KAJO 99.7FM - News Story

GP Police Officers & Firefighters Kept Promise to Protect & Serve Community

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters kept their promise to protect and serve the community last week. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 490 calls for service along with 350 officer-initiated calls which resulted 30 arrests, 30 citations, 73 warnings and seven highly intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 91 traffic stops in the city and they made 13 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 150 potential troublemakers while arresting three people, citing three more and warning 22 others. The CRT unit also trespassed three individuals, posted 113 transient camps and removed trash from 11 campsites. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 112 calls last week including 35 for emergency medical service, five reports of fire or smoke, 26 lift assists, two rescue situations, 10 assists to other agencies and nine false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 944 emergency calls.

Posted on 1/27/25 6:00AM by Sam Marsh

ODF on High Alert for New Fire Starts with Extended Dry Pattern across State

Due to the extended drying pattern we are experiencing throughout the state, the Oregon Department of Forestry encourages anyone who may have completed a debris or slash burn in the past few months to check out the burn site. ODF officials said embers can smolder beneath the surface -- even in winter -- after a burn and reignite in dry conditions. Windy weather over the weekend may have stirred up residual embers, which could start a fire. If you feel heat at your burn site, drown the site with water, stir and repeat until it's cold to the touch. Officials said similar weather conditions -- light easterly flow and below freezing temperatures -- will stick around through the end of the month and possibly into February. ODF districts across the state are prepared to respond to any new fire starts.

Posted on 1/27/25 5:58AM by Sam Marsh

IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon for 2024 Income Tax Processing Now Available

Free electronic filing through the combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon opens today when both the IRS and Oregon Department of Revenue begin processing e-filed 2024 federal and state income tax returns. Paper-filed return processing will begin in mid-February. The IRS estimates that 640,000 Oregon resident taxpayers preparing their own returns this year will have the option to electronically file both the federal and state income tax returns by filing directly with the IRS and the state. Taxpayers are encouraged to use IRS Eligibility Checker to see if they qualify. E-filed returns will be processed in the order they are received. However, as in years past, the department won't be issuing personal income tax refunds until after February 15th. A refund hold is part of the department's tax fraud prevention efforts and allows for confirmation that the amounts claimed on tax returns match what employers and payers report on Forms W-2 and 1099. E-filing is the fastest way for a taxpayer to get their refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund two weeks sooner that those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.

Posted on 1/27/25 5:56AM by Sam Marsh

Rogue-Siskiyou Forest to Host Public Meeting on NW Forest Plan Changes in Medford

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest will host a community meeting this week to share information about proposed changes to the Northwest Forest Plan. The community meeting is scheduled for Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Medford Interagency Office at 3040 Biddle Road. The public is invited to attend and learn more about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The Northwest Forest Plan was created in 1994 to conserve habitat for wildlife and forests while supporting local communities. After nearly 30 years, the US Forest Service is amending the plan to address today's challenges including wildfire risks and economic needs. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) explains these proposed changes and is open for public comment until March 17th. Some of the key focuses of the updated plan include reducing wildfire risks to communities and forests, supporting local economies with sustainable timber and restoration work, and adapting to a changing climate to increase resiliency to extreme weather events such as drought.

Posted on 1/27/25 5:55AM by Sam Marsh

IVFD Chief Holmes Chosen to Attend Executive Fire Officer Program in Maryland

Illinois Valley Fire Chief John Holmes has been selected to attend a prestigious Executive Fire Officer (EFO) program at the National Fire Academy in Maryland. The EFO program is a renowned leadership development initiative offered by the National Fire Academy, specifically designed to prepare senior fire officers for executive-level roles within their departments. This comprehensive program focuses on critical areas such as community risk reduction, strategic planning and policy development, providing participants with the skills and knowledge required to address the complex challenges faced by modern fire and emergency services. Graduates of this program are equipped to lead their organizations more effectively and make a lasting impact on the communities they serve. The Illinois Valley Fire District extends its congratulations to Chief Holmes for this outstanding achievement.

Posted on 1/27/25 5:52AM by Sam Marsh

Jo County Deputies Incarcerated Man for Felony-Level Sex Crime on Thursday

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office has jailed a man for a felony-level sex crime. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 53-year-old Kieth James Benson on Thursday night in an unspecified location. No details about the incident that led to Benson's arrest were disclosed nor was there any entry in the latest Sheriff's log. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on allegations of Felony 1st-Degree Rape. Jail records indicate the offense may have occurred on Thursday. Benson was being held without bail pending his arraignment this afternoon.

Posted on 1/24/25 10:43AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man for Alleged Theft-by-Receiving and Criminal Trespass

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for theft and trespassing crimes yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 62-year-old James Thomas Holt in an unspecified location on Thursday afternoon. Holt was charged with misdemeanor crimes of Theft-by-Receiving and 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass, but no details about the incident were available because there was no entry in the Police log. The information came from jail bookings. Holt was lodged at the Josephine County Jail and he was being held without bail.

Posted on 1/24/25 10:42AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Frequent Flyer for Returning to Store after Being Trespassed

Grants Pass Police arrested a well-known offender for returning to a store from which he had already been banned. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing call at Fred Meyer on Wednesday. Police said 30-year-old Jacob Levi Reeder returned to Fred Meyer after being trespassed from the store last summer. He was observed in the store by loss prevention and contacted by officers while he was walking away. Reeder admitted to knowing that he was no longer allowed to be at the store, so he was placed into custody. Reeder was lodged in jail on a Grants Pass warrant for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass along with a new charge of 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. His trespass warning at Fred Meyer was updated.

Posted on 1/24/25 10:40AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Snared Wolf Creek Man on Local Felony Warrant after Speaker Road Stop

The Oregon State Police arrested a Wolf Creek man on a local felony warrant yesterday following a traffic stop in northern Josephine County. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Chevrolet Blazer driven by a 62-year-old man on Speaker Road on Tuesday at 1:37 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the motorist for traffic violations and discovered that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for Felon in Possession of a Weapon and Probation Violation related to an arrest for Unlawful Manufacture of Marijuana. The suspect was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. He was being held on scheduled bail of $35,000. According to OSP, his vehicle was released to a passenger at the scene of the traffic stop.

Posted on 4/3/24 11:26AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Arrested Kerby Man for Falsely Reporting Highway 199 Crash in O'Brien

The Oregon State Police arrested a Kerby man last night for fabricating a story about a motor vehicle accident on Redwood Highway in O'Brien. OSP reports troopers responded to the intersection of US Highway 199 and O'Brien Road on Tuesday at 8:26 p.m. due to a report of a hit-and-run crash in which an unknown motorist struck a bicyclist before fleeing the scene. During the course of the investigation, no evidence of a crash or injury was found or observed. Troopers gained additional information from the medic unit that also responded that the 41-year-old male subject who reported the crash recently made several false reports of the same nature. The subject was taken into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail where he was lodged for Initiating a False Report. He was being held without bail. His bicycle was left at the O'Brien General Store with staff permission.

Posted on 4/3/24 11:24AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Nabbed Motorist for Extreme DUII after Highway 199 Traffic Stop in CJ

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for extremely impaired driving last night during a Redwood Highway traffic stop in Cave Junction. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Dodge Caravan driven by a 35-year-old man on US Highway 199 near East Watkins Street on Tuesday at 6:38 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the vehicle for traffic violations and the driver showed strong signs of impairment by alcohol. They said the man performed poorly in field sobriety tests and he was taken to the Cave Junction Substation where he provided a breath sample that was exactly three times the legal driving limit. The suspect was transported to and lodged at the Grants Pass Sobering Center on charges of Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. The vehicle was left in the possession of the driver's friend.

Posted on 4/3/24 11:23AM by Sam Marsh

IV Firefighters Extinguished 4th Illegal Outdoor Debris Burn in Past 4 Days

For the fourth time in four days, the Illinois Valley Fire District extinguished an illegal outdoor burn. On Tuesday at 9:30 a.m., IVFD was dispatched to an open burn on Hathaway Drive in Kerby. Officials said the burn was small, but it contained household trash and roofing materials. The fire was put out and a citation was issued. On Tuesday at 8:37 p.m., IVFD responded to a grass fire on Takilma Road. Crews put out the unlawful blaze, which was described as a controlled burn. The occupant was educated on appropriate burn hours. Last Saturday night, IVFD crews were dispatched to an illegal open burn on White Schoolhouse Road. The blaze was doused and the property owner was cited. Last Sunday night, crews responded to an illegal open burn off Redwood Highway in Kerby. The fire was put out and the occupant was issued a written warning. IVFD officials said all outdoor debris burning requires a permit, there is no burning allowed at night and/or burning of illegal materials. They encourage residents to get their free burn permits online or in person and to follow the directions.

Posted on 4/3/24 11:22AM by Sam Marsh

Local News