KAJO 99.7FM - News Story

BLM, U.S. Wildland Fire Service to Begin Prescribed Burning Operations

The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service will begin prescribed burning operations throughout Oregon and Washington as weather, fuel, and air quality become favorable.

According to the BLM, operations will continue throughout the fall and winter. These burns are carefully planned to reduce hazardous fuels, protect nearby communities, and restore native ecosystems. Information about specific upcoming and active burns is available at www.blm.gov.

Techniques range from broadcast burning, which is the application of fire to an entire area, to hand and machine pile ignitions. These burns focus on increasing safety in the Wildland-Urban Interface and restoring ecological function to the landscape.

During prescribed burns, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight. Residents in these areas are encouraged to close windows at night to avoid smoke impacts. When driving in smoky areas, slow down and turn on headlights.

People with heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions, should ask their doctors about protecting themselves from smoke, and monitor their local air quality map.

All burns are carried out when weather, fuel conditions, and air quality are within prescribed parameters. Firefighters use a combination of natural features and constructed control lines to keep the fire contained, with protocols in place to minimize smoke impacts on nearby communities.

Posted on 10/1/26 1:37PM by Alex Bauer

Woman Arrested after Gospel Rescue Mission Complaint, Lodged on Out-of-County Warrant

Police were dispatched regarding a complaint at the Gospel Rescue Mission, where a woman was refusing to leave despite being asked by staff.

The suspect, Corrine Ford, was reportedly refusing to leave the Women and Children's Shelter. An employee told dispatch she had asked Ford to leave, who was getting aggressive. It was requested officers respond, but prior to their arrival, Ford had left the scene.

She was contacted by law enforcement in front of the G Street Plaza and taken into custody. Ford was wanted out of the Linn County Sheriff's Office for a DUII warrant, and officers transported her to the Josephine County Jail.

Posted on 10/1/26 1:22PM by Alex Bauer

Suspect Wanted on GPPD Warrant Observed at Parker's Place, Lodged in Jail

Officers with the Grants Pass Police Department arrested a man wanted on a warrant after he was observed on surveillance at Parkers Place Village.

David Jones was contacted at the 218 Redwood Highway property around 4:59 p.m. He was known to be wanted out of the department for multiple charges including Second Degree Burglary, two counts of Second Degree Theft, and Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree.

His warrant was confirmed, and officers transported Jones to the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility for lodging.

Posted on 10/1/26 11:45AM by Alex Bauer

GP Police Apprehended Suspect Wanted on Warrant in Baker Park

Two suspects were contacted by Grants Pass Police, with one being arrested for a warrant Wednesday.

The two were contacted after officers observed them under the Debbs Potts Memorial Bridge around 12:12 p.m. Ryan Velasquez was identified and found to be wanted on a warrant for a drug charge.

He walked off into Baker Park but was quickly detained by law enforcement. Velazquez was trespassed from the 760 E Park Street location, and transported to the Josephine County Jail where he was lodged on his warrant. His skateboard was logged for safekeeping.

Posted on 10/1/26 11:36AM by Alex Bauer

JoCo Sheriff's Deputies Lodge Woman Trespassing, Sleeping in Residence

A woman trespassing inside an Azalea Drive home Wednesday was lodged in jail by Josephine County Sheriff's deputies.

Despite an eviction notice being served the day before, the reporting party told dispatch that one person, who wasn't supposed to be on the premises, could be seen inside the home sleeping at 9:29 a.m.

The caller had tried to bang on the door and ask the suspect to leave. The doors were locked, and the person wasn't responding. Law enforcement arrived and gave commands to the suspect inside to vacate, which she refused to acknowledge.

Deputies entered the home and forced entry into the locked bedroom where the suspect, Katherine Clawson was identified. She was taken into custody for First Degree Trespass, and lodged in the Adult Jail Facility. She was trespassed from the property.

Posted on 10/1/26 9:14AM by Alex Bauer

City Announces Street Closures Today for Paving Work

Beginning today (October 1st) from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., M Street between 7th and 8th will be closed to westbound traffic for paving work.

From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. today, NW Morgan Lane between NW Hawthorne Avenue and NW Donovan Court will be closed to westbound traffic for paving work as well.

Detours will be in place with a flagger on site. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and find alternate routes. Emergency vehicles will not be allowed through.

For more information, contact the City of Grants Pass at 541-450-6110.

Posted on 10/1/26 5:54AM by Alex Bauer

GP Police Conduct Vehicle Pursuit, Two Hospitalized, One Cited, Suspect Driver TBD

A vehicle pursuit led to the citation of a passenger, with Grants Pass Police still searching for the driver as of this morning.

A traffic stop was initiated on a vehicle for failing to signal 100ft and for having expired tags. The vehicle failed to yield after entering the Walgreens parking lot however, and circled back to Williams Highway. A pursuit was initiated as the suspect vehicle as it continued on SE 7th Street.

The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed over the median and onto the Novus Glass property. Three occupants fled the crash on foot, with two of them being stopped and identified. Both were transported by American Medical Response to Three Rivers Medical Center.

One of the suspects, Aaron Lacombe, was found to have a serviceable warrant out for his arrest from the Grants Pass Police Department for Misdemeanor Driving While Suspended. He was arrested then issued a criminal citation.

Drug related items were found in plain view inside the vehicle, which was impounded for no insurance. Further confirmation is needed to determine the driver in the incident.

Posted on 9/30/26 1:54PM by Alex Bauer

Drug Use Reported, GP Police Lodge one for Meth Possession and Detainer

Grants Pass Police responded to a report of three people doing drugs in a Papa Murphy's parking lot Tuesday morning.

A call to 911 reported the three suspects in a beige Ford SUV around 8:50 a.m. The caller said they were getting high in the vehicle parked at 263 Rogue River Highway. The driver nodded off before waking up and driving over a bag with their personal belongings inside.

The caller, an employee of the restaurant, requested the individuals be trespassed and officers respond to the scene. Upon arrival, police contacted the three and trespassed them from the Papa Murphy's and the Lucky Lizard.

The front passenger, Trevor Bowen, was found to have a bag of drugs under his seat that tested positive for meth. He was arrested for Possession of Meth and a detainer.

The driver, Brittany Brown, was still in the driver's seat upon contact. She had a glass smoking device with a white residue, a tooter, and burnt foil observed around her. She showed numerous signs of impairment, and following field sobriety testing, was arrested for DUII.

A Drug Recognition Expert evaluation was performed after her Blood Alcohol Content was inconsistent with impairment. Jail logs don't show if she was lodged. The third suspect was not identified. Two dogs in the vehicle were released to Brown's father.

Posted on 9/30/26 1:22PM by Alex Bauer

Welfare Check on Woman Resulted in Her Arrest for Sheriff's Office Warrant

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office conducted a welfare check on a woman asking for a ride on Quartz Creek Road, and later arrested her for a warrant.

A man coming back from hunting encountered the suspect near the intersection of Quartz Creek and Hugo Roads. He told dispatch she looked very dirty, appeared to only be wearing a red t-shirt, and was begging for a ride, saying she didn't want to stay out in the area any longer.

The caller said he didn't feel comfortable giving the suspect a ride, and told dispatch the encounter occurred 15 minutes prior to the call. Deputies located the woman, identified her as Natasha Taylor, and found she was wanted out of the Sheriff's Office for Third Degree Theft, and three counts of Second Degree Criminal Trespass.

Taylor was arrested and lodged in the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility for her warrant.

Posted on 9/30/26 12:43PM by Alex Bauer

GP Police Lodge Man for Violating Restraining Order

Grants Pass Police apprehended the respondent of a valid restraining order after he entered the home of the petitioner.

Dispatch was notified that Les Miller went into the incident location in the 2,200 block of SW Esther Lane, where the woman who filed the restraining order against Miller lived. She told dispatch that Miller, after yelling, screaming and making threats, left the scene in a silver Dodge minivan.

She had told Miller he was not supposed to be at the residence, and the restraining order was confirmed. He was contacted via phone and said he wanted to turn himself in. After meeting with law enforcement at the Police Department, Miller was arrested for the Restraining Order Violation. He was subsequently lodged in jail.

Posted on 9/30/26 11:43AM by Alex Bauer

Man Cited, Woman Arrested on Two GPPD Warrants after Traffic Stop

A traffic stop Tuesday resulted in a man being cited and a woman wanted on two warrants out of the Grants Pass Police Department being arrested.

Officers stopped a blue Chevy for an expired registration around 4:38 p.m. Upon contacting the driver, Patrick Apello, he was confirmed to be suspended. Loose Schedule II pills were located upon an inventory check.

He was issued a citation to appear in court, but left the scene. Officers soon located him at W Park Street between Short Street and Plummer Avenue. He advised law enforcement that his girlfriend, Melonie Clark, had numerous warrants out for her arrest.

According to the police report, a deal was made to arrange a meeting with her so she could be apprehended. She was wanted out of the Police Department for Possession of Heroin and Aggravated Theft in the First Degree.

Clark was arrested at 5:59 p.m., and transported to the Josephine County Jail where she was lodged on her warrants. The Chevy from the initial traffic stop was towed.

Posted on 9/30/26 11:24AM by Alex Bauer

Out of Compliance Sex Offender Detained, Lodged by GP Police

Grants Pass Police arrested a man that failed to report as a sex offender following a complaint Tuesday morning.

A call to 911 reported the suspect, Scott Jueden, was believed to be a Level 3 Sex Offender who was out of compliance. He was described as having white facial hair, and wearing a baseball hat and backpack.

The caller reported Jueden was seen leaving the apartment complex in the 200 block of SW Rogue River Avenue with another resident 20 minutes prior to the call at 11:38 a.m. He was seen walking towards Taprock, and following the 911 call, officers contacted Jueden's parole officer.

The officer called Jueden, telling him to meet, which he did around 2 p.m. The officer told police if Jueden admitted to being at the apartment where kids were present, he would be detained.

Officers eventually arrested Jueden for Misdemeanor Failure to Report as a Sex Offender, and a detainer. He was lodged in the Adult Jail Facility.

Posted on 9/30/26 11:04AM by Alex Bauer

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