Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for refusing to leave Three Rivers Medical Center early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing call at the hospital on SW Ramsey Avenue on Tuesday around 1:15 a.m.. Police said TRMC security advised 59-year-old Thomas William Dyball, III, was refusing to leave the property after being treated and discharged. They said they told Dyball to leave, he left and returned about one minute later. Officers arrived on scene and contacted Dyball in the parking lot next to the hospital emergency room. They placed him into custody after he refused to go. Dyball was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass.

 

Applications are being accepted for two positions on the Grants Pass/Josephine County Bikeways & Walkways Committee. These are three-year terms. The purpose of this committee is to seek input from the community, coordinate and disseminate information for public education about biking and walking routes and rules, and serve as a resource regarding bike and pedestrian trails for the city and county. The special qualification for these positions is they must be Grants Pass residents who represent the interests of bikers and walkers. Applications are available at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or online at "grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application." Completed applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, May 2nd. Applications will be reviewed by the committee on Tuesday, May 13th. Appointments will be made by the Grants Pass City Council on Wednesday, June 4th.

 

The Grants Pass City Council has selected a path by which it hopes to satisfy a preliminary court injunction that is currently keeping it from restricting camping of the unhoused population in most city parks. During a Special Workshop session on Tuesday, the City Council decided to open a paved employee parking lot adjacent to the homeless "resting" site at the corner of 6th and A streets for additional space. The informal vote was 6-1, with Councilor Rick Riker dissenting. Councilor Indra Nicholas was absent. Josephine County Circuit Judge Sarah McGlaughlin put the injunction in place last week, but told attorneys representing the city that she would likely lift it if Grants Pass expands the space for camping and at least some of the sites are paved to provide better access for disabled people. City Manager Aaron Cubic opened the workshop with a short presentation about city-owned properties that could be utilized for additional camping space, with an estimated number of sites for each. The target is a total of 150 resting sites, with the current campgrounds on 6th and 7th streets providing an estimated 99 spaces. The city employee parking lot at 5th and A streets will provide at least 50 more spaces to meet the court-mandated target. The former OnTrack property just north of the 6th Street site is not ready to be opened, but it could be opened in the future if necessary. It is also paved.

 

Nearly 1.2 million Oregonians have already filed their state personal income tax returns this year. But with less than one week before taxes are due on April 15th, more than one million Oregonians have yet to submit their 2024 returns. The Oregon Department of Revenue reports e-filing is the fastest way for taxpayers to get their refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks. ODR provides several options for taxpayers to e-file their returns for free. Oregon Free Fillable Forms performs basic calculations and is ideal for taxpayers who don't need help preparing their returns and want the convenience of filing electronically. The IRS offers a similar option for filing federal taxes online. ODR has issued nearly 850,000 refunds already this year, most within two weeks of filing. Taxpayers wondering about the refund on their 2024 return can use ODR's "Where's My Refund?" tool to check its status and -- if they want more information -- watch a video outlining the refund timeless to better understand the process.

 

The 8th Annual Josephine County Home & Garden Show is this weekend at the Fairgrounds in Grants Pass. This year's theme is "Home is Our Happy Place." The 2025 show features the best of the best in what's new, fun and exciting for your home, home office, yard and garden. Support local small businesses as there will be more than 75 vendors displaying their products and services. Speak to the experts and explore new opportunities. The Home & Garden Show will be open from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free. The show is hosted by the Builders Association of Southern Oregon, a self-funding non-profit community organization with a three-fold mission to educate, advocate and motivate its members and the public to build strong, safe and sustainable communities. For additional information, please visit "buildso.com."

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for violating a court order by visiting his mother's residence on Monday evening. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 1400-block of SW Bridge Street around 6:35 p.m. yesterday. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her son -- 35-year-old Anthony Allen Harrell -- was continuously knocking on her door and she had obtained a restraining order to protect her from him. By court order, he is prohibited from being within 150 feet from his mother's property. Harrell violated the order when he was located in the backyard of his mother's home. He was placed into custody without incident. Harrell was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for his odd behavior in the Cloverlawn area early yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to the incident involving 70-year-old James Cecil Black in the 400-block of Walker Road on Monday at 8:33 a.m.. Deputies said Black was wandering around the area screaming for help and asking people to give him a ride into town. He was reported to be attempting to get into people's vehicles and walking in circles. According to the report, Black had trespassed on multiple properties while telling people he was trying to get his wife medication for her seizures. The wife was contacted at work and it was determined that she does not need any medications. Black was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct. He was trespassed from properties on Walker Road, Nursery Lane and Macnew Lane.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two people for drug possession during a weekend patrol check at an eastside supermarket. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to two people passed out in a vehicle in the parking lot of WinCo Foods on Sunday at 9:05 a.m.. Police responded and contacted 37-year-old Jasper Allen Paul Miller plus a person identified only as "Hall." They said drug paraphernalia was in plain sight and a search of the vehicle located a small amount of methamphetamine. The pair was placed into custody and the drug items were seized for destruction. Miller was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession while Hall agreed to enter a deflection program and was transported to the Sobering Center.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a male transient on two outstanding warrants while performing a patrol check at a city park early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 45-year-old James Edward Weinshrott at Kesterson Park on NE Evelyn Avenue on Monday at 9:50 a.m.. Police said Weinshrott was found to be wanted on two Grants Pass warrants for Failure to Report as a Sex Offender and Methamphetamine Possession. He was also cited for Violating Park Rules by staking his tent and for being in possession of drug paraphernalia. Those violations led to a 30-day exclusion from the park. Weinshrott was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. His tent was left at the park for him to pick up after he was released from custody.