Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff’s office is attempting to locate 42-year-old Sarah Caron. The attempt to locate is a welfare check to determine if she is, in fact, missing. Sharon was last seen Thursday between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. in the area of a structure fire in Josephine County. Sarah is described as a white female adult, six feet tall, weighing about 160 pounds with red hair.Please contact the Josephine County Sheriff’s office at 541-474-5123 with any information.

 

Following an aggressive overnight attack by the Oregon Department of Forestry, ODF Complex Incident Management Team 3 took command of the estimated 377-acre Board Shanty Fire, located south of Grants Pass, this morning at 6:00 a.m.Taking advantage of cooler temperatures overnight, crews established 5,000 feet of handline along Board Shanty Road on the northeast perimeter of the fire and slowed growth at the head. Firefighters are facing very active fire behavior, including frequent spotting over the line, as well as overhead hazards, such as standing dead timber that could fall. Today, crews continue aggressive, direct firefighting tactics as they look to connect line from the head to the heal of the fire with the assistance of aviation.
Yesterday evening, ODF Southwest Oregon District responded to the rapidly growing Board Shanty Fire around 5:00 p.m., as well as numerous engines from Grants Pass Fire, Rural Metro Fire, a contingent of engines from Rogue Valley fire agencies and resources reassigned from the Grizzly Complex.Hot temperatures, low humidity and gusty wind conditions persist in the area, naturally increasing fire risk and contributing to potential fire growth. The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management placed Zones JCU-436, JCU-437and JCU-448 under a Level 2 – Be Set to evacuate notice. Additionally, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management have placed Zone JAC-068 under a Level 1 – Be Ready evacuation notice.
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Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that Roland Renfro, known as Rolly, has been found safe.
Rolly was located stuck in his vehicle on a rural road off of East Evens Creek. He is safe and was taken to a local hospital buy a Mercy Flights Ambulance for medical treatment. He had been reported missing out of Gold Hill since the evening of July 14. The 73-year-old “Rolly” left his house in the 1500 block of Rogue River Highway in Gold Hill and was last seen driving east.

 

Thursday morning the Board of County Commissioners approved the loaning of general fund dollars for the Grants Pass Airport runway extension. The airport manager reported the project will be funded from a federal grant yet to be approved to the tune of $3 million dollars. The grant monies will be distributed next year. The Board was scheduled to execute an agreement with Oregon State University to return the Extension Service District and the 4-H to Josephine County. Commission Chair Adreas Blech stated the agreement was not yet ready to be voted on and tabled the agreement for a future meeting.

 

After more than four decades after the disappearance of a Josephine County woman, a man has been returned to Oregon to face a murder charge connected to this long-unsolved case. Mark Sanfratello, 72, was arraigned yesterday in Josephine County Circuit Court following his arrest in Chico, California, and extradition to Oregon. On June 27, 2025, a Josephine County Grand Jury indicted him for Murder in the Second Degree, in connection with Teresa Peroni’s disappearance and death.The investigation began in the summer of 1983, when Peroni, then 27, was reported missing shortly after attending a party in the Selma area. She was last seen walking into the woods with Sanfratello, who was her boyfriend at the time. Her disappearance was deemed suspicious, but despite an initial investigation by the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office, there was not enough evidence to move forward with charges.In 1997, a human skull was discovered on nearby private property, but no other remains were found. In 2024, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office reopened the case, with support from the Oregon Department of Justice, the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office, and Chico Police. Investigators re-interviewed witnesses, collected new DNA evidence, and used modern forensic testing to obtain new evidence. Sanfratello was arrested on June 28 by Chico Police. Investigators continue to seek information from anyone who may have attended the party near Illinois River Road in July of 1983. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office.All defendants are innocent until proven guilty in court.

 

Wednesday night what appeared to be a landlord tenant issue escalated to a menacing call with, allegedly, a shot fired with Josephine County Deputies and the Oregon State Police both responding to a residence on Harley Lane. There were no injuries and one was jailed. Wednesday night at 11:47 a 911 call was received by Sheriff’s dispatchers with the caller advising of a person trespassing, saying the woman comes to his house every night threatening and cussing him. It was stated she was sleeping in the bunkhouse and is not allowed to be there anymore. It was known from previous calls the reporting party had over 60 weapons. He told dispatchers he was on his porch with a 9-millimeter. A separate call from the woman relayed the man was on the porch with a gun and she just wanted to get to her room to retrieve her property and then leave. The situation continued to escalate and the woman, still on the phone with dispatch, stated she was in her car, off the property, and he shot at her. Troopers stated they were moving up to the residence and attempting to hail the suspect, now identified as 71-year-old Robert Eugene Wiggins. Wiggins answered, agreed to talk and was taken into custody. Wiggins was transported to and lodged in the Josephine County Jail on charges of menacing and unlawful use of a weapon.

 

One stop of a 1999 Ford F250 and a 2006 Ford Fusion netted a Josephine County Deputy two arrests on out of county warrants. At 3:05 Wednesday afternoon the Deputy ran the plates on the two vehicles encounters on Lower River Road along with the identities of the two drivers beginning with Christopher Lee Rymer, 33. Then 37-year-old Sarah Dawn Rutan. Siskiyou County, California immediately confirmed a warrant for Rutan for possession of a controlled substance plus a federal warrant with the National Park Service for driving while suspended and failure to pay the required fees. Douglas County confirmed a valid warrant for Rymer for failure to comply with terms of probation. Both Rymer and Rutan were arrested, transported to and lodged in the Josephine County jail. Both remained in custody Thursday morning.

 

The City of Grants Pass will break ground on the replacement water treatment plant at 755 SE J Street this morning at 10 a.m.Parking at the site will be limited. Once the parking area is full, people will need to park on the street. The distance from the area of limited parking to where the groundbreaking will take place is approximately 100 yards. The site is currently dirt and gravel; closed-toed footwear is required.
The remarks and ceremonial first shovel turn should last no longer than 30 minutes. Touring the site afterwards should take no longer than 90 minutes. The site will close to visitors at 12 PM.

 

The County Commissioners are slated to sign an agreement with Oregon State University to return the extension service and 4-H to Josephine County during their Weekly Business Session this morning.
The Board will first consider a resolution to loan general fund dollars to the Grants Pass Airport. The Board will hear requests and comments from citizens before voting on the Consent Calendar. The meeting will be held in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium at 600 Northwest 6th Street at 10 a.m.