Local News

A special meeting will be held by the Temporary Board of Other Elective Administrative Officers Tuesday.

The board will commence the meeting in the BCC Conference Room at 9 a.m. During their previous meeting, the board said they would finalize the questions that will be asked during the interviews for the vacant Commissioner seats.

Along with solidifying the interview questions, the board will also discuss Veterans Preference for applicants, and assign the order of interviewees. Following other matters pertaining to the application and interview process, the meeting will adjourn.

The public is welcome to attend, but they must abide by the clear bag policy. The meeting will be streamed at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream.

 

Emergency crews responded to a report of someone pinned under a bus at 7:50 this morning.

Wolf Creek Rural Fire Protection District, Rural Metro Fire, and AMR were dispatched to the 100 block of Coyote Creek Road where they found victim under the rear end of an abandoned school bus.

Crews worked for approximately 45 minutes to extricate the person using lift bags and jacks, due to the inaccessibility for a heavy wrecker. The victim was then transported by AMR to a trauma hospital in Medford with serious injuries.

 

Deputies with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man after holding him at gunpoint Thursday night.

The suspect driving a stolen white Infiniti FX3 was stopped and held at gun point at the corner of E Hawksdale Drive and Robertson Bridge Road. Upon contact, deputies identified Donald Jones as the suspect.

His Parole Officer was contacted after deputies took Jones into custody. The vehicle was towed from the scene, and Jones was transported to the Josephine County Jail.

He was lodged for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and a detainer requested by his Parole Officer.

 

Grants Pass Police conducted a welfare check of a man lying on the sidewalk by Grants Pass Tire Pros throughout Thursday.

At 4:22 p.m., dispatch was notified of the suspect. He had reportedly been sitting and lying on the sidewalk speaking to himself near the 705 Union Avenue business since that morning, possibly around 7 a.m.

The man didn't appear to need medical attention, but he was believed to be under the influence. The caller was concerned and requested a welfare check since the man had been there for so long.

Officers responded and contacted Adam Jansen on the sidewalk. His Parole Officer was contacted and a detainer was requested. Jansen was subsequently arrested. He was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail on the detainer.

 

Britt has confirmed a slate of six more concerts for the 2026 summer season.

Performers include country star Jake Owen, indie folk favorite Shakey Graves, Britt first-timers Young the Giant with Cold War Kids & KennyHoopla, jam-band legends The String Cheese Incident, and blues-rock powerhouse The Marcus King Band along with trailblazing artist Ani DiFranco with special guest Valerie June.

Tickets to several Britt shows are already on sale, including KALEO, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Pink Martini, Los Lobos & Los Lonely Boys, The California Honeydrops, and Jim Gaffigan. Britt Festival Orchestra concerts are also available to the general public, including the two-night run of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert with the orchestra playing the score live-to-picture.

All tickets are available through britt.org, the Box Office at 541-773-6077, or in person at 216 W. Main Street in Medford. Fans are reminded to always visit the official website directly to ensure that their tickets are valid and the best possible price.

With this announcement, there will be a Member pre-sale before tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 27 at 10 a.m.

 

An employee of Abby's Legendary Pizza reported two people were actively using drugs outside the restaurant.

On Thursday at 10:29 p.m. the employee, while viewing the suspects remotely inside the closed 250 NE Beacon Drive business, called 911 to report the male and female suspects outside.

The employee said the male kept switching his clothes, and that the two of them unloaded their cart all over the place. A request was made to have the suspects removed and trespassed.

Grants Pass Police arrived and contacted the two suspects. Both were trespassed from the scene. One of the suspects, Esther Huston, was found to be wanted on a warrant charging her with Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine.

Officers took Huston into custody. She was transported to the Josephine County Jail where she was lodged.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies arrested a man wanted on two warrants Thursday.

At 12:18 p.m., deputies arrived at a property in the 27000 block of Redwood Highway and detained the suspect, Michael Bellah. He was reportedly extremely hostile to responders at the scene.

Deputies took Bellah into custody. He had two warrants out for his arrest. His Sheriff's Office warrant charged him with Failure to Report as a Sex Offender. An Oregon State Parole Board warrant against Bellah charged him with Felony Parole Violation.

Both warrants were confirmed, and Bellah was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail.

 

The Rogue River School District 35 Board of Directors announced the selection of Dr. April L. Harrison as the district’s next superintendent, effective July 1, 2026.

Dr. Harrison brings more than 23 years of experience in public education and a deep connection to the Rogue River community. She previously served the district for ten years as Director of Special Programs and Student Services.

Throughout her career, Dr. Harrison has served as a special education teacher, professor, and district-level administrator. The Board of Directors expressed confidence in Dr. Harrison’s ability to lead the district forward while honoring its strong community roots.

Upon beginning her service in July, Dr. Harrison will implement a 120-day “Leading, Listening, and Learning” entry plan. This plan will focus on strengthening relationships with students, staff, families, and community partners, supporting and empowering staff, and aligning district systems to improve student outcomes.

The Board of Directors looks forward to a collaborative transition process and invites the community to join in welcoming Dr. Harrison back to Rogue River School District 35.

 

The Temporary Board of Other Elective Administrative Officers will decide between 5 applicants for the vacant Commissioner seats. During their special meeting, the board chose five applicants out of 37 potentials. In a release from Human Resources, the applicants are Colene Martin, Lorna Jessee, Gary Richardson, Kirk Brust, and Simon Hare. Interviews for the five will be held Wednesday the 18th starting at 9 a.m., with each interview lasting one hour. The board will send potential questions to the Human Resources department by 9 a.m. this Friday. A meeting will then be held Tuesday the 17th at 9 a.m. to finalize the questions and determine the order of interviews. Before noon that same day, the five applicants will be emailed the questions. The public will be welcome to attend the interviews which will conclude at 3 p.m. on the 18th. Overflow seating will be available in a separate room with a television broadcasting the interviews. The public can also stream the interviews at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream. Human Resources will conduct background checks. The temporary board will then convene on the 19th at 9 a.m. for a final discussion on the interviewees. The board chair will follow up with the chosen applicants.