KAJO 99.7FM - Local News

Weekend Police Patrol in East GP Led to Capture of Man on Local Warrants

A weekend patrol by police on the east side of Grants Pass resulted in the capture of a man wanted on two local warrants. The Police Department reports officers arrested 63-year-old William Ward Fleming, Jr., on railroad property near NE Agness Avenue at about 12:40 a.m. on Saturday. Police said they located Fleming during a patrol check on the railroad property and a routine check revealed that he was wanted on two warrants -- a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear for 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass and Furnishing False Information to Police. After the warrants were confirmed, William Fleming was lodged at the Josephine County Jail.

Posted on 11/27/23 11:04AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Nabbed 4 Motorists for Impaired Driving Over Long Holiday Weekend

The Oregon State Police arrested four motorists for impaired driving in Josephine County over the long holiday weekend. OSP reports the first incident occurred on Friday at 12:53 a.m. when state troopers pulled over a Toyota pickup driven by 68-year-old Sally Pritchard of Grants Pass on New Hope Road near Jaynes Drive. Pritchard showed signs of impairment, did poorly in field sobriety tests and was taken to the Sobering Center where she gave a positive breath sample. The second incident happened on Friday at 9:57 p.m. when troopers pulled over a Subaru Forester driven by 24-year-old Dillion St. Onge of Cave Junction. St. Onge displayed signs of impairment, performed poorly in sobriety tests and was taken to the Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was nearly three times the legal driving limit. The third incident took place on Saturday at 11:55 p.m. when troopers pulled over a Volkswagen Jetta driven by 48-year-old Raina Albainmack of Grants Pass near the intersection of NE 6th Street and Morgan Lane. Albainmack exhibited signs of impairment, performed poorly in sobriety tests and was taken to the Sobering Center where she provided a breath sample that was twice the legal driving limit. The fourth incident occurred on Sunday at 4:52 p.m. when troopers pulled over a Dodge Dakota driven by 48-year-old Samuel Pitts of Williams on Highway 238 near West Harbeck Road. Pitts showed signs of impairment, performed poorly in sobriety testing and was taken to the Sobering Center where he provided a positive breath sample.

Posted on 11/27/23 11:02AM by Sam Marsh

GP Family and Pets Escaped Injury When House Fire Broke Out in Redwood Area

A Grants Pass family and their pets escaped injury and their home was spared after a weekend fire broke out in the Redwood area. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center received an alert just before 8 p.m. Saturday of smoke filling the interior of a house on Leonard Road. The occupants had been alerted by smoke alarms, were able to make the call and escape quickly. Rural Metro Fire Department and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue converged on the scene and found smoke coming from behind the refrigerator. As firefighters worked to extinguish the flames, they found the fire had come from the exterior of the home. An investigation revealed the fire originated in a melted trash receptacle where woodstove ashes had been recently discarded. The hidden fire was traveling up inside the wall and would have entered the attic, had it not been detected. There were no injuries and the majority of the home was saved. When wood heating devices being used inside the home are cleaned, officials say to put ashes in a metal container away from the house, patio or deck, don't mix the ash with any other garbage and fill the container with water.

Posted on 11/27/23 7:00AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Man on Local Warrant after Responding to Weekend Disturbance

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on a local felony warrant for domestic violence after responding to a weekend disturbance on Rogue River Highway. The Police Department reports officers arrested 45-year-old Michael Earl Tognoni for the incident in the 1400-block of Highway 99 on Saturday around 2:30 a.m.. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report Tognoni -- her ex-boyfriend -- busted open the front door, pushed her and spit on her. The caller said she had a "friend" over and she refused medical attention. She also said her ex-boyfriend was drunk. Upon arrival, officers searched the area and found Tognoni walking on Rogue River Highway near Florence Lane. He was found to be wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for Domestic Assault, Domestic Strangulation and Domestic Menacing from a separate incident involving the same woman. Michael Tognoni was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on $25,000 bail.

Posted on 11/27/23 6:58AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man for Parole Violation after Northwest City Welfare Check

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for violating his post-prison supervision late last week during a welfare check in the northwest part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 28-year-old Jacob Robert Thompson in the 1800-block of NW Washington Boulevard on Friday at 1 p.m.. Police said an employee of a nearby business called 9-1-1 to request a welfare check on Thompson who had been sitting on a retaining wall at that location for about six hours. He was hunched over and the worker wasn't sure if he was asleep. Upon contact, Thompson refused to speak with officers, identify himself or comply with orders to pick up his trash and leave the premises. He was taken into custody. Jacob Thompson was booked into the Josephine County Jail for Criminal Trespass and Offensive Littering along with the resulting Parole Violation stemming from previous convictions for Resisting Arrest, Escape and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 11/27/23 6:57AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man & Father for Starting Fight at Redwood Highway Bar

Grants Pass Police arrested a man and his father for starting a fight inside a local bar on Redwood Highway late last week. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to a disturbance at JD's Sports Pub on Friday shortly before 2 p.m.. Police said 38-year-old Shawn Baldwin and his father -- Richard Baldwin -- caused a disturbance inside the bar when they got into an argument with an employee. They said Richard Baldwin punched the worker in the face during the argument, and the worker responded by punching the man and knocking him out. According to the report, Shawn Baldwin then started throwing chairs and bar glasses around the business. He reportedly threw one glass through a glass door, causing significant damage before he walked outside JD's. He initially denied being involved in the fight, but was quickly identified by other employees. Shawn Baldwin was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief and Disorderly Conduct. Richard Baldwin was taken to the hospital for evaluation. He was cited to appear in court for Disorderly Conduct and then released to the care of hospital staff.

Posted on 11/27/23 6:56AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Man on Felony Warrant after Downtown Parking Lot Patrol

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant and city code violation after a weekend patrol check at a parking lot in the downtown area. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 57-year-old Larry Drake Knight in the Grasshopper Parking Lot on Friday at about 8:50 p.m.. Police said Knight was sleeping on a city sidewalk at the downtown parking lot when they contacted him. He was placed into custody after officers discovered that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation related to convictions for Offensive Littering and Criminal Trespass. Larry Knight was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. He was also cited to appear in court for Sleeping on a Downtown Sidewalk. His personal belongings were logged into evidence for safekeeping.

Posted on 11/27/23 6:54AM by Sam Marsh

City of GP Seeks Citizens Wishing to Serve Community on Advisory Panels

The City of Grants Pass is looking for citizens who wish to serve their community by participating in advisory committees and commissions. There is one position open on the Grants Pass Parks Advisory Committee. You must apply for this position by this Friday, December 1st. The same December 1st application deadline is valid for three positions on the Committee on Public Art. There is one open position on the Historic Buildings & Sites Commission, with an application deadline of December 29th. The special qualification for this position is a citizen-at-large. There are two positions open on the Bikeways & Walkways Committee, with an application deadline of December 29th. There are four positions available on the Grants Pass Budget Committee, with an application deadline of January 26th. These seats must be filled by Grants Pass city residents who are registered to vote. Applications can be picked up in person at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or obtained online by visiting "grantspassoregon.gov."

Posted on 11/27/23 6:50AM by Sam Marsh

USFS Announces $50 Million in Available Grant Funding to Strengthen Forest Products

The US Forest Service has announced that nearly $50 million in grant funding is being made available for proposals that will benefit forests, communities and local economies in the Pacific Northwest region and across the nation. This funding is part of President Biden's "Investing in America" agenda and it's made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In alignment with these initiatives, the investments are intended to foster rural economies by promoting sustainable forest management practices, mitigating wildfire risks, addressing climate change and driving economic development. The Forest Service is accepting proposals under three key grant programs: the Wood Innovations Grant, Community Wood Grant and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant, which are designed to support the forest products economy. The agency is actively seeking proposals that champion innovative uses of wood as a renewable energy source, and in diverse manufacturing and processing applications. Eligible entities in the private, non-profit and government sectors, businesses and for-profit entities, institutions of higher education as well as public utility, fire, conservation and school districts and others are encouraged to submit their proposals by the deadlines in December. For more information regarding grant funding program opportunities, please visit "fs.usda.gov/science-technology/energy-forest-products/wood-innovation."

Posted on 11/27/23 6:48AM by Sam Marsh

New ODOT Projects will Repair and Strengthen Bridges East of City of Rogue River

The Oregon Department of Transportation has announced new projects start today to repair and strengthen bridges on Interstate 5 and Rogue River Highway near the City of Rogue River. ODOT officials said one project will repair the northbound I-5 bridge over Rogue River Highway near milepost 45, which was recently damaged by an over-height load. Starting today, motorist should watch for intermittent lane closures on the highway under the freeway bridge. Delays should be less than 20 minutes. Repair work may require intermittent closures of the northbound onramp at Exit 45A. All work is scheduled to be completed by mid-December. Officials said another project will replace three 1920s-era bridges on Rogue River Highway with structures that are better able to withstand earthquakes. The bridges are located east of the City of Rogue River at Birdseye Creek, Foots Creek and Millers Gulch. Most bridge construction will take place in 2024 -- but before the end of this year, contractors plan to close Highway 99 at each bridge location to prepare the work zones. The closures are scheduled for this week at Millers Gulch, December 4th-7th at Foots Creek, and December 11th-14th at Birdseye Creek.

Posted on 11/27/23 6:45AM by Sam Marsh

National Weather Service Posts Air Stagnation Advisory for Region Until Thursday Morning

The air will remain stagnant in the valleys of Southern Oregon and Northern California for much of this week. The National Weather Service has posted an Air Stagnation Advisory for the region that runs until at least 10 a.m. Thursday. Poor mixing and weak winds mean that stagnant air is expected, which may lead to deteriorating air quality. The air stagnation is likely to result in diminishing air quality especially in and near areas with significant sources of pollution. Poor air quality is likely to cause health issues for people with respiratory problems if precautions are not taken. People with respiratory illness should follow their physician's advice for dealing with diminished air quality. State air quality agencies highly recommend that no outdoor burning occur and that residential wood burning devices be limited as much as possible. Prolonged periods of stagnant air can hold pollutants close to the ground where people live and breathe. Check with your local burn agency for any current restrictions.

Posted on 11/27/23 6:44AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Jailed Man for Attacking Sister and Pet at CJ Home on Thanksgiving

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for multiple crimes after he allegedly attacked his sister and a pet in Cave Junction on Thanksgiving Day. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies arrested 46-year-old Joseph Stephen Christopher for the incident in the 100-block of North Caves Avenue on Thursday morning. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her brother grabbed her and squeezed her neck so she had trouble breathing. The caller said her brother becomes violent when he gets "stressed out." She did not want to press charges and requested he be taken to the hospital for mental health evaluation instead. According to the report, Christopher also threatened his sister and an elderly male roommate who removed knives from the kitchen, hid them and tried to de-escalate the situation. Information was also disclosed that the suspect might become violent with responding deputies who were able to take him into custody without incident. Joseph Christopher was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Domestic Strangulation, Domestic 4th-Degree Assault, Menacing and 2nd-Degree Animal Abuse. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 11/25/23 6:11AM by Sam Marsh