Local News

SW Oregon Residents Encouraged to Stay Alert for Landslides Due to Heavy Rain
The National Weather Service has posted a Flood Watch for portions of southwest Oregon including the Curry County coast and -- specifically -- Brookings, Gold Beach and the US Highway 101 corridor. The Curry County Flood Watch is in effect through this afternoon. In addition, a NWS Hydrologic Outlook indicates a potential for flooding today across Curry County, western Josephine County, Coos County and western Douglas County. A stalled front was expected to bring significant rainfall to the area over the weekend. Heavy rain may result in landslides in areas of steep terrain as well as debris flows in and near burned areas from recent wildfires. Debris flows are rapidly moving, extremely destructive landslides. They can contain boulders and logs transported in a fast-moving soil and water slurry down steep hillsides and through narrow canyons. They can easily travel a mile or more, and they move faster than a person can run. People, structures and roads located below steep slopes in canyons and near the mouths of canyons may be at serious risk.
Posted on 1/27/24 5:33AM by Chuck Benson
 

2023 Crater Lake Visitor Numbers Increased as the Park saw Moderate Crowds
More people visited Crater Lake in 2023 than the year prior, but the beautiful national park still saw moderate crowds by recent standards. The Oregonian reports that might be by design. In 2023, a total 559,976 people visited the park, according to data released this month by the National Park Service, including 416,104 people who visited between June and September. That's a 6% increase over the annual visitor count in 2022, but a far cry from the record 756,344 people who showed up in 2016. Crater Lake Superintendent Craig Ackerman said while several issues are likely at play, he suspects two main reasons for the recent decline in visitor numbers: unpredictability with wildfires and a concerted effort to reduce marketing of the park. While wildfires were not a serious problem at Crater Lake in 2023, the possibility that they could be a problem may have been enough to sway some people to visit other, less risky places in the summer, Ackerman said. That's a trend he's seen over the past few years, after several seasons of devastating wildfires. Meanwhile, park officials in recent years have also been working with state and local tourism agencies to tamp down the marketing of Crater Lake, he said, especially following the enormous crowds that came between 2016 and 2019, on the heels of the National Park Service's centennial celebration.
Posted on 1/27/24 5:32AM by Chuck Benson
 

GP Residents Unable to Attend Public Safety Funding Session Can Do So Online
Grants Pass residents who were unable to attend or view the city's Public Safety Listening and Learning session this week can still watch what happened. On Thursday night, the Grants Pass City Council held the forum to better inform residents about the public safety funding crisis and the options that could be used to close the gap between costs and revenue for police and fire services. City staff explained why more General Fund support is necessary to fund the rising costs of public safety services each year as well as the limitations of the current budget. Funding options were discussed, outlining the pros and cons of each option. Questions from the public were answered by the staff and Council. While nothing has been finalized, the majority of the City Council has expressed its support for a 1.5% general sales tax combined with a $12 hike to the monthly utility fee. No other city in Oregon is using a sales tax in this manner and some people in the audience said a citizen referendum could be mounted to defeat it. The City Council is hoping to come to a final decision on a plan in the near future.
Posted on 1/27/24 5:30AM by Chuck Benson
 

Downtown Drug Overdose Led to Arrest of GP Man for DUII & Parole Violation
Grants Pass Police arrested a local felon for drugged driving and the resulting post-prison supervision violation after an overdose in the downtown area this week. According to the Police Department, officers and emergency crews responded to the incident involving 31-year-old Tyler Christopher Bacon, Jr., near the corner of SE 7th and G streets on Thursday around midday. Police said callers reported the driver of a Mazda sedan was unable to maintain a single travel lane before he stopped at the downtown intersection and passed out. Witnesses advised the man was turning blue and his head was "bobbing around." Bystanders attempted to enter the car to render aid, but the vehicle was locked. Officers arrived on scene and identified the unconscious driver as Bacon, who was not breathing due to a drug overdose. Medics were able to revive him with two doses of Narcan and he was taken by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center.
Posted on 1/27/24 5:28AM by Chuck Benson
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GP Police Jailed Man for Allegedly Choking Girlfriend at Cloverlawn Drive Home
Grants Pass Police jailed a man for allegedly choking his girlfriend during an argument at a home in the southeast part of the city on Thursday night. The Police Department reports officers arrested for 54-year-old Lance Arthur Nickerson at 12:24 Friday morning for the incident that occurred in the 1900-block of Cloverlawn Drive. Police said they were alerted to the incident by the victim who called 9-1-1 and reported a domestic disturbance before hanging up on the dispatcher. The call-taker then alerted the police department and officers responded to the home. An investigation determined that Nickerson impeded the normal breathing to his girlfriend of nine months by wrapping both of his hands around her neck and squeezing. The victim advised police that he choked her for about one minute, and then grabbed her by the hair and slammed her face on the corner of a door. Photos of the victim's injuries were taken for documentation, but the woman was not seriously hurt. The suspect denied touching his girlfriend and c
Posted on 1/27/24 5:25AM by Chuck Benson
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Former SOU Students Snared for Vandalizing Ashland Jewish Center in December
Two young men have been arrested for vandalizing a Jewish Center in Ashland last month. The Ashland Police Department reports officers responded to the incident at the Chabad Jewish Center on December 14th. Video evidence from the scene and surrounding businesses showed three people approach the center with one of them throwing eggs while yelling "Heil Hitler." APD posted video evidence of the incident on social media and the suspects were identified almost immediately. The primary suspect was identified as 18-year-old Zachary Demarest of Corvallis and another suspect was identified as 18-year-old Jacob Wilhelm of Blackfoot, Idaho. The third person was not implicated in the crime and is therefore not being named. APD Chief Tighe O'Meara said all three people were students at Southern Oregon University at the time of the incident. He said they left the area for winter break shortly after the incident was reported. Two of them are no longer enrolled at SOU. Demerest -- who was the person seen throwing the eggs -- was contacted and told to turn himself in. He did so on January 19th and was lodged at the Jackson County Jail for 2nd-Degree Bias Crime and 3rd-Degree Criminal Mischief. Wilhelm's involvement consisted of him encouraging Demarest's criminal behavior, which made him a criminal co-conspirator. He was cited to appear in court for Bias Crime and Criminal Mischief.
Posted on 1/27/24 5:23AM by Chuck Benson
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GP Police Jailed Man for Allegedly Choking Girlfriend at Cloverlawn Drive Home
Grants Pass Police jailed a man for allegedly choking his girlfriend during an argument at a home in the southeast part of the city late last night. The Police Department reports officers arrested for 54-year-old Lance Arthur Nickerson at 12:24 this morning for the incident that occurred in the 1900-block of Cloverlawn Drive. Police said they were alerted to the incident by the victim who called 9-1-1 and reported a domestic disturbance before hanging up on the dispatcher. The call-taker then alerted the police department and officers responded to the home. An investigation determined that Nickerson impeded the normal breathing to his girlfriend of nine months by wrapping both of his hands around her neck and squeezing. The victim advised police that he choked her for about one minute, and then grabbed her by the hair and slammed her face on the corner of a door. Photos of the victim's injuries were taken for documentation, but the woman was not seriously hurt. The suspect denied touching his girlfriend and claimed she created her own injuries. The suspect was subsequently placed into custody. Lance Nickerson was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on charges of Domestic Strangulation and Domestic Harassment. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 1/26/24 11:31AM by Sam Marsh
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Deputies Jailed Wolf Creek Woman for Violating Court Order after Contacting Ex
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Wolf Creek woman for violating a court order after she drove to a Hugo area home and began yelling at the protected party on Thursday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in the 600-block of Oxyoke Road at about 2:30 p.m. yesterday. Deputies said an investigation determined that 50-year-old Stephanie Vey arrived at the home and started yelling at her estranged boyfriend despite a court order prohibiting her from contacting him or being near his residence. There was a claim that the suspect broke a window on the victim's vehicle, but no one was hurt. After determining there was probable cause to arrest Stephanie Vey, deputies followed her on northbound Interstate 5 to her home where they placed her into custody. Vey was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court/Restraining Order Violation. She was being held without bail.
Posted on 1/26/24 11:29AM by Sam Marsh
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Downtown Drug Overdose Led to Arrest of GP Man for DUII & Parole Violations
Grants Pass Police arrested a local felon for drugged driving and the resulting post-prison supervision violation after an overdose in the downtown area yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers and emergency crews responded to the incident involving 31-year-old Tyler Christopher Bacon, Jr., near the corner of SE 7th and G streets on Thursday around 11:25 a.m.. Police said callers reported the driver of a Mazda sedan was unable to maintain a single travel lane before he stopped at the downtown intersection and passed out. Witnesses advised the man was turning blue and his head was "bobbing around." Bystanders attempted to enter the car to render aid, but the vehicle was locked. Officers arrived on scene and identified the unconscious driver as Bacon, who was not breathing due to a drug overdose. Medics were able to revive him with two doses of Narcan and he was taken by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center. Bacon was charged with Driving Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance as well as Felony Parole Violation stemming from a September 2023 conviction in which he served a one-month jail sentence for unspecified crimes. He was cited to appear in court and left in the care of medical staff, but he has since been medically cleared and lodged in jail. His vehicle was impounded.
Posted on 1/26/24 11:28AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Snared Impaired Woman for Causing Ruckus near Downtown Safeway
Grants Pass Police arrested a well-known criminal offender yesterday for causing a ruckus in the downtown area while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. According to the Police Department, officers responded to reports of a violent woman involved in a disturbance near the Safeway store on SE 7th Street at about 12:45 p.m. Thursday. Police said 33-year-old Morgan Delin Weber was reported to be in the roadway while acting violent and yelling at passing motorists. They said she was harassing Safeway customers and she threw a beer in the street when contacted by officers. While being placed into custody, she tried to twist away and kicked at them. Weber was quickly subdued, handcuffed and placed into a patrol vehicle for the trip to the Josephine County Jail where she was booked for Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct and Offensive Littering. She was also charged with Parole Violation and was being held without bail. She was trespassed from Safeway.
Posted on 1/26/24 11:26AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Incarcerated Man for Boorish Behavior at DMV Office on Beacon Drive
Grants Pass Police arrested a man for his boorish behavior at the local office of the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to the disturbance involving 64-year-old Thomas Michael Campbell at the DMV office on NE Beacon Drive on Thursday around 8:30 a.m.. Police said an investigation determined that Campbell shouted at employees and threw items all over the DMV waiting room. They said he was escorted outside by workers and the door was locked for the safety of employees and customers. That's when he started hitting and kicking the doors while shouting statements about being a sovereign citizen. He finally left and was taken into custody at Fred Meyer. Thomas Campbell was lodged at the nearby jail for Disorderly Conduct and he was being held without bail.
Posted on 1/26/24 11:24AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Captured Man on Warrant after He Reported Vehicle Stolen in County
Grants Pass Police apprehended a man on a local warrant after he showed up at the station early yesterday to report a stolen vehicle. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 58-year-old Robert Vincent Jones at the GPPD headquarters on NE 7th Street at 2:15 a.m. Thursday. Police said Jones arrived in the GPPD lobby to report his 1996 Crown Victoria had been stolen from the 800-block of Plumtree Lane which is in the jurisdiction of the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. Officers advised the Sheriff's Office of the auto heist and patrol deputies were on the lookout for the dark-green vehicle. Jones' information was run through dispatch and there was a valid Jackson County warrant for his arrest. He was wanted for failing to appear in court for Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering, Harassment, Disorderly Conduct and Driving While Suspended. Robert Jones was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. It was not disclosed whether deputies had located his stolen vehicle.
Posted on 1/26/24 11:22AM by Sam Marsh
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