Local News

Grants Pass Police evicted a total of 11 campers for alleged ordinance violations in city parks on Monday. At Fruitdale Park, a woman was cited for Misuse of Open Space while a man was cited for Illegal Camping and Staking a Tent. Both were trespassed from the park for 30 days. An unattended and inoperable vehicle was towed from the park. At Baker Park, two men were found to be in possession of fentanyl and were cited. A man was cited for Illegal Camping and Misuse of Open Space. A woman was cited for Misuse of Park Space and Scattering Rubbish. All four were issued 30-day exclusions. At Tussing Park, a man was cited for Misuse of Open Space and Staking a Tent. He was trespassed from the park for 30 days. At Westholm Park, a man and woman were cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Scattering Rubbish. Both were issued 30-day exclusions. At Riverside Park, three people were cited for Illegal Camping after they failed to remove their previously posted campsites. Two of them were trespassed for 30 days.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters were busy protecting citizens and property in the community last week. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 644 calls for service along with 276 officer-initiated calls that resulted in 42 arrests, 22 citations, 43 warnings and four highly intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 59 traffic stops in the city and they made 23 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) made a total of 187 contacts with potential trouble-makers while arresting three people, citing 24 more and warning 119 others. The CRT unit also trespassed 18 individuals and posted 108 transient camps. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 103 calls last week including 34 for emergency medical service, three reports of fire or smoke, 12 lifts assists, three rescue situations, seven assists to other agencies and 11 false alarms. The 9-1-1 Dispatch Center fielded a total of 1,041 emergency calls.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on three out-of-county warrants after a traffic stop in the downtown area early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a recreational vehicle driven by a 32-year-old male subject at the corner of SW 4th and Bridge streets on Monday at about 3:30 a.m.. Police said they observed the RV traveling south on SW 6th Street, they identified the registered owner and discovered that he was wanted on three warrants issued by the Coos Bay Police Department. Charges contained in the warrants included two counts of Restraining Order Violation plus single counts of failing to appear in court for Reckless Endangering and an unspecified criminal citation. After the warrants were confirmed by Coos Bay PD, the suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail without bail. The RV was towed to the impound yard.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for her boorish behavior at and near a new gas station in the north part of the city last weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing complaint at the Pinnacle 365/Chevron station at NW 6th Street and Manzanita Avenue on Sunday around 10:50 p.m.. Police said the 64-year-old woman was reported yelling, screaming, wandering around and causing public alarm. An employee at the station wanted her removed from the premises and stated that there have been ongoing issues with her ever since she moved into a nearby apartment. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct. She was being held without bail. She was also trespassed from Pinnacle 365.

 

The Oregon State Police cited a California truck driver for overturning a fuel tanker trailer on Redwood Highway near Wilderville last weekend. OSP reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle crash on US Highway 199 near Round Prairie Road on Sunday at about 12:25 p.m.. Troopers said evidence at the scene, driver and witness statements indicated the driver of the semi -- a 59-year-old Klamath, California, man -- left the highway after falling asleep at the wheel. They said he overcorrected to get the semi and trailer back onto the roadway, causing the tanker trailer to tip over. According to OSP, an unknown amount of gasoline and diesel fuel spilled from the tanker and into a pond on a nearby property. The property owner was identified as a 73-year-old Wilderville man. Rural Metro firefighters assisted crews from the Oregon Department of Transportation with spill containment and cleanup. The heavy recovery team from Caveman Towing hauled the damaged trailer into Grants Pass. Redwood Highway was completely shut down for more than three hours and traffic movement was slow after that due to a huge backup of vehicles. Following the investigation, the unhurt trucker was cited for unspecified violations.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested three motorists for impaired driving in Josephine County last weekend. According to OSP, the first incident occurred on Friday when troopers pulled over a Dodge Dakota for speeding on Merlin Road near Allman Drive. Troopers said the 47-year-old male driver displayed signs of impairment and was placed into custody. He was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was more than twice the legal driving limit. The second incident happened late Friday night when troopers pulled over a Ford Ranger driven by a 42-year-old Cave Junction man on Redwood Highway at Schuler Street. Troopers said they stopped the vehicle for multiple traffic violations and the driver showed signs of impairment. The third incident took place on Saturday night when troopers pulled over a Ford sport utility vehicle driven by a 66-year-old Wilderville man near milepost 6 of Redwood Highway. Troopers said they stopped the vehicle for multiple violations and the driver exhibited signs of impairment by both alcohol and drugs.

 

In a span of just 34 minutes on Monday, the Illinois Valley Fire District responded to two illegal open burns. At 3:01 p.m., IVFD and the Oregon Department of Forestry were dispatched to an illegal outdoor burn on Hogue Drive off Redwood Highway in Selma. Arriving units found a 15-by-20-foot spot burn that had spread due to the wind. The fire was quickly extinguished and the responsible party was cited. At 3:35 p.m., IVFD and ODF were dispatched to an illegal burn at Airport Drive and Westside Road near Cave Junction. Arriving units found the property owner burning trash. The fire was extinguished and the responsible party was cited.

 

The Grants Pass City Council decided to put off decisions on Caveman Pool, the creation of an Urban Renewal Agency Task Force and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding during its bi-weekly workshop session on Monday. Grants Pass Parks Superintendent Josh Hopkins opened the workshop with a presentation on building a new Caveman Pool, including a cost overview and next options. The City Council has received the options from Robertson Sherwood Architects (RSA), which had a representative attend the workshop by phone. Hopkins said the estimated cost to rebuild the pool in its current location near Grants Pass High School is more than $10.2 million, but RSA recommends a budget of nearly $13.6 million including recreational amenities and a built-in markup due to rising construction costs. Members of the Grants Pass Family YMCA were also in attendance and they have proposed a partnership with the city to build a new facility including a swimming pool on the south side of the Rogue River. Right now, the City of Grants Pass has earmarked a total of $6.3 million for the pool including funding options of ARPA, the Urban Renewal Agency (URA) and a potential general obligation bond. The City Council also decided to hold off on evaluating and reallocating the $9.3 million in ARPA funding until after a decision is made on the pool.

 

Today is the deadline to register to vote in the May primary election. It's also the deadline to register with a political party ahead of the closed primaries. Voters can register or update their registrations online at "oregonvotes.gov" until 11:59 p.m. tonight. The Republican and Democratic parties have chosen to hold closed primaries, which means only registered members of those parties will be available to vote in the primaries. All voters -- regardless of party affiliation -- will receive ballots with nonpartisan contests and ballot measures. Minor parties hold their own nominating process and their candidates will appear on the November General Election ballot. Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade said they've worked together to build the most convenient and secure voting system in the country and that starts with registering to vote. She said registration takes only a few minutes. Election Day is May 21st. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. or postmarked on that day to be counted. They are scheduled to be sent out to voters on Wednesday.