Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing merchandise from a supermarket this week and he may be facing additional charges related to alleged thefts at the store that occurred over the past couple of months. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a shoplifting call at WinCo Foods on NE Terry Lane around midday Wednesday. Police said the 64-year-old suspect entered the store and concealed items worth about $20 in a bag and on his person. He passed all points of sale and left the store, but was detained by loss prevention until officers arrived on scene. Upon further investigation, loss prevention advised police that the man has been stealing from WinCo frequently over the past two months and they would be providing additional information for those thefts. They estimated the thefts had totaled around $300. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 3rd-Degree Theft, with the additional charges forwarded to the District Attorney's Office for consideration.

 

A traffic complaint from a Grants Pass gas station attendant led to the arrest of a motorist for impaired driving early yesterday. Grants Pass Police were alerted to a highly impaired motorist by an attendant at the 76 station on NE 6th Street at about 3:20 a.m. Thursday. Police said the 37-year-old male driver of a red BMW was called in by the worker after he stopped in to get some gas. The caller said the man smelled heavily of alcohol and he had two intoxicated passengers in the back of his car. Officers located the suspect vehicle in the downtown area and the driver pulled into an alley to avoid contact, but he was found. A female passenger in the vehicle bailed out and ran away. The driver performed poorly in field sobriety tests, but refused to provide a breath sample. A search warrant was obtained and he was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that was positive. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and his car was impounded.

 

The Grants Pass Fire Department's Technical Rescue Team immersed themselves in river rescue operations last week to prepare for the upcoming recreation season. With boats gliding across the water, skilled operators honed their boat safety techniques, fine-tuned their rescue skills and delved into understanding the dynamics of the Rogue River. As the weather warms up this spring, fire officials said it's easy to forget the river's embrace conceals a chilly secret: the water temperature remains very cold. Whether you're a seasoned boater or a curious explorer, heed this reminder from Grants Pass Fire & Rescue: stay vigilant, stay safe and respect the river.

 

More than four months after police began investigating whether a former Medford nurse grievously injured or killed hospitalized patients after allegedly stealing their prescribed fentanyl and replacing it with non-sterile tap water, the Jackson County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday that it has received the results of the investigation and now is considering whether to bring criminal charges. The Oregonian reports the DA's Office said police interviewed dozens of witnesses and reviewed tens of thousands of documents, including medical records from Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. Patrick Green, chief deputy district attorney, thanked the Medford Police Department for their work "on this complex and expansive investigation." The news release from his office did not name the nurse, who is suspected of causing life-threatening infections in patients after allegedly replacing their pain medication with water. Although the DA's office declined to share additional details, civil attorneys say they've vetted scores of former patients of the nurse and believe they've identified more than 20 patients who were victims over the past few years. Some survived, while some died, they said. It appears only one lawsuit has been filed to date. The lawsuit named the nurse as Dani Marie Schofield. Last November, Schofield voluntarily agreed not to work as a nurse pending the outcome of an investigation, according to Oregon Board of Nursing records.

 

The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week in the case of Johnson vs. the City of Grants Pass. According to John A. Charles, Jr., of the Cascade Policy Institute, the central question is whether local ordinances that prohibit people from camping on public property constitute "cruel and unusual punishment" under the Eighth Amendment. Based on prior rulings in the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, western states have been limited since 2018 in what they can do to prevent people from using parks, sidewalks and streets as campgrounds. A successful class action lawsuit against the City of Grants Pass on behalf of homeless people has resulted in long-term camping in all city parks except Reinhart Volunteer Park, preventing residents from using the other parks for recreational purposes. Although some people have criticized Grants Pass for allegedly making it illegal to be homeless, Charles said that is not the issue. He said cities and counties simply need clear authority to prohibit camping in certain public spaces, while designating other spaces as legal places to sleep for people who lack permanent shelters.

 

The Three Rivers School District is pleased to announce the recent establishment of the "Grandma Jean Hall Applegate School Library Endowment." It's a tribute to the extraordinary dedication of Jean Hall, affectionately known as "Grandma Jean." As Jean celebrates her 90th birthday this month, her legacy of promoting literacy and learning will continue to thrive through this initiative. Initiated by Principal Steven Fuller and Fred Hall, Jean's husband, the endowment was established in collaboration with the Redwood Foundation for Education. By recognizing Grandma Jean's longstanding commitment as a volunteer at Applegate School, the endowment will provide perpetual support to the school library. In lieu of birthday presents, more than $10,000 was generously donated to kickstart the endowment, ensuring that future generations of students will benefit from Grandma Jean's passion for reading. This legacy initiative coincides with "School Library Appreciation Month," underscoring the vital role libraries play in education and literacy.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office is seeking public assistance in locating a missing Grants Pass area man. The Sheriff's Office said they received a report that 75-year-old Stephen David Bowen went for a nature walk on Wednesday at about 4 p.m. and he had not returned to his home in the 100-block of Sunflower Lane off Highland Avenue as of this morning. Bowen is described as a white male adult, 5-feet-5-inches tall and 170 pounds, with long gray hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a T-shirt, lightweight coat, jeans and tennis shoes. Josephine County Search & Rescue was activated late last night and volunteers joined deputies in the search until around 5 a.m. today. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Stephen Bowen is encouraged to contact the Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorcycle rider who tried to outrun deputies in the Illinois Valley last night. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies initially tried to stop the 27-year-old dirt bike rider in the 400-block of South Redwood Highway in Cave Junction at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Deputies said the man refused to yield and led them out Caves Highway at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. They said the suspect turned onto White Schoolhouse Road and then onto Chapman Creek Road before he became trapped at a dead end. That's where he was placed into custody and discovered to be in possession of a Glock .17-caliber snub-nosed handgun. The gun was temporarily seized for further investigation and the 2019 Honda CRF450X motorcycle was impounded. According to the report, the dirt bike rider briefly struggled with deputies during the arrest. The suspect was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Attempt to Elude Police, Reckless Driving and Resisting Arrest.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man on a local felony warrant yesterday during a patrol check on Bureau of Land Management property. According to the Sheriff's Office, a BLM deputy spotted a white Ford F-150 pickup in an unspecified area of the county on Wednesday around 2:25 p.m.. The deputy contacted the 46-year-old male driver of the truck and discovered that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation related to a past conviction for Attempt to Elude Police. After the warrant was confirmed, the suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.