Local News

The Medford Fire Department responded to two separate structure fires Monday evening.

At 8:30 p.m., crews were dispatched to a reported fire with flames coming from the back of the structure in the 300 block of Newton Street.

Units arrived at the property and quickly knocked down the blaze. Thanks to the quick response, the fire was contained near the area of origin with minimal damage to the rest of the structure.

No one was inside due to the house being under construction. The investigation found multiple lithium-ion batteries that appeared to have exploded underneath the kitchen cabinets.

Then at 10:45 p.m., MFD crews responded with Jacksonville Fire Department to a reported structure fire in the 700 block of Lozier Lane.

Upon arrival, units located a small fire in the center of the kitchen, which was quickly extinguished with a water can. No one was located in or near the structure at the time of the fire. The cause is undetermined at this time.

There were no reported injuries to firefighters or civilians at either incident.

 

In two separate cases Monday, Grants Pass Police arrested suspects with outstanding substance warrants.

Officers detained Michael Goodwin at 2:33 p.m. at the Oregon Futbol Academy. He had an active and serviceable warrant out of the Police Department, so he was taken into custody at the 144 SW G Street location.

Officers confirmed Goodwin's identity and lodged him on his warrant for Methamphetamine Possession at the Josephine County Jail. Due to lack of resources at the jail facility, he was later released.

Then at 3:54 p.m., officers contacted Jacob Reeder at the corner of SE J Street and SE 6th Street after he was observed near G Street. He was known to have a warrant for Possession of Meth, and after his identity was confirmed, officers placed Reeder under arrest.

He was subsequently transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a suspicious person on a Parole Violation detainer Monday afternoon.

At 1:52 p.m., the suspect was contacted by troopers in the parking lot of the Grants Pass State Police Office at 1463 NE 7th Street. He appeared to be sleeping while sitting on the curb.

It was discovered the suspect, Jake Thompson, 30, of Grants Pass, was on probation through Josephine County. His parole officer was contacted and a detainer was placed on Thompson. He was arrested at the scene and transported to the Josephine County Jail.

 

Congressman Cliff Bentz introduced the O&C Renewal Act of 2026. The legislation will reaffirm timber production as the primary purpose of Oregon & California (O&C) lands and restore responsible, sustained-yield forest management across more than two million acres of federal timberlands in western Oregon. The bill amends the 1937 Oregon and California Lands Act to clarify that permanent timber production under the principle of sustained yield is the primary purpose of O&C lands. Revenues generated from responsible timber harvests are intended to directly support county governments and fund schools, roads, public safety, and other essential services, while sustaining rural jobs, improving forest health, and reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire. The legislation restores O&C lands to healthier, more resilient forest conditions while providing long-term economic stability for Oregon's timber industry.

 

Emergency crews were dispatched to a two-vehicle traffic accident at the 24000 block of Redwood Highway in Kerby Monday at 3:58 p.m.

The Illinois Valley Fire District, two units from AMR-Josephine County, and the Oregon State Police responded to the scene, where four individuals were involved.

They were transported by AMR to a local medical facility. The highway was temporarily closed during the active incident response. Travel lanes were reopened afterwards to facilitate traffic flow.

The Oregon State Police will be leading the investigation.

 

Gary Richardson and Colleen Martin have been officially sworn in to the Josephine County Board of Commissioners positions one and two respectively. A call to the Commissioner's Office revealed the two were sworn in by Judge Robert S. Bain today at 8:15 a.m., and that the next official meeting of the Board of County Commissioners is scheduled for Thursday the 26th at 1:30 p.m. There will be a quorum of the board Wednesday when the Commissioners tour the Josephine County Animal Shelter at 2 p.m. According to the county website, the next Weekly Business Session will take place at 10 a.m. this Friday. Commissioner Ron Smith is scheduled to appear on KAJO's Tuesday Talk Show tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.

 

A man out of compliance with his sex offender registry was arrested by Grants Pass Police.

During a proactive area check, an officer contacted Michael Higgs at the Paradise Auto Center. He had a shopping cart and was using an electrical outlet at the 239 Redwood Highway business.

He had been trespassed from the location back in December. Officers ran Higgs through dispatch and found he was out of compliance for his sex offender registration.

Higgs was subsequently taken into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail. He was lodged for Failure to Report as a Sex Offender.

 

A man was trespassed from Fred Meyer and arrested by Grants Pass Police following a theft report.

On Sunday at 3:16 p.m., the suspect fled from the 1101 Grants Pass Parkway store with stolen items in his pants. He ran across the street and behind the Parkway Christian Center. The caller wished to pursue charges for theft, and to have the man trespassed.

Officers located the suspect and detained him at the corner of NE Fairview Avenue and NE Beacon Drive. The man, identified as Jeremy Scrape, had shoplifted almost $100 worth of merchandise. He was also found to have an active Parole Violation warrant out of the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.

Scrape was taken into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail. He was lodged for Third Degree Theft, and his warrant charging him with Unlawful Use of a Weapon. He was trespassed from Fred Meyer.

 

Officers with the Grants Pass Police Department arrested two suspects wanted on outstanding warrants on Sunday.

At 3:03 a.m., officers took Mark South into custody at Resting Site 7 following a disturbance. He was found to have two warrants both charging him with Possession of Methamphetamine.

His warrants were confirmed, and officers further trespassed South from an apartment complex in the 700 block of SW Bridge Street. He was lodged in the Josephine County Jail for his warrants, but was soon released due to a lack of jail resources.

Then at 10:52 p.m., officers contacted and detained a suspect at the Hay's Oil Company at 1998 NW Vine Street.

He was identified initially as David, but he wouldn't provide his last name. Officers were able to positively identify him as David Jones, who had a warrant out for his arrest charging him with Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance.

Jones' warrant was cleared, and he was subsequently taken into custody. Officers lodged him in the Josephine County Jail.