Local News

Grants Pass Police received a trespassing complaint Thursday morning.

A homeowner in the 300 block of SW K Street called to report he had surveillance footage of a woman ringing the doorbell on his front porch, in spite of having been previously trespassed from the property in September.

The suspect, later identified as Stephanie Johnson, was already in custody at the Josephine County Jail for an unrelated matter. Officers confirmed via the footage her presence at the house on October 26 and 28, 2025.

Johnson was subsequently charged with three counts of Second Degree Trespassing, as well as Second Degree Criminal Mischief, and Second Degree Disorderly Conduct.

 

The Grants Pass City Council has the Addressing Homelessness Grant Program on their Monday workshop agenda.

The council will then hear a Workplan third quarter update, a Hillcrest Drive and Beacon Hill surplus property partition update, and a presentation on the Moderate Income Revolving Loan Program.

The council will conclude the workshop with a review of the agenda, then the meeting will adjourn.

The City Council Workshop will begin at 11:45 a.m. in the City Council Chambers, 101 NW A Street. It will be livestreamed at www.grantspassoregon.gov.

 

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office detectives are investigating a homicide next to Interstate 5 in the area of Old Stage Road and Galls Creek Road in rural Gold Hill. The suspect has been taken into custody, and there is no danger to the public. The victim is Steven Jason Worthington, 47, of Shady Cove. Next-of-kin have been notified. Dispatch received multiple calls for an injured person attempting to flag down cars on Southbound I-5 near mile post 42 on Thursday, at 8:01 a.m. JCSO deputies and Fire District 1 Rogue River paramedics arrived on scene and attempted life saving measures but the victim was pronounced deceased at 8:36 AM. Oregon State Police, Rogue River Police Department, and the Jackson County Major Assault and Death Investigation Unit responded to assist. Multiple law enforcement units searched the area attempting to locate the suspect and an unknown involved vehicle.

 

For their Monday morning workshop, the Board of County Commissioners will primarily cover department business.

The board will hear from the District Attorney's office about the 2025-26 COVA and CFA Non-Competitive Grant, followed by Legal Counsel regarding mediation in BOLI Cases.

Other business includes a Secretary of State Invoice, a Justice Systems by Long Invoice, and an Out of State Travel Request from the Recreation Department.

Business matters rescheduled from the previous workshop include vehicle purchase requests from Public Works and Forestry, and invoices from Information Technology.

The board will hear Human Resources Requisitions and Actions, then, pending other matters from the commissioners, the meeting will adjourn.

Monday's workshop will begin at 8 a.m. in the BCC Conference Room, and will be streamed at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream. All attendees are required to comply with the clear bag policy.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's Deputies were called out to a trespassing complaint Thursday morning.

At 9:21 a.m., dispatch received a call from a woman stating her son showed up at her property in the 600 block of Cedar Flat Road without her consent.

She confronted him and told him to leave the premises, but he refused. She said she was going to call 9-1-1, but her son took the phone and pushed her while threatening to kill her.

The son gave the phone back, and the mother proceeded to call for law enforcement. She reported to dispatch that she has had ongoing issues with her son making threats and squatting in her house.

Deputies arrived to the scene, contacted the son, and proceeded to take him into custody. He was lodged in the Josephine County Jail for Harassment and Interfering with Making a Police Report.

 

The Rogue Valley Food System Network and its regional partners will hold a press briefing to address SNAP disruptions and the rising food insecurity across Southern Oregon. On Monday, November 3, at 4:00 p.m. via webinar, RVFSN will be joined by the Medford Food Project, Josephine County Food Bank, Josephine County Farm Collective, Family Nurturing Center, Rogue Food Unites, and Farmers Market Fund. With thousands of households bracing for delayed or reduced SNAP benefits, leaders from food banks, farms, pantries, community organizations, health systems, and public agencies will outline urgent needs, share rapid-response efforts, and announce the Rogue Valley Good Food Fund—a local fund to keep fresh, healthy food flowing to families during this period of uncertainty. The meeting is virtual. Those wanting to attend can register by following the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__GYFYcSyRbCbs-8wbQgQhA#/registration

 

- Upon further review, we have adjusted this story for accuracy. -
A citizen interested in leasing the 1798 SE N Street property presented their idea to the Josephine County Board of Commissioners during Tuesday's Workshop. No decision has been made on the property as the presentation was strictly informational. Staff were directed to investigate how a lease would be handled, then report back to the board. The commissioners approved the Quitclaim Deed with Dean Davis for property from the September Auction, as well as confidential properties in relation to the Flying Lark, an invoice from Watkinson, Laird & Rubensten regarding former Commissioner John West, and a calendar with timelines to be compiled for the May Election. Board business included approval of a Community Justice Travel request, Forestry contract, the Recreation Department signing off on the Land and Water Conservation Fund Amendment, and the contract for Pressure Point Roofing LLC services for the jail.

 

Grants Pass Fire responded to a commercial structure fire today at approximately 11:30 a.m. in the 600 block of SE 7th Street.

Thanks to the quick action of an alert passersby, the fire was kept small, and damage was minimized.

Fire crews arrived to find smoke coming from the front window of an office building. Prior to the arrival of firefighters, bystanders noticed the smoke and quickly called 9-1-1 while using available fire extinguishers to slow the spread of the flames.

Battalion Chief Nelson of Grants Pass Fire praised the individual's quick thinking, saying, “By notifying emergency services right away and taking safe, appropriate steps to limit the fire, they helped prevent what could have been a much larger incident.”

Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire within 10 minutes of arrival. Damage was contained to a small area, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was determined to be an overloaded electrical outlet.

Grants Pass Fire reminds everyone that early detection and rapid reporting are key to limiting fire damage. Anyone who sees smoke or fire should immediately call 9-1-1 before attempting to intervene and only use fire extinguishers when it is safe to do so.

 

Logos Public Charter School has received grants for two separate projects to help combat hunger due to food insecurity in the community as part of the Explore.Act.Tell Program. The Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning (FILL) and Albertsons Companies Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbors provided the grants. The first project, Food for All, is a student-led pantry offering a wide variety of foods, including gluten-free and dairy-free options, canned goods, box mixes, and long-lasting staples. The pantry allows anyone in the community to select the items they need. The second project, the Thanksgiving Basket Food Drive, provided complete holiday meals to families in need. Students organized a school-wide competition by grade to collect non-perishable items. The initiative engaged the entire K-12 school community in a friendly, collaborative effort to support local families. Explore.Act.Tell. helps students in grades 6 to 12 recognize food insecurity issues in their neighborhoods. The students learn skills needed to be responsible citizens and advocate for community service.