Local News

The Oregon State Police arrested a Cave Junction motorist for impaired driving following a weekend traffic stop in the Illinois Valley. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a black Chevrolet Silverado pickup driven by a 44-year-old male subject on Caves Highway near Holland Loop Road on Friday around 11:30 p.m.. Police said they stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation and the driver displayed signs of impairment. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was taken to the Cave Junction Substation where he provided a breath sample that was well over the legal driving limit. The suspect was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. He was cited to appear in court and released, but his pickup was impounded.

 

The National Weather Service has issued a Hydrologic Outlook that calls for rapid river rises and possible debris flows in rivers and streams in southwest Oregon. According to the NWS bulletin, an atmospheric river could stall across the area Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing a long duration of moderate to heavy rain to Coos, Curry, Josephine and western Douglas counties. The highest precipitation amounts are expected in Curry County where rainfall rates could approach an inch per hour, which means local burn scars may need to be paid extra attention. Local creeks and rivers are likely to see significant rises. NWS officials in Medford said there is also the potential for additional moderate to heavy rain in southwest Oregon from Wednesday night into Friday. A Flood Potential Outlook is issued when there is the potential for significant rises or flooding along rivers and streams. The exact scenario for flooding remains uncertain, but watches and warnings may be issued if the situation worsens.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman for attacking another woman at a secure residential treatment facility over the weekend. The Police Department reports officers arrested a 31-year-old female subject for the incident at Ramsey Place on SW Ramsey Avenue on Saturday at 1:28 p.m.. Police said a woman they identified as 33-year-old Summer McKeever got into a verbal argument with another woman that turned physical when the suspect grabbed the victim's hair, pulled her to the ground and hit her several times. When officers arrived on scene, the victim declined medical attention -- but the facility supervisor decided to take the victim to the hospital for evaluation. After McKeever admitted to the incident, she was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Physical Harassment. Additional charges were possible if the victim sustained any further injuries.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a woman for injuring her estranged boyfriend at a home in southeast Grants Pass late last week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 62-year-old female subject at a home in the 1900-block of Fruitdale Drive on Friday afternoon. Deputies said they went to the property Friday morning to serve a restraining order on the woman's ex-boyfriend. Once there, they discovered that the ex-boyfriend had sustained minor injuries in a scuffle with the woman. An investigation showed there was also damage caused to personal property during the altercation. The female suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Attempted 4th-Degree Assault and she was being held without bail. The male half of the incident was served with the restraining order and he was given 20 minutes to grab his personal property, which included a car and boat that were registered to him. He was escorted off the property without incident. Arrangements were made to look after two dogs that remained on the property.

 

Police officers arrested a local felon for violating his post-prison supervision at the Grants Pass Skate Park late last week. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a report of suspicious activity at the skate park facility on Friday afternoon. Police said a concerned citizen called 9-1-1 to report a male subject dressed in blue was acting "strange" around children at the park. Officers arrived on scene and determined that 44-year-old Nicholas John Knox Knowles was causing public alarm, so they placed him into custody and contacted his corrections officer. Knowles was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Parole Violation and he was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Knowles has been arrested six times for violating terms of his parole since December of last year.

 

A driver and three occupants escaped serious injury in a weekend rollover crash near Cave Junction. On Saturday at 12:25 p.m, the Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response and Josephine County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the single-vehicle wreck near milepost 2 of Reeves Creek Road. Arriving units found that the three occupants had exited the overturned vehicle. One of them sustained minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for evaluation. No one else was hurt. IVFD officials said the driver made arrangements for removal and towing the vehicle from the crash scene. The Sheriff's Office was conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash.

 

The Grants Pass City Council will tackle an interesting agenda at its bi-weekly workshop session today. The City Council will open the meeting by considering a funding request from organizers of the annual Christmas parade. Next up is continuing discussion over the two designated campgrounds on NE 7th Street and SE J Street. These "resting places" are considered temporary and must be replaced with some type of long-term facility within the next year. Following a review of the agenda for Wednesday night's regular meeting, the panel will address a joint motion made by the Collaborative Economic Development and Tourism Advisory committees as well as a motion by the Committee on Public Art. Today's workshop begins at 11:45 a.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street.

 

Grants Pass city parks staff has been focusing on enhancing park cleanliness by removing graffiti, debris and abandoned trash along with completing fall tasks like mulching, leaf removal and trapping moles to protect turf areas. Staff members also repaired a broken curb and mitigated trip hazards along the sidewalk near Westholm Park playground by replacing damaged sections and reinforcing them with rebar. Workers added 120 yards of ADA-compliant wood fiber to several playgrounds, improving their safety and accessibility while ensuring the play areas provide a shock-absorbent surface that meets current safety standards and allows smooth movement of wheelchairs and other assistive devices.

 

A recall election aimed at removing John West from the Josephine County Board of Commissioners has been scheduled for December 17th. The Josephine County Clerk's Office on Friday confirmed that 6,476 signatures on a petition to recall Commissioner John West had been verified. A total of 7,538 signatures were submitted and 6,445 were necessary to force the recall vote. By Oregon Statute, West has five days to step down or provide justification for his actions that allegedly led to the recall petition. Reached by the Daily Courier late Friday, West said he has no intention of resigning. He added that he wants the voters to decide whether he should stay in office, not the petitioners. Josephine County Clerk Rhiannon Henkels has set the date for the recall election to be December 17th. She estimated the election will cost the county around $60,000. Chief Petitioner Lily Morgan -- a former Commissioner who currently serves as the City Manager for Gold Hill -- said the signature verification marks a crucial step forward in their mission to ensure accountability and transparency in local government. She said it validates the "overwhelming" support from community members who have voiced their concerns over Commissioner West's behavior, which she called "cruel and corrupt."