Local News

Parker's Place Village, Elk Island Trading Group, LLC and Alternative Living Solutions, Inc.'s project in partnership with the City of Grants Pass, signed in 44 people.

According to the village's Facebook page, the individuals signed intake agreements and were assigned semi-private rooms with a bed, door, and lock. New picnic tables were purchased and assembled yesterday, and north fence posts were installed.

Today, the water system is scheduled to be finished and a meter installed, another step towards the finished 150 bed village.

 

Cruise the Rogue, Southern Oregon’s first all-genre automotive festival, arrives in Historic Downtown Grants Pass and Riverside Park on July 23rd through the 26th. Presented by Main Street Grants Pass, the four-day event brings together over 300 registered vehicles across 12 classes from pre-war classics and muscle cars to JDM tuners, custom builds, and motorcycles. The festival’s celebrity guest lineup features Richard Rawlings and Dennis Collins of Gas Monkey Garage, alongside Alan Taylor, host of The Drive radio show and a founding board member of the event. Rawlings and Collins will present awards live at the Sunday ceremony. The event begins with the Long Table VIP Dinner Thursday, July 23rd, followed by Cars and Coffee, Downtown Show and Shine, and the Applegate Valley Poker Run Friday, July 24th. Cars and Coffee and the Applegate Valley Run continue Saturday, July 25th, followed by the Riverside Salon de l'Automobile and Saturday Night Cruise. Sunday, July 26th, is the Riverside Park Show and Awards Ceremony.

 

Grants Pass Police contacted and arrested a man sleeping under a covered sidewalk for trespassing.

The suspect, Johnnathon Adams, was located by a passerby at the Downtown Welcome Center Sunday around 8:06 p.m. He was laying on the G Street side of the building, and reportedly hadn't moved in three hours.

Adams was described to dispatch as having gray hair, and wearing a tan and black shirt, dark pants, and work boots. Officers responded and contacted him, finding he had been trespassed from the area on the 18th.

Adams' identity was confirmed, and he was taken into custody. Officers lodged him in jail for Second Degree Criminal Trespass, but later released him due to a lack of resources.

 

One of two shoplifting suspects was arrested by Grants Pass Police at Walmart Sunday.

Loss prevention at the 135 NE Terry Lane store detained a man after he and a woman stole over $252 worth of items. The two suspects reportedly placed lower marked stickers on higher priced items, then passed all points of purchase without paying for the correct price.

The woman, Rita Cimfl, left the scene in a maroon sedan towards Grocery Outlet while the man, Douglas Knudtson, was detained in the loss prevention room around 1:20 p.m. The manager wished to pursue charges.

Officers arrived to take Knudtson into custody. Attempts to locate Cimfl were unsuccessful, but Knudtson was taken to the Josephine County Jail and lodged for Second Degree Theft. Due to a lack of jail resources, he was later released.

 

Grants Pass Fire Rescue will begin its annual fire hydrant testing program this month, helping to ensure hydrants across the community are operating correctly and can deliver the water needed to protect lives and property during an emergency. According to GPFR, hydrant testing includes flowing and measuring water output, verifying mechanical function, and documenting maintenance needs. Residents may notice crews working in their neighborhoods and may experience temporary water discoloration or minor pressure fluctuations. These conditions are normal and should be cleared quickly. If discoloration persists, residents are encouraged to briefly run their cold water taps until the water clears. Accurate and up-to-date water flow information is critical for emergency response. Firefighters rely on precise data to determine how much water is available during a fire, which directly affects firefighting strategy and safety. In addition, hydrant flow data plays an important role in the community’s Insurance Services Office Public Protection Classification rating.

 

Medford Police responded to the 800 block of Gilman Road for a reported burglary in progress Sunday at approximately 10:47 p.m. The reporting party told dispatch that a subject was attempting to break into the residence, and that shots had been fired by the homeowner. The family inside was able to safely exit the home and meet responding officers at a location away from the scene. Police then established a perimeter around the home. With assistance from drone operators, officers were able to locate and communicate with the out-of-state suspect inside the residence, identified as 21-year-old Nathan Roberson. He was found to be suffering from a gunshot wound, and was taken into custody without incident. He was then transported to a local hospital for treatment, and will remain in police custody while receiving medical care. This incident remains under investigation. Roberson has not been formally charged at this time, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office has been consulted on this case for the review of official charges.

 

A man was arrested after stealing items from someone's front porch Sunday afternoon.

The homeowner called 911 to report a man came up to the property's doorstep in the 1100 block of SW 5th Street around 12:13 p.m. He proceeded to steal a bat and two green bags full of cans, and left the scene on a bike heading northbound on 5th.

The suspect was followed by the homeowner by car before he turned into the skate park. Arriving officers contacted the suspect, Charles Howard, recovered the stolen items worth about $220 in total, and returned them to the rightful owner.

A consent search was conducted, and officers found Howard was in possession of a glass pipe with residue. Following a positive field test of the pipe for the presence of methamphetamine, Howard was taken into custody.

An attempt to contact his parole officer was unsuccessful, so officers lodged him in jail for charges of Theft in the Second Degree, and Possession of Meth. His bicycle and backpack were entered into safekeeping.

 

The subject of a welfare check was arrested by Grants Pass Police for Methamphetamine Possession.

A man called 911 from the Highland House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center to report the subject was sleeping against the back of a gray minivan across the way. The man twitched when the caller asked if he was ok, and a welfare check was requested.

Officers arrived to find the man still sleeping against his van outside the Royale Gardens Health and Rehabilitation Center at 2075 NW Highland Avenue. A glass bulb pipe with a burnt, white residue was located next to him, and a field test yielded a positive result for the presence of meth. The suspect, identified as Rodney Silva, was then taken into custody.

He was lodged in the Adult Jail Facility for a Meth Possession charge, and officers further trespassed Silva from the rehabilitation center. His vehicle was secured and left on the scene.

 

Two shoplifting suspects were apprehended by Grants Pass Police Saturday, one from Walmart, and one from WinCo.

Dispatch was notified around 9:54 a.m. that Walmart Loss Prevention had detained a man after he stole about $121 worth of merchandise. He had passed all points of sale without paying before getting caught.

He was cooperative with staff, and upon arrival, officers took Williams into custody for charges of First Degree Trespass and Second Degree Theft. He was lodged in jail, and trespassed from the 135 NE Terry Lane store.

That evening, around 6:46 p.m., an employee of WinCo called 911 to report loss prevention had detained a male shoplifter who was heard yelling in the background of the call.

Police arrived and learned the suspect, Daniel Hall, had grabbed $3 worth of lemonade drinks before exiting the 231 NE Terry Lane grocer through the main doors, passing all points of sale. Loss prevention stopped and confronted Hall, who then became combative before being detained.

Officers took him into custody and, during a consent search, located inside his backpack a glass pipe with a burnt white residue. Following a positive field test for methamphetamine, Hall was transported to the Josephine County Jail. He was lodged for Third Degree Theft, and Possession of Meth.