Local News

Grants Pass Police jailed a felon for violating his post-prison supervision after he allegedly hit a woman at a residence near the downtown area this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 30-year-old Damien Michael Clark for the incident that occurred in the 500-block of SE 9th Street shortly after midnight on Friday morning. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that Clark struck her numerous times while she was lying on her bed. The caller did not have any injuries, but she had surveillance video which showed the suspect approaching her in an aggressive manner with closed fists.
Officers located Clark in the area a short time later and he denied that anything physical occurred. He is on post-prison supervision with the stipulation that he have no contact with the female victim. He was immediately placed into custody.

 

An early morning noise complaint just west of Grants Pass led to the arrest of two men on out-of-county warrants yesterday. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers responded to the incident in the 2100-block of Lower River Road on Friday at about 3:15 a.m.. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 regarding her neighbors being loud. The caller stated she asked them to quiet down and a verbal argument ensued. She said the men cursed at her and threatened to sic their dog on her. Upon arrival, officers contacted 39-year-old Tyson James Booher and 34-year-old Vince John Kay, discovering that both were wanted on warrants from outside jurisdictions. Booher was wanted on a Linn County felony warrant for 1st-Degree Robbery and Kay was wanted on a Coos County warrant for Felony Driving While Revoked.

 

The Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce and Grants Pass Daily Courier are hosting a forum on the upcoming public safety levy early next week. The forum -- which will be held in the Grants Pass City Council Chambers on Monday from 6 to 7 p.m. -- is free and open to the public. The public forum will include a panel that will be answering questions about the levy that will be on the November 7th Election ballot. The levy is a renewal of the $1.79 public option that has been partially funding emergency services for more than a decade. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions about the levy if time allows.

 

Patrons of the Williams branch library are not only enjoying a brand new facility, they are also celebrating extended hours. According to the Josephine Community Library District, nearly 150 excited library supporters joined the grand opening of the new Williams branch library on October 7th. Patrons have extended hours to visit the new library branch. They are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1 to 6 p.m., and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.. This project was made possible by donations from JCL supporters and grants from the Oregon Community Foundation, Four Way Community Foundation, Ford Family Foundation, Roundhouse Foundation and Josephine County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

 

For the 14th consecutive year, Oregon businesses received a dividend from SAIF, the state's not-for-profit workers' compensation insurance company. In September, SAIF announced a $135 million dividend for more than 52,000 employers statewide. The checks go out this month. SAIF policyholders in Josephine County received more than $2.2 million, which does not include state agencies. Businesses and organizations received between 22% and 27% of their standard premium back. This year, SAIF was able to pay dividends because of its solid financial standing and continued success in managing workplace safety and health and controlling losses. SAIF is one of the only insurance carriers in Oregon that has regularly returned dividends to employers. As a not-for-profit with a public mission to make workers' compensation coverage, available, accessible and affordable, it's an important part of value to policyholders.

 

The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) permanently appointed a Grants Pass native as the agency's executive director. Craig Prins, who has been serving as interim OLCC director since this past February, served the state previously at the Oregon Department of Corrections. Prins served as a Multnomah County prosecutor before moving to the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. In 2016, he became inspector general at the Oregon Department of Corrections and was tapped by Governor Tina Kotek to be the interim OLCC director earlier this year. Prins expressed his thanks to the OLCC staff for "using all their energy to do this great mission focusing on protecting the public health and safety of Oregon citizens," and supporting the alcohol and cannabis industries.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a felon for violating his post-prison supervision after he allegedly hit a woman at a residence near the downtown area early today. The Police Department reports officers arrested 30-year-old Damien Michael Clark for the incident that occurred in the 500-block of SE 9th Street shortly after midnight this morning. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that Clark struck her numerous times while she was lying on her bed. The caller did not have any injuries, but she had surveillance video which showed the suspect approaching her in an aggressive manner with closed fists. Officers located Clark in the area a short time later and he denied that anything physical occurred. He is on post-prison supervision with the stipulation that he have no contact with the female victim. He was immediately placed into custody. Damien Clark was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Physical Harassment as well as the resulting Parole Violation stemming from convictions for 4th-Degree Assault, Menacing and Contempt of Court. He is being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two young men for new and old crimes during a welfare check on the west side of the downtown area early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 18-year-old Bruce Allen Hughes and 23-year-old Jesse Charles Johnson in the 400-block of NW Booth Street on Thursday at about 8:30 a.m.. Police said a citizen called 9-1-1 to report two men passed out in a Honda minivan that was illegally parked near a curb that was painted yellow near the intersection of NW Booth and C streets. The subjects were rousted out of their drug-induced slumber and the vehicle was impounded because of where it was parked and due to the fact that the driver had no license or insurance. There was burnt foil in the van. During intake at the Josephine County Jail, deputies found more foil that contained a moist substance in Hughes' pants pocket. He initially stated the pants were not his and then admitted the substance was the psychedelic narcotic DMT. Bruce Hughes was lodged in jail without bail for Probation Violation related to arrests for Theft, Burglary and Possession of Methamphetamine. He was also cited to appear in court for drug violation. Jesse Johnson was jailed on a Grants Pass warrant for Probation Violation related to Petty Theft.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on an outstanding warrant after she tried to walk away from officers at a local convenience store yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a trespassing complaint involving 31-year-old Whitney Ann Word at EZ Wash Laundromat on SW G Street at 10:05 a.m. Thursday. Police said the laundromat manager called 9-1-1 to report that Word was loitering at the business and acting weirdly, which was scaring customers. They contacted her at the nearby C & D Market and discovered that she was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Criminal Trespass. Word walked away from officers at the market and did not stop until she reached the tennis courts at Westholm Park. That's where she was placed into custody and then lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. She was also trespassed from the laundromat.