Local News

Deputies Captured Wolf Creek Man Wanted on Out-of-State and Local Warrants
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended a Wolf Creek man wanted on out-of-state and local warrants yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 47-year-old male subject at a home in the 400-block of Bill Lane on Tuesday at 1:32 p.m.. He was placed into custody without incident. Deputies said the man was wanted by the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office in Washington for numerous crimes including Felony Strangulation, Felony Probation Violation and Felony Bail Jumping. He was also wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Fugitive from Justice. No other details were available in the Sheriff's Log, but the suspect was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. He awaits extradition proceedings that will likely send him back to Washington state.
Posted on 4/17/24 6:11AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Jailed Man on Statewide Warrant after Patrol at N Street Industrial Park
Grants Pass Police jailed a man on a statewide felony warrant following an early morning patrol check at the N Street Industrial Park. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 43-year-old male subject in the 1600-block of SE N Street on Tuesday at 2:44 a.m.. Police said they were patrolling the industrial park area when they observed a man pushing a Toyota Tacoma behind a building. Upon contact, the suspect refused to speak with officers and walked into Sam's Burgers where he claimed his girlfriend works. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the suspect was wanted on an Oregon Department of Corrections felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a previous conviction for Felon in Possession of a Weapon. The warrant was confirmed by the state and the felon was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.
Posted on 4/17/24 6:10AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Jailed Man on Texas and Local Warrants after City Park Patrol Check
Grants Pass Police jailed a man wanted on out-of-state and local warrants after a city park patrol check this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 42-year-old man at Lawnridge Park on NW Hawthorne Avenue on Monday morning. Police said they contacted the man for an observed ordinance violation and learned that he was wanted on a Bexar County, Texas, felony warrant for 2nd-Degree Assault on a Family Member. The suspect was also wanted on two Josephine County warrants -- one containing a secret indictment for Felony Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and the other for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was lodged in jail and faces possible extradition to send him back to San Antonio. According to the report, uncapped needles were located inside the man's tent and they were properly disposed of.
Posted on 4/17/24 6:02AM by Sam Marsh
 

BCC Expected to Adopt 5 Ordinances Making Changes to Josephine County Code
The Board of Commissioners is expected to adopt five ordinances that change the Josephine County Code during its weekly business session this morning. The Board will hold five public hearings on the second readings of each of the ordinances. The first readings were approved after April 3rd hearings. The ordinances pertain to repealing chapters related to the Urban Area Planning Commission, Jackson-Josephine Regional Board, Jefferson Behavioral Health and Job Council. The other ordinance amends the chapter for the Solid Waste Agency. All five ordinances are considered housekeeping items to keep the Code current. As part of the Consent Calendar, the Commissioners will consider one resolution to establish an Administrative Internal Service Fund and a second resolution to establish a County Services & Fleet Fund. Today's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.
Posted on 4/17/24 5:59AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

9-1-1 Professionals Honored during "National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week"
News Image
This week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, an annual event that honors the essential role emergency response coordination professionals play in keeping the nation's communities safe and secure. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek proclaimed April 14th-20th as Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in the state and encouraged all Oregonians to join in the observance. Oregon has 43 standalone 9-1-1 centers known as Public Safety Answering Points that serve as the first and single point of contact for people seeking immediate relief during an emergency. Nearly 800 dedicated telecommunicators across the state answer at least two million emergency calls annually for law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services. These 9-1-1 professionals respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance during intense personal crises and community-wide disasters. The critical work of Oregon's public safety telecommunicators directly supports the operations of federal, state and local government agencies. Oregon's 9-1-1 program was established by the 1981 Oregon Legislature and is directed by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.
Posted on 4/17/24 5:57AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

Four Way Foundation and GP School District Presenting 25th Anniversary PAC Celebration
News Image
The Four Way Community Foundation is assisting the Grants Pass School District in presenting a special variety show event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Performing Arts Center (PAC) and to launch a fundraising campaign to update and beautify the facility. The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 18th, at 6:30 p.m. in the PAC at Grants Pass High School, which is located at NE 8th and Olive streets. In 1996, the local foundation was instrumental in the community-wide effort to raise funds to build the 730-seat venue, providing over $500,000 from a bequest from the estate of Mel Voorhees, the Kay Pratton Fund and other charitable gifts. Numerous individuals and businesses made donations to build the facility, and voters passed a bond for the new high school which included creating the PAC, which opened in May of 1999. The GPHS PAC has the finest acoustics of any venue between Seattle and San Francisco. It is in use almost every day by community groups, visiting performers and students. After 25 years of almost constant use, the theater needs some items that are beyond the scope of annual school district allocations.
Posted on 4/17/24 5:55AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

Grants Pass to Hold Roundtable Discussion on Public Safety Funding on Thursday
News Image
The City of Grants Pass will convene a roundtable discussion related to public safety funding tomorrow. Thursday's roundtable session will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street. During its April 1st workshop, a majority of the City Council wanted to hold a public safety funding conversation before deciding whether to proceed with the referral of a food & beverage tax to voters in the November general election. During the session, city staff will present an overview of public safety services provided by the police and fire departments along with the various funding options the Council has considered. This will be followed by questions and answers. City officials said this roundtable discussion is being treated as a normal Council workshop and does not provide an opportunity for public comment. A quorum of Council members may be present.
Posted on 4/17/24 5:53AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

BCC Expected to Adopt Ordinances Making Changes to Josephine County Code
The Board of Commissioners is expected to adopt five ordinances that change the Josephine County Code during its weekly business session tomorrow morning. The Board will hold five public hearings on the second readings of each of the ordinances. The first readings were approved after April 3rd hearings. The ordinances pertain to repealing chapters related to the Urban Area Planning Commission, Jackson-Josephine Regional Board, Jefferson Behavioral Health and Job Council. The other ordinance amends the chapter for the Solid Waste Agency. All five ordinances are considered housekeeping items to keep the Code current. As part of the Consent Calendar, the Commissioners will consider one resolution to establish an Administrative Internal Service Fund and a second resolution to establish a County Services & Fleet Fund. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.
Posted on 4/16/24 11:22AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

GP Police Jailed Man on Texas & Local Warrants after City Park Patrol Check
Grants Pass Police jailed a man wanted on out-of-state and local warrants after a city park patrol check early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 42-year-old man at Lawnridge Park on NW Hawthorne Avenue on Monday at about 8 a.m.. Police said they contacted the man for an observed ordinance violation and learned that he was wanted on a Bexar County, Texas, felony warrant for 2nd-Degree Assault on a Family Member. The suspect was also wanted on two Josephine County warrants -- one containing a secret indictment for Felony Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and the other for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was lodged in jail and faces possible extradition to send him back to San Antonio. According to the report, uncapped needles were located inside the man's tent and they were properly disposed of.
Posted on 4/16/24 10:39AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

GP Police Jailed Man Who Stole from Walmart on Clackamas County Warrant
Grants Pass Police arrested a man who stole items from Walmart last weekend and discovered that was wanted on an outside felony warrant. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at the big box retailer on NE Terry Lane on Sunday around 3:50 p.m.. Police said a 41-year-old male suspect stolen merchandise from Walmart, but dropped the items when confronted by loss prevention and ran away from them. Responding officers located the suspect on NE Fairview Avenue and advised him that he was under arrest. But the man ran away from law enforcement and -- after running in and around residential backyards -- he was placed into custody. That's when police discovered that the suspect was wanted on a Clackamas County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for Possession of Heroin. He was lodged in the Josephine County Jail on the warrant along with a new charge of 3rd-Degree Theft. He was awaiting transfer to Clackamas County.
Posted on 4/16/24 10:37AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

GP Police Snared Man on Local Warrant after Home Depot Shoplift Attempt
Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant during a weekend shoplifting incident at Home Depot. According to the Police Department, officers arrested the 38-year-old male subject for the incident at the home improvement store on NE Mill Street at 4:56 p.m. on Sunday. Police said Home Depot employees called 9-1-1 to report a suspect placed some merchandise in a bag, proceeded past all points of sale and exited the business before he was confronted by loss prevention. He immediately dropped the stolen items and fled into the store parking lot. That's where officers placed him into custody. A routine records check revealed that he was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for Fraud and Furnishing False Information to Police. After the warrant was confirmed, the suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail. He was also trespassed from Home Depot.
Posted on 4/16/24 10:36AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

Deputies Collared Man on Local Warrant after Cave Junction Welfare Check
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man on a local warrant during a weekend welfare check in Cave Junction. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies arrested the 28-year-old male subject at gunpoint in the 500-block of South Redwood Highway around 8:15 p.m. Sunday. Deputies said 9-1-1 dispatchers received a call from that address, which was hung up. Dispatchers returned the call and heard some voices before someone said "never mind" and hung up again. Additional calls went straight to voice mail. Upon arrival, deputies contacted the man in one of three cabins on the property. They discovered that he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for 2nd-Degree Theft. He was flagged as a flight risk known to run from law enforcement, but he was placed into custody without further incident. The suspect was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail.
Posted on 4/16/24 10:35AM by Sam Marsh
Read more