Local News

BCC Approves 1st Reading of Order to Form New County Road Service District
The Josephine County Board of Commissioners this morning held a public hearing on a proposed road service district and then approved the first reading of the order. The Commissioners voted 2-0 to approve the order to form the Josephine County Road District and set the second public hearing for September 13th. Board Chair Herman Baertschiger was absent. Assistant Legal Counsel Alison Smith reminded the Board that it requested the formation of the road service district at the recommendation of Public Works Director Rob Brandes in July. She said the district would include all of the county including the cities of Grants Pass and Cave Junction. Brandes testified that his department received about $600,000 from the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Act in April and Josephine County received just over $1.9 million from the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program in June. He said the federal government typically subtracts the SRS payment from the PILT payment, so this year the county would only receive $1.3 million in federal support funding. Under House Bill 2174 that was passed by the Oregon Legislature earlier this year, Brandes said he believes Josephine County can keep the entire $1.9 million by forming a road service district. He emphasized that the district would not change the amount of taxes paid by property owners nor would it change the operations of the Public Works Department. Brandes said Josephine County is one of four in Oregon that are forming road service districts in order to hold onto more federal funding. If the plan fails, he said the district could be dissolved by the Board next year.
Posted on 8/23/23 11:33AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Jailed Man for Felony Domestic Assault after SE City Investigation
Grants Pass Police jailed a man for felony domestic assault early yesterday after an investigation into an incident at a southeast city residence. The Police Department reports officers arrested 37-year-old Clifford Thomas Allen, Jr., at the home in the 700-block of SE 9th Street on Tuesday at 3:20 a.m.. Police said Allen reported his girlfriend knocked on his front door and pushed her way into the house late Monday night. He told officers the woman grabbed a razor and made manic statements, but she did not threaten to kill herself as had been reported by a friend. Witnesses said they heard a physical altercation between the couple and Allen confirmed that the woman had pushed him but he was not hurt. The woman -- identified by police as Mercedes Estep -- is on probation and one condition of her corrections is no contact with Allen. However, officers were unable to contact Estep's probation officer so she was allowed to go free. Police noted that the woman was distraught over her relationship with Allen. A short time later, she contacted officers wishing to add important information to the case. Evidence was gathered which led to probable cause for Allen's arrest. He was recontacted at his residence and placed into custody. Clifford Allen was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 8/23/23 11:31AM by Sam Marsh
 

Deputies Jailed Woman on Warrants after Investigating Vehicle Blocking Road
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a woman on a local felony warrant early yesterday while investigating a report of suspicious activity near Merlin. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 42-year-old Megan Eileen Taaffe in the 3700-block of Quartz Creek Road on Tuesday at 10:15 a.m.. Deputies said they responded to a report of a minivan in the roadway and contacted two individuals who were sleeping in the vehicle. One of those individuals was Taaffe and a routine records check revealed that she was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant containing a secret indictment for charges of 1st-Degree Burglary and 3rd-Degree Theft. Taaffe was also wanted on an extraditable warrant out of Washington State for Contempt of Court. She was placed into custody without incident. Megan Taaffe was transported to the Josephine County Jail and lodged on the warrants. She was being held without bail pending extradition proceedings.
Posted on 8/23/23 11:30AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Jailed Man on State Felony Warrant in Assist to Corrections Officer
Grants Pass Police jailed a man on statewide felony warrant at the Allen Creek Shopping Center yesterday after receiving a call from his corrections officer. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 32-year-old Brian Fletcher Ellington, Jr., in the Albertson's parking lot on Tuesday at about 4 p.m.. Police said Ellington was spotted by his corrections officer and was known to be wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation. Officers assisted Josephine County Community Corrections by placing the felon into custody. Brian Ellington was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.
Posted on 8/23/23 11:28AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Snared Motorist for Causing Redwood Highway Crash and Leaving
Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for causing a collision with two other vehicles on Redwood Highway near the Josephine County Fairgrounds and then fleeing the scene yesterday. The Police Department reports officers and emergency crews responded to the three-vehicle crash on US Highway 199 at Fairgrounds Road shortly before 1 p.m. on Tuesday. Police said an investigation determined that 42-year-old Alan Jeffrey Johnson was driving a Ford pickup that crashed into a Toyota Prius and pushed that car into a third vehicle. They said Johnson left the crash scene without making contact with the other drivers or checking to see if anyone was hurt. According to the report, all the occupants of the other two vehicles were taken to Three Rivers Medical Center with complaints of pain. The Toyota was damaged in the collision and towed away. Johnson's badly damaged pickup broke down on the Grants Pass Parkway near the Debbs Potts Memorial Bridge, which made it easy for police to track him down. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Hit-and-Run. His truck was towed to the impound yard.
Posted on 8/23/23 11:27AM by Sam Marsh
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Police Arrested Man for Harassing Vice Principal at Grants Pass High School
Grants Pass Police arrested a man for harassing a vice principal at Grants Pass High School yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident involving 23-year-old Reed Thomas Beaumont at the high school on NE 9th Street around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Police said Beaumont walked onto school property without permission, contacted GPHS Vice Principal Hector Santiago and asked who he was. They said the man then advised that he was the original caveman and he "runs" the school. He then grabbed Santiago's lanyard, pulled him down and said he wasn't a true caveman. The vice principal was able to break free and Beaumont threw the lanyard at him before fleeing on foot. He was tracked down and contacted by officers near SE M and Mill streets a short time later before being placed into custody. Reed Beaumont was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Harassment. A dog that was with him was picked up by a family member.
Posted on 8/23/23 11:26AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Incarcerated Felon for Three Crimes after Performing Welfare Check
Grants Pass Police arrested a local felon for multiple crimes after she was found lying in the middle of the road in a northwest neighborhood early yesterday. Officers responded to the corner of NW Conklin and Midland avenues to perform a welfare check on 28-year-old Cierra Shay Powers on Tuesday at about 8 a.m.. Upon arrival, police said they observed Powers in the middle of the road lying in piles of garbage. They said she admitted to going through residential garbage cans and she was found to be in possession of a crystal-like substance that later tested positive as methamphetamine. Cierra Powers was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Offensive Littering, Possession of Meth and the resulting Felony Parole Violation. She was being held on a no-bail detainer.
Posted on 8/23/23 11:24AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Arrested Camper, Cited 7 More and Trespassed All from City Park
Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant, cited several other campers and evicted them from Riverside Park early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers were performing a patrol check at the city park when they contacted 37-year-old Michael Kevin Ledbetter. He was arrested and lodged in jail on a local warrant for failing to appear in court for DUII. Also during the park patrol, Leladawn Smith was cited for Misuse of Park Space and Buffer Zone Violation, Dylan Duffy was cited for Marijuana Possession, Celia Alvarez was cited for Misuse of Park Space and tying a tarp to a tree, Elijah Green was cited for Misuse of Park Space, Eric Weldon was cited for Methamphetamine Possession, Charles Shull was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Smoking in a Park, and Cory Russell was cited for Misuse of Park Space. All seven campers were trespassed from Riverside Park for the next 30 days. A total of 40 campsites were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network.
Posted on 8/23/23 11:23AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Man Died in Monday Night Crash after Pulling Prank & Driving Recklessly
A Grants Pass man was killed this week when he crashed his vehicle during an incident involving the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office reported yesterday that 25-year-old Brooks Kimball died in the crash near milepost 6 of Lower River Road on Monday night. The Sheriff's Office was notified around 7:35 p.m. about a small silver hatchback hiding in the bushes off Lower River Road. The reporting party advised the driver would wait for other vehicles to drive by and then rev up the engine, which made machine gun-like noises. A deputy responded to the area to attempt to locate the suspicious activity when he observed a vehicle matching the description traveling eastbound at 90 miles per hour. The deputy turned around to stop the vehicle, came around a corner and observed a cloud of dust near the roadway where the vehicle had crashed. Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response responded to the scene due to heavy damage to the vehicle and injuries to its two male occupants. Kimball was driver and he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The unidentified passenger was transported by AMR to Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford with serious injuries. The investigation has been turned over to the Oregon State Police and the OSP Crash Reconstruction Team was processing the fatal crash scene.
Posted on 8/23/23 6:51AM by Sam Marsh
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One Person Injured in Rollover Crash on Illinois River Road West of Selma
One person was injured last night in a motor vehicle accident on Illinois River Road west of Selma. On Tuesday at 6:57 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response were dispatched to the single-vehicle rollover crash. Arriving units found a vehicle on its top in the middle of the roadway. IVFD Chief John Holmes said one unidentified person was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment of injuries sustained in the wreck. Holmes said traffic was reduced to one lane during the active call. Jerry's Towing removed the vehicle from the road and hauled it to Cave Junction.
Posted on 8/23/23 6:50AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Snared Woman for Bad Behavior & Spitting on Officer at City Park
Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for her boorish behavior at Riverside Park this week. The Police Department reports officers contacted 43-year-old Adora Angelina Wicker-Espinoza during a patrol check at the city park on Monday morning. Police said Wicker-Espinoza had been issued a 30-day exclusion at about 8 a.m. and they returned to the park to find she had made no effort to gather her things and leave. They said the woman had garbage and debris scattered over a 15-square-foot area and she was placed into custody. Upon being told she was under arrest, Wicker-Espinoza jumped up from a seated position and tried to run away. After being placed in handcuffs, she tried to pull away and twist her body to avoid being arrested. After being subdued and lying face down, she reportedly spit saliva on an officer's boot. Adora Wicker-Espinoza was transported to the Josephine County Jail where she was booked for Felony Aggravated Harassment, Resisting Arrest, Offensive Littering and Criminal Trespass. Her belongings were placed in safe-keeping.
Posted on 8/23/23 6:48AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Arrested 2 Men on Outstanding Warrants after Vehicle Theft Report
Grants Pass Police arrested two men on outstanding warrants early yesterday while investigating a report of vehicle theft in the Allen Creek Shopping Center. The Police Department reports officers responded to the reported incident in the Albertson's supermarket parking lot on Tuesday shortly before 3 a.m.. Police said 53-year-old Aharon Demille Hook told them 29-year-old Steven Robert Cooke took a truck from his property without permission after making incomplete payments to purchase the vehicle. Officers contacted both men and discovered that they were wanted on outstanding warrants. Cooke was wanted on a Curry County felony warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. Hook was wanted on two Josephine County warrants for failing to appear for Contempt of Court. Both Cooke and Hook were lodged at the Josephine County Jail on their warrants. It was unclear in the report what happened to the vehicle in question, a 2003 Toyota Tundra.
Posted on 8/23/23 6:47AM by Sam Marsh
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