Local News

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man for impaired driving following a traffic stop on Rogue River Highway early yesterday. According to OSP, troopers pulled over an Acura TL driven by 33-year-old Robert B. Young on Highway 99 near Florence Lane on Friday at 12:10 a.m.. Troopers said they stopped Young for a traffic violation and he displayed signs of impairment. After refusing to participate in field sobriety tests, a search warrant was obtained and he was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a blood draw.

 

A recent economic impact study shows Rogue Community College (RCC) is an engine that generates $306.5 million annually for the Southern Oregon economy. Using data from Fiscal Year 2021-22, independent labor market analytics firm Lightcast analyzed RCC's economic impact in Josephine and Jackson counties as well as the return on investment for students and taxpayers. The analysis found that RCC "creates a significant positive impact on the business community and generates a return on investment to its major stakeholder groups -- students, taxpayers and society." The analysis showed RCC contributes about 2% of the region's gross regional product (GRP). The college's economic impact includes operations spending, construction spending, student spending and higher earnings for alumni who entered the regional workforce with new skills after studying at RCC. In 2021-22, RCC employed 715 full-time and part-time faculty and staff. Payroll amounted to $33.9 million, much of which was spent within the region to purchase groceries, mortgage and rent payments, dining out and other household expenses.In 2021-22, RCC served 5,863 credit students and 1,840 non-credit students at its campuses in Grants Pass, Medford and White City. The analysis estimates the total investment made by RCC students at $14.3 million, equal to $13.4 million in out-of-pocket expenses as well as $953,000 in wages students would have earned if they had been working instead of attending college.

 

Heading into the holiday season, Pacific Power is reminding customers to be vigilant about fraudulent communications from scammers posing as utility representatives. This activity tends to increase during this time of year. Customers can protect themselves from these types of schemes by being aware of some important facts. Scammers will often tell you that your service is scheduled to be interrupted in the next 30-60 minutes. Pacific Power will not contact any customer demanding immediate payment to avoid disconnection of service the same day. Fraudsters may ask you to purchase a prepaid card and tell them the card information over the phone. Pacific Power does not ask customers to make payments by purchasing a prepaid card. You and other customers can always choose how you would like to make your payments. Be suspicious of anyone who approaches you by phone, email, text or in person and demands on-the-spot payment. Pacific Power will not demand immediate payment for damaged or broken electrical equipment or any other service.

If you receive one of these calls, ask the caller to state your account number and compare it with the number listed on your bill. Pacific Power customer service employees will always have your correct account number.

Scammers may also use a sophisticated deceptive tactic that makes it appear to caller ID systems that the call is coming from Pacific Power when it is not.

 

Small grants can make a difference for ensuring access to arts programming. This is especially true in rural areas. The Oregon Arts Commission has awarded small grants to 119 arts organizations this year, with each organization receiving $2,363. Small Operating Grants support arts organizations throughout the state with annual budgets of less than $150,000. Eligibility is limited to organizations that provide ongoing, sustained artistic and outreach programming and have operated as an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit for a minimum of one year. Eight small operating grants from the OAC have been awarded in Southern Oregon. The recipients include the Southern Oregon Guild in Cave Junction, Art Presence in Jacksonville, Siskiyou Violins in Medford, Siskiyou Singers in Ashland, Rogue Valley Wind Ensemble in Ashland, Guitar Society of Southern Oregon in Ashland, Ashland Children's Theater and Ashland Flute Circle. The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissione

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman for violating terms of her probation after she caused a disturbance at her father's home yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in the 700-block of NW 2nd Street on Thursday around 12:15 p.m.. Police said a man called 9-1-1 to report that his daughter -- 41-year-old Gayle Lee Hooper -- appeared to be high on methamphetamine and she threatened to hit people in his household. They said terms of her probation call for her not to have any contact with family members and stay away from the residence. Upon arrival, officers detained Hooper and contacted her corrections officer who requested she be placed on a detainer. She was arrested in an upstairs restroom. Gayle Hooper was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Probation Violation related to previous arrests for Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing, Disorderly Conduct, Offensive Littering and Criminal Trespass. She was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for trespassing and causing a disturbance at a store on Rogue River Highway last night. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing complaint involving 34-year-old Marissa Elizabeth Winters at the Market & Deli next to the Bottle Drop Center on Thursday around 6:15 p.m.. Police said an employee called 9-1-1 and reported that Winters had returned to the store multiple times after having been trespassed from the business. The caller said she tried to spit on him, attempted to fight him and he wanted to press charges. Upon contact a short time later at Morrison Centennial Park, Winters told officers that she forgot she was trespassed and claimed she had no intention of causing any problems when she entered the store. Marissa Winters was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Trespass -- both in the 2nd-Degree.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a local fugitive, cited several campers and evicted two of them during city park patrol checks on Thursday. It all started at 5:49 a.m. yesterday when officers contacted 53-year-old Robert Andre Fisher at Morrison Centennial Park and arrested him on a Grants Pass warrant for 2nd-Degree Theft. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail. During an area check of Westholm Park a short time later, Dylan Duffy was cited for Illegal Camping and Alyssa Morlan was cited for Improper Utilization of Park Space. A total of 12 campsites were posted with a removal date of November 19th and an e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network (UCAN). During a patrol check at Gilbert Creek Park, James Smith was cited for Buffer Zone Violation. Since it was Smith's second such citation at that park, he was trespassed from 30 days. During a patrol check at Fruitdale Park, Russell Thompson was cited for Scattering Rubbish. Upon returning to Morrison Centennial Park, officers cited Joseph Hislip, Dolores Nevin, John Espinosa and Marissa Winters for Illegal Camping. Winters was also cited for Scattering Rubbish and she was excluded from the park for 30 days.

 

A Grants Pass motorist was cited for causing a crash that sent another motorist to the hospital late yesterday. Grants Pass Police and emergency personnel responded to the two-vehicle wreck at the intersection of SW Booth and G streets on Thursday at about 5:30 p.m.. Police said the rear-end collision occurred between a pickup with a camper and a car. They said one person was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment of what appeared to be minor injuries. No one else was hurt. Both the pickup and car were towed from the scene, but it was unclear in the report who was driving the vehicles. There was partial blockage of the roadway. Following an investigation, officers cited a male motorist identified only as "Peat" for Driving While Suspended and No Insurance.

 

No one was hurt in a two-vehicle crash that occurred at an intersection in Murphy early yesterday. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews were dispatched to the collision at the intersection of Williams Highway and North Applegate Road on Thursday at 9:05 a.m.. Troopers said a preliminary investigation indicates 56-year-old Larry Noble of Grants Pass was driving a Kenworth truck on the highway and slowed to make a turn onto North Applegate. They said a Chevrolet Tahoe driven by 35-year-old Tawny Lints of Williams that was following the Kenworth veered to the right, struck the right rear portion of the truck and contacted the guardrail. According to OSP, no one was injured including an infant girl in Lint's vehicle. The damaged Tahoe was towed to Grants Pass and the Kenworth left under its own power. Following the investigation, Lints was either cited or warned for Following Too Closely.