Local News

Rural Metro Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Forestry used copious amounts of water to extinguish a stubborn fire at the old Rendatta Industrial Park in Merlin early yesterday. Rural Metro and ODF crews worked with site crews to put out a large pile of burning bark dust near the Merlin Distribution Center off Merlin Road. Smoke and steam from the incident location were visible most of the morning. Rural Metro officials said the fire was fully extinguished by 8:30 a.m..

 

Firefighters knocked down a small grass fire near Lake Selmac yesterday. On Monday at 3:56 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District and Oregon Department of Forestry responded to the reported fire near Lakeshore Drive and Parker Road. IVFD officials said the grass fire was quickly extinguished by responding units. Officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a woman for stabbing her roommate at a home between Grants Pass and Merlin last weekend. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 35-year-old Jaci Rai Hoyt for the incident in the 800-block of Azalea Drive on Saturday at 9:13 a.m.. Deputies said a man called 9-1-1 from the residence to report that Hoyt used a butter knife to stab a 35-year-old man with whom she lives. The caller said he saw Hoyt with the butter knife and she had been acting in a violent manner recently. When deputies and medical personnel arrived on scene, they found the victim lying in bed while applying pressure to the knife wound and Hoyt sitting in the dining room. The victim was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center. The suspect reportedly asked: "Are they taking me to jail?" The answer was "yes." Hoyt was placed into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail where she was booked on felony charges of 2nd-Degree Assault and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. Following her court arraignment, she was being held on $250,000 bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for stealing a vehicle from Reedsport following a weekend traffic stop near Cave Junction. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies pulled over a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado pickup near the intersection of Waldo and Rockydale roads on Saturday night. Deputies said they spotted 36-year-old Zachrie Mencarelli driving the Silverado that had been reported stolen by the Reedsport Police Department. After the traffic stop, they placed him into custody at gunpoint. Mencarelli was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on felony charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. He was being held without bail. The Sheriff's Office notified Reedsport PD of the stolen vehicle recovery. The victim was contacted and made arrangements to pick up the vehicle that had been towed to Cave Junction.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing an expensive bicycle from a southeast city apartment complex late last week. The Police Department was alerted to the bicycle theft at the Garden Grove Apartments on Fruitdale Drive on Friday morning. Police said the victim reported the bicycle was stolen out of the back of his truck around 3:15 a.m.. The caller said the bike is a TREK with MAXXIS wheels. He said it is a one-of-a-kind bike with custom forks, frame and after-market parts with an estimated value of $8,000. Officers reviewed surveillance video and identified the suspect as 28-year-old Aleksandr Uchytil. He was spotted with the stolen bicycle at Baker Park around 12:15 p.m. and placed into custody. The bike was returned to its rightful owner. Uchytil was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Theft and he was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for drugged driving early yesterday after receiving a report of suspicious activity in the south part of the city. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident on Williams Highway at Mayfair Lane on Monday at 12:35 a.m.. Police said 43-year-old Mason Tyler Suehs was contacted in the driver seat of a silver sport utility vehicle that was parked in the middle of the highway with its windshield wipers on. They said he admitted to driving the vehicle and displayed multiple signs of impairment. During a search of Suehs' vehicle, a large amount of cash was located as well as an opened lock box with a crystal residue that tested positive as methamphetamine. The suspect refused to participate in field sobriety tests or to provide breath or urine samples. A search warrant was obtained and he was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented impairment by narcotics. Suehs was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Controlled Substances. Charges of Possession and Delivery of Meth were referred to the District Attorney's Office for consideration. The SUV was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for climbing onto the roof of the Williams Highway Plaza and sleeping last weekend. According to the Police Department, officers were dispatched to the incident at the shopping center off Williams Highway on Sunday at 9:12 p.m.. Police said 30-year-old Derek Eugene King was located on the roof above the south Safeway supermarket and Plaza Liquor. The roof was not accessible from Safeway because of a steep drop-off, so officers called in a Grants Pass Fire & Rescue ladder truck to gain access. They found the suspect sound asleep. It was unclear how King was able to climb onto the lofty perch. King was safely removed from the roof and placed into custody without further incident. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass and was being held without bail.

 

Applications are being accepted for one position on the Grants Pass Urban Area Planning Commission. This is a four-year appointment. All appointments to the UAPC are required to have their principle residence inside the Grants Pass city limits or urban growth boundary. The purpose of the Commission is to review and render a decision on all Type 3 Land Use Applications including zone changes, subdivisions, planned unit developments and major variances. The panel also functions as an appellate body on appeals from Type 1 and Type 2 decisions of City staff. The UAPC also reviews and recommends to the City Council action on all Type 4 land use requests including comprehensive plan amendments and development code text amendments. The Commission will investigate, review, analyze and recommend necessary changes in growth management policies or physical capacities to meet the needs of lands within the city's urban growth boundary. Applications are available at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or online at "grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application. Completed applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, August 22nd.

 

The Grants Pass Committee on Public Art learned Monday that the City Council is prioritizing all spending decisions -- especially when it comes to paying for public safety services. During its workshop session yesterday, the Grants Pass City Council voted to table a motion by the committee to spend $15,000 to activate the Redwood Alley mural. A lengthy staff presentation followed on Public Safety Service and Funding. City Manager Aaron Cubic started and ended the presentation that included Public Safety Advisory Committee Chair Alan Hart, Police Chief Warren Hensman, Fire Chief Jimmy Sanchez and Finance Director JC Rowley. The Grants Pass Police Department currently has 57 sworn officers and Hensman wants to increase his staffing to 62 full-time officers. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue currently has 27 full-time firefighters and Sanchez wants to increase his staffing to 33 firefighters. Hart said the public safety committee believes both agencies are understaffed, but the question is how to pay for more personnel. Rowley pointed out that 73% of the cost of public safety is personnel and there are "no easy options" to find additional funding. He shared several possible.options. After deliberations, the majority of the Council was adamant about not raising taxes while incrementally increasing police and fire staffing. They directed staff to present those options at a future workshop session.