Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a statewide felony warrant while patrolling the north part of the city last night. According to the Police Department, officers were on patrol on NW 6th Street when they spotted 39-year-old Matthew Ryan Barton at the Lucky Duck shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday. Police said Barton was standing outside the business and they recognized him from previous law enforcement contacts. They ran his information through records and discovered that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation. He was placed into custody. Barton consented to a search and several drug paraphernalia items were located with a white powdery residue which the suspect admitted was methamphetamine. Matthew Barton was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrant as well as the narcotics violation.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Selma man for violating terms of his probation last night after he was stopped for moving violations on Redwood Highway. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Volkswagen Jetta driven by 59-year-old James Howard Tallman on US Highway 199 near Deer Creek Road on Wednesday at 6:23 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Tallman for a traffic violation, and learned that he was driving with a suspended license and no insurance. He was cited for the violations, his corrections officer was contacted and the officer requested that he be detained. James Tallman was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. His car was parked and secured.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two men for doing drugs near the Boys & Girls Club late yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a report of suspicious activity at the club on SE 9th Street on Wednesday around 5 p.m.. Police said a nearby resident reported seeing three men doing drugs behind a Ford Focus that was parked at that location. Two of the men were identified as "Michael Goodwin" and "Roman Kuznestov." The third left before officers arrived on scene. Goodwin and Kuznestov admitted to smoking methamphetamine. They were not impaired and handed officers their glass pipes. Both men were cited to appear in court and advised to move out of the area.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted a camper for committing ordinance violations at a city park early yesterday. Officers contacted a woman they identified as "Cathena Hills" at Baker Park on Wednesday shortly after 10 a.m.. Hills was cited for Illegal Camping after she failed to remove her previously posted campsite. She was also cited for Misuse of Park Open Spaces and was issued a 30-day exclusion order. A total of 16 campsites were posted for Illegal Camping at Baker Park. An e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network (UCAN).

 

The Grants Pass City Council approved a special use permit for OnTrack, Inc., to operate an emergency lodging and outpatient clinic facility at 688 and 690 Rogue River Highway. OnTrack secured Measure 110 funding to operate the six-bed emergency facility for pregnant IV-drug abusers and 10-bed emergency lodging for those wait-listed for residential treatment. The City Council also approved an ordinance to extend 362 lineal feet of water main on Shady Lane north to Molly Lane, and 345 of lineal feet of water main on Molly Lane to the end of the street. The Council approved an ordinance to the municipal code on a split vote, adding a chapter to regulate humanitarian service events on publicly-owned property. The ordinance creates a registration process for individuals, non-profits and other charitable organizations to operate in City parks and public places that normally prohibit individuals or organizations of the dissemination of drug paraphernalia and compressed combustible materials. Because the vote was not unanimous, a second reading will be voted on at the Council's next meeting. Wednesday night's business meeting began with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Historic Preservation presented to Historical Buildings & Sites Commission Chairman Ward Warren and a Lifesaving Award to Firefighter Manny Sharp.

 

The Rogue River City Council meeting tonight features a variety of action items. Following Committee Reports and Public Input, the City Council will start with New Business that includes a contract for Municipal Audit Services and a Park Sign Request from the Rogue River Garden Club. In other business, the Council is expected to approve the annual agreement with the Rogue River Kiwanis Club to conduct the National Rooster Crowing Contest in late June. The panel is also slated to approve Mayor Pam VanArsdale's Committee Appointments and Council Assignments. The City Council will consider an ordinance granting Avista Utilities a franchise agreement for transmission, distribution and sale of natural gas to customers in Rogue River. There's also a resolution amending committee rules to remove the Personnel Committee as administrative staff now deals with personnel issues. Tonight's meeting begins at 6 at Rogue River City Hall, 133 Broadway Street.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for assaulting a woman with a knife at a home in the North Valley area this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a disturbance in the 800-block of Plumtree Lane late Tuesday afternoon. Deputies said an investigation determined that 69-year-old Brannon Keith Crotts stabbed a 67-year-old woman in the wrist with a knife. The victim called 9-1-1 to report the crime as she was holding pressure on the wound. She was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment. Both Crotts and the victim were interviewed, with recorded statements taken from both parties along with an unidentified witness. Brannon Crotts was arrested for 4th-Degree Assault. For unknown reasons, he was cited to appear in court and released instead of being lodged in jail. The knife was seized as evidence.

 

The Oregon State Police was looking for a woman who fled the scene of a traffic stop on Riverbanks Road this week. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Mitsubishi Outback driven by a woman whom they identified as 23-year-old Annie Emmeline Dunn near milepost 20 of State Route 260 on Tuesday night. Troopers did not give the reason for the traffic stop, but said Dunn stopped and then fled in her vehicle and no pursuit was initiated. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Annie Dunn is encouraged to dial *OSP.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a New Jersey man for impaired driving after he was caught speeding in the downtown area early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers pulled over an Audi sedan driven by 28-year-old Giovanni Alberto Arroyave in the 800-block of NE F Street at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. Police said Arroyave passed an unmarked patrol vehicle while traveling around 50 miles per hour in a 35 mile-per-hour speed zone. They said he exhibited several indicators of impairment and admitted to alcohol consumption. He performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was placed into custody. Arroyave refused to provide a breath sample, so a search warrant was obtained and he was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw documenting his impairment. Giovanni Arroyave was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. His rented vehicle was returned to the rental agency lot.