Local News

Officers with the Grants Pass Police Department apprehended a woman Tuesday on two warrants at Resting Site 6 North.

The suspect, Brittany Demars, was observed leaving the 714 NW 6th Street by law enforcement around 1:59 p.m. She had two active warrants out for her arrest, and officers quickly made contact and took her into custody.

She would not confirm her identity and did not consent to a search, but officers recognized her and, during a pat down, identified syringes in her pockets. One contained a white crystalline residue that tested positive for Methamphetamine.

Officers found other drug items on Demars' person bearing drug residue. According to Josephine County Jail records, she was lodged on charges including Meth and Fentanyl Possession, two counts of Third Degree Theft, Resisting Arrest, Second Degree Criminal Mischief, and Attempt to Commit a Crime.

 

Two suspects were arrested at Resting Site Six South for warrants out of the Grants Pass Police Department.

Officers located Trevor Bowen underneath a blue tarp on the west side of the 704 NW 6th Street site at 12:56 p.m. He was wanted for two warrants charging him with Unlawful Possession charges. He also needed to be trespassed from the Newman United Methodist Church.

The trespass was entered, his warrants were faxed to the Josephine County Jail, and Bowen was taken into custody. According to Jail Records, officers lodged Bowen for two counts of Methamphetamine Possession, and one Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance charge.

Later that afternoon at 2:32, officers observed Carly Jensen at the resting site. She was known to be wanted on a warrant for Possession of Meth, so she was transported to and lodged in the Adult Jail Facility.

 

Officers arrested a woman wanted on a Grants Pass Police Department warrant at her residence Tuesday afternoon.

Police at the scene in the 200 block of Grandview Lane observed the suspect, Ashley Faulkner drive into the incident location at 3 p.m. She was known to be wanted on an active and serviceable warrant, and that she had previously barricaded herself inside her home to prevent officers from taking her into custody.

As Faulkner pulled in to the residence, officers boxed her vehicle in and advised that she was under arrest. Faulkner was taken into custody for her warrant charging her with Burglary in the First Degree, Attempt to Commit a Crime, and Fourth Degree Assault.

Officers transported Faulkner to the Josephine County Jail where she was lodged on her warrant. Her children, who were both in the car with her at the time of the arrest, were retrieved by their grandfather.

 

The Bureau of Land Management has re-opened the Lower Table Rock-Oak Savannah Loop Trail.

Following the completion of a paving project designed to expand safe, accessible recreation opportunities, the trail now meets Architectural Barriers Act accessibility standards.

According to a release, the trails closed mid-March to complete trail upgrades, including grading, draining improvements, and installation of a layer of base gravel and asphalt.

The lower loop trail is approximately one mile long and winds through an oak savannah. It features interpretive panels highlighting the ecology and history of the area.

 

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.2% in January and 5.3%, as revised, in December, according to the Oregon Employment Department.

In January, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 2,000 jobs, following a gain of 100 jobs, as revised, in December. January’s gains were largest in leisure and hospitality (+1,800 jobs); health care and social assistance (+1,500); and construction (+1,000). Losses were largest in manufacturing (-1,500 jobs) and professional and business services (-1,300).

Leisure and hospitality performed better than the normal seasonal pattern in January and employed 209,800, which was 1,800 jobs, or 0.9%, above its January 2025 total.

Health care and social assistance rose by 4,100 jobs during the three months ending in January. During the 12 months ending in January, it added 9,800 jobs, or 3.2%. Construction’s 1,000-job gain in January was a partial rebound from its 2,400-job loss the prior month. Manufacturing cut 1,500 jobs in January, following a gain of 1,300 in December.

The 1,300-job decline in professional and business services in January left the industry 7,600 jobs, or 2.9%, below its year-ago total.

 

If you have received text messages saying you owe money to the Oregon Department of Transportation or DMV, it’s a scam.

Scammers across the country are sending fake texts about unpaid tolls, license suspensions, and traffic violations. The messages include a link that takes you to a fake website designed to look real to steal your personal and financial information.

According to Oregon DMV Public Information Officer Chris Crabb, “ODOT and DMV will never ask you to pay through a text message, email, phone call, or third-party website."

Scam texts can use alarming words like “urgent notice,” “violation,” or “final enforcement.” They might warn that your license or registration will be suspended or fines will increase if you do not pay immediately.

The public is reminded not to click links or reply to unexpected messages claiming to be from ODOT or DMV, and never provide personal, financial, or vehicle information to unknown texts or websites.

You can report scam texts to 7726 (SPAM) and file a report with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. You do not need to report it to ODOT or DMV. If you’re unsure whether a message is real, contact ODOT at 1-888-Ask-ODOT, or DMV at 503-945-5000. You can find more information about fraud prevention at oregondmv.com.

 

The Board of County Commissioners approved an order regarding requested fee changes from the Planning Department during today's Weekly Business Session.

Following the public hearing that began the meeting at 9 a.m., the board moved in favor of an order transferring county property to Cave Junction. A property line adjustment for the 210 Tacoma property, with an expense of $11,000 to be reimbursed to the Property Reserve Fund, was approved 3-0.

A motion approving a resolution for the County Supplemental Budget for 2025-26 passed unanimously. Changes to the budget were requested by Firewise, Planning, Facilities, and the Human Resources departments, with a Firewise grant extension having been received.

During public comment, the public presented concerns for code enforcement, a West Picket property, and Southern Oregon Sanitations presence at a recent Commissioner meeting.

Other topics included a Pipe Fork purchase request, transparency and appreciation of the board, an offer for budget consultation, accessibility to the Anne G. Basker Auditorium, and ways to spread kindness this Easter Weekend.

The board approved the consent calendar, and the meeting adjourned.

 

Grants Pass Police were forced to temporarily restrain Grants Pass Broadcasting News Director, Alex Bauer, Tuesday morning after he repeatedly read the same news story six times in a row as part of an April Fool's Day prank. Bauer was cuffed and removed from the premises while proclaiming, "You all just don't understand my complex sense of humor." Believe me... We understand, Alex. You just aren't funny! There's no word on when Bauer will be released or return to the station to resume his duties.

 

A recommendation to pause filling positions under the current budget until the end of June with exceptions was proposed by Commissioner Gary Richardson during today's workshop. A motion to have a hiring pause until the budget is finalized at the end of June, with exceptions of any currently approved Personnel Requisitions that have been posted, and exceptions granted by the board for directors who bring in PRs to be filled case by case was approved 3-0. The board moved other decisions on their workshop agenda to next week's Weekly Business Session