Local News

Grants Pass Police evicted a camper from a city park for committing two ordinance violations early yesterday. During a patrol check at Tussing Park, officers cited Donald Strunk for Misuse of Park Open Spaces and Buffer Zone Violation. He was trespassed from the park for 30 days. Officers posted four other campsites for Illegal Camping at Tussing Park and sent an e-mail to the United Community Action Network (UCAN).

 

The Oregon State Police reports a cell phone was found yesterday on Redwood Highway in Selma. According to OSP, the Oregon Department of Transportation located the iPhone on US Highway 199 near Lakeshore Drive on Wednesday. The lost phone was picked up from ODOT by state troopers who transported the device to OSP's Grants Pass Office for safekeeping. The owner of the phone can reclaim it by stopping by the OSP Office on NE 7th Street.

 

A Cave Junction woman was injured early yesterday when she crashed her car into another vehicle on Caves Highway. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the two-vehicle collision on State Route 46 on Wednesday at 12:08 a.m.. Troopers said evidence at the scene indicates a Kia Sol driven by 70-year-old Martha McNeel Bingham was traveling east and trying to navigate a corner when she lost control of the car and hit a previously wrecked Chevrolet pickup. They said the Kia rolled over on impact and went down a 25-foot embankment. According to OSP, McNeel was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with what appeared to be minor injuries. Jerry's Towing retrieved both vehicles and hauled them to Cave Junction.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man this week for violating terms of his post-prison supervision as well as probable cause for a related crime. The Police Department reports officers arrested 29-year-old Dustin Michael Fontana near the corner of Cloverlawn Drive and Hamilton Lane on Tuesday afternoon. Police said they spotted Fontana and knew that he was wanted for probable cause of Harassment from a recent incident in the Fruitdale area. His corrections officer was contacted and they requested that their client be placed on a detainer. Dustin Fontana was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Harassment along with the resulting Parole Violation stemming from previous convictions for Harassment, Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle, Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Trespass. Jail records show Fontana has been arrested a total of eight times for violating his parole since April of 2023.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman on a statewide felony warrant this week after she stole beauty products and cleaned herself up in supermarket restroom. The Police Department reports officers arrested 28-year-old Cierra Shay Powers at Safeway on SE 7th Street on Tuesday morning. Police said Powers stole shampoo and face wash, which she used in the bathroom at Safeway. The store manager said the theft was captured on video surveillance and the suspect had shampoo in her hair when she was contacted. Arriving officers detained Powers, who admitted to the theft. They discovered that she was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for Assault on a Public Safety Officer. She was placed into custody. Cierra Powers was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrant and she was additionally charged with 3rd-Degree Theft. She was also trespassed from the downtown Safeway.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed an Illinois Valley woman on a local felony warrant following a trespassing complaint at a business in downtown Cave Junction. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 33-year-old Solana Rae Costello at Benchmark Physical Therapy on West Lister Street on Tuesday afternoon. Deputies said an employee called to report that three people were in a red Nissan in their parking lot and they were asked several times to leave, but had not done so. Upon arrival, deputies contacted the trio including Costello and they discovered that she was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant containing a secret indictment for 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief. No details about the alleged crime were disclosed. Solana Costello was placed into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail where she was lodged on the warrant. She and her friends were trespassed from the business.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant after he called them while crying because his grandmother woke him up from a drug-induced slumber. According to the Police Department, officers responded to perform a welfare check at a home in the 2300-block of NW Highland Avenue on Tuesday night. Police said 29-year-old Jordan Taylor Longoria called the non-emergency line and was sobbing because his grandmother had rousted him from a nap. They said he hung up the phone and officers responded to check on his welfare. Upon arrival, officers found Longoria to be impaired by drugs and they discovered that he was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Theft. He was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail.

 

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has a new Acting Supervisor for the next four months. The Forest Service has announced that Dan Quinones has replaced Molly Juillerat as the acting supervisor of the local forest. She served for the past four months. Quinones is familiar with Rogue River-Siskiyou as he has been a member of the Fire & Aviation staff. He has worked for the US Forest Service for 25 years. Quinones said as a fourth-generation southwest Oregonian, he has a strong connection to local lands and communities. He added that he's extremely humbled to have the opportunity to continue as a public servant in this new position. Former Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Supervisor Merv George, Jr., left the post last summer to serve in a temporary assignment as the Acting Deputy Regional Forester for the Pacific Northwest Region of the US Forest Service. George has been providing leadership in Fire & Aviation Management, Engineering, Grants & Agreements and Data Resource Management programs in the region. It was not disclosed how long he will be on temporary assignment.

 

The Grants Pass City Council last night approved the second reading and adoption of an ordinance regulating services provided to homeless people residing in parks. The City Council voted 5-3 to adopt the ordinance, which regulates humanitarian service events on publicly-owned land. A number of organizations hold regular events to provide the unhoused population with food, services and medical help. The ordinance creates a registration process for individuals, non-profits and other charitable organizations to use city parks and public places for such events, and prohibits them from engaging in the dissemination of drug paraphernalia and compressed combustible materials. Organizations will now have to pay a $25 administration fee with an application, but they can re-register for no additional cost. Proof of registration will be held by City Administration and the Grants Pass Police Department. Registrants must also indemnify and defend the City from any legal claims arising from these events. As part of the Consent Agenda, the City Council passed a resolution to submit a grant application for US Homeland Security assistance in acquiring self-contained breathing apparatus and six Rapid Intervention Team packs for the fire department. The meeting was briefly adjourned and the City Council reconvened as the Urban Renewal Agency. The panel discussed forming an Urban Renewal Task Force.