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BCC Set to Hold Hearings on Fee Changes and Finalize Sale of The Flying Lark

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will hold public hearings on orders approving fee schedule changes for various departments and the Board is slated to finalize the sale of The Flying Lark during its business session this morning. The first hearing is for fee schedule changes in 2025 for Airports, Assessor, Public Health, Public Information and the Surveyor while the second hearing is for fee changes in the coming year for Community Development and Planning. Under Administrative Actions, the Board will first consider an order authorizing the sale of county-owned real property not in use for county purposes. Next is an order authorizing the execution of a lease agreement with River Valley Community Church for parking around The Flying Lark. Also on the agenda is consideration of documents for the purchase of The Flying Lark by the local church. As part of the Consent Calendar, the Commissioners are expected to approve an order continuing the date of the second reading of two ordinances pertaining to the Josephine County Rural Fire Protection District. Today's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

Posted on 11/27/24 6:18AM by Sam Marsh

RVTD and City of Grants Pass Awarded Grants to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Electric vehicles, EV charging stations, transit improvements and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure are among the 14 projects across the state to receive funding from the second round of the federal Carbon Reduction Program. The program's second round of competitive grant funding in spring of this year had $11.5 million available for "small and rural" projects in Oregon that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. Eligible projects for the grant were in urban and rural areas of the state with populations under 200,000. Cities, counties, Tribal governments, and local and state transportation agencies were eligible to apply. The 14 projects were split among 13 local agencies and one tribe. They included the Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD) and the City of Grants Pass. RVTD was awarded a grant of $1.6 million to purchase five accessible, battery electric paratransit vans to replace gasoline paratransit vans used in its Valley Lift service and vehicle charging infrastructure. The City of Grants Pass was awarded $655,000 for sidewalks, bike lanes and additional improvements to pedestrian safety associated with the Allen Creek Road Improvement Project.

Posted on 11/27/24 6:16AM by Sam Marsh

ODOT Encourages Travelers to be Prepared for Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend

Thanksgiving week is one of the busiest for travelers and Oregon Department of Transportation crews will work tirelessly to make your trip as safe as possible no matter the weather. Don't let wet, snowy weather gobble up your plans. ODOT crews will be working through the feasting to keep your travels safe and they would be thankful for your help. If there's a heavy snow or a crash, ODOT may need to temporarily close a section of highway. Please be courteous and patient with crews whether they are plowing snow or flagging traffic. Most ODOT construction work will be paused over the holiday weekend to allow for extra traffic. Travelers in the Eugene area on Saturday should expect traffic delays from the Washington vs. Oregon football game at Autzen Stadium. Kickoff is 4:30 p.m.. No matter how or where you travel in Oregon, be prepared for changing road conditions. Remember to look out for each other, ODOT crews and emergency responders on the road. Everyone deserves a safe holiday weekend.

Posted on 11/27/24 6:14AM by Sam Marsh

Rural Metro, AMR and GP Fire Participating in "Toys for Tots" Program This Year

If you are in the giving spirit this year, the local "Toys for Tots" program is now underway.
Rural Metro Fire Department, American Medical Response and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue are teaming up with the Rogue Valley Young Marines and Josephine County Toys for Tots again this year to bring a special Christmas to kids in need. You can drop off new, unwrapped gifts at several locations including the four Rural Metro Fire Stations at 2428 Williams Highway, 5566 Monument Drive, 8199 Redwood Highway and Azalea Drive at Robertson Bridge Road. Other Grants Pass drop-off locations include Rural Metro's Administration Office at 807 NE 6th Street, American Medical Response's Administration Office at 401 NW F Street and Grants Pass Fire's Parkway Station at 800 East Park Street. Drop-off events this year will be in front of Bi-Mart in Grants Pass on November 30th and December 7th. The toy giveaway will be December 15th and 16th at the Josephine County Fairgrounds.

Posted on 11/27/24 6:11AM by Sam Marsh

BCC Set to Hold Hearings on Fee Changes and Finalize Sale of The Flying Lark

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will hold public hearings on orders approving fee schedule changes for various departments and the Board is slated to finalize the sale of The Flying Lark during its weekly business session tomorrow. The first hearing is for fee schedule changes in 2025 for Airports, Assessor, Public Health, Public Information and the Surveyor while the second hearing is for fee charges in the coming year for Community Development and Planning. Under Administrative Actions, the Board will first consider an order authorizing the sale of county-owned real property not in use for county purposes. Next is an order authorizing the execution of a lease agreement with River Valley Community Church for parking around The Flying Lark. Also on the agenda is consideration of documents for the purchase of The Flying Lark by the local church. As part of the Consent Calendar, the Commissioners are expected to approve an order continuing the date of the second reading of two ordinances pertaining to the Josephine County Rural Fire Protection District. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

Posted on 11/26/24 11:38AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Cited California Trucker for Hitting Parked Vehicle on Interstate 5 Shoulder

The Oregon State Police cited a California truck driver for hitting a parked vehicle on Interstate 5 in northern Josephine County last night. According to OSP, troopers and emergency crews responded to the two-vehicle crash in the southbound lanes of I-5 on Monday at 9:30 p.m.. State troopers said a commercial vehicle driven by a 36-year-old Los Angeles man struck a Toyota Highlander that was disabled and parked on the freeway shoulder. The truck driver stated that the vehicle was in his travel lane, but evidence at the scene indicated the Toyota was parked on the shoulder and not presenting a hazard. Both the Freightliner semi-truck and Highlander sustained damage and were towed into Grants Pass. Following the investigation, the trucker was cited for Failure to Drive Within Lane.

Posted on 11/26/24 10:39AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Man on Statewide Warrant after Downtown Area Patrol Check

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on a statewide felony warrant late yesterday after a patrol check in the downtown area. The Police Department reports officers arrested 50-year-old Brian Jay Steffen at or near the Astro Gas Station on NE E Street on Monday at 5:48 p.m.. Police said they were on patrol when they spotted Steffen and were familiar with him from previous law enforcement contacts. They also knew that he was wanted on an Oregon State Parole Board warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a previous arson conviction. Steffen was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Steffen has been arrested for violating his parole three times since August.

Posted on 11/26/24 10:38AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Woman on Local Felony Warrant at SE J Street Campground

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on a local felony warrant at the J Street campground yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 36-year-old Krystal Ann Wilder at the designated campsite on SE J Street on Monday at 2:05 p.m.. Police said they were patrolling the campground when they spotted Wilder and knew that she was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant containing charges of Identity Theft, 2nd-Degree Forgery and 2nd-Degree Theft. There was no information available on the criminal allegations. Wilder was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the outstanding warrant. She was being held on $35,000 bail.

Posted on 11/26/24 10:37AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Nabbed Man on Outstanding Warrant during Monday Welfare Check

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant during a welfare check in the downtown area late yesterday. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to reports of a female transient in a red sleeping bag near the Human Bean coffee stand on SE 7th Street at about 4:15 p.m. Monday. Police said callers reported the female subject is normally there and she is usually sitting up, but she was lying down all day and they wanted officers to check on her. Officers arrived on scene and contacted the occupant of the sleeping bag, finding it not to be the woman in question. The person in the report was identified as a man, 72-year-old Russell Dewitt Coe, and he was found to be wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. Coe was placed into custody and lodged in jail. His belongings were logged into evidence for safekeeping.

Posted on 11/26/24 10:35AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Cited 3 Male Transients for Sleeping Outside Downtown Businesses

Grants Pass Police rousted three male transients who were sleeping in front of downtown businesses in just over an hour last night. According to the Police Department, the first incident occurred on Monday at 10:40 p.m. when officers contacted a man sleeping in front of business doors on J Street. He was cited for Sleeping on City Sidewalks and warned for Possession of an Open Alcoholic Beverage. He was ordered to move on. The second incident happened at 10:54 p.m. when officers contacted a man sleeping outside a business entrance on SE H Street. He was cited for Sleeping on City Sidewalks and told to move on. The third incident took place at 11:56 p.m. when officers contacted a man sleeping in front of business on SW 6th Street. He was cited to appear in court and ordered to move on.

Posted on 11/26/24 10:34AM by Sam Marsh

GP Woman and Her 2 Young Children Injured in Interstate 5 Crash on Smith Hill

A Grants Pass woman and her two young children were injured in a weekend crash on Interstate 5 in northern Josephine County. The Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to the three-vehicle collision in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 74 on Smith Hill on Saturday night. Police said a Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by a 50-year-old Roseburg woman lost control while negotiating a left-hand curve and came to rest blocking the slow lane. A Toyota RAV4 driven by a 32-year-old woman did not see the Mitsubishi when it came around the curve, rapidly decelerated and swerved into the fast lane, which caused another RAV4 driven by a 24-year-old Grants Pass woman to crash into the back of the first vehicle. According to OSP, the second RAV4 was carrying two children in rear-facing car seats. The children and their mother were transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. No one else was hurt. All three vehicles sustained heavy damage and were towed to Grants Pass. Following an investigation, the Roseburg motorist was cited for No Insurance.

Posted on 11/26/24 6:19AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Woman on 4 Outstanding Warrants after Walmart Shoplift Call

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman on four outstanding warrants following a weekend shoplifting incident at Walmart. The Police Department reports officers arrested 34-year-old Britney Ann Diffie at the store on NE Terry Lane on Sunday at 2:35 p.m.. Police said Diffie was observed by Walmart loss prevention attempting to steal items valued at more than $100. They said she was detained and while officers were enroute to the store, they learned that she was wanted on four warrants issued by the Medford Police Department. Charges contained in the warrants included Parole Violation stemming from a burglary conviction, four counts of Identity Theft, three counts of 1st-Degree Theft and failing to appear in court for 1st-Degree Theft. Diffie was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants plus a new charge of 2nd-Degree Theft. She was being held without bail. According to the report, Diffie was trespassed from Walmart as well as a property in the 1300-block of Rogue River Highway.

Posted on 11/26/24 6:18AM by Sam Marsh

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