Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended an attempted murder convict on a statewide felony warrant following a weekend pursuit in the Wilderville area. On Saturday at about 7:25 p.m., a sheriff's deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a white van near Fish Hatchery and Colin roads. The driver failed to yield and a vehicle pursuit ensued. The suspect fled eastbound on Fish Hatchery before continuing onto Cheney Creek Road. During the pursuit, dispatchers advised that the registered owner of the van was listed as 48-year-old Jack Conklin. Further information revealed that Conklin had an active Oregon State Parole Board warrant for Felony Parole Violation, with underlying charges including Attempted Murder, three counts of 2nd-Degree Assault, Coercion and Kidnapping. Approximately four miles up the dirt portion of Cheney Creek Road, the suspect came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the roadway and fled on foot. K-9 Yana was deployed and successfully apprehended Conklin down a steep embankment. Conklin was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment of a dog bite sustained during his apprehension. After receiving medical clearance, he was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus new charges of Felony and Misdemeanor Attempt to Elude Police and Reckless Driving. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

A California mother and daughter were arrested last weekend after several Jackson County businesses reported receiving counterfeit $20 bills. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports the suspects -- 42-year-old Samantha Jo Ann O'Neil and her daughter 18-year-old Jamie Aileen O'Neil, both of Walnut Grove -- were taken into custody Saturday and lodged at the Medford jail facility. Both were charged with three counts of 1st-Degree Forgery, three counts of 3rd-Degree Theft, 10 counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument and three counts of Criminal Possession of a Forgery Device. Samantha O'Neil also had more than seven grams of methamphetamine and a meth pipe concealed on her person so she was additionally charged with Unlawful Possession of Meth. On Saturday morning, Jackson County sheriff's deputies received two reports of an unidentified woman in an orange sweatshirt passing counterfeit $20 bills at several White City businesses. Surveillance footage identified the suspect vehicle as a 2005 Toyota Camry with California license plates. A short time later, deputies located the unoccupied car in the Medford Hobby Lobby parking lot. Deputies began surveillance and arrested the suspects as they approached the car. After the arrests, deputies served a search warrant on the suspects' car and located numerous counterfeit bills along with printed sheets of uncut counterfeit money. Businesses identified as victims so far are the Hobby Lobby and the White City locations of Dutch Bros, McDonalds and Starbucks. The pair traveled from Lodi, California, on April 23rd and detectives believe there were likely more victims along their way. If you suspect your business received counterfeit money from either of these women, please call the Jackson County non-emergency number at (541)-776-7206.

 

A Josephine County woman is facing a total of 34 criminal charges related to fraud -- 26 of them felonies -- following her arrest late last week. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 35-year-old Brittany Maree Brown in an unspecified location on Friday morning. The Sheriff's Office has released no details about the investigation that led to Brown's arrest. She was lodged in the Grants Pass jail facility on one count of Felony Aggravated Identity Theft, 25 counts of Felony 1st-Degree Forgery and eight counts of misdemeanor 2nd-Degree Forgery. Brown was initially being held without bail, but she was released from custody for medical reasons on Friday night.

 

Grants Pass Police incarcerated a man for a felony driving violation and narcotics possession following a weekend traffic stop on SE 7th Street. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a blue Subaru driven by 36-year-old Danylo Moskalyuk near the Human Bean coffee stand on Sunday at 11:52 p.m.. Police said they observed Moskalyuk making an illegal left turn from SE M Street onto 7th Street. They discovered that he was driving a vehicle on a public roadway while his driving privileges were suspended at the felony level. He was placed into custody and found to be in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine. Moskalyuk was lodged in jail for Felony Driving While Suspended and Meth Possession. He was being held without bail. His vehicle was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man after he decided to take a drug-fueled weekend swim in a pond at a city park. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident at Reinhart Volunteer Park on Webster Road on Saturday morning. Police said 21-year-old Robert Simon Taylor Darcy was reported to be swimming in a pond at the All Sports Park while screaming curse words and scaring children who were playing at the playground and preparing to play Little League baseball. Darcy had numerous lacerations on his body when he was retrieved from the pond and initially refused to identify himself. He took off his socks and threw them in the pond directly after being told that what he was doing was a crime. While being arrested, he admitted to officers that he had consumed a large amount of cocaine. Darcy was taken to the Sobering Center, but he fled out the front door and was brought back to the facility where ankle restraints were applied. He was then taken to the Josephine County Jail where he was lodged without bail for Resisting Arrest, Offensive Littering and Depositing Trash within 100 Yards of a Waterway.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District extinguished a propane tank fire in Cave Junction early yesterday. On Monday at 4:09 a.m., IVFD crews responded to the incident in the 200-block of Caves Highway. Firefighters found a propane tank ablaze and they rapidly contained it. There were no injuries reported and no spread to surrounding structures or vegetation. According to IVFD, the cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

Do you have what it takes to kick off summer shows at Concerts in the Park? The Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce is now accepting applications to sing the National Anthem at this year's concerts. This is a fun, volunteer opportunity for individuals or small groups who love to perform and want to be part of an incredible community tradition. Did you know "The Star Spangled Banner" was written during a battle in 1814, but it wasn't officially adopted as the national anthem until 1931? There's something special about standing together under the summer sky and hearing those first few notes. It unites us, inspires us and kicks off an evening of music with meaning. Applicants must be willing to audition or submit an audio sample for review by the Chamber's Concerts in the Park Committee. Visit the Chamber of Commerce website at "grantspasschamber.org" to apply.

 

A library volunteer and Grants Pass Friends of the Library member has asked the Josephine County District Attorney to file misdemeanor charges against the three members of the Board of Commissioners. Matthew Hoff filed a petition for redress of grievances to Commissioners Andreas Blech, Chris Barnett and Ron Smith on April 22nd, stating that "the actions and inactions of the Josephine County Board of Commissioners regarding the lease of the Grants Pass Library facility constitute a significant breach of public trust and governance obligations, and violate the County Charter's mandate for library support and public accountability." According to the Josephine County Charter, "Josephine County government officials that are petitioned for redress of grievances shall be required to respond within five days, and to resolve the problem in question within 60 days. To date, Hoff said he has received no response. In addition to providing a mechanism for the redress of grievances, the Charter also provides a means of enforcement which includes citing persons charged with violating the Charter Amendment by issuing a Class B Misdemeanor Citation. It states "no person shall be immune from such citation regardless of any personal or official capacity whatsoever. Judicial proceedings regarding such citations shall follow the same as in the issuance of any other misdemeanor citation." In addition, Hoff has now filed a second petition that delineates means of resolving the conflict.

 

Total payroll employment in Jackson County rose by 200 jobs in March, with health care & social assistance leading the way. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 99,548 people working in Jackson County last month for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 5.9%, which was the same as in February. The return of workers who were on strike at a major health care provider contributed to the jobs added in health care & social assistance during March. Other industries adding jobs over the month were leisure & hospitality, construction, and professional & business services. Small employment declines were estimated in retail trade, transportation, warehousing & utilities, financial activities and manufacturing. Over the past year, payroll employment in Jackson County slipped by 80 jobs or 0.1% Since March 2024, industries adding jobs were private education & health services (+560), retail trade (+230), and other services (+110). Industries with over-the-year losses included leisure & hospitality (-340), financial activities (-110), professional & business services (-30). Government lost 300 jobs since March 2024,