Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a young motorist for impaired driving after a weekend traffic stop in the New Hope area. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies pulled over a vehicle driven by 18-year-old Kali Nascimento on New Hope Road near Johnson Drive on Friday at 11:12 p.m.. Police said they stopped Nascimento for a traffic violation and she showed signs of impairment. She was placed into custody and taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where she provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit. Nascimento was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. She was cited to appear in court, but lodged at the Sobering Center. Her vehicle was released to a friend's mother at her request.

 

The Grants Pass City Council will focus on public safety funding during its bi-weekly workshop session today. Grants Pass voters overwhelmingly renewed the $1.79 local option levy that helps fund police and fire services in last week's special election. However, expenses are outpacing revenues and the City Council must come up with other funding sources. Councilors have been considering at least three other options including a utility fee, a food and beverage tax, and a city sales tax. With passage of the public safety levy, the panel can move forward in the decision-making process. After a review of the agenda for Wednesday night's regular meeting, Mayor Sara Bristol will convene a Special Meeting in Executive Session. The closed-door meeting is on labor negotiations. Today's workshop begins at 11:45 a.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters logged a busy week of activity after the switch from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 422 calls for service along with 370 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 35 arrests, 32 citations, 18 warnings and five highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. The Community Response Team (CRT) made a total of 222 contacts with potential trouble-makers while arresting five people, citing 64 more and warning 76 others. The CRT unit also trespassed 32 individuals, posted 68 new transient camps and removed trash from 29 campsites. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 85 calls last week including 32 for emergency medical service, 13 lift assists, seven rescue situations, three assists to other agencies and five false alarms. Firefighters also performed 29 business inspections, led two education programs, assisted the public four times and installed two child car seats. The 9-1-1 Dispatch Center fielded a total of 1,141 emergency calls in addition to 857 calls for non-emergency service.

 

Applications are being accepted for four positions on the Grants Pass Budget Committee. Three positions are due to term expirations and run through December 31, 2026. One position is to fill a vacancy and it runs through December 31, 2025. The Grants Pass Budget Committee receives and reviews the recommended budget and approves an annual spending plan for City Council consideration. Members of the Council also serve on the budget panel. Half of the Budget Committee members are elected officials and half are applicants from the community at large. Committee representation welcomes divergent views of the community. Applications are available now at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or online at "grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application." Completed applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, January 26, 2024. Candidates will be interviewed by the Grants Pass City Council on Monday, February 5th. Appointments will be made by the Council at its regular meeting on Wednesday, February 7th.

 

The Rogue Valley Area Commission on Transportation (RVACT) will meet virtually on Tuesday from 9 to 11 a.m.. RVACT meetings are held to discuss state transportation projects and issues in Jackson and Josephine counties. Tomorrow's agenda includes 2024 budget information, the ODOT Strategic Action Plan, construction project updates, regional updates and a work plan discussion for future meetings. The meeting is open to the public and time will be set aside for public input. For the Zoom link to join the meeting, call (503)-986-4188 or use the statewide relay at 7-1-1.

 

Friday evening, shortly after 6 p.m. Josephine County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the 400 block of Horizon Hills Road after a 911 call reported a man pointing a gun at her husband. The victims, a man and his father, were reportedly returning goats that were running at large to the suspect, identified as 65-year-old Silvestre Antonio Bazan. Bazan allegedly pointed a semi-automatic handgun at the pair.Details in the Sheriff’s log were sketchy however at 7:49 p.m. it was reported that Bazan was in custody. Silvestre Bazan was transported to and lodged in the Josephine County jail on two counts of unlawful use of a weapon-aggravated assault, one charge of menacing-intimidation/threat and one charge of menacing-aggravated assault.

 

It's time to cast your vote in the Grants Pass School District Holiday Card Contest and time is running out. For the 4th year, District 7 is holding a districtwide art contest to select the artwork for holiday cards. Dozens of students participated this year, creating beautiful holiday card designs with pencil, paint, marker and more. Designs focus on the spirit and beauty of the holiday and winter seasons.This year, 25 card designs are in the running for the categories of K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8 and 9-12 along with the People's Choice from all grade levels. Grade-level winners are picked by a district judging panel which includes the Grants Pass School Board, Superintendent Tim Sweeney, printshop designers and district staff. The holiday card contest was started in 2020 as a way to bring the entire school community together during distance learning brought on by the pandemic. Now it's become a tradition that brings the community together to celebrate student art. Voting is underway now and anyone is welcome to cast their vote for the People's Choice Award through Sunday. Winners will be announced Monday and student artists will be recognized at next Tuesday's Board of E

 

Elk hunting season has once again prompted Green Dot travel restrictions in the High Cascades Ranger District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Beginning in 1985, the Forest and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife entered into an agreement to restrict motorized vehicles on a portion of roads on the ranger district during the General Cascade Bull Elk Season. The Upper Rogue Cooperative Travel Management Area -- also known as Green Dot -- road restriction started this week and is in place through November 17th. The objectives of the Green Dot restrictions are to promote quality hunting, minimize harassment of wildlife, maintain adequate bull escapement, and protect soils and wildlife habitat. During the restricted period, off-highway vehicles are not allowed on the northern portion of the High Cascades Ranger District north of the Middle Fork Rogue River. Off-highway vehicles are only allowed on Green Dot roads between the Middle Fork Rogue River and Oregon Highway 140

 

Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SOREDI), is pleased to announce that Pacific Wall Systems has been expanded to its new headquarters based in Phoenix and will hold a celebratory ribbon-cutting on Monday. All are invited to attend the celebration beginning at 10 a.m., Refreshments and tours are planned. Established in 2007, Pacific Wall Systems is a family-owned entity led by President and CEO Konny Knecht. Its first location was in Medford within an indoor facility that it quickly outgrew before moving to a new location in Central Point. For numerous years, they wanted to expand which meant finding a larger permanent home for the business. Director of Marketing Nancy Mansfield said when the building that formerly housed Boise Cascade in Phoenix became available to lease, they jumped on it. The company now has over 80 employees and serves Oregon, Washington and California. The company expansion was particularly welcome to the City of Phoenix, which continues to rebound from the wildfire disaster of 2020. SOREDI was introduced to this expansion project in October 2021 after a referral from the City of Ashland, noting the company was considering developing a new facility there and needed assistance.