Local News

Local law enforcement got a boost last week with five deputies graduating from the Oregon Public Safety Academy. All will serve as corrections deputies. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office congratulates Deputies Zacha and Serabia while the Jackson County Sheriff's Office congratulates Deputies Case, Lacombe and Mallory. All six deputies spent the past six weeks at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) in Salem. All three Jackson County deputies were in the class color guard, with Deputy Case as the color guard leader. Deputy Lacombe was selected to speak at last Friday's graduation ceremony. Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel and Jackson County Sheriff Nate Sickler said they look forward to the deputies continued service in their jail facilities in Grants Pass and Medford.

 

With just one week before the November 5th General Election, Josephine County voters are turning in their ballots at an increased pace. As of Monday evening, the Josephine County Clerk's Office reported voter turnout to be 33.45%. Out of 71,044 eligible voters, 23,761 ballots had been received. Voter turnout is generally higher during a presidential election, but local voters have plenty of other reasons to participate in this year's election. Two out of the three positions on the Josephine County Board of Commissioners are up for grabs as is the position of Josephine County Treasurer. Mayor positions in both Grants Pass and Cave Junction are being contested as well as City Council seats in both cities. There are also four measures that will be decided in the upcoming election. They include bond measures for Rogue Community College and the Three Rivers School District along with a local option tax supporting Veterans Services in Josephine County and a transient lodging tax in Cave Junction. The deadline for ballots to be returned is November 5th at 8 p.m., but postmarks will be counted. In addition, there are eight locations where ballots can be hand-delivered. They include the Clerk's Office, the north and south entrances to the Josephine County Courthouse, the back parking lot of the Grants Pass library branch, Washington Federal Bank on Union Avenue, Ray's Food Place in Merlin, Hidden Valley Market in Murphy and Cave Junction City Hall.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters were on point as they protected citizens and property in the community last week. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 687 calls for service along with 323 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 45 arrests, 44 citations, 58 warnings and four highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 90 traffic stops in the city and they made 28 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 180 potential troublemakers while arresting seven people, citing 13 more and warning 29 others. The CRT unit also trespassed five individuals, posted 81 transient camps and removed trash from three campsites. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 110 calls last week including 48 for emergency medical service, one report of fire or smoke, 19 lift assists, six rescue situations, seven assists to other agencies and five false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,107 emergency calls.

 

Fire season has officially ended in Grants Pass and eliminated all public use restrictions in the city. The Fall 2024 Open Burn Window will be from this Saturday, November 2nd, through Sunday, November 10th. Starting Wednesday, Grants Pass residents will be able to apply for their burn permits online or in person. The City offers burn permits through Grants Pass Fire Community Connect, which is "sizeup.firstduesizeup.com/cc/grants/auth/signin." Just sign up and receive your permit online. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue will still be offering permits in person at the Parkway Fire Station, which is located at 800 East Park Street. Office hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. For more information, call the Grants Pass Fire Prevention Bureau at (541)-450-6200. Outdoor debris burning is only allowed if the DEQ ventilation index for the airshed is 400 or greater. It is the responsibility of each person to check the airshed rating before burning.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a store employee for his role in the theft of hundreds of dollars' worth of cigarettes from his employer late last week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 38-year-old Jason Nathaniel Geith at the Arco AM/PM on NE Terry Lane on Friday at 2:46 p.m.. Police said they were alerted to the theft by Geith earlier in the day. Geith was later seen on video assisting a masked man he later identified as "Christopher Jenkins." According to the report, the two men worked together to steal $1,144 in Marlboro cigarettes. Jenkins fled the scene with the stolen stogies, which have not yet been recovered. Geith was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Theft. Jenkins has not yet been arrested, but he is being sought by GPPD for 1st-Degree Theft and 1st-Degree Burglary.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested one of two women who stole hundreds of dollars' worth of merchandise from Walmart at the beginning of the weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a shoplifting call at the big box retailer on NE Terry Lane on Friday shortly after 5 p.m.. Police said two women they identified as "Ashley Wasson" and "Mahdi Eider" attempted to steal more than $464 worth of clothing and baby items from Walmart. They said Eider fled with the items in a vehicle while Wasson was contacted and detained at the nearby Grocery Outlet. Wasson was charged with 2nd-Degree Theft. She was cited to appear in court and then released. GPPD was still looking for Eider who will be charged with the same crime.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a local felony warrant and added two more charges to his criminal bill after a weekend traffic stop near the J Street campground. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a bicycle ridden by 34-year-old Shane Alan Barton near the corner of SE Mill and J streets at 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Police said they stopped Barton for Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device and bicycle equipment requirements. They said he provided a false name, but his true identity was discovered and he was found to be wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from an Identity Theft conviction. Barton attempted to flee on foot, but he was placed into custody after a short foot pursuit. He was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia including a small container containing a white residue that tested positive as methamphetamine. Barton was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrant plus new charges of Meth Possession and Furnishing False Information to Police.

 

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 on Saturday around 1:30 a.m.. 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 Detention Center on charges of Felony 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief, Menacing and Disorderly Conduct.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorcyclist for impaired riding during a weekend traffic stop in south Grants Pass. According to OSP, troopers pulled over an electric motorcycle ridden by a 20-year-old man near the intersection of Williams Highway and Union Avenue on Saturday at 11:07 p.m.. State troopers said they stopped the electric bike because the suspect was riding recklessly in the area by running a red light and riding on the wrong side of the roadway with oncoming traffic. They said the rider displayed signs of impairment and was placed into custody after he performed poorly in field sobriety tests. The suspect was transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal riding limit. He was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. He was cited to appear in court and then released, but his electric motorcycle was impounded.