Local News

A man found sleeping in an abandoned vehicle was arrested by Oregon State Police Wednesday.

At 9:42 p.m., troopers located the vehicle on Highway 199 near milepost 23. The suspect, John Steel, 60, of Selma, was asleep in the driver's seat. He was unresponsive to emergency lights and siren.

Upon investigating the scene, Steel was found to have an active misdemeanor warrant out of Josephine County. Troopers proceeded to take him into custody and lodge him in the Josephine County Jail. His vehicle was towed from the scene.

 

Emergency crews were alerted to a traffic accident that occurred yesterday evening on Redwood Highway at Clear Creek Road in Selma.

The Illinois Valley Fire District and Oregon State Police responded to the vehicular incident at 7:39 p.m.

Upon their arrival, responders observed a vehicle with significant front-end damage resulting from a collision with a trailer that had detached from another vehicle. Fortunately, all occupants involved in this incident sustained no injuries.

The Oregon State Police conducted the investigation.

 

Commissioner Chris Barnett has formally requested clarification from the Josephine County Circuit Court following the dismissal of the mandamus petition.

In yesterday's statement from Barnett, he announced the request for judicial clarification from Judge Robert S. Bain concerning the County Charter's quorum and vacancy provisions following the dismissal of a citizen-filed petition for writ of mandamus.

According to the statement, while respecting the Court's ruling that mandamus relief was not appropriate, Barnett noted that unresolved questions remain regarding appointment authority and quorum application in circumstances without historical precedent in Josephine County.

The Chair's request does not challenge the authority of the Court, but seeks clarification so the board may proceed lawfully and responsibly, the statement says.

 

The creation of a small business taskforce gained unanimous approval from the Grants Pass City Council during their Wednesday night Business Meeting.The Council created a Small Business Taskforce consisting of local business owners and advocates to explore local business conditions, consider strategies for stabilization and identify key topics for a long-term business support plan. The taskforce would be made up of a wide variety of business sectors, with diversification of business size a consideration. The taskforce is expected to meet multiple times over an approximately six to twelve-month period with meetings open to the public to attend and listen. Councilors approved an ordinance vacating a street plug at the terminus of NW Lassen Way in the Highland Heights Subdivision. Vacating the street plug allows the extension of Lassen Way through tax lot 813 to Hieglen Loop and provides a new vehicular access to the 30-lot residential subdivision.The Council appointed Dustin Abbot and Heather White to the Tourism Advisory Committee.During public comment six individuals endorsed the addition of a pump track for the Reinhart Volunteer Park.The Council adjourned and reconvened as the Urban Renewal Agency to acknowledge the receipt of the annual agency report for fiscal year 2025.

 

Adapt Integrated Health Care has reported a data security incident that occurred at TriZetto, a third-party company that works with Adapt’s electronic medical record system provider, OCHIN.

According to KVAL, Adapt says it learned of the incident on December 10th, 2025, when OCHIN notified them that an unauthorized individual had gained access to one of TriZetto’s systems.

TriZetto took steps to stop the unauthorized activity and secure its systems. After learning that the incident may have impacted some Adapt patients, Adapt began working with OCHIN to understand what occurred and to help protect patient information.

According to Adapt's notice, their internal systems were not breached. The incident occurred at one of Adapt’s vendors. Not every patient’s information was affected. Beginning in February 2026, TriZetto plans to send individual notification letters to patients whose information may have been involved.

Based on information received from TriZetto and OCHIN, the data involved may have included certain personal information, such as names, Social Security numbers, Dates of birth, contact information, and certain health-related and/or insurance information.

At this time, there is no evidence that the information has been misused, Adapt stated, adding that this notice is being provided so patients can remain informed.

 

No quorum was present for today's Weekly Business Session at 9 a.m. or the vacancy appointment meeting at 1:30 p.m.

During the 1:30 p.m. appointment meeting, no quorum was present. A citizen spoke up during roll call, saying Commissioner Ron Smith was on vacation and that Commissioner Chris Barnett knew. The meeting adjourned, and Barnett said police would be notified of the incident.

During the 9 a.m. Weekly Business Session, Barnett said he had received notice from Smith saying he's chosen to take a vacation. According to a statement from Smith, he will be returning January 29th.

No quorum was present, so no official business could be conducted. The meeting was held for informational, administrative, and transparency purposes only. Barnett adjourned the meeting at 9:03 a.m.

Two more appointment meetings for the vacant Commissioner seat are scheduled for the 22nd and 23rd at 10 a.m. The meetings will be held in the BCC Conference Room, and attendees must abide by the clear bag policy.

Commissioner Smith has confirmed he will appear on KAJO's Tuesday Talk Show scheduled for January 27th.

 

An oral argument has been scheduled for March 5th by the Oregon Court of Appeals in former Commissioner John West's case against County Clerk Rhiannon Henkels.

The Daily Courier reports that, three weeks before the recall election against West, he filed a complaint in Josephine County Circuit Court asking a judge to declare the recall petition void and block the election.

He argued the statistical sampling method that Henkels used to verify that petitioners had turned in enough valid signatures to trigger the election was wrong, and she should have verified every signature. He also asked for a temporary restraining order prohibiting her from conducting the election.

On December 4th, 2024, Henkels responded that the sampling method was carried out according to state law and administrative rules, which reportedly tell clerks to use statistical sampling.

West amended the complaint in a court filing December 16th, 2024, the day before the election was to take place. The amended complaint also asked the judge to declare the election void.

The day after the election, attorneys for West and Henkels argued the case before Circuit Court Judge Robert S. Bain. He ruled in favor of Henkels on January 6th, 2025, dismissing the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. However, it can be appealed, which West filed notice he was doing on February 7th of that year.

 

Oregon State Police troopers stopped a vehicle for speeding Tuesday at 5:56 p.m.

The suspect, Jere Clancy, was pulled over at U.S. Highway 199 and Riverbanks Road. During the stop, Clancy was found to have a felony warrant out of Marion County for his arrest.

The warrant charged Clancy with First Degree Aggravated Theft. Troopers took him into custody and lodged him at the Josephine County Jail. However, he was then conditionally released according to jail records.

 

Two men using what appeared to be meth were observed by Grants Pass Police Tuesday morning.

Officers contacted the suspects, Adam Boger and William Asbery, at 704 NW 6th Street around 7:56 a.m. Both were trespassed from the location for 30 days. Officers then found that Asbery was wanted on a Josephine County Sheriff's Department warrant for Second Degree Theft.

Both suspects were arrested and transported to the Josephine County Jail. Boger was lodged for Possession of Methamphetamine, Asbery was lodged for Meth Possession and his warrant.