repeals a chapter pertaining to loitering near the county jail. First readings of these ordinances were approved by the Board on September 18th. As always, there will Requests and Comments from Citizens when participants are given three minutes to address the Commissioners on virtually any topic related to Josephine County. Today's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

Posted on 10/2/24 6:08AM by Sam Marsh

GP City Council Agenda Features 2 Public Hearings and 2 Action Items

The Grants Pass City Council will hold two public hearings and consider two action items during its regular meeting tonight. Following the hearings, the City Council will consider two ordinances -- one creating a developer-installed reimbursement district for the Buckmaster Subdivision Water Main Extension and the other creating a developer-installed reimbursement district for the E Street Sewer Extension. Under Council Action, the municipal policy panel will consider a resolution creating a Public Safety Advisory Committee. The focus of the group would be to understand the needs and resources available in the community to help educate themselves and the public as they propose a stable public safety funding plan. In other business, the Council will consider a resolution adopting locations for homeless camping sites in accordance with City Code. A new campsite near the Grants Pass Police Department on NE 7th Street is now ready for occupancy. A decision will be made whether to close the campsite at 6th & A streets or keep it open as an emergency or overflow location. The J Street campsite will stay open. Tonight's meeting starts at 6 in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street.

Posted on 10/2/24 6:02AM by Sam Marsh

Man Charged with Rape in Eugene Also Sought for Assault in Josephine County

Court documents show a man charged this week with an alleged rape on Fern Ridge Trail in Eugene was also being sought for assaults in Lincoln and Josephine counties. Lane County court records show 42-year-old Timothy Joel Colnar had a warrant issued for fourth-degree assault and harassment on September 12th in Lincoln County, after a woman showed up at the Chinook Winds Casino back in January with a black eye. Prosecutors said the woman stated her boyfriend had punched her in the face, but told a security guard she had deserved it and she was afraid of Colnar. That guard called police, the woman refused to speak with them and charges were not filed until September 2024. Court records from Lincoln County show Colnar's last known address was in Shelton, Washington. Here in Josephine County, Colnar was charged with fourth-degree assault involving a different woman who was allegedly assaulted in a hotel room in November 2021, according to court documents. Colnar, whose address was listed as in Grants Pass at the time, allegedly struck the woman in the mouth, splitting her lip. He was released from jail but failed to appear at any additional court hearings, and a warrant was issued for his arrest in February 2022.

Posted on 10/2/24 6:00AM by Sam Marsh

Jackson County Companies Fined by Oregon DEQ for August Environmental Violations

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued 16 penalties totaling more than $445,000 in August for various environmental violations -- including two in Jackson County. Fines ranged from $1,100 to $138,458. Alleged violations included a brewery failing to contain and clean up building materials and cans from the Columbia River to a general contractor and disaster restoration business performing asbestos abatement without a license. Locally, Boise Cascade Wood Products, LLC, of Medford was fined $10,200 for an air quality permitting violation and Cascade Wood Products of White City was fined $6,906 for a wastewater violation. Recipients of DEQ civil penalties must either pay the fines to the state treasury or file an appeal within 20 days of receiving notice of the penalty. They may be able to offset a portion of a penalty by funding a supplemental environmental project. Penalties may also include orders requiring specific tasks to prevent ongoing violations or additional environmental harm. DEQ works with thousands of organizations and individuals to help them comply with laws that protect Oregon's air, land and water.

Posted on 10/2/24 5:58AM by Sam Marsh

Josephine County Fair Event Moved Up One Week with July 30th Start in 2025

The Josephine County Fair has been moved up one week on the 2025 calendar, starting on July 30th and ending on August 3rd. Fairgrounds Event Coordinator Sierra Falk said the shift allows the Josephine County Fair to avoid overlapping the Douglas County Fair in Roseburg. The two events were held on the same week this past summer with some negative impacts. Falk said the move means more exposure, visitors and vendors at the Fair which she added "will be bigger, better and tons of fun for the whole family." It also means bringing in a new carnival company. The Fair will be partnering with Brass Ring Amusements which will bring almost double the amount of carnival rides the event has seen in recent years. Falk said they realize the move may impact some more than others, so they are going to officially open their 2025 Fair Vendor application process now. For more information, visit "josephinecountyfairgrounds.com" or call (541)-476-3215.

Posted on 10/2/24 5:55AM by Sam Marsh

Commissioners to Hold Four Public Hearings during Weekly Business Session

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will hold four public hearings as part of its weekly business session tomorrow morning. The first public hearing is for the designation, alienation, sale, conveyance or exchange of county-owned properties. It paves the way for a future Sheriff's Sale of properties that were acquired through foreclosure for unpaid property taxes. The three other hearings are on the second readings of ordinances amending or repealing chapters of the Josephine County Code. One amends the code relating to ballot measures, another repeals a chapter relating to genetically engineered plants and the other repeals a chapter pertaining to loitering near the county jail. First readings of these ordinances were approved by the Board on September 18th. As always, there will Requests and Comments from Citizens when participants are given three minutes to address the Commissioners on virtually any topic related to Josephine County. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

Posted on 10/1/24 11:39AM by Sam Marsh

Driver Injured in Semi-Truck Rollover Crash on Interstate 5 near Sexton Summit

Firefighters returning from the grass fire along Interstate 5 in Sunny Valley came upon another emergency situation late yesterday. On Monday at 5:11 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department, American Medical Response and Metro West were dispatched to a single-vehicle rollover crash in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 68 just south of the Sexton Summit. Rural Metro officials said arriving units found a semi-truck had rolled and was blocking the slow lane of the freeway. Its load was non-hazardous in nature. The truck driver was evaluated and treated at the scene by medics from AMR and Metro West. Caveman Towing was called in to haul the semi into Grants Pass. The cause of the crash was under investigation by the Oregon State Police.

Posted on 10/1/24 11:19AM by Sam Marsh

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