Local News

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman for allegedly stealing a vehicle out of Jackson County between South Medford and Phoenix. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 32-year-old female subject at a home in the 1500-block of NW Lawnridge Avenue on Wednesday around 4 p.m.. Police said the Jackson County Sheriff's Office used a remote locator to ping a stolen vehicle in northwest Grants Pass. The vehicle is a white BMW 740I. Officers responded to the Lawnridge Avenue residence and contacted the resident who advised the vehicle belonged to a friend. The friend came out of the house to speak with officers and she admitted to stealing the vehicle. She was found to be in possession of the stolen car's key fob. There was also a large scratch along the passenger side of the car and the suspect admitted to striking a guard rail. Damage was estimated to be well over $1,000. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on felony charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on an outstanding warrant and for narcotics possession while investigating a trespassing complaint yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a call at WinCo Foods on NE Terry Lane on Wednesday at 12:15 p.m.. Police said the WinCo manager called to report a black El Camino and a red Camaro in the store parking lot. The caller said the vehicles were there for three hours, and he observed a man and woman loading property into a gray minivan that was parked on the street. He wanted them trespassed for suspicious behavior. Officers arrived on scene and the male suspect fled, but the 32-year-old female subject was detained. She was found to be wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for impaired driving. She was also found with small amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl, which were seized for destruction. The woman was cited to appear in court for the warrant and drug violations. She was released, but not before being trespassed from WinCo.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested five people for warrant and corrections violations during city park patrol checks on Wednesday. At Fruitdale Park, officers contacted a 64-year-old man for ordinance violations and discovered that he was wanted on three Grants Pass misdemeanor warrants. He was cited to appear in court and released. At Riverside Park, police contacted a 19-year-old woman for ordinance violations and contacted her corrections officer. The officer wanted her arrested for Probation Violation and she was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. At Kesterson Park, officers observed a 43-year-old man they knew from previous contacts. He was lodged in jail on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Larceny. He was being held on $35,000 bail. Also at Kesterson Park, officers contacted a 53-year-old man for an ordinance violation and discovered that he was wanted on a Douglas County warrant for failing to appear in court for 3rd-Degree Theft. He was cited and released. At Lawnridge Park, officers contacted a a 46-year-old woman for Illegal Camping. Her corrections officer was contacted and directed them to place her into custody. She was lodged without bail for Criminal Trespass and Felony Parole Violation.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted three campers out of one city park for repeat ordinance violations on Wednesday. At Riverside Park, a man was cited for Scattering Rubbish, a second man was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Misuse of Open Space, and a third man was cited for Illegal Camping and Buffer Zone Violation. All three were trespassed for 30 days. A total of 16 campsites at Riverside Park were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network (UCAN).

 

State troopers seized a stolen license plate off a vehicle that was pulled over on the Grants Pass Parkway late yesterday. The Oregon State Police reports troopers stopped a white Hyundai Sonata driven by a 45-year-old Grants Pass woman on US Highway 199 near NE Terry Lane on Wednesday shortly after 4 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the suspect vehicle for failing to properly display a license plate. During the course of the investigation, they discovered that the license plate had been previously reported as stolen. During a field interview, it was learned that the driver was in possession of one of the stolen license plates. The woman was not arrested, but she was warned and the stolen license plate was seized and submitted for destruction.

 

The Oregon Transportation Safety Commission wants to make sure they hear from each corner and from all communities in the state with feedback, project ideas and concerns to better serve citizens. This spring, the commission is hosting eight in-person sessions where community members can make their voices heard. One of those sessions is taking place today in Grants Pass. It runs in an open house format from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Josephine County Fairgrounds. If you're interested in transportation safety in Josephine and Jackson counties, stop by the open house before 6.

 

The Oregon Department of Forestry and other five prevention experts urge the public to exercise caution when disposing of yard debris this spring. Over 70% of wildfires in Oregon are human-caused, with debris burning being the #1 cause. As the weather gets hotter and fuels begin to dry out, the risk of a debris burn escaping increases. Now is the time to trim trees, bushes and tidy up plants around your home to create a "defensible space" around your property. As you begin spring clean-up, the Oregon Department of Forestry and Keep Oregon Green urge you to put some extra thought into how you plan to dispose of your yard debris. Call your local ODF office before burning to make sure the weather conditions are safe. You can also cover part of the pile with plastic and keep it dry until the rainy fall and winter seasons and when it's safer to burn. Delaying your plans will give the debris more time to cure and avoid spring holdover fires as fire risk increases with hotter, drier weather. By choosing alternative disposal methods or burning under safe conditions outside of fire season, Oregonians can significantly reduce the risk of creating a large wildfire. Remember, outdoor debris burning is prohibited in southwest Oregon during fire season. ODF officials said the 2024 fire season will begin on or before June 1st.

 

The Special Districts Association of Oregon has agreed to cover legal fees of more than $14,000 that were incurred in litigation between the Josephine Community Library District and Josephine County Board of Commissioners. On December 6, 2023, the Board of Commissioners voted 2-to-1 to allow residents Mike & Winnie Pelfrey to opt out of the library district and no longer pay taxes to support library services. Immediately after, the Josephine Community Library District Board of Directors voted to appeal the ruling to both preserve the integrity of the 2017 library district election and to seek judgement from a higher court on the Commissioners' ruling. As a result, the library district contracted with the law firm Hornecker Cowling, LLP, to appeal the decision through the courts. In March, the Board of Commissioners conceded to a stipulation and rescinded their ruling to allow the Pelfreys to withdraw from the library district. In addition to support from the Special Districts Association, library supporters donated $1,695 to the Josephine Community Library Foundation toward total legal expenses of $15,905. Library officials said contributions from the organization and donors ensure responsible financial stewardship of resources for the district to taxpayers.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed man for multiple crimes this week after catching him driving a stolen vehicle on Rogue River Highway. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a Toyota Tacoma driven by the 45-year-old man on Highway 99 near Parkdale Drive on Tuesday night. Police said they spotted the Tacoma, which had been reported stolen from the 5900-block of Jerome Prairie Road by the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. While contacting the driver, they discovered that his driving privileges had been suspended. During a consent search, he was found to be in possession of both methamphetamine and fentanyl. The narcotics were seized for destruction and the registered owner of the truck was notified of its recovery. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Possession of a Stolen Vehicle along with misdemeanor charges of Driving While Suspended, Possession of Meth and Possession of Fentanyl. He was being held without bail.