GP Police, Oregon DOJ Serve Search Warrant, Lodge Man for 26 Sex Crimes
A man wanted on a warrant for 26 sex crimes was apprehended by Grants Pass Police Thursday. Officers assisted the Oregon Department of Justice in executing a search warrant at a home in the 200 block of SW J Street. The residence was cleared, and Jory Garibay was detained at 11:17 a.m. He was wanted on a Douglas County Sheriff's Office warrant for four counts of Using a Child in Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct, 18 counts of First Degree Encouraging Child Sex Abuse, and four counts of Luring a Minor. Garibay was taken into custody and lodged in the Josephine County Jail.
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ODOT Warns Public of Ongoing Oregon DMV Scams
The Oregon Department of Transportation is warning the public of ongoing Oregon DMV scams. According to ODOT, this nationwide scam, which began as a toll phishing scam, has been targeting drivers in several states for nearly two years. Oregon DMV will never send you notices, warnings or payment requests by text or email. These fake messages often come from international phone numbers or non-government email addresses. They can cite fake administrative codes, and threaten to suspend vehicle registration or driving privileges. Scammers will demand payment by a certain date, and provide a link to URLs that may contain the agency name but with added letters or dashes. Past scam messages often included obvious spelling and grammar mistakes. While those are still a red flag, many of today’s criminals are using artificial intelligence to generate realistic, professional-sounding messages.
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Oregon Delegation Urges DHS and FEMA in Favor of BRIC Funds for GP Project
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici sent a letter urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to approve waivers for and to fully fund two projects funded through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. According to a release from Senator Merkley's website, the two projects included in the letter were the Clatsop County Columbia Memorial Hospital, and the Grants Pass Water Treatment Plant Relocation. The City had been selected to receive $50 million in BRIC funding to relocate the plant outside the Special Flood Hazard Area to prevent system failure if flooded. This letter comes after City leaders returned from a trip to Washington D.C. expressing the need for the BRIC grant funding. Along with Merkley and Bonamici, Senator Ron Wyden, and members of Congress Andrea Salinas, Maxine Dexter, Val Hoyle, and Janelle Bynum signed the letter.
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