Local News

Motorist Ejected & Seriously Hurt in Sunday Crash on Jumpoff Joe Creek Road
A motorist was ejected and seriously injured in a rollover crash in the Hugo area early yesterday. On Sunday at 1:58 a.m., Rural Metro Fire Department, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue, American Medical Response, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police were all dispatched to the single-vehicle wreck on Jumpoff Joe Creek Road. Emergency crews converged on the scene and rendered aid to the sole occupant who was ultimately transported by ambulance to a trauma hospital in Medford. Details about the cause of the crash were being withheld by law enforcement as they completed an investigation. At about the same time, OSP also received a third-hand report through social media about a crash that was possibly up either Shanks Creek Road or Shan Creek Road. Rural Metro sent crews to check out both locations, which are a large distance apart. After a thorough investigation, it was determined that all the information received was related to the Jumpoff Joe Creek Road crash. While technology and social media platforms have created conveniences for everyday life, first responders are urging that whenever possible, a direct phone call to 9-1-1 is best for summoning aid to an emergency. It has the lowest chance of misinterpretation, confusion and delay.
Posted on 10/2/23 7:33AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Snared Woman for Struggling with Officers after She Trashed Park
Grants Pass Police jailed a woman for struggling with officers after she trashed a city park late last week. The Police Department reports officers eventually arrested 62-year-old Julie Ann Hatt for the incident at Kesterson Park on Friday morning. Police said they contacted Hatt at the park on NE Evelyn Avenue and she had what they described as a "truck load" of trash and property strewn about the park, the sidewalk and a nearby church parking lot. They advised her that she was under arrest and she fled. One officer was able to capture Hatt and she resisted arrest, so he took her to the ground in order to place her into custody. She was not injured. Julie Hatt was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Resisting Arrest, Escape and Offensive Littering. Her dog was taken to Animal Control and her small cart of non-soiled items were placed in safekeeping. The truckload of trash was disposed.
Posted on 10/2/23 7:32AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Collared Woman on Outstanding Warrant after Lewis Avenue Call
Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on an outstanding warrant after receiving a report of suspicious activity near Caveman Bridge at the beginning of the weekend. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a suspect trying to roll up the doors and break into a business on SW Lewis Avenue at 7:22 p.m. Friday. Responding officers contacted 39-year-old Teresa Ann Batts at the scene and they discovered that she was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. While placing her into custody, they found her to be in possession of a small baggy containing methamphetamine. Teresa Batts was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and for the narcotics violation. The building was secured. There were no signs of forced entry.
Posted on 10/2/23 7:30AM by Sam Marsh
 

Deputies Arrested Suspect in CJ Theft Investigation after Friday Traffic Stop
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man connected to a Cave Junction theft investigation during a traffic stop late last week. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies pulled over a vehicle driven by 37-year-old Edward Everidge in the 500-block of West River Street on Friday at 2:45 p.m.. Deputies said they immediately recognized Everidge as the suspect in a probable cause investigation into thefts at a local store. They said he was very cooperative and admitted to the thefts. He also returned keys for the store to law enforcement. Edward Everidge was charged with three counts of Computer Crime and one count of 2nd-Degree Theft. He was cited to appear in court and released from custody.
Posted on 10/2/23 7:29AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police and Firefighters Protected Community during First Week of Autumn
Grants Pass police officers and firefighters logged an impressive activity level during the first full week of autumn. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police responded to 704 calls for service plus 271 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 51 arrests, 39 citations, 57 warnings and four highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. The Community Response Team (CRT) made a total of 96 contacts with potential trouble-makers while arrested five people, citing 11 more and warning 27 others. The CRT unit also trespassed 10 individuals and posted 44 new transient camps. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 102 calls last week including 42 for emergency medical service, two for reports of fire or smoke, 14 lift assists, six rescue situations, three assists to other agencies and three false alarms. Firefighters also performed 38 business inspections, led two education programs, assisted the public three times and properly installed 11 child car seats for young families. The 9-1-1 Dispatch Center fielded a total of 1,175 emergency calls in addition to 908 calls for non-emergency service.
Posted on 10/2/23 7:02AM by Sam Marsh
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GP City Council Workshop Features Increasing Local Affordable Housing Opps
The Grants Pass City Council will continue to work toward increasing affordable housing opportunities during its weekly workshop session today. The City Council will open the workshop with a staff-led discussion on minimum density zoning for residential developments. In order to create more affordable housing on a finite number of buildable lots, zoning changes will be explored. Also on the agenda is a topic titled "City-Initiated Urban Growth Boundary Rezone Area Identification." Representatives from the Josephine County Homebuilders Association have been invited to attend and join in the discussions. The final item for the workshop is an agenda review for the City Council's regular meeting on Wednesday night. Today's workshop begins at 11:45 a.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street.
Posted on 10/2/23 7:01AM by Sam Marsh
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SOCET Task Force Sweep Arrests 5 Suspects for Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse
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The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) joint interagency task force arrested five separate suspects on a total of 42 felony charges of encouraging child sex abuse late last week. According to SOCET, investigations led the task force throughout the Rogue Valley including addresses in Medford, Central Point and Grants Pass. Total felony charges included 32 counts of 1st-Degree Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse, 10 counts of 2nd-Degree Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse, 16 counts of 1st-Degree Invasion of Personal Privacy and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The first arrest came when SOCET received a tip that a suspect was leaving his residence in the 60-block of Jeanette Avenue in Medford. The task force located and arrested 60-year-old Steven Wesley Rambo. Next, the task force located a suspect's vehicle near his residence in the 20-block of Washington Street in Medford. The task force arrested 45-year-old Michael David Robertson. The task force then located and arrested 40-year-old David Anthony Pierce at his residence in the 1,000-block of NE Morgan Lane in Grants Pass. A cyber tip led investigators to his former residence on North River Road in Rogue River where numerous child exploitation images had been uploaded.
Posted on 10/2/23 6:59AM by Sam Marsh
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State Housing Agency Helps Keep Over 2,200 Homes Affordable for Oregonians in 2023
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Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) has approved more than $167 million of investments since the beginning of the year to keep nearly 2,300 homes affordable for 60 more years rather than risk rents increasing to market rate. According to OHCS, these dwellings mainly consist of apartment units and manufactured houses. Preserving affordable housing refers to the efforts at maintaining housing that is affordable for individuals and families with lower incomes. When affordable housing is built, the state and owner enter into a regulatory agreement that establishes how long that housing is to remain affordable. This initial period of affordability -- where rents are lower than in the open market -- is ordinarily 30 to 60 years in Oregon. As affordable housing complexes start to reach the end of their required affordability period, OHCS and its partners work to retain the affordable restrictions for these homes. Royal Oaks Mobile Manor in Medford received $11.4 million from the program to keep 118 residences affordable. Valley Pines in Medford received $4.2 million to keep 120 homes affordable while Anderson Vista in Talent got $2.5 million to protect the affordability of 36 dwellings.
Posted on 10/2/23 6:57AM by Sam Marsh
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Mount Ashland Kicks Off 60th Anniversary Celebration with Some Big Announcements
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The Mount Ashland Ski Area kicked off its 60th anniversary celebration last week, revealing the new logo and theme for the upcoming season and revealing some ambitious plans for the future. The 60th anniversary theme is "Elevate Mount Ashland" as the ski area focuses on enhancing the visitor experience and better serving those who are new to mountain sports. First opened in 1964, Mount Ashland still uses much of the original infrastructure and plans to revitalize the facility as visitation continues to increase. The resort is coming off its biggest winter ever and it opened this past summer for the first time. Mount Ashland has begun planning for installation of a new chairlift, replacing the current surface lift. This chairlift -- which will be called the "Lithia Chair" -- will reopen beginner and intermediate terrain that has been inaccessible since the original lift was removed in the 1980s. Ski area managers have also announced other projects are part of the anniversary revitalization starting with $1 million in upgrades currently underway. Mount A has purchased two demo-used snowcats to provide expanded and improved slope grooming while being more fuel efficient.
Posted on 10/2/23 6:50AM by Sam Marsh
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Medford Mother Charged with Abandoning Her Small Child at Portland Hospital
Oregon Health & Science University police searched for 80 minutes this week before finding a Medford mother's abandoned child lying face down in a quiet corner of the hospital campus in Portland, court records allege. The Oregonian reports 39-year-old Theresa A. Tyler has been booked and released on two charges of first-degree criminal mistreatment. The hospital's police force responded to the Rood Family Pavilion about 9:20 p.m. Wednesday after nurses reported that Tyler appeared intoxicated and was without her 18-month-old son. Tyler told officers she didn't know where the toddler was, according to a probable cause affidavit. She denied taking alcohol or illegal substances but could barely stand or speak, the affidavit alleges. Police say they searched several floors of the South Waterfront building and a nearby parking garage but saw no sign of the unattended child. An officer eventually found the child with soiled clothes and dirt in his mouth in a "secluded stairwell" near an outdoor terrace about 10:40 p.m., per the affidavit. Court documents do not say whether the child has been returned to his mother. Tyler declined to comment when reached by phone by The Oregonian.
Posted on 9/30/23 6:43AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Collared Two Local Women on State Warrants in Short Time Period
Grants Pass Police apprehended two women wanted on statewide felony warrants in just over two hours on one day this past week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 38-year-old Crystil Marie Ann York and 33-year-old Morgan Delin Weber in separate incidents on Thursday. While on the scene of a traffic accident near Riverside Park, officers spotted York walking along SW 6th Street and knew that she was wanted on an Oregon state warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a past conviction for 1st-Degree Forgery. She was placed into custody and lodged in jail on a no-bail detainer. Officers were then called to respond to Josephine County Community Corrections after Weber showed up to report to her parole officer. She was wanted on a state warrant for Felony Parole Violation and was unaware the police had been called in. Weber was placed into custody without incident and lodged in jail without bail.
Posted on 9/30/23 6:40AM by Sam Marsh
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OSP Cited CJ Man for Unlawfully Attacking Bear in Illinois Valley near Selma
The Oregon State Police cited a Cave Junction man for unlawfully engaging in an attack on wildlife in the Illinois Valley earlier this week. According to OSP, state game troopers contacted 52-year-old Adam Newell Vogel in the 1200-block of McMullen Creek Road near Selma on Tuesday. Few details about the incident were disclosed, but troopers said Vogel unlawfully attacked and harassed a bruin at that location. They said an anonymous person contacted them about the incident. Additional information was gathered during an investigation before troopers cited Vogel to appear in court for the wildlife violation.
Posted on 9/30/23 6:36AM by Sam Marsh
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