Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man this week for trespassing on his parents' property in the southeast part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing complaint involving a 24-year-old man in the 1700-block of Gaffney Way on Thursday. Police said one of the man's parents called 9-1-1 to report their son previously had been trespassed from their property and that he had returned, refusing to leave the premises. He told officers he came onto the property to fill up a water bottle from an outdoor faucet.

 

Rogue Community College has been accepted as a member of the "League for Innovation in Community Colleges" board. The League is an international nonprofit organization with a mission to cultivate innovation in the community college environment. Their initiatives focus on essential topics for community colleges including diversity, equity and inclusion, information technology, leadership development and workforce development. When the League board reviewed the dynamics of its current membership, they identified RCC as a potential board member due to its historical commitment to innovation and RCC President Randy Weber's history with the League. The institution where worked prior to RCC was a League board school. The affirmation process included the completion of an innovation report submitted by RCC last fall, followed by a vote from current League board members made up of college chief executive officers. RCC will benefit in many ways from joining the League board. Membership elevates the college's reputation as a leader in innovation, helps the school become eligible for grant opportunities funded by national organizations and offers increased professional development for college employees looking to bring innovative strategies to RCC.

 

The Salvation Army is proud to announce the opening of The Hope House Recreational and Wellness Center in Medford. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last seek for the transformative community space aimed at promoting physical and mental well-being, educational opportunities and community engagement at 1065 Crews Road. This new space was made possible by the generous support of community partners and donors. It embodies The Salvation Army's commitment to serve those in need and fostering a sense of hope and empowerment. The Hope House features comprehensive amenities including an exercise room, a computer lab for job and housing searches, afterschool tutoring programs, and special recreational spaces for individuals and families.

 

The Parks Division of the Grants Pass Community Development Department has been busy preparing for the upcoming outdoor recreation seasons. According to Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, contractors have begun the process of dismantling the outdated play structure at Reinhart Volunteer Park. He said the project is advancing steadily and the anticipated completion is in April. Cubic said park staff removed a dead tree at the Grants Pass Police Department and replanted two new American Hornbeams in front of the main entrance this week. They will provide a nice splash of red color in the fall. A big thank you goes out to the Rogue Pickleball Club who generously contributed two new sets of bench components to the parks. Staff painted the lumber and put together the new bench addition

 

Hazmat Team 8 from Medford, the regional Hazmat team for Josephine, Jackson, Klamath, and Lake counties, came to Grant Pass this week to conduct detailed hazmat training for all the fire departments in Josephine County. “We're collaborating together in order to learn and become more effective and efficient when it comes to hazardous materials incidents,” said Wayne Nelson, Battalion Chief with Grants Pass Fire Rescue. The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office coordinates with 13 regional Hazmat teams. The state funds the Hazmat teams and provides training and equipment. The regions are designed to be able to respond to a hazmat incident within a two-hour drive time, according to Nelson. The training conducted this week involved three scenarios: A life safety drill, technical decontamination, and emergency decontamination from fire trucks.

 

The latest in a string of mishaps on Boeing airplanes was discovered Friday on an arriving flight at the Medford International Airport According to the Oregonian an exterior panel of a Boeing 737 carrying passengers on a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Medford appears to have torn off mid-flight Friday, marking the latest in a string of recent high-profile mishaps for Boeing planes.
United said the panel was missing from a spot where one of the wings meets the aircraft’s body, near the landing gear. United did not answer questions about what caused the panel to fall off. The plane is a Boeing 737-800, according to United, though the FAA lists it as a Boeing 737-824. It is not a Boeing 737 Max 9, which is the model of plane that made an emergency landing in Portland after a door plug flew off of the Alaska Airlines aircraft about six minutes into a Jan. 5 flight. Friday’s Flight 433 landed shortly before noon as scheduled at Rogue Valley International Medford Airport, said airport Director Amber Judd. United said none of the 139 passengers and six crew members were injured. It was only after the plane was on the ground that the problem was found, Judd said.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for violating a court order by entering his mother's residence near Grants Pass early yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies were alerted to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 2700-block of Elk Lane on Thursday around 2 a.m.. Deputies said the mother was at work when she called 9-1-1 to report that her 50-year-old son had entered her house and started yelling at her two roommates while taking a bath in the kitchen sink. The caller told dispatchers there was a restraining order protecting her from her son and he had reportedly started breaking things inside her residence. The woman stated her roommates locked themselves in their bedroom to avoid a confrontation with the suspect, who was complaining about his cat not being fed correctly. Upon arrival, deputies contacted the man, confirmed the court order and placed him into custody. The suspect was lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested an older woman early yesterday for causing a disturbance at a trailer park located just east of Grants Pass. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to the reported incident at Moon Mountain RV Resort on Pearce Park Road on Thursday at about 4:45 a.m.. Deputies said several people called 9-1-1 after a 75-year-old woman started yelling and screaming outside their RVs. One caller reported the woman was throwing rocks at his trailer, but there was no property damage. Another caller stated it was an ongoing problem and that the woman had frightened his young daughter. Responding deputies contacted the woman and placed her into custody after she refused to calm down. The reason for her frequent outbursts was not disclosed. The suspect was transported to the Josephine County Jail where she was booked for Disorderly Conduct. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on both out-of-state and local felony warrants yesterday during a traffic stop in the southeast part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a gold sedan driven by a 32-year-old man on Fruitdale Drive at 11:36 a.m. Thursday. Police said they stopped the motorist for Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device and Cell Phone Use While Driving. A routine records check showed the man was wanted on felony warrants in Contra Costa, California, and Josephine County. The local warrant contained a secret indictment for felony impaired driving. The fugitive was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on $225,000 bail. He was also cited for the traffic violations. It was unclear in the report if the California warrant was extraditable.