Local News

Asante Health Systems has named Chris Pizzi as Chief Operating and Financial Officer of Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford. Brandon Mencini, CEO of Rogue Regional said they are excited to have Pizzi join the executive team at Southern Oregon's largest hospital. He said Chris is a skilled leader and a committed community member with a passion for sustainable health care. Pizzi has more than 25 years of experience in health system operations, strategy and finance leadership. He spent four years as the Chief Executive of Providence Oregon's South Division and Providence Medford Medical Center where he led medical group integration, instituted lean and value stream management and improved access to care. Pizzi said he's thrilled to be staying in Southern Oregon with his family and will begin his new role on July 21st. Asante operates three hospitals in Southern Oregon: Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass and Ashland Community Hospital.

 

Authorities have made an arrest in a 42-year-old murder case that happened in Josephine County. In February 2024, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office -- with assistance from the Oregon Department of Justice, Josephine County District Attorney's Office and Chico, California, Police Department -- reopened the investigation in the 1983 disappearance and murder of Teresa Peroni. At the time, Peroni was 27 years old and known to be in a relationship with Mark Sanfratello who was 29. On or around July 4, 1983, Peroni was last seen with Sanfratello walking into a wooded area while attending a party in the 1,000-block of Illinois River Road near Selma. After a short time, Peroni's family reported her missing and an investigation took place. The Sheriff's Office found the disappearance to be suspicious. However, the District Attorney's Office determined that there was not enough probable cause to move forward with the criminal investigation. In 1997, a human skull was located by individuals on a nearby property and a search took place with the use of a cadaver dog. No other human remains were located and the skull was sent for examination and DNA testing at the University of North Texas. Last year, the Sheriff's Office reopened the investigation by looking for any known individuals still alive that had some type of involvement with the cold case and knew details of the initial investigation. Additional DNA was collected and submitted to UNT, which was able to confirm the skull found in 1997 was that of Peroni. On June 27th of this year, DNA results and witness statements led to a Josephine County grand jury indicting Sanfratello on a charge of Murder.

 

The Oregon Department of Forestry is raising the fire danger level to "high" and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) to "2" in Josephine and Jackson counties on Wednesday. ODF officials said the increase is due to consistent hot temperatures and dry vegetation plus the threat of thunderstorms and lightning-caused fire potential. This change affects 1.8 million acres of state, private, county and BLM lands in the two-county region. The primary difference between current fire prevention restrictions and those that start Wednesday affects the public use of power-driven equipment such as chainsaws, mowers, weed-eaters and more. The use of power-driven equipment and other spark-emitting equipment such as wood splitters and generators will be prohibited between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. This does not apply to mowing green lawns. All other fire prevention regulations will remain in effect including no outdoor debris burning, no fireworks on or within 1/8th of a mile of ODF-protected land, and no exploding targets, tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base. Campfires are allowed only in designated campgrounds. Under IFPL 2 -- which is known as a "limited shutdown" -- certain operations may occur after 8 p.m. and up until 1 p.m. daily. For more information on current fire restrictions, please visit "swofire.com."

 

The Natural Resources Department of the Rogue Valley Council of Governments has issued a Creek Safety Watch for some waterways in the Bear Creek Basin of Jackson County. According to RVCOG, routine, monthly water quality testing indicate that four creeks have exceeded state bacteria standards for contact recreation. Residents are urged to use caution when in contact with any waterway and especially to avoid ingestion which may cause illness and contact with open wounds which may cause infection. The waterways listed in the Watch include Walker Creek at Dead Indian Memorial Road in Ashland, Bear Creek at Suncrest Road in Talent to Fern Valley Road in Phoenix, Jackson Creek at Beall Lane to Dean Creek Road in Jacksonville/Central Point, and Griffin Creek at Interstate 5 in Central Point. Very young children should be fully supervised when playing in the water to avoid swallowing it. It is important to note that contact with any water body -- creeks, rivers, lakes or swimming pools -- carries some level of risk.

 

One person was seriously injured and cited after causing a motor vehicle accident on Rogue River Highway east of Grants Pass late last week. On Friday at 10:25 a.m., the Oregon State Police and emergency personnel were dispatched to the two-vehicle head-on collision on Highway 99 at Gordon Way. State troopers said evidence at the scene and witness statements indicated a Ford Mustang driven by 82-year-old John Gary Irwin of Grants Pass was traveling at a high rate of speed and not in its designated travel lane while negotiating a curve on the highway. A northbound water truck driven by 60-year-old Leslie Reed Resue of Grants Pass was unable to avoid crashing into the Mustang. According to OSP, the Mustang caught fire and burnt to the ground. Irwin was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center with serious injuries, but Resue was not hurt. Both the Mustang and the Ford F-650 were towed into Grants Pass. Following the investigation, Irwin was cited at the hospital for Careless Driving and Failure to Drive Within Lane. OSP was assisted by Rural Metro Fire Department, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and American Medical Response.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Grants Pass man for beating up another man at a residence just southwest of the city at the start of the weekend. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 32-year-old Brandon Alec Holbrook-Danyluk for the incident in the 3200-block of Elk Lane on Friday at 11:20 p.m.. Deputies said they were alerted to an alcohol-fueled altercation at the home by a neighbor who reported screaming and items being thrown at the home. The caller said Holbrook-Danyluk drinks frequently and has a history of loud outbursts, but those outbursts increased dramatically over the last week. Upon arrival, deputies contacted Holbrook-Danyluk and an unidentified man who said he hit his head, had a headache and wanted to fall asleep. Due to the man falling in and out of consciousness, medics were called to the scene. It was unclear in the report if the victim was transported to the hospital. Holbrook-Danyluk was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 4th-Degree Assault. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on four outstanding warrants and more after he went on a weekend vandalism spree in the south part of the city. The Police Department reports officers arrested 26-year-old Nick Dustin Farmer near Bi-Mart on Saturday shortly after 2 p.m.. Police said Farmer threw a rock through a single-pane window at Speedy Pack & Ship and a double-pane window at Washington Federal Bank before breaking a $25 clay pot at Bi-Mart and being placed into custody. Farmer was wanted on four Grants Pass warrants for failing to appear in court for 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief, two counts of 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief, 3rd-Degree Theft and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. Farmer was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants plus new charges of 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief and 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. His bail was set at $120,000.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local warrant and added three new charges to his criminal bill after shoplifting at Fred Meyer. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a theft complaint at the store on the Grants Pass Parkway on Friday around 2:35 p.m.. Police said 37-year-old Steven Ray Compton intentionally stole more than $156 worth of items from Fred Meyer by passing all points of sale and exiting the store without paying. Loss prevention pursued the suspect in the parking lot where he dropped the stolen items and fled on foot toward Walmart, crossing the Parkway. Officers confronted Compton in the Carl's Jr. parking lot and he continued to flee toward Parkway Christian Center where he was cornered and placed into custody at Taser point. While in the back seat of a patrol vehicle, the suspect slipped his handcuffed arms to the front of his body and intentionally damaged the plexiglass divider between the back seat and rear cargo area. Compton then retrieved his backpack and concealed it in the back seat. It was discovered in the sally port of the jail and the suspect advised he was trying to access an alcoholic beverage in the backpack before he was lodged. Compton was booked into jail on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Theft along with new charges of 2nd-Degree Theft, 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief and 3rd-Degree Escape. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant while investigating a report of suspicious activity on Rogue River Highway. The Police Department reports officers arrested 46-year-old Michael Earl Tognoni at Morrison Centennial Park on Friday at 12:16 p.m.. Police said Tognoni was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a previous conviction for assault. They started looking for him after receiving a report that he was involved in a disturbance in the 1400-block of Rogue River Highway. It was at the residence of an ex-girlfriend. After officers located Tognoni at the city park, he was found to be in possession of a backpack that contained a small baggie of a white crystal substance that tested positive as methamphetamine. It was seized for destruction. Tognoni was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Meth Possession. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.