Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for drug possession during a weekend patrol check at one of the two designated campgrounds in the city. According to the Police Department, officers contacted and then arrested 36-year-old Jack David Spurgeon at the SE J Street campground around 10 a.m. Saturday. Police said they were patrolling the campground when they spotted Spurgeon in his tent with drug paraphernalia. They said he had an open container with a baggy containing a white crystal substance that tested positive as methamphetamine. Spurgeon was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession. His tent and belongings were logged into evidence for safekeeping. He was also trespassed from the campsite for 30 days.

 

A Cave Junction residential kitchen fire last night displaced two adults and a dog. On Sunday at 9:30 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District responded to a reported fire in the 200-block of South Caves Avenue. IVFD officials said the fire was reported to have been put out as crews were arriving on scene. They checked the entire residence for any extension of the flames, but found none. There were no injuries reported, but the American Red Cross was called in to assist the two adult occupants and their dog. Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to the incident, but they were canceled when the fire was declared out.

 

An Illinois Valley property owner was cited for an illegal open burn over the weekend. On Saturday at 6:05 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District and Oregon Department of Forestry were dispatched to the open burn in the 5900-block of West Side Road. IVFD and ODF officials acknowledged that the local fire danger is now "low," but there is still no burning allowed. They said the burn pile was extinguished and a citation was issued to the responsible party. Officials urged people not to burn until ODF declares the 2024 fire season over.

 

Rural Metro Fire Department wants you to help put a "freeze" on fall and winter fires. Rural Metro officials said heating is the second-leading cause of home fires. If you heat with wood, oil or gas, install a carbon monoxide alarm and test it at least once a month. Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney each year. Store cooled ashes from the fire box in a tightly-covered metal container and keep it outside at least 10 feet away from your home or other combustible materials. Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from any heat source like fireplaces, woodstoves, radiator or space heaters. Plug only one heat-producing device into an electrical outlet at a time. Turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed. Remember, working smoke alarms save lives. For more information, call Rural Metro at (541)-474-1218.

 

The Oregon Department of Transportation is continuing work on the bridge retrofit project on Rogue River Highway. Beginning today, the Foots Creek Bridge will be closed for approximately one week. Motorists are encouraged to use an alternate route to avoid the work zone and to please watch for workers in the bridge area. ODOT officials said the contractor has provided a pedestrian transport vehicle that can accommodate at least two ADA passengers, a maximum of 10 able-bodied pedestrians and up to three bicycles with a secured rack during the closure. The project is replacing the bridge structures at Foots Creek, Birdseye Creek and Millers Gulch for earthquake resilience. The project is expected to be completed by June 2025. The estimated completion dates are subject to change.

 

The City of Grants Pass is accepting applications for two positions on the Urban Tree Advisory Committee due to a vacancy and an expiring term. The vacancy position will expire on April 5, 2025, and the expiring position is for two years. The Urban Tree Advisory Committee's purpose is to review, develop and implement programs and activities that promote, protect and enhance the urban forest as part of the Tree City USA program. Special qualification for these positions is an interest in the promotion and enhancement of the urban forest in Grants Pass. Applications are available at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or online at "grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application." Completed applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, November 29th. Applications will be reviewed by the committee on Monday, December 9th. The City Council will make the appointments at their regular meeting on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

 

The FBI Portland Division has seen an increase in reports of scammers falsely representing themselves as FBI agents or a representative of another government agency and sending couriers to pick up cash or gold payments. Be advised, federal agencies do not call or e-mail individuals threatening arrest or demanding money. Scammers often spoof caller ID information and these calls are fraudulent even if they appear to be coming from an agency's legitimate phone number. Recipients should hang up immediately and report the call. There are many versions of the government impersonation scam and they all exploit intimidation tactics. Typically, scammers will use an urgent and aggressive tone, refusing to speak to or leave a message with anyone other than their targeted victim. They will also urge victims not to tell anyone else including family, friends or financial institutions about what is occurring. Payment is demanded in various forms. In this newest version of the scam, victims are ordered to withdraw money as either cash or gold and give it to a courier who arrives at their home. Other tactics include prepaid cards, wire transfers, and cash sent by mail or inserted into cryptocurrency ATMs. Victims are asked to read prepaid card numbers over the phone or text a picture of the card. If you think you are a victim of this or any other online scam, file a report with your local law enforcement agency and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at "ic3.gov."

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters logged an active week of community protection. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 659 calls for service along with 307 officer-initiated calls last week which resulted in 55 arrests, 26 citations, 43 warnings and 11 highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 53 traffic stops in the city and they made 19 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) made a total of 100 contacts with potential troublemakers while arresting six people, citing five more and warning 22 others. The CRT unit also trespassed three individuals from homes and businesses. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 108 calls last week including 61 for emergency medical service, four for fires or smoke, 19 lift assists, five rescue situations, three assists to other agencies and 11 false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,056 emergency calls in addition to 718 calls for non-emergency service.

 

The Adult Community Transition (ACT) Program for the Grants Pass School District has relocated from Grants Pass High School to a new building on the campus of GPFLEX. This move marks a significant milepost in providing an environment for young adults with disabilities to develop essential life skills and continue their journey toward independence. ACT programs serve young adults age 18-21. They are typically housed off-campus to allow participants who have completed high school to move into a space that fosters their growth into adulthood. The new facility at GPFLEX does exactly that, providing a home-like atmosphere where young adults can practice real-world skills. This facility includes a fully-equipped kitchen, a washer and dryer, an ADA-compliant bathroom with a shower, and comfortable living spaces featuring couches, recliners and personalized décor to make the space feel like home. The ACT program's mission is to empower young adults with disabilities by offering them real-world experiences that build life skills.