Local News

Portland Area Teenager Jailed for Causing Crash that Injured Woman in North GP
A Portland area teenager is in custody for causing a motor vehicle accident that injured another person in north Grants Pass late last night. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers and emergency personnel were dispatched to the two-vehicle head-on collision between a Jeep and small sedan in the 2100-block of NW Vine Street near Club Northwest on Monday at 10:06 p.m.. Police identified the driver of the Jeep as 18-year-old Timothy Torrance Billings, but did not identify the other motorist. They said a 20-year-old female in the sedan was trapped underneath the dash board of the heavily damaged car. After she was extricated, she was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with hip pain and other unspecified injuries. According to the report, there was a noticeable odor of marijuana coming from Billings' vehicle and he showed noticeable indicators of impairment. He told officers he believed he was in Beaverton and was supposed to be picking up a friend from Tigard. He also stated that he was traveling at 75 miles per hour. Both vehicles sustained heavy front-end damage from the crash and were towed. Timothy Billings was cleared by medical staff at the hospital and then lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 3rd-Degree Assault, Driving Under the Influence of Controlled Substances, Reckless Driving and Reckless Endangering.
Posted on 2/27/24 11:32AM by Sam Marsh
 

OSP Jailed CJ Man for Weapons Violations and Warrant after Selma Traffic Stop
The Oregon State Police jailed a Cave Junction man for weapons violations and an outstanding warrant following a traffic stop on Redwood Highway in Selma. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Toyota Avalon driven by 37-year-old Edward Thomas Burke, III, near milepost 20 of US Highway 199 on Monday at 2:23 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Burke for traffic violations and discovered that he was wanted on a local bench warrant for failing to appear in court. During contact with the man, officers developed probable cause that there was a firearm in the vehicle and that he was a convicted felon. According to OSP, a loaded firearm and ammunition were located in the vehicle. They were seized as evidence and Burke was placed into custody. Edward Burke was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant along with charges of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Felon in Possession of a Weapon. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 2/27/24 11:31AM by Sam Marsh
 

Deputies Jailed Selma Man for Weapons Crime after He Returned to Foreclosure
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Selma man for a weapons crime after he trespassed on a foreclosed property near Lake Selmac on Monday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 47-year-old Bohdan Hayes Robertson in the 500-block of Lakeshore Drive at 11:39 a.m. yesterday. Deputies said a real estate agent called 9-1-1 to report that Robertson had returned to the property after it was foreclosed upon and he had been legally evicted. They said the man broke back into the residence and was living there with his dogs. Upon arrival, deputies were able to get Robertson to exit the home through the window he broke to get inside. The rest of the windows and doors had been boarded up. He is a convicted felon who was found to be in possession of a gun. Bohdan Robertson was placed into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail where he was lodged for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. The gun was seized as evidence while the dogs were picked up by Animal Control and taken to the Animal Shelter.
Posted on 2/27/24 11:29AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Snared Man for Attempting to Steal Children's Toy from Walmart
Grants Pass Police arrested a man for attempting to steal a toy from Walmart yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the shoplifting call involving 36-year-old Andrew Kye Urenda at the store on NE Terry Lane on Monday around 3:25 p.m.. Police said Urenda left Walmart with a children's toy valued at about $30. They said he hid the toy in his coat and left the store without paying. Urenda was detained by loss prevention and readily admitted to taking the toy. Urenda had previous arrests for theft and trespassing at the big box retailer. Andrew Urenda was lodged at the nearby jail facility for 3rd-Degree Theft and 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was once again trespassed from Walmart.
Posted on 2/27/24 11:28AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Arrested Motorist for DUII after Complaint from Concerned Driver
Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving last night following a complaint called in by a fellow motorist in the downtown area. The Police Department reports officers eventually pulled over a white pickup driven by 36-year-old Cory Dean Picotte near the corner of SW 6th and L streets on Monday at about 10:45 p.m.. Police said a fellow motorist called Picotte in as a traffic complaint due to his failing to maintain a travel lane, almost striking light poles and buildings. The caller stated they had been following the suspect from Redwood Highway at the city limits into the downtown area. After officers stopped Picotte, they said he showed signs of impairment and he admitted to consuming alcohol before driving. The suspect performed poorly in field sobriety tests, was placed into custody and taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a positive breath sample. Cory Picotte was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. He was cited to appear in court and released. His pickup was released to his brother.
Posted on 2/27/24 11:27AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Nabbed Woman for DUII after She Drove Stepson to Corrections
Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for impaired driving after she delivered a family member to Josephine County Community Corrections early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a traffic complaint at the Community Corrections office on NW 4th Street on Monday at 9:27 a.m.. Police said they contacted 51-year-old Kelley Diane Breymann sitting inside a Nissan pickup in the parking lot. She told officers she had just given a ride to her stepson to the corrections office. She demonstrated numerous signs of impairment and then performed poorly in field sobriety tests. Breymann was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where she provided a positive breath sample. She was cited to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and then released. The pickup and a firearm were turned over to her husband at her request.
Posted on 2/27/24 11:26AM by Sam Marsh
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OSP Cited GP Motorist for Violations after Weekend Stop in Downtown GP
The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass motorist for two violations and warned him for another following a weekend traffic stop in the downtown area. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a GMC Sierra pickup driven by 38-year-old Mark Russell Dutton near the corner of SE 7th and M streets early Saturday morning. Troopers said they stopped Dutton because his GMC was displaying license plates that returned to a Dodge Durango. They said he admitted to switching the plates. Mark Dutton was cited for Driving While Suspended and No Insurance. He was warned for Switched License Plates. The plates were seized and placed into evidence for destruction.
Posted on 2/27/24 11:24AM by Sam Marsh
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OSP Incarcerated Canyonville Man on Outstanding Warrants after North GP Stop
The Oregon State Police arrested a Canyonville man on outstanding warrants during a weekend traffic stop in north Grants Pass. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Toyota RAV-4 occupied by 47-year-old David Wayne Bell near the intersection of NE 6th Street and Hillcrest Drive on Saturday. The driver was not identified in the report. Troopers said they stopped the vehicle for failing to maintain its lane and they noticed Bell wasn't wearing a seatbelt. They also discovered that he was giving them a fictitious name to conceal the fact that he had outstanding warrants. The warrants contained charges of Probation Violation and failing to appear in court. David Bell was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants along with a new charge of Furnishing False Information to Police. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 2/27/24 6:39AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Arrested Man for Returning to Mother's Apartment Despite Warning
Grants Pass Police arrested a man for returning to his mother's residence from which he had been trespassed about one month ago. The Police Department reports officers responded to a trespassing complaint involving 41-year-old Jeremy Edward Norris at an apartment complex in the 400-block of NE Anderson Street on Sunday shortly after 8 p.m.. Police said they received a call from Norris' mother stating that her son was on the floor of her living room and he appeared to be under the influence of something. By the time officers arrived, he had left the apartment and was hiding in a utility room near the 3rd-floor elevator. Norris reportedly refused to leave the premises when asked to do so by his mother and police. Jeremy Norris was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 2/27/24 6:38AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Snared Woman for Trying to Steal Walmart Property Last Weekend
Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for trying to steal merchandise from Walmart in a weekend caper. According to the Police Department, officers responding to the shoplifting incident involving 24-year-old Aria Alizay Echavarria on the store on NE Terry Lane on Sunday around 11:15 a.m.. Police said Echavarria selected $87 worth of Walmart items and passed all points of sale with the intent to deprive the store of its property. She was detained and described as "uncooperative" by loss prevention. Aria Echavarria was placed into custody by police and lodged at the nearby Josephine County Jail for 3rd-Degree Theft. She was being held without bail.
Posted on 2/27/24 6:31AM by Sam Marsh
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BLM District Hosting Conifer Mortality Field Trip in Applegate Valley on Friday
The Bureau of Land Management is hosting a public field trip later this week to see the ongoing conifer mortality in southwest Oregon. During the field trip, BLM foresters will discuss the agency's plan to strategically address the current crisis with conifers. More trees in southwest Oregon died between 2015 and 2019 than in the previous four decades. Increasing tree mortality is leading to concerns about increased fire danger and public safety issues. To help address the problem, the Medford District BLM is proposing to remove dead and dying trees from up to 5,000 acres over the next five years. The work would focus along roadways, near homes and in locations where land managers will have the best opportunities to stop fires while they are small. More information can be found on the project website at "eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2027249/510." The field trip will start near Ruch in the Applegate Valley on Friday at 11 a.m.. It will end around 3 p.m.. To RSVP for the field trip, please contact Todd Boren at (541)-618-2365.
Posted on 2/27/24 6:29AM by Sam Marsh
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Britt Festival Orchestra Season Highlights Film Music & Classical Favorites
The Britt Festival Orchestra has announced its 2024 season, with three weeks of exciting outdoor programming in historic Jacksonville from June 13th-29th. Under the leadership of Artistic Advisor Peter Bay and Guest Conductor Alexandra Arrieche, the Britt Festival Orchestra's 62nd season highlights film music alongside beloved classical favorites. The season features four extraordinary soloists: pianist Gabriela Montero, violinist Geneva Lewis, violinist Alex Gonzalez and cellist Joshua Roman. The season will be anchored by two evenings of "Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert" following 2023's sold-out production of "The Princess Bride." John Williams' score will be performed live-to-picture by the full orchestra in one of the most iconic films of the 20th century. The Britt Festival Orchestra is well-known for showcasing living composers, and this season features works by many of the greatest composers still working today. Tickets went on sale Friday on the Britt website "brittfest.org." There will be no member pre-sale for the Britt Festival Orchestra concerts.
Posted on 2/27/24 6:27AM by Sam Marsh
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