Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested two people for theft, weapon and drug charges after a shoplifting incident at Home Depot last weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a theft complaint at the store on NE Mill Street on Saturday night. Police said 33-year-old Samantha Jean Brown was identified as a suspect who passed all points of sale with over $100 worth of merchandise and failed to pay for the items. They said she admitted to the theft and other stolen goods were found in her vehicle along with drug paraphernalia. Officers said 29-year-old Eric Bryan Weldon was associated with a theft at Home Depot. During a consent search, he was found to be in possession of two stolen packs of batteries concealed in his shirt. He admitted to stealing the batteries as well as some lights hidden in the wheel well of a vehicle. He was also found to be in possession of a dagger and he was confirmed to be a convicted felon. Brown was lodged in jail for 2nd-Degree Theft and the narcotics violation. Weldon was lodged in jail for Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon and 3rd-Degree Theft. All the stolen merchandise was recovered and returned to Home Depot. The dagger was seized as evidence and the drug paraphernalia was destroyed.

 

The Josephine County Fair Board will hold its final meeting of the year this evening with plenty of business on the agenda. Following the public comment period, Fair Board members will hear reports from the Auction, Facilities and Capital Improvement committees as well as a report on "Friends of the Fairgrounds." Fairgrounds Manager Tamra Martin's report will include updates on the grounds and finances along with the 2024 Josephine County Fair from August 7th-11th. New business items include Commercial Building Usage and Upcoming Events such as the Last Minute Gift Sale on December 16th and Santa's Workshop. Also on the agenda are Board Elections for Chair, Vice Chair and Friends of the Fairgrounds Liaison. The next meeting is set for January 16, 2024. Tonight's Fair Board meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the Fairgrounds Floral Building.

 

Less than a week after Grants Pass voters overwhelmingly approved the renewal of a local option levy to help pay for public safety services, the City Council decided to mail out a survey to citizens to identify their preferences for additional funding. During its weekly workshop on Monday, the Council heard from City Manager Aaron Cubic, Police Chief Warren Hensman, Fire Chief Randy DeLonge and City Finance Director JC Rowley. Cubic said the City of Grants Pass is at "a critical point" in maintaining service levels for the police and fire departments. He said each department is experiencing fatigue and frustration while voicing the need for additional personnel. Chief Hensman said his department feels like it's on an island as the only police agency in Josephine County providing 24/7 service. Finance Director Rowley said it will take an estimated $4.5 million in additional funding to maintain current service levels, with $3 million more needed to increase fire and police personnel. The City Council has identified a total of six options for additional funding: a public safety utility fee, a food & beverage sales tax, a citywide retail sales tax, a combination of the utility fee and food & beverage tax, a combination of the utility fee and retail tax, or a significant reduction of police and fire services. The Council decided to mail out a citizen survey as soon as possible to identify public preferences among the listed options.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department continues to comply with House Bill 3124 when dealing with the unhoused population residing in city parks. The law -- which became effective in September 2021 -- requires cities to provide for storage and care of property taken from known and unknown property owners. Grants Pass police officers must retain property removed from an established campsite occupied by a known individual. The property must be kept in storage for 30 days. Found or abandoned property with apparent value or use must be retained for 90 days. Police officials said storage space within the city is challenging to find. They currently use space usually occupied by equipment at the City Shops. Due to the limited space and continued property being brought in, the need to find additional storage options has become critical. Storage locations must, by law, be located within the jurisdiction from which it was removed. Options being considered so far include the now vacant A-1 Exterminators building next to the police department, Conex boxes behind the A-1 building or the City Shops.

 

The results are in -- the Grants Pass School District has announced the winners of the 2023 Holiday Card Contest. District-level winners in the annual competition are Hudson A. from Highland Elementary School in the K-1 division, Hayden K. from Riverside in the 2-3 division, and a tie in the 4-5 division between Canaan W. of Allen Dale and Juliette W. of Highland. Zayne J. of South Middle School earned first place in the 6-8 division and Peerada G. of Grants Pass High School grabbed top honors in the 9-12 division. The People's Choice winners were Canaan W. of Allen Dale and Peerada G. of GPHS. The Grants Pass School Board will recognize the winners at its meeting today. Nearly 700 people voted for their favorite holiday card designs, which are now heading to the printer. If you would like to purchase holiday cards from this contest, please visit "parentsquare.com/feeds/26062122."

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for violating his post-prison supervision following a weekend disturbance at a Merlin area supermarket. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 29-year-old Dustin Michael Fontana for the incident at Ray's Food Place on Saturday shortly after 6 a.m.. Deputies said they contacted Fontana and determined he was under the influence of a narcotic stimulant, most likely methamphetamine. They said he was found to be in possession of a fiberglass stick approximately three feet long as well as what appeared to be a meth pipe. Supermarket workers reported that Fontana was making threats toward people and swinging the green plastic stick around. The suspect alarmed employees by hitting shopping carts near the store entrance. One worker had to be escorted into the store by another to avoid any interaction with and/or getting struck by the suspect. Dustin Fontana was placed into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail where he was lodged for Felony Parole Violation related to past convictions for Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle, Disorderly Conduct and Furnishing False Information to Police. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two people for theft, weapon and drug charges after a weekend shoplifting incident at Home Depot. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a theft complaint at the store on NE Mill Street on Saturday around 8:20 p.m.. Police said 33-year-old Samantha Jean Brown was identified as a suspect who passed all points of sale with over $100 worth of merchandise and failed to pay for the items. They said she admitted to the theft and other stolen goods were found in her vehicle along with drug paraphernalia. Officers said 29-year-old Eric Bryan Weldon was associated with a theft at Home Depot. During a consent search, he was found to be in possession of two stolen packs of batteries concealed in his shirt. He admitted to stealing the batteries as well as some lights hidden in the wheel well of a vehicle. He was also found to be in possession of a dagger and he was confirmed to be a convicted felon. Brown was lodged in jail for 2nd-Degree Theft and the narcotics violation. Weldon was lodged in jail for Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon and 3rd-Degree Theft. All the stolen merchandise was recovered and returned to Home Depot. The dagger was seized as evidence and the drug paraphernalia was destroyed.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for violating a court order following a weekend report of domestic violence at a downtown supermarket. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at the Safeway on SE 7th Street on Sunday around 10:30 a.m.. Police said they contacted 59-year-old Clint Edward Robertson in a vehicle with a woman after they received a report that he struck her during a verbal dispute. The caller told dispatchers they were screaming at each other in a Buick sedan. Both parties denied a physical aspect to their argument, but it was determined that there was a valid no-contact order in place protecting the woman from Robertson. Clint Robertson was lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court. He was advised that he would continue to be arrested every time the order was violated.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for vandalizing a patrol vehicle shortly after he left Three Rivers Medical Center and had become the subject of a weekend welfare check. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a man later identified as 57-year-old Robert Vincent Jones loitering at the Verizon Wireless Store on Union Avenue on Saturday at about 3 p.m.. Police said Jones had just left the hospital and was acting odd while lying in the middle of the road and then entering the store where he tried to lay down. Callers requested a welfare check as it appeared he was having some sort of medical issue. Jones reportedly walked across Redwood Highway to the Chevron station where he continued his erratic behavior. He was placed into custody and put in a patrol vehicle where he intentionally head-butted the passenger side pillar, causing a large dent. It was unclear whether he injured himself. Robert Jones was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was being held without bail.