Local News

GP Police Arrested Man for Rummaging Through Fruitdale Drive Garbage Cans
Grants Pass Police arrested man for rummaging through garbage cans in a southeast-city neighborhood earlier this week. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a disturbance in the 1400-block of Fruitdale Drive on Monday night. Police said 49-year-old Daniel Reese Wise, Jr., was reported to be making a big mess while going through a garbage can in front of a residence. The caller said her husband confronted the man who yelled at her husband and threatened to fight him. The husband returned to the home and no one was hurt. Responding officers found Wise laying in a ditch in the 1500-block of Fruitdale Drive. They said he denied allegations that he was going through trash cans, but he had several white bags with him at the time. He was placed into custody. Daniel Wise was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Offensive Littering. He was also warned for Disorderly Conduct and was being held without bail.
Posted on 3/13/24 10:17AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Nabbed Young Woman for Probation Violation & Downtown Camping
Grants Pass Police arrested a young woman for violating terms of her probation by sleeping in the doorway of a downtown business early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a female transient sleeping in a doorway in the 300-block of SE H Street at about 9 a.m. Tuesday. Police said 18-year-old Makailah Gayle Dunham was called in as a trespasser by the business owner. They said she had a small brown dog with her and kept running away from officers who were trying to contact her. She was eventually contacted and placed into custody at the corner of SW 6th and G streets. Dunham was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Probation Violation related to arrests for Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Attempt to Commit a Felony Crime. She was being held without bail. At about the same time, a man identified as "Brian Chapman" was caught sleeping in the doorway of Catalyst Pizza. He was warned for Offensive Littering and for violating a city ordinance against Illegal Camping in the downtown area.
Posted on 3/13/24 10:15AM by Sam Marsh
 

Authorities Still Investigating Cause of Fire that Killed Jerome Prairie Resident
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office has issued a press release regarding the fatal structure fire that occurred last weekend in the Jerome Prairie area, but the identity of the deceased has not yet been disclosed. Sheriff's deputies, Rural Metro Fire Department and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue were dispatched to the structure fire in the 600-block of Timber Ridge Road late Sunday night. Upon arrival, rescue personnel searched the single-story residence and located a deceased adult inside. No other injuries were reported. Because of the death, Lieutenant Jim Geiger said the Oregon State Fire Marshal has begun an investigation into the cause of the fire. He said investigators are continuing to work on identifying the decedent and locating their next of kin. Lieutenant Geiger said on Tuesday that no further information on the fatal fire is available at this time.
Posted on 3/13/24 5:18AM by Sam Marsh
 

One Person Seriously Hurt When Their Vehicle Struck Tree in the Illinois Valley
One person was seriously injured early yesterday when their vehicle struck a tree in the Illinois Valley. On Tuesday at 3:55 a.m., the Illinois Valley District, American Medical Response and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Rockydale and Waldo roads near Cave Junction. IVFD officials said arriving units found a collision between a vehicle and a tree. They said one unidentified person was extricated from the vehicle and transported by ambulance to a local trauma hospital with multiple injuries. Jerry's Towing hauled the heavily-damaged vehicle to Cave Junction. Officials said the Sheriff's Office was conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Posted on 3/13/24 5:17AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Jailed Woman for Fighting with Officers after Motel Trespassing Call
Grants Pass Police jailed a woman this week for fighting with officers at a local motel after she was called in as a trespassing complaint. The Police Department reports officers eventually arrested 33-year-old Janique Lee Kosct for the incident at Holiday Inn Express on NE Agness Avenue on Monday afternoon. Police said they contacted Kosct in the parking lot of the motel where she was organizing her property and refusing to leave the premises. When told she was under arrest, she replied "No, I'm not" and physically resisted law enforcement. According to the report, Kosct kicked multiple officers in the groin area in an attempt to avoid being placed into custody. Focused blows to the suspect were administered with no effect, so a Taser was deployed during the close-quarters struggle and she was ultimately subdued. Janique Kosct was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Assault on a Police Officer, Resisting Arrest, Criminal Trespass and the resulting Probation Violation. She was still being held without bail on Tuesday.
Posted on 3/13/24 5:15AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Arrested Man for Bad Behavior and Abusing Dog at Medical Office
Grants Pass Police arrested a man who was unable to control his boorish behavior against a pet dog and humans in the northwest part of the city this week. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to the incident at AllCare Medical Group on NW Midland Avenue on Monday afternoon. Police said an employee called 9-1-1 to report that 38-year-old Matthew Richard Williams was screaming at and abusing his dog outside the medical facility. The caller said he was hitting the dog and grabbing it by its collar while insulting those who tried to intervene. His behavior was described as "violent and threatening." Responding officers contacted Williams and placed him into custody. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and was being held without bail. His belongings were logged into evidence for safekeeping. The dog -- a female pit bull named "Angel" -- was picked by Animal Control and transported to the Animal Shelter.
Posted on 3/13/24 5:13AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Incarcerated Man for Trespassing at DHS Office on NW Hawthorne
Grants Pass Police incarcerated a man for trespassing at the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) office in the northwest part of the city early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a trespassing call involving 50-year-old Eugene Lynn Jenkins, Jr., at the DHS office on NW Hawthorne Avenue around 2:40 a.m. Tuesday. Police said Jenkins was initially contacted by Concierge Security and he refused to leave the premises. They said they offered to give him a ride to another location because he wasn't wearing any shoes. However, the man cursed at them, refused to leave and requested that he be lodged in jail. Jenkins got his wish. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was trespassed from the DHS office and is only allowed on the property during business hours.
Posted on 3/13/24 5:12AM by Sam Marsh
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BCC will Consider State Justice Reinvestment Grant Pact at Business Session
The Josephine County Board of Commissioners has only one action item on its weekly business agenda this morning. Under Administrative Actions, the Board will consider approval of a Criminal Justice Commission Justice Reinvestment Program grant agreement. The two-year agreement with the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission is worth a total of $2,454,684, which would be disbursed in four equal installments of $613,671 through January 5, 2025. Unless it's extended, the contract would expire in March 2026. As always, there will be Requests and Comments from Citizens in which residents are allowed three minutes to speak to the Commissioners on virtually any topic. Today's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.
Posted on 3/13/24 5:03AM by Sam Marsh
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Grants Pass Mayor Sara Bristol Says She Plans to Veto Humanitarian Service Ordinance
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Grants Pass Mayor Sara Bristol plans to veto a recently-passed humanitarian services ordinance because she says it would add an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy and red tape in the city park system. In a Tuesday news release, Mayor Bristol said she believes this ordinance is expedient, redundant and opens the door to potential litigation against the city. Bristol wrote: "To be clear, I am strongly opposed to the use of drugs in our city parks. It is already illegal under Municipal Code to possess or deliver drugs, needles or other drug paraphernalia in city parks and public properties. It is already illegal to have propane tanks and kerosene tanks on public property. And it already regulates special events on public property, including established standards for denial and an appeals process, without singling out a specific type of use as the proposed ordinance does." The mayor said if the Grants Pass City Council is serious about reducing the homeless presence in city parks, she suggests stopping the tactics of excessive regulation that only burdens law enforcement while starting to focus on actions that will provide shelter for unhoused people so city parks can be reclaimed.
Posted on 3/13/24 5:00AM by Sam Marsh
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Oregon Transportation Panel Holding Regular Monthly Meeting in Medford This Week
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The Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) is holding its regular meeting in Medford this week. The Thursday meeting at 9 a.m. will be hybrid, originating in the Prescott Room of the Medford Police Department at 219 South Ivy Street. Items on the OTC agenda include 2024 Legislative Summary and Recap, Urban Mobility Office Update and Local Project Updates such as the Interstate 5 South Medford Interchange Area Management Plan and a presentation on the Rogue Valley Area Commission on Transportation (RVACT). Citizens are encouraged to view the meeting at "youtube.com/c/OregonDOT." Please note that participation will be limited to one representative per organization. People and organizations who are providing public comment to the OTC for the first time will be given priority for the limited available testimony spots. Today, Commissioners are joining ODOT staff and others on a tour and site visit to several locations in Jackson County including the Oregon Highway 140-Foothill Road Roundabout, Highway 99 in Phoenix and Highland Barnett Exit 27.
Posted on 3/13/24 4:58AM by Sam Marsh
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Three Rivers School District Touts "Student Success" with 2024 Science Fair Results
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The Three Rivers School District Science Fair this year boasted an impressive turnout with 78 outstanding projects submitted by 100 enthusiastic students. To recognize and reward students' hard work, gold, silver and bronze certificates were distributed based on average scores. In the Chemistry & Earth category, the winner was Giovana Guimaraes of Applegate School. Charlee Stacey of Fort Vannoy won in Consumer Products Testing. For Behavioral & Social Science, Danny Kent of Lincoln Savage was the winner. In the Engineering category, Quinton Quigley of Fort Vannoy was tops. Cameron Williams of Fruitdale picked up top prize for Energy & Transportation while Rowan Zamber of Fort Vannoy was the winner in Medicine & Health. Top prize in Physics-Electromagnetic went to Jace Searle of Lorna Byrne while in Physics-Mechanics, Maeby Jane Leonard of Applegate picked up the gold. Other winners included Morrigan Wright of Fort Vannoy in Plant Biology, Wyatt Fitting of Applegate in Environmental Science and Kylee Moline in Animal Science & Microbiology.
Posted on 3/13/24 4:55AM by Sam Marsh
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BCC will Consider State Justice Reinvestment Grant Pact in Business Session
The Josephine County Board of Commissioners has only one action item on its weekly business agenda tomorrow morning. Under Administrative Actions, the Board will consider approval of a Criminal Justice Commission Justice Reinvestment Program grant agreement. The two-year agreement with the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission is worth a total of $2,454,684, which would be disbursed in four equal installments of $613,671 through January 5, 2025. Unless it's extended, the contract would expire in March 2026. As always, there will be Requests and Comments from Citizens in which residents are allowed three minutes to speak to the Commissioners on virtually any topic. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.
Posted on 3/12/24 12:25PM by Sam Marsh
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