Local News

Grants Pass Police officers were responding to a call Tuesday when they spotted a suspect with a warrant.

Officers identified Ruby Yamoona walking in the area of SW 5th and J Streets. She was known to have a warrant out for her arrest, but officers lost sight of her when circling around to make contact.

Yamoona was found again walking down the alley between G and H Streets heading towards 6th Street. Officers cut her off and advised her of the warrant.

Yamoona was taken into custody and lodged in the Josephine County Jail for her Second Degree Theft Warrant.

 

The Josephine County Commissioners continued their Administration Workshop with unanimous approval of department business.

The Sheriff requested to auction off seized items from drug busts to help fund training equipment for the Sheriff's Office as well as state drug treatment programs. A motion to approve passed 3-0, as did their motion to enter into the Sheriff's Office's Consume Drug Take-Back Program, a disposal project to keep prescription drugs off the street.

The Community Justice Department received approval of 2 bylaw updates, changing meeting frequency to quarterly, and updating quorum requirements for special meetings to six members.

The board also approved appointments of the departments Mental Health Director and Victim Services Representative, and the lease agreement in conjunction with the application for real property tax exemption, allowing Community Justice to continue their society reintegration program.

A motion letting the Public Health Department attend AllCare Health's 2nd Annual Healthy Kids event passed unanimously, along with the Women, Infant, and Children Lease for Curry County office space motion for WIC to provide their services all in one place.

The board had no objection to 4-H/Extensions report in lieu of audit and the treasury audit update, and the proposed fee change public hearing date will need to be set by October 9th.

Lastly, Commissioner Ron Smith had the board sign an opposition to Senate bill 888 under Senator Ron Wyden backed by Senator Jeff Merkley, saying the bill would be detrimental to Josephine County. Commissioner Chris Barnett mentioned the Redwood school playground groundbreaking this Friday, congratulated the drug court grads, and the success of the drug recovery fair.

 

A traffic accident occurred around 8:45 p.m. last night at the intersection of Hogue Drive and Warren Road in Selma.

Emergency personnel from the Illinois Valley Fire District, AMR-Josephine County, and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office responded to the vehicle versus pedestrian incident Tuesday.

One fatality was confirmed, and the Sheriff's Office is leading the ongoing investigation.

 

The Board of County Commissioners moved to approve the Library Lease during today's workshop. During the Legal Counsel Update, the board discussed the lease containing a total rent obligation for the library costing $27,687 based on roof replacement estimates. The library would continue being responsible for the exterior and maintenance of the building, and any default of obligation would result in the county acting on the 30 day termination clause. Commissioner Chris Barnett motioned to approve the presented lease, while Commissioner Ron Smith seconded. The motion passed 2-1 with Commissioner Andreas Blech the lone dissenting vote. Commissioner Smith moved to approve the opioid settlement litigation before the October 8th deadline. The motion passed unanimously, as did the amendment approval of the Dimmick Street Lease.

 

Josephine County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a robbery in progress Tuesday morning.

At approximately 8:40 a.m., officers arrived at Dollar General on 3625 Merlin Road. They located and took Mark Whidden into custody thanks to detailed descriptions from victims and witnesses on scene.

During the investigation, it was discovered Whidden approached the counter and advised the employee he was going to “rob them”. He then threw a cup full of a chemical, later identified as muriatic acid, on two store employees causing severe chemical burns.

Both employees stated they attempted to flee from Whidden to a nearby store restroom to decontaminate from the chemical exposure. Whidden cornered and attempted to assault the employees with a knife before being apprehended by officers.

Oregon State Police, AMR, and Rural Metro all responded to the scene and assisted in the investigation. Both victims were transported to Three Rivers Medical Center to be treated for the chemical burns.

Mark Whidden was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for First Degree Robbery, two counts each of First Degree Aggravated Assault, Menacing, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and First Degree Criminal Mischief.

 

Grants Pass Police officers were called out to a rollover crash on Highland Avenue Monday night.

Officers arrived on scene to find a vehicle in a ditch resting on its driver's side. Multiple parties on scene were interviewed about the crash. One deputy spoke with the suspect who was showing signs of impairment.

Officers noticed he had slurred speech, a faint alcohol scent, and bloodshot, glassy eyes. He denied being the driver of the involved vehicle, but one witness confirmed otherwise.

The suspect eventually consented to a Field Sobriety Test which confirmed his impairment. Officers then lodged him in the Josephine County Jail for DUII, Reckless Driving, Recklessly Endangering another Person, and a Post-Prison Supervision Sanction. His vehicle was towed from the scene.

 

Three people were exposed to muriatic acid during an incident at the Merlin Road Dollar General this morning

As Rural Metro Fire and AMR arrived on the scene, the decontamination process was continuing in preparation of patient transport.

A container of the product that was spilled across the street at Area 61 Taphouse was also adequately diluted. There are no public safety hazards in the area.

The extent of the injuries to those exposed will be determined at Three Rivers Medical Center. The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office will release additional details at a later time.

 

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is encouraging survivors of the 2020 Labor Day wildfires and straight-line winds to start applying for the Homeowner Assistance and Reconstruction Program (HARP). HARP is part of a suite of wildfire recovery programs called ReOregon, which is funded by a $422 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HARP helps survivor homeowners rebuild, repair, replace, or buy a new home, as well as be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred during their recovery. OHCS expanded eligibility criteria for these recovery pathways to help more survivors apply before the deadline December 31st, 2025. To apply, fill out an Eligibility Questionnaire. If found to be eligible, you will receive an email invitation to begin the full application process.

 

Grants Pass Police tracked down three suspects with warrants for their arrest at two separate local resting sites Monday morning.

In Resting Site 5 at 711 NW 5th Street, officers made a routine check and contacted Bobby Swearingen and James McClung.

Both were found to have warrants out for their arrest: Swearingen for Third Degree Escape and Second Degree Theft, and McClung for Second Degree Criminal Mischief.

Officers took them both into custody and lodged them in the Josephine County Jail.

In Resting Site 6 at 704 NW 6th Street, officers observed Richard Matteson, who was known to have a valid warrant for Second Degree Criminal Trespass and Meth Possession out for his arrest. He had also been previously trespassed from the site.

Matteson was contacted by officers and lodged in the Josephine County Jail on both the warrant and a charge of Second Degree Criminal Trespass.