Local News

News Logo

US Forest Service and BLM Rescind Campfire Restrictions on Lower Rogue River
News Image
Due to wet weather patterns and the official end of the 2024 fire season in southwest Oregon, federal and state officials have elected to rescind all campfire restrictions within the boundaries of the Rogue National Wild and Scenic River. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have rescinded the public use restrictions of the Wild and Scenic Rogue as well as the Industrial Fire Precaution Level. The Wild Section flows from Grave Creek to the mouth of Watson Creek. The BLM administers the stretch of river between Grave Creek and Marial while the Forest Service manages from Marial downriver to Watson Creek. Fire pans are required year-round for all campfires within 400 feet of the Rogue River. A shovel and bucket are required for all rafting parties. Cutting firewood is prohibited. Although several fires on the Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District started this past weekend, fire behavior is now low, having been significantly moderated by recent precipitation.
Posted on 10/30/24 4:37AM by Sam Marsh
 

Library Partners with WorkSource Oregon to Offer Free Computer Basics Classes
News Image
Josephine Community Library and WorkSource Oregon are offering a Computer Basics Lab open to the public every other Thursday in Grants Pass. The Computer Basics Lab is being held from 2-3:30 p.m. at WorkSource Rogue Valley, which is located at 1569 NE F Street. The program provides an opportunity to improve computer skills in a hands-on environment. No library card or WorkSource enrollment is required. Topics range from Basic Computer Usage to Using Word and Excel programs. Tomorrow, October 31st, the topic is "Files, Folders and Online Storage." The topic on November 14th will be "Using the Internet and Internet Safety." The topic on December 5th will be "Email Setup and Use." The topic on December 19th will be "Word and Excel." No registration is required, but space is limited. For more information, contact Josephine Community Library at (541)-476-0571.
Posted on 10/30/24 4:35AM by Sam Marsh
 

BCC Faces Full Agenda with Continuation of Hearing on Fire Protection District
The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will continue its first public hearing on a proposed rural fire protection district as part of a busy agenda for its weekly business session tomorrow morning. The Board will continue the hearing on the first reading of an order that would form the Josephine County Rural Fire Protection District and set the date for the second hearing and potential adoption of the order. Another public hearing will be held for the adoption of a supplemental budget for the current fiscal year and a third public hearing will be held for an application to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. They will be followed by a presentation of the American Rescue Plan Act quarterly report. As part of the Consent Calendar, the Board will make an appointment to the Local Public Safety Coordinating Council and re-appointments to the Fair Board. Next the Commissioners will convene as the governing body of the 4-H Extension Service District to hold a public hearing for repaying the loan of money to the district from the Josephine County General Fund. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.
Posted on 10/29/24 10:31AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Jailed Convicted Felon Who Entered Secure Lot at GPPD Headquarters
Grants Pass Police arrested a convicted felon who entered the secure lot at GPPD headquarters last weekend. The Police Department reports the incident involving 53-year-old Michael Ray Hastings occurred on Sunday around 9:15 p.m.. Police said Hastings climbed the fence off NE 6th Street, entered the secure lot and was found lying behind the short retaining wall to the ramp for the exterior training room door. They said he was uncooperative, hostile and appeared to be under the influence of a narcotic stimulant. Hastings was held at Taser point until additional units arrived and he was placed into custody for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. During a consent search, he was found to be in possession of a knife that opens by centrifugal force. A records check showed that he is a convicted felon banned from possessing any weapons. Hastings was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for the trespassing incident and he was additionally charged with Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 10/29/24 9:42AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

Deputies Collared Man Wanted on MPD Warrant at Wolf Creek Transient Camp
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended a man wanted on an outside felony warrant at a transient camp in Wolf Creek yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 28-year-old Allen Totten Behrle on Monday at 2:47 p.m.. Deputies said they received a tip about transients living near the bridge in Wolf Creek Park. They located the camp and a male subject later identified as Behrle fled on foot. He returned to the camp a short time later and was detained. A routine records check showed that Behrle was wanted on a Medford Police Department warrant for failing to appear in court for 1st-Degree Theft, 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief and 3rd-Degree Criminal Mischief. Behrle was placed into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail where he was booked on the outstanding warrant. He was being held pending transfer to the Jackson County Jail in Medford.
Posted on 10/29/24 9:40AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

GP Police Arrested Man for Attempting to Swindle Walmart Out of Merchandise
Grants Pass Police arrested a man who attempted to swindle Walmart out of some merchandise early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the shoplifting call at the store on NE Terry Lane on Monday shortly after 10 a.m.. Police said 44-year-old Jason Charles Sparks swapped tags on several items to lower the cost. They said he passed all points of sale, depriving Walmart of more than $223. Officers caught up to Sparks, he admitted to the crime and was cooperative with the investigation. Sparks was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft.
Posted on 10/29/24 9:39AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

OSP Arrested 2 Motorists for Impaired Driving in Separate GP Stops on Sunday
The Oregon State Police arrested two motorists for impaired driving during separate weekend traffic stops on the same day in Grants Pass. According to OSP, the first incident occurred on Sunday at 12:29 a.m. when state troopers pulled over a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup driven by a 37-year-old man on SE 6th Street near Voorhies Way. Troopers said they stopped the pickup for a traffic violation and the driver showed signs of impairment. They said he was arrested and transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit. He was cited to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving before being released from custody. The second incident happened on Sunday at 8:33 p.m. when troopers pulled over a Lexus IS driven by a 33-year-old man at or near the South Y interchange. Troopers said they stopped the vehicle for speeding and the driver displayed signs of impairment. They said the suspect refused to provide a breath sample, so he was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw. The suspect was then lodged in jail for Driving under the Influence of Intoxicants. His car was towed.
Posted on 10/29/24 9:37AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

Coos County Man Hurt in 1 of Many Weather-Related Crashes on Local Roads
A Coos County man was hurt yesterday when he crashed his vehicle on Interstate 5 in northern Josephine County. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle rollover accident in the southbound lanes of I-5 at milepost 73 near Sunny Valley on Monday at 12:49 p.m.. Troopers said evidence at the scene indicated a gray BMW sedan driven by a 60-year-old North Bend man was traveling too fast for the wet conditions, lost control and entered the dirt shoulder where it rolled and came to rest on its top. According to OSP, the driver was transported by ambulance to the hospital with suspected minor injuries. The male juvenile passenger declined medical treatment. A-1 Towing responded to recover the vehicle and tow it to Grants Pass. State troopers responded to at least six weather-related crashes in Josephine County plus several more in Jackson County. Officials said most of the wrecks occurred because people were driving too fast for the wet road conditions.
Posted on 10/29/24 9:36AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

Rural Metro Crews Extinguished Escaped Open Burn in Jerome Prairie Area
Rural Metro Fire Department extinguished a fire that moved quickly through blackberries and damaged an unoccupied horse trailer west of Grants Pass yesterday. Rural Metro crews responded to the reported fire in the Jerome Prairie area on Monday at 2:18 p.m.. The fire -- which was held to only 1/100th of an acre -- was the result of an escaped open burn located on Jerome Prairie Road near Woodland Park Road. Officials said the proximity of the burn pile next to blackberries, a gust of wind and loss of water due to a power outage led to the escape. Despite rain showers and the official end of the 2024 fire season, safe debris burning still carries some requirements. Even though the risk of catastrophic wildfire is greatly reduced, the possibility of flames damaging valuable items nearby is still possible. Rural Metro officials encourage residents to keep burn piles small and manageable, maintain a buffer around the pile to prevent spread, stay in attendance for the duration of the burn, have a shovel and reliable water source on hand, don't burn in breezy conditions and keep a charged cell phone in your possession to call 9-1-1 if the burn escapes.
Posted on 10/29/24 9:34AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

OSP Asking for Cell Phone Video from Shooting Incident at Murphy Area Party
The Oregon State Police is asking for witnesses to a recent non-lethal shooting in Josephine County to come forward with any video of the incident. On Saturday at about 2 a.m., police responded to a report of shots fired at a large party on Spencer Creek Road near Murphy. An adult male was taken to a local hospital by private vehicle from the party and he was treated for non-life-threatening gunshot wounds to the abdomen. OSP detectives said many of the party attendees were juvenile and intoxicated. However, they said all the individuals involved in the altercation that led to the shooting have been identified and are over 18 years of age. Several party attendees fled from the scene, resulting in two rollover crashes with minor injuries. Investigators do not believe there are any public safety threats stemming from this incident. They do believe multiple cell phone videos of the incident exist and they are asking witnesses to come forward. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact OSP's Southern Command Center at 1-(800)-442-2068 or dial *OSP from a mobile device. Please reference Case SP24-350006. The investigation is ongoing and OSP is not releasing the names of the involved parties at this time.
Posted on 10/29/24 5:17AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

Domestic Violence Heard Over Gaming Console Lands GP Man in Jail Facility
Grants Pass Police jailed a man for multiple counts of domestic violence after a weekend incident was overheard on a gaming microphone and reported to law enforcement. The Police Department reports officers arrested 38-year-old Shayne Alden Pitard for the incident at a residence on Rogue River Highway on Sunday at 12:44 p.m.. Police said a woman was playing a video game when she heard another woman screaming to stop hitting her. The woman called 9-1-1 to report her children are friends of the victim's children, which made it easy for officers to locate the incident location. According to the report, the victim disclosed that her husband assaulted, menaced and choked her that morning. Officers placed Pitard into custody and noted there had been ongoing physical abuse including striking his wife with a dangerous instrument. The victim was assisted by the Women's Crisis Support Team. Pitard was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 2nd-Degree Domestic Assault, Felony 4th-Degree Domestic Assault, Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon, plus two counts each of Domestic Strangulation and Domestic Menacing. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 10/29/24 5:15AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

OSP Arrested Teen Girl for Attacking Parents & Damaging Car near Wilderville
The Oregon State Police arrested a teenage girl for attacking her mother and her mother's ex-husband at a residence near Wilderville this past weekend. OSP reports troopers responded to the disturbance at a home in the 900-block of Cheney Creek Road early Saturday morning. Troopers said they were notified that a 17-year-old girl was involved in a physical altercation with her parents after returning home from a party with friends. The mother reported her daughter returned home intoxicated and started an argument, which escalated when the daughter broke an air conditioning unit in her bedroom to exit the home. According to OSP, the daughter then used a shovel to break the windows on her mother's Chevrolet Malibu and cause additional damage to the car. The teen daughter was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for medical clearance and then lodged at the Josephine County Juvenile Justice Center on charges of Felony 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief, Menacing and Disorderly Conduct.
Posted on 10/29/24 5:13AM by Sam Marsh
Read more