Local News

Grants Pass Police were alerted to a man shoplifting at the Grange Co-op Sunday.

At 2:19 p.m., dispatch was notified by an employee of the store that the suspect stole a pair of Ariat Boots valued at $170 and ran off.

The caller wanted to pursue charges for theft, and soon lost eyes on the man after identifying a van possibly associated with the suspect.

The caller pursued until the shoplifter left the property. Grants Pass Police officers were able to track down and detain the suspect, Jason Burkett, in McDonalds.

He was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail for Second Degree Theft and First Degree Criminal Trespass. The boots were returned to the Grange Co-op.

 

The Ballot Return report for the Recall Election against Commissioner Chris Barnett shows a voter turnout of 18.13% so far.

The latest report, provided by County Clerk Rhiannon Henkels, shows a grand total of 12,776 ballots received. Of those, 7,884 ballots have been verified. There is a total of 70,482 eligible voters in Josephine County.

According to a notice on the county website, the schedule for January 6, 2026 Recall Election reporting begins that same Tuesday after 8 p.m., followed by further results January 14th and 23rd posted by 5 p.m., pending schedule changes dependent on receipt of ballots.

Certified Results will be posted no later than February 2nd, but no sooner than January 28th posted by 5 p.m.

 

Fred Meyer was the site of an arrest for trespassing and meth possession Sunday evening.

Grants Pass Police responded to a complaint regarding a previously trespassed suspect returning to the 1101 Grants Pass Parkway store around 7:47 p.m. She was reportedly under the influence, and Fred Meyer wanted to pursue a charge for trespassing.

Officers arrived and contacted the suspect, identified as Shani Fedosky, and arrested her for Second Degree Trespassing. During a consent search, a glass pipe with methamphetamine residue was discovered in her jacket pocket.

Several other small items of drug paraphernalia were found on her person, so officers charged Fedosky with Meth Possession as well. She was subsequently transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail.

 

According to the Commissioner's Office, today's 10 a.m. meeting regarding the Appointment for Josephine County Commissioner Position 1 was cancelled per Commissioner Chris Barnett's request. The board still has two meetings in the BCC Conference Room scheduled for December 31st and January 5th at 10 a.m. Both have Interviews and the Appointment for Josephine County Commissioner Position 1 on the agendas. On Wednesday, the board will also meet for their County Administration Workshop to cover Department Business for Information Technology, Community Justice, Airports, and Human Resources. Board Business includes Josephine County Airports Advisory Board Bylaws, then, pending other matters, the meeting will adjourn. Wednesday's workshop will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the BCC Conference Room, and will be streamed at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two suspects at the upper gazebo in Riverside Park during a proactive check.

This morning at 2:48 a.m., the officer walked up to a black Cadillac Escalade parked at 304 E Park Street and observed burnt foil in plain sight on the passenger Raven Hall's lap. The driver, Jasper Miller, was observed with his hands below his knees.

Upon exiting the vehicle, Miller dropped a bag of a white crystalized substance on the floorboard. The substance tested presumptive positive for the presence of Methamphetamine.

Hall then exited the vehicle, and a tooter with a burnt substance was underneath her. After being read her rights, she stated she used the foil in her lap for fentanyl. Further testing proved the presumptive positive presence of fentanyl.

Miller and Hall were both taken into custody and lodged in the Josephine County Jail; Miller for Meth Possession, and Hall for Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office took a man wanted on three warrants into custody Monday afternoon.

The suspect, Donald Jones, was stopped and detained at the corner of Merlin Road and Merlin Landfill Road. Deputies confirmed he had a misdemeanor warrant out of Lake County, and felony warrants from Coos County and the Oregon State Parole Board.

Jones's charges included Larceny, Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle, and Contempt. He was also charged with Meth Possession and Felon in Possession of a Weapon at the scene.

Deputies lodged Jones in the Josephine County Jail on his warrants and charges. His vehicle was impounded.

 

Law enforcement agencies throughout Southern Oregon are searching for a man wanted in connection with multiple stolen vehicles and a high-speed pursuit that occurred Monday. The suspect, Billy Dean Gregory, 55, of O’Brien, is wanted on outstanding warrants and faces multiple charges, including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, theft, reckless driving, and attempting to elude police. Gregory is described as a white male, approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 198 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen around 1:00 p.m. switching stolen vehicles in the Colver Road area of Talent. At this time, it is unknown what vehicle he may be driving. The suspect remains at large. There is no further information available for release at this time. Anyone who sees Billy Dean Gregory or has information regarding his whereabouts is urged to call 911 immediately.

 

The Ballot Return report for the Recall Election against Commissioner Chris Barnett shows a voter turnout of 17.77% so far.

The latest report, provided by County Clerk Rhiannon Henkels, shows a grand total of 12,522 ballots received. Of those, 6,100 ballots have been verified. There is a total of 70,487 eligible voters in Josephine County.

According to a notice on the county website, the schedule for January 6, 2026 Recall Election reporting begins that same Tuesday after 8 p.m., followed by further results January 14th and 23rd posted by 5 p.m., pending schedule changes dependent on receipt of ballots.

Certified Results will be posted no later than February 2nd, but no sooner than January 28th posted by 5 p.m.

 

Oregon will receive $197.3 million in 2026 to improve rural healthcare and could receive more in the following four years, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced. Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will invest the federal funding in community-driven projects that improve healthcare access, boost chronic disease management and prevention, grow and sustain the healthcare workforce, and expand the use of health technology and data in Oregon’s rural and frontier communities. The Oregon Rural Health Transformation Program includes a dedicated Tribal initiative that will provide direct funding for the Nine Federally Recognized Tribes in Oregon to improve their own healthcare access and health outcomes in a way that honors the government-to-government relationship with the Tribes. Oregon is centering the unique needs and perspectives of people in rural communities for this effort. OHA conducted statewide engagement to develop its original funding proposal, and will continue to closely collaborate with hospitals, clinics, providers, patients and others in rural Oregon as it implements the program during the next five years.