Local News

The Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District will officially declare the start of fire season on Friday, May 15, at 12:01 a.m. According to ODF, the fire danger level will be “Low” (green) and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be '1'. Lands affected by this declaration include 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city, and Bureau of Land Management forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties. Snowpack across the state and local landscape is minimal, and drought conditions across both counties are contributing to dry vegetation and an increased risk for fires to start and spread earlier in the year. Fire risk and behavior will naturally increase as conditions continue to trend toward warmer summer-like weather. For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Fire Season regulations, call the Grants Pass ODF unit at 541-474-3152, or the Medford Unit at 541-664-3328.

 

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is looking for a landowner representative to serve on the Access and Habitat Program's Southwest Region Council.

This position is voluntary with a four-year term and an option to be reappointed to a second term.

Interested applicants can find the regional application packet at www.dfw.state.or.us. While there, applicants can also view the current statewide board meetings and project deadlines, project applications, regional board members, as well as overviews of current and past projects.

Applications need to be received by Sunday, May 31st. The Southwest Region covers Douglas, Coos, Curry, Jackson, and Josephine counties and applicants should live or work in these counties.

Council members participate in up to four public meetings yearly in various communities in this region. Landowners with an interest and experience in forestry, agriculture or ranching, and hunting or wildlife conservation are encouraged to apply.

 

A deputy with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended a Dollar General shoplifter following a traffic stop.

A man called 911 at 9:19 a.m. to report the suspect exiting the store in the 25,000 block of Redwood Highway with a stolen phone charger. She reportedly left the scene in a black Hyundai Accent with a temporary tag.

Law enforcement attempted to catch up with and pull over the suspect vehicle. The deputy was soon able to contact the shoplifter, identifying her as Caitlin Suiter. She admitted to stealing items valued at about $20 from the Dollar General.

She was trespassed from the store, and her parole officer was contacted. According to the police report, Suiter was taken into custody for a charge of Third Degree Theft, and an out-of-county hold warrant. Her vehicle was left on the roadside for a friend to pick up, per Suiter's request.

 

Grants Pass Police acted on intel of a suspect's location, leading to a warrant arrest Monday afternoon.

Officers knew the suspect, Raymond Williams, was located at ProKleen Restoration, and were attempting to locate him around 2:47 p.m. Williams was wanted on a Grants Pass Police Department warrant for the Possession, Manufacture, and Delivery of a Schedule II Controlled Substance

He was contacted and detained by law enforcement at the 421 SW H Street business at 2:39 p.m., where officers confirmed his warrant. Williams was transported to the Adult Jail Facility where he was subsequently lodged.

 

The City of Grants Pass received a $296,000 Community Wildfire Risk Reduction grant from the Oregon State Fire Marshal.

According to the City's Facebook page, this grant will cover the costs of creating defensible space around homes to help protect against wildfire. The program is voluntary and funded 100% by the State of Oregon.

Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and will focus on the most at-risk areas in the city, such as properties within the Wildland Urban Interface. Grants Pass Fire Rescue personnel will be knocking on doors within high-risk areas to notify people about the program, or leave information at the door if no one is home.

The assessor will make recommendations to create a defensible space within 5 to 10 feet of the house, such as removing shrubs or bark dust, and replacing them with more fire-tolerant plants and gravel, or pruning trees up to six feet above the ground. There is no cost to the applicant; the landscaper or contractor will bill the City directly.

Residents wishing to participate in the defensible space program and learn more can call 541-450-6200, or visit the Parkway Fire Station at 800 East Park St. between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 

A call to 911 for a reported domestic disturbance led Grants Pass Police to a wanted man Monday afternoon.

The caller said she heard yelling coming from a property in the 1400 block of Rogue River Highway at 5:30 p.m., from what she thought was a possible domestic disturbance. She requested a response from law enforcement, after which officers arrived.

The suspect, Michael Steilling, appeared to be inside the property on a couch. A woman inside refused to open the door, denying any physical violence, and despite verbal contact with Steilling, he wouldn't come outside.

Negotiations took place, leading to Steilling exiting the premises. He was taken into custody by officers for a Jackson County Sheriff's Office warrant charging him with Amphetamine Possession. He was transported to the Josephine County Jail where he was lodged.

 

Grants Pass Police responded to a report of a suspected knife wielding man, later to arrest him for an Oregon State Parole Board warrant.

Dispatch was alerted to the suspect waving around what was believed to be a knife at the 1640 Williams Highway Safeway Monday at 6:36 p.m. He was wearing a black tank top with denim jeans, and the caller said the suspect wasn't menacing anyone specifically, but felt he may pose a potential threat to others.

Officers arrived and contacted a suspect matching the description, Glen Porter, outside the nearby Abby's Pizza. His information was run through dispatch, leading to officers learning about his valid and serviceable warrant for Fourth Degree Assault.

The warrant was further confirmed, and Porter was taken into custody. He was lodged in the Adult Jail Facility, and his bicycle and vice grips were logged for safekeeping.

 

Oregon State Police troopers arrested a suspect wanted on an out-of-county warrant Monday evening.

The passenger of a black Ford F-250, Jason Davis, 34, of Prineville, was observed by troopers, who knew him to be wanted on a warrant. Davis was then contacted at the corner of NE 6th Street and NE Hillcrest Drive.

Troopers took him into custody for the warrant charging him with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. He was subsequently transported to and lodged in the Josephine County Jail.

 

Josephine Community Library invites the public to attend the two-part program, “The Holocaust Remembered: ‘Who Will Write Our History.”

According to the Library, the program will explore the importance of preserving historical memory through firsthand accounts and primary sources with former Oregon History Teacher of the Year, Lois MacMillan, and Regional Museum Educator of the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, Heidi Kaufman, Ph.D.

The series includes a free documentary screening on Thursday, May 14th from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Grants Pass Performing Arts Center, followed by a community discussion Thursday, May 21st from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Grants Pass library branch.

This program is free and open to the public, and a library card is not required. Attendees are welcome to join one or both events. This program series is funded in part by the 2026 Oregon Humanities Mini Grant for Libraries. For more information, call 541-476-0571.