Local News

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies responded to a disturbance over the weekend.

Saturday afternoon, two people were arguing outside 711 NW 5th Street. A man was kicking the woman's items into the street while the woman yelled.

Officers contacted them both, and didn't report any crimes regarding the disturbance. The woman, however, did have a warrant out for her arrest through the Sheriff's office.

She was transported to the Josephine County Jail and lodged on a warrant for Unlawful Entry into a Vehicle, and Second Degree Theft.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man charging his phone outside a local business with a no trespass letter yesterday.

Sunday night, at 509 SE 7th Street, officers contacted two people using the businesses power to charge their phones. One suspect, after providing officers with his name and date of birth, was confirmed to have a warrant out for his arrest.

While being read his rights, he admitted to having a meth pipe in his pocket. Officers searched his person and found residue testing presumptive positive for methamphetamine in his necklace container.

He had a sling backpack containing more drug paraphernalia and a small baggy of a white crystalline substance. Officers took him into custody and lodged him at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and a Meth Possession charge.

 

Grants Pass Police officers arrested a man found sleeping in an inoperable vehicle early this morning.

Officers contacted the suspect at 409 SE 7th Street with two others sleeping in a car. He was found to have two warrants out for his arrest: One for Failure to Appear in Court for Meth Possession and Felony in Possession of a Weapon, and one for DUII, Second Degree Criminal Mischief, and Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver.

The consent search was conducted on the suspect, and he was found to be in possession of meth, for which he was cited. He was lodged in the Josephine County Jail for the warrants.

 

All control lines remain strong on the Kelsey Peak Fire as firefighters continue to push into the perimeter, increasing containment to 68%. The fire, located approximately 15 miles west of Glendale, is still being held by resources at 1,039 acres. Rain was felt across the Kelsey Peak Fire early yesterday morning, continuing throughout the afternoon. Safety remains a top priority as work continues on tough terrain with numerous hazards. Today, firefighters will continue mopping up across the fire on the western and northern portions of line. Smoldering vegetation can remain dormant until warm, windy weather causes it to flare up. With those exact conditions in the forecast later this week, this work is critical to retain control of the fire and continue to move forward in extinguishing it. Oregon Department of Forestry Complex Incident Management Team 1, assigned to the Kelsey Peak Fire since last Monday, is coordinating with the Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team 5 on the Moon Complex.

 

After almost a decade of planning and legislative advocacy, the Rogue River School District announced the opening of its new Early Learning and Wellness Center. This milestone represents years of effort to expand early learning opportunities and provide vital health services to children and families in the Rogue River and Wimer areas. Efforts to establish an early learning and wellness center in the district date back to the late 2010's. Over the years, numerous community members, regional medical providers, education advocates, members of the Rogue River School Board, and state legislators worked hard to secure funding and support for the project. Funding for the $3 million facility was secured in 2021 through SB 5534, utilizing lottery bond dollars with the intent to address critical gaps in health care and early learning. The center features a student-based health clinic operated by La Clinica, as well as expanded preschool programming provided by Head Start.

 

Grants Pass residents still have time to apply for the Community Development Block Grant Weatherization and Rehabilitation Program. The application window for lower- and middle-income homeowners will close at 5 pm on Tuesday, September 16. It is offered for city residents only and for owner-occupied stick-built homes. No mobile homes or manufactured homes are eligible. No rentals are eligible for the 2024 program year. The CDBG program allocates funds each year for these types of projects based on the annual award the city receives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funds are limited, applications must meet the income level, and not all repairs are eligible.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies responded to a reported fight yesterday.

Officers received a call stating a man was fighting with the caller's husband. Before arrival, officers were told the man was leaving in a gold Mazda.

The suspect was found inside his vehicle visibly intoxicated. Upon contact, he denied any physical altercation.

He was lodged at the Sobering Center and his vehicle was towed from the scene.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District responded to two separate traffic accidents yesterday.

Saturday morning, just before 6 a.m., I.V. Fire and AMR Josephine County responded to a reported vehicle accident at the intersection of Holland Loop Road and Caves Highway in Cave Junction.

Upon arrival, responding units found an abandoned vehicle that had collided with a tree. A thorough search was conducted and no occupants were found. The vehicle was flagged and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office was notified.

Later that same morning, a rollover incident occurred at the intersection of Laurel Road and Caves Highway in Cave Junction. I.V. Fire and AMR Josephine County provided emergency response.

One individual was able to exit the vehicle without assistance and sustained no injuries. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office subsequently arrived and assumed control of the scene.

 

Containment on the Kelsey Peak Fire increased to 44% as crews continue mop-up work around the perimeter.

The Oregon Department of Forestry reports the lightning-sparked fire, located 15 miles west of Glendale in the Lower Rogue River Corridor, burned 1,039 acres in steep rugged terrain along the Kelsey Creek drainage.

Crews have constructed fireline around the perimeter of the fire and continue to strengthen the line, working into the interior of the fire nearly 200 feet in some areas. Unmanned Aircraft, equipped with infrared technology is being used to focus gridding on specific areas around the fire’s edge.

As containment increases for the fire and the perimeter is secured, hose and pumps that are no longer needed for containment efforts are being backhauled off the fireline to clean and prepare for use on the next incident.

Oregon Department of Forestry Complex Incident Management Team 1, assigned to the Kelsey Peak Fire since last Monday, is coordinating with the Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team 5 on the Moon Complex, approximately eight miles to the west.

The Curry County Sheriff’s Office has a Level 2 – BE SET evacuation order in effect for the area of Rogue River Ranch, Tucker Flat Campground and the nearby area of Marial. The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management has a Level 1 – BE READY evacuation notice for Zone JCU-801 in place.