Local News

The Grants Pass City Council moved unanimously to remand the Request for Expressions of Interest for Reed Cottage to the Historic Buildings and Sites Commission, and direct staff to identify funding for project restoration.

Council met at 11:45 a.m. for their workshop and heard a presentation of Riverside Park's Reed Cottage survey results. Two surveys had been sent out, with results showing a dominant no regarding support of paid overnight accommodations for the Elk Island Site Plan Proposal. 103 participants out of 169 in a city survey felt it is important the cottage is preserved or restored.

Budget resources presented showed a $393,612 cash balance for all Riverside Park improvements, $1.7 million in the Urban Renewal Plan, and a State Historic Preservation grant of about $15,000 for potential architectural design services.

Next was an Owl Plaza Use Regulations presentation, showing the estimated completion date of the project for June 30th, 2026. Potential public use policies included factors like protecting assets and investments, and safely managing pedestrian flows.

The proposed application process and use restrictions would require individuals submit applications no less than 30 days before a scheduled event. They would also need to provide evidence of sufficient insurance, security, first aid, sanitation, and waste disposal facilities. There would be different levels of service and anticipated impacts for Tier 1 and 2 event applications.

A motion was made to accept the policy as presented, with changes including the City requirement of a 45 day notice, the Tier 1 and 2 full day fees would be $250 and $500 respectively, no food trucks, a 12-hour clean up, and a repeated event would count as one. After six months, the Council would review the policy as a pilot program. The motion passed 6-1 with Councilman Seth Benham dissenting and Council President Rob Pell abstaining.

 

A Grants Pass Police officer arrested a woman with two warrants out for her arrest Sunday afternoon.

The suspect, Destiny Melville, was contacted at her residence in the 700 block of SW Kinsington Court. She was known to the officer by sight after having been contacted previously, and she was detained around 4:48 p.m.

Melville's warrants out of the Grants Pass Police Department charged her with two counts of Possession of Methamphetamine, and the Manufacture and Delivery of a Schedule II Controlled Substance.

She was cooperative and taken into custody for her warrants. The officer lodged Melville in the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility.

 

Troopers with Oregon State Police, following a traffic stop, arrested a man driving a stolen vehicle.

The red Honda Accord was pulled over by troopers near mile post 6 of State Route 238 Friday at 9:31 a.m. The vehicle had been reported as stolen, and the driver, Gerardo Gonzalez Guzman, 27, of Medford, was contacted.

He was taken into custody for both Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, and a Bench Warrant charging him with Cocaine Possession. Gonzalez Guzman was subsequently transported to and lodged in the Josephine County Jail for his charge and warrant.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office lodged a man wanted on an out-of-county warrant for DUII Sunday night.

Deputies contacted the suspect for trespassing at an undisclosed location on South Redwood Highway around 10:17 p.m. He was identified as Joshua Scott, and he was found to be wanted on a Central Point Police Department warrant for Misdemeanor DUII Controlled Substance.

Scott was taken into custody around 10:34 p.m., and deputies worked to secure his dog near Schumacher Street. Scott was transported to the Josephine County Jail where he was lodged without incident for his warrant. He was trespassed from the incident location.

 

Voter Turnout for the May 19th 2026 Primary Election shows a participation rate of 22.41%.

According to the latest update as of Sunday at 11 a.m., the grand total of ballots received are 15,742, with a total of 13,087 accepted thus far.

According to the county website, the schedule for election reporting will begin after 8 p.m. Tuesday the 19th, with results broadcast on KAJO that evening. The next result reports are scheduled to be posted May 27th and June 10th by 5 p.m.

Certified results will be posted no later than June 15th by 5 p.m. This schedule is subject to change. Unofficial results will be posted at results.oregonvotes.gov.

 

The Rogue River will be closed in designated areas and during designated times for Boatnik.

According to the Josephine County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol, all spectators are reminded to remain off the water until the races are over. All spectators will remain 50 feet from the waterway at all times.

The river will be closed from Baker Park to Sixth Street Bridge this Friday from 6 p.m. to 10:15pm, Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. Monday's closures will take place from 9 a.m. to Noon at Baker Park to Sixth Street Bridge, and Noon until 3 p.m. from Baker Park to Robertson Bridge.

Movement on the water is restricted to Law Enforcement, Rescue Personnel and Authorized Race Officials during the closures. Private boats are not allowed to assist with crash or rescue operations for safety purposes.

Boats can be anchored on the shoreline if it is deemed safe by the Race Official and Law Enforcement. All users shall be off the water and in an approved area one hour prior to the start of the race.

Any unauthorized boats on the water during the closure may be cited for Reckless and Unsafe Operation and are subject to a $440 fine. Law Enforcement will be patrolling the waterways during race events.

 

Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Wildland Fire Service officials issued restrictions on certain activities on public lands in Southwest Oregon to reduce the risk of human-caused fires.

The public is reminded to visit BLM Oregon/Washington’s fire restriction webpage to see what fire restrictions are in effect for the area you are planning to go to. As the weather warms up, fuels are rapidly drying out, and firefighters are responding to more fires.

Here are some of the actions you can take to prevent wildfires while on public lands: If you have a campfire, you are required to have a gallon of water or a 2.5 pound fire extinguisher and a shovel. Make sure your fire is “dead out”. While traveling in a motor vehicle, visitors must have one shovel and one gallon of water or one 2.5 pound or larger fire extinguisher.

According to officials, smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on roads or while stopped in an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is cleared of all flammable material. Power saw users must have a shovel and an 8-ounce (or larger) fire extinguisher and must maintain a fire watch for at least one hour after saw use.

Lastly, fireworks are prohibited on BLM public lands, along with exploding targets, metal targets, and firing tracer or incendiary devices.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District were dispatched to a small vehicle fire and a reported grass fire in Cave Junction on Friday and Saturday respectively.

The vehicle fire occurred May 15th at 1:12 p.m. at 305 South Redwood Highway. Crews were dispatched to the blaze located in the Speedy Mart's parking lot. The fire was extinguished, and no injuries were reported.

Then, on May 16th at 1:12 a.m. I.V. Fire responded to a reported grass fire in the 1000 block of Dick George Road in Cave Junction.

Units arrived and determined the incident to be a small trash fire, which was subsequently extinguished. A violation notice was issued in connection with this event.

IVFD reminds the public that burning is strictly prohibited at all times, both day and night.

 

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives investigated a fatal hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian that occurred Saturday in the Gold Hill area.

Deputies responded to a call for a man on Access Road at 3:12 a.m. near Jackson County Fire District 3 Gold Hill Station and Blackwell Road. Medics were dispatched, but the 47-year-old man died from injuries before they arrived.

The Jackson County Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) Team responded to assist the investigation. Next-of-kin has been notified. An arrest has been made in the case, according to the Sheriff's Office's Facebook page.