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GP Police Lodge Suspects Passed Out in Vehicle for Meth, Fentanyl Charges

Grants Pass Police lodged two suspects found passed out in their vehicle for drug charges this morning.

A 911 caller observed the man and woman hunched over in the front seats of a four door sedan with no plates around 1:51 a.m. The vehicle was parked at the corner of Tussey Lane and W Park Street, and officers arrived to find drug paraphernalia in the car.

Both suspects were breathing and soon became conscious. One suspect, Aria Echavarria, was detained and escorted to the patrol vehicle. A consent search of her person located a glass pipe with a white crystal substance in her left pocket. It field tested positive for the presumptive presence of Methamphetamine. A folded piece of foil with white powder inside was found in her right pocket, which returned positive for fentanyl.

The other suspect, Sean Peters, was also contacted. Upon opening the driver's side door of the sedan, clear baggies with white powder and residue were identified in the door. All bags were tested and came back positive for the presence of meth.

Deputies lodged both suspects in jail for Possession of Meth charges, with an additional Fentanyl Possession charge against Echavaria.

Posted on 8/27/26 11:34AM by Alex Bauer

Woman Lit Fireworks While Trespassing on Property, Arrested by JoCo Sheriff's Deputies

Dispatch was alerted to a woman trespassing and causing a disturbance with sparklers on someone's property, leading to the suspect's arrest.

Wednesday at 12:49 a.m., the 911 caller said the suspect was walking around his property in the 3500 block of Redwood Avenue with a flashlight, lighting sparklers, and yelling. It was determined the suspect was a female wearing a backpack, shorts, and flip-flops, and armed.

She was soon reported to be standing in the middle of the roadway, then headed south towards a property in the 1500 block of Southgate Way before walking up on the home's porch. Deputies with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrived and detained the woman, who refused to identify herself.

She was revealed to be Julianna Murphy, and trespassed from both properties. Deputies transported her to the Josephine County Jail on charges of Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, and two counts of Second Degree Trespass.

Posted on 8/27/26 11:04AM by Alex Bauer

RCC to Serve as Southern Oregon Hub for Advanced Manufacturing Grant

Rogue Community College will serve as the Southern Oregon delivery hub for a new advanced manufacturing initiative funded through a $5 million U.S. Small Business Administration grant awarded to Oregon State University.

According to a release, the grant will establish the Pacific Northwest Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, a statewide initiative designed to provide free training and technical assistance to eligible small manufacturers. RCC’s role will focus on serving manufacturers in Jackson and Josephine counties through hands-on training at college facilities in White City, Grants Pass and Medford.

Of the $5 million award, $770,000 is designated for RCC’s role in the project. The 12-month initiative is part of the SBA’s Empower to Grow Program and is expected to serve about 100 firms and 400 participants statewide.

RCC will use its welding, manufacturing engineering technology, CNC machining and metrology programs to support local employers and workers. It will also work with regional partners, including Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc., Rogue Workforce Partnership, industry advisory groups, chambers of commerce and employers in the Rogue Valley’s aerospace, and engineered-wood sectors to recruit participating manufacturers.

Beyond the grant period, RCC plans to continue building its role as an advanced-manufacturing and workforce-development hub for Southern Oregon through curriculum integration, trained faculty, employer-supported cohorts, transfer pathways and ongoing industry partnerships.

For more information about RCC manufacturing and technical training programs, visit roguecc.edu.

Posted on 8/27/26 8:43AM by Alex Bauer

BCC Agenda Includes Executive Session, Fee Increases, COCONUT

A Legal Counsel Update and County Administration Workshop are on the Commissioners agenda through the rest of the week.

Today at 11 a.m. in the BCC Conference Room, the board will meet with Legal Counsel in Executive Session. Following a discussion regarding a petition for Judicial Review of a Josephine County Circuit Court Case, and pending any further decision, the meeting will adjourn.

Then on Friday, starting at 1 p.m., the board will reconvene in the conference room to consider Department Business. Finance will present proposed fee increases for the District Attorney and Recreation department.

Board business items include conversations on the Troutbeck Townhomes Middle Housing Land Division, and further discussion about a proposed Automation Opportunity Sweep with COCONUT. This will be a continuation of a department efficiency evaluation conversation that began August 11th following the requested review by Legal Counsel and Information Technology.

Posted on 8/27/26 7:00AM by Alex Bauer

Rural Metro, IVFD Responded to Separate Car Crashes

Two vehicle crashes lead to a response from Rural Metro and Illinois Valley Fire District crews.

The first incident occurred Wednesday at 7:17 a.m. A driver escaped serious injury after crashing into a fence in the 3100 block of Williams Highway. Crews from Rural Metro, American Medical Response, and Oregon State Police troopers located the vehicle off the road.

Pipe railing from the involved fence pierced through the windows of the cab. The pipe missed the driver who was transported with only minor injuries. There was no passenger in the vehicle.

That afternoon, IFVD and AMR responded to a traffic accident on Illinois River Road around 4:23 p.m.

The incident occurred near the 4105 Road in Selma. A single vehicle was located off the roadway by arriving crews. The involved individual was able to self-extricate themselves from the vehicle and declined needing medical transport.

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation into the incident.

Posted on 8/27/26 6:59AM by Alex Bauer

Jackson County Fire Crews Dispatched to Wednesday Structure Fire

A multi-agency response to a structure fire took place Wednesday in the 4,000 block of Main Street near Arnold Lane and Winema Way in Medford.

Crews with the Medford Fire Department, Jackson County Fire District 3, and Jacksonville Fire Department were dispatched around 5:02 p.m. According to MFD, crews navigated several challenges, including water supply, but eventually knocked down the blaze per their 6:30 p.m. update.

Crews remained on scene to conduct mop-up efforts through the evening. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Posted on 8/27/26 6:50AM by Alex Bauer

Candlelighters Lead Bike Rally with a Purpose in Grants Pass

Candlelighters for Children with Cancer, a statewide nonprofit, is rallying the community around kids who have been diagnosed with cancer as Cycle Oregon assembles in the Applegate Valley.

Two children from Medford and two from Portland will do a special 'Ride-Out' celebration with their families and a team of riders at the Riverside Park Baseball Field, 304 E Park Street this Saturday the 28th at 4:30 p.m.

Founded in 2002 by Dick Hartung, the annual Ride for a Child fundraiser pairs cyclists with Honored Children from Oregon and Southwest Washington currently battling pediatric cancer. Every cyclist on the team rides in honor of a local child with cancer, having spent months training and fundraising for Candlelighters.

This year’s Honored Children come from all over the state and range from two years old to sixteen. They will be riding with their family members, who have all been impacted by the diagnosis and supported by the Candlelighters community.

Posted on 8/26/26 12:48PM by Alex Bauer

Man Found Sleeping by Anne G. Basker Auditorium Arrested, Lodged in Jail

A man excluded from the Central Business District was apprehended by Grants Pass Police early this morning.

The suspect, Kyle Harris, was contacted after being found sleeping in an alcove by the Anne G. Basker Auditorium around 2:45 a.m. Officers learned Harris had a 90 day district exclusion order in affect since August 23rd.

He was promptly taken into custody without incident. Officers transported Harris to and lodged him in the Josephine County Jail. He was also issued a 6 month exclusion for the downtown area.

Posted on 8/26/26 11:56AM by Alex Bauer

Suspect Trespassing Downtown Lodged, Given 180 Day Exclusion Order by Police

Officers with the Grants Pass Police Department apprehended a suspect trespassing downtown.

Tuesday at 2:33 p.m., officers located Thomas Ehens near the Pacific Pride gas station at 625 NE 7th Street in violation of an exclusion order. When contacted by law enforcement, Ehens said he didn't know he wasn't allowed south of A Street, despite possession of a map at the time of contact.

For this trespass, officers took Ehens into custody. He was warned for an open container violation, and issued a 180 day downtown exclusion order. Police transported him to the Josephine County Jail where he was lodged for Second Degree Criminal Trespass.

Posted on 8/26/26 11:38AM by Alex Bauer

Rogue River Volunteer Honored with Jackson County Community Service Award

The City of Rogue River announced that longtime community volunteer JoAnn Dixon has been selected to receive the Jackson County Community Service Award, one of the county's highest recognitions for volunteer service and civic engagement.

According to a release, for more than two decades, Dixon has dedicated many hours to improving the quality of life in Rogue River through environmental stewardship, community education, and volunteer leadership.

Dixon has served as a member of the City's Tree City USA Committee since 2002 and led the committee as Chair from 2019 through 2025. During that time, she helped coordinate volunteer work parties, community beautification efforts, and urban forestry initiatives that have enhanced Rogue River's natural environment and public spaces.

Her leadership has also been instrumental in the success of the City's annual Arbor Day celebration. In addition to her work with the Tree City USA Committee, Dixon has been an active OSU Extension Land Steward Program volunteer, generously sharing her knowledge and passion for caring for the State's natural resources.

Mayor Pam VanArsdale praised Dixon's contributions, noting that her service extends far beyond the hours she volunteers.

Posted on 8/26/26 11:16AM by Alex Bauer

Josephine County Shows Slight Job Gain Over the Year

Total payroll employment in Josephine County fell by 640 jobs in July, mostly due to a seasonally expected decline of 700 jobs in local government education. According to the Oregon Employment Department, small gains were estimated in leisure and hospitality (+30); manufacturing (+20); and construction (+20). Employment in trade, transportation, and utilities dipped by 20 jobs over the month. Over the past year, payroll employment rose by 100 jobs, or a gain of 0.4%. Private education and health services had the largest gain, up by 370 jobs. Job growth was also estimated in professional and business services (+80) and other services (+20). The most notable job declines were in leisure and hospitality (-120); manufacturing (-90); financial activities (-70); construction (-30); and retail trade (-30). Government employment fell by 30 jobs over the year. Losses occurred in local government education (-70), state government (-30), and federal government (-10). Non-education local government added 80 jobs since July 2025.

Posted on 8/26/26 11:04AM by Alex Bauer

BCC Approves WBS Items, Responded to Sanctuary Counties Comment

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners approved all action items during their Weekly Business Session, and responded to a comment regarding sanctuary counties. The board approved the resolution supporting the County and City of Cave Junction applications for Water and Sewer Infrastructure Extension funds, as well as a letter supporting Cave Junction application of said funds. This will expand infrastructure from Kerby to the Grants Pass Airport. A motion favoring a recommendation to award a contract for temporary runway closure lighting for the airport passed 3-0. The lights for the runway would cost $56,691, which has been pre-approved per the grant agreement. Matt Eide was then appointed as the County Budget Officer. During public comment, topics brought to the board included public education concerns, Sheriff's Office arrest practices, Douglas County commissioners stating they would no longer be a sanctuary county, and requesting Josephine County do the same. Commissioner Ron Smith said in response that a statement could be made regarding being a sanctuary county, but that it wouldn't change state laws.

Posted on 8/26/26 10:04AM by Alex Bauer

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