Local News

The City of Grants Pass will convene a listening and learning session this week related to funding public safety. It's the next step for the City Council in its quest to select supplemental funding for police and fire services. The session is slated for Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Grants Pass City Council Chambers. According to the meeting agenda, city staff will present an overview of the issue while addressing why the city needs this funding and the various options that have been previously attempted. Staff will then present the options being considered -- a general sales tax, a utility fee, a food and beverage tax, or different combinations. The City Council and staff will address public safety funding questions submitted in advance of the forum and at the forum. People in attendance will have a chance to provide their brief verbal comments to the Council that will help them determine a solution to this important issue. Members of the public are encouraged to submit written questions or comments to the City Council before 3 p.m. on Thursday. They can be submitted via e-mail to "kfrerk@grantspassoregon.gov" or by phone to (541)-450-6000. The session will be streamed "live" via RVTV and on the City of Grants Pass YouTube channel.

 

Total payroll employment in Josephine County climbed by 80 jobs in December. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 34,576 people working in Josephine County last month for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 5%, which was up from 4.6% in November but down sharply from 6.6% in 2022. Gains included estimated increases in private education & health services, retail trade and leisure & hospitality. Sectors with job declines over the month were construction and federal government. Other industries showed little change. Over the past year, payroll employment in Josephine County rose by 570 jobs -- an increase of 2.1%. The county is now 50 jobs above the December 2019 total prior to the pandemic. Industries adding jobs since December 2022 included private education & health services (+520); leisure & hospitality (+100); transportation, warehousing & utilities (+80) and manufacturing (+50). Sectors with estimated losses over the year included retail trade (-100), professional & business services (-80) and financial activities (-50).

 

For students considering transferring to a four-year university, Rogue Community College and TRIO are hosting Oregon Transfer Days in Medford and Grants Pass. The college transfer days will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Riverside Campus Higher Education Center in Medford and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday at the Redwood Campus Student Center in Grants Pass. Oregon Transfer Days is an important event for university-bound students. There will be several colleges and universities in attendance to answer questions and provide guidance regarding their transfer processes. Guests will have the chance to meet recruiters and talk about various options and available resources. Advisors and faculty are also encouraged to attend so they may learn about potential transfer opportunities for their students. For more information about Oregon Transfer Days, contact Pam Green at (541)-956-747 or e-mail "pgreen@roguecc.edu."

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on a supplemental budget for the current fiscal year and consider a collective bargaining agreement with certain employees during its weekly business session tomorrow. The Board is expected to approve a resolution adopting a supplemental budget and making appropriations and budget adjustments for Fiscal Year 2023-24. There are no major changes to the current budget, only adjustments to ensure it is balanced. As part of Administration Actions, the Commissioners will consider a collective bargaining agreement with the Laborers' International Union of North America Local 737 as well as the publishing of the Annual Financial Report. Following Requests and Comments from Citizens, the Consent Calendar contains various minutes from recent meetings, a plan of action letter to the Oregon Secretary of State and Participation in Federal Planning Coordination Letters. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

The Josephine County District Attorney has concluded that an officer-involved shooting that killed a murder suspect last month was justified by Oregon law. District Attorney Josh Eastman announced this morning that he has concluded his review of the officer-involved shooting that occurred just after noon on December 15th near the intersection of Redwood Highway and Allen Creek Road. Eastman said officers from all three local law enforcement agencies -- the Grants Pass Police Department, Josephine County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police -- were actively looking for Kelly Lynn Mason who was wanted on a nationwide warrant for Murder, Assault, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Robbery and Burglary stemming from a November 21st homicide on Rogue River Highway. Officers from the local agencies had attended briefings to inform them about what vehicle Mason was driving, where he was most likely staying, that he was likely in possession of firearms, that he had said "goodbye" to a family member on day prior to the incident and had made statements about "shooting it out with police." On December 15th, a deputy spotted the suspect vehicle heading toward Grants Pass on Redwood Highway. The deputy began following the vehicle but did not try to pull it over because he had been instructed to wait for additional units. A high risk traffic stop was attempted on Highway 199 near Dowell Road, but Mason accelerated and began weaving in and out of traffic using the shoulder. After a successful PIT maneuver brought the chase to a halt, the suspect started firing gunshots at law enforcement, hitting two Sheriff's Office patrol vehicles and causing minor injuries to a Corporal who was struck with glass and projectiles. Because Mason was shooting at them, seven officers returned fire and eventually killed the suspect who was armed with an AR-15 style rifle and ammunition while wearing body armor.

 

With assistance from Josephine County Community Corrections, Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a local felony warrant yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 43-year-old Peter Anthony Rivera at the Community Corrections Office on NW 4th Street on Monday at 1:52 p.m.. Police said Rivera's corrections officer notified them that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a previous conviction for 2nd-Degree Assault and 1st-Degree Rape. The suspect has been arrested numerous times since April 2023 for crimes including Parole Violation, Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon, Falsifying a Drug Test, Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Trespass. Peter Rivera was placed into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail where he was lodged on the outstanding warrant. He was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist on an outstanding felony warrant late yesterday after a traffic stop in south Grants Pass. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Subaru WRX driven by 52-year-old Rachelle Kirtland near the intersection of Williams and Redwood highways on Monday at 4:30 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Kirtland for a traffic violation and discovered that her driving privileges had been suspended and she had no automobile insurance. It was also learned that she was wanted on a local bench warrant for failing to appear in court for Felon in Possession of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession and Delivery of Marijuana, and Unlawful Manufacture of a Marijuana Item. Rachelle Kirtland was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. Because of the traffic violations, her Subaru was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police incarcerated a woman on a felony warrant after a patrol check at a gas station/convenience store in the north part of the city early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 29-year-old Carly Brooke Jensen at the 76 Station/Pinnacle 365 on NE 6th Street on Monday at 4:35 a.m.. Police said they were on patrol when they spotted Jensen at the station. A routine records check revealed that she was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation related to convictions for Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle, Resisting Arrest, Escape, Disorderly Conduct and Public Indecency. Carly Jensen was placed into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail where she was booked on the no-bail warrant. Her personal property was logged into evidence for safekeeping.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing a package off the front porch of a residence in the northwest part of the city last weekend. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a "porch pirating" incident involving 23-year-old Calvin Mathew Bertik in the 100-block of NW Manzanita Avenue on Sunday morning. The incident happened on Saturday. Police said Bertik stole an Amazon package valued at $35 off the front porch of the residence. They said he was captured stealing the package on a surveillance camera and positively identified. He allowed officers to search his residence to check for stolen property and a man identified as "Nick Rasmussen" was hiding in a closet. A large chunk of a crystal substance which Bertik identified as methamphetamine was in plain sight in the residence. There was also an open case which contained a scale, packaging material and a small amount of colorful chunks Bertik identified as fentanyl. The drug items were seized and Bertik admitted to the porch theft. Calvin Bertik was placed into custody and booked into the Josephine County Jail for 3rd-Degree Theft and the narcotics violations. A search of the area for Nick Rasmussen was unsuccessful.