KAJO 99.7FM - News Story

American Red Cross Honors Local Teenager for Saving His Grandmother's Life in 2023

"Something is wrong with Grandma." That's how it all started for 16-year-old Tayen Landers, who was honored by the American Red Cross on Wednesday. Lander's grandmother was driving near a busy intersection in Central Point when she started to look dazed and then she passed out. Tayen managed to put his foot on the brake and stopped the car before it went into the intersection. While other motorists called 9-1-1, Tayen pulled his grandmother out of the car and onto the street where he performed CPR, keeping her alive until paramedics arrived. He has received praise from the entire community who were impressed by his quick-thinking and composure during this frightening incident. For his heroic and lifesaving skills, Landers received the Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action yesterday in a ceremony at Rogue Credit Union. The event was part of the celebration of Red Cross Month in March.

Posted on 3/7/24 6:02AM by Sam Marsh

Board Updates Old Ordinances and Certifies Ambulance Service Area Plan

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners took care of some housekeeping items this morning, updating outdated ordinances in order to comply with changes in state law. Commissioner Dan DeYoung was absent. There was no citizen comment during three brief public hearings, but Assistant Legal Counsel Leah Harper testified on ordinances pertaining to meetings of the Board of Commissioners, the Finance Department and Unified Board of Appeals. Harper said the amendment updates the rules for Board of Commissioner meetings, with the meetings allowed to be recorded electronically by citizens as long as it does not cause a disruption. She said it reinforces a prohibition on discussing matters from executive sessions and it allows news media to attend executive sessions as long as they do not report on what happened. The amendment related to the Finance Department amends Josephine County Code to officially change the name of the department and further specify the duties of the Finance Director. The other amendment repeals the Unified Board of Appeals, which governed appeals to decisions from the Josephine County Building Official. Appeals are now reviewed by the state and the local board is no longer necessary. Under Administrative Actions, the Commissioners approved certification of the Ambulance Service Area Plan for Josephine County including area maps and service partners as well as incidents involving mass casualties. The plan must be reviewed every five years and it has already been approved by the state.

Posted on 3/6/24 11:40AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Collared Man for Parole Violation & Probable Cause of Harassment

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on Tuesday 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 at 12:51 p.m. yesterday. 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.

Posted on 3/6/24 11:38AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Woman on Warrant after She Used Stolen Beauty Products

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman on a statewide felony warrant early yesterday 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 at 7:42 a.m.. 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.

Posted on 3/6/24 11:36AM by Sam Marsh

Cave Junction Woman Hurt after Crashing Car into Truck on Caves Highway

A Cave Junction woman was injured early today 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 at 12:08 this morning. 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.

Posted on 3/6/24 11:34AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Cited Motorist for Two Violations after She Rolled Pickup on Interstate 5

The Oregon State Police cited a motorist for two violations last night after she rolled her vehicle on Interstate 5 on the east side of Grants Pass. According to OSP, troopers and emergency crews were dispatched to the single-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 55 at 6:24 p.m. Tuesday. Troopers said evidence at the scene indicates 40-year-old Janelle Elmore was driving a Dodge Dakota and attempting to navigate the freeway on-ramp when she dropped a drink, attempted to pick it up and ultimately lost control of the pickup, which rolled over. Elmore was not hurt, but her truck was damaged and had to be towed into town. Following an investigation, OSP cited Elmore for Driving While Suspended and Driving with an Open Container.

Posted on 3/6/24 11:33AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Man on Local Warrant after Traffic Stop in Downtown Area

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant following a traffic stop in the downtown area early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a Nissan Frontier driven by 69-year-old James Cecil Black at Safeway in the 100-block of SE 7th Street shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday. Police said they observed Black driving his vehicle north on 7th Street and they knew he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Theft. He was placed into custody without incident. James Black was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on $10,000 bail.

Posted on 3/6/24 11:32AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Nabbed Woman for Trying to Swindle Walmart Out of Property

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for attempting to swindle Walmart out of some merchandise yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a shoplifting complaint involving 58-year-old Stephanie Casten at the store on NE Terry Lane on Tuesday shortly after 3 p.m.. Police said Casten used the "skip-scan" method to intentionally deprive Walmart out of more than $100 worth of its property. They said she passed all points of sale with the stolen items without paying before she was detained by loss prevention. Stephanie Casten was charged with 2nd-Degree Theft. She was cooperative during the incident, so she was cited to appear in court and then released.

Posted on 3/6/24 11:29AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Evicted 3 Campers from Baker Park in Tuesday Patrol Check

Grants Pass Police evicted three campers from one city park during a Tuesday morning patrol check. Officers were checking Baker Park early yesterday when they cited Megan Bailey for Illegal Camping and Misuse of Park Open Spaces. Michelle Richardson was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Public Use of Marijuana. Donald Strunk was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Misuse of Open Spaces. Bailey, Richardson and Strunk were all trespassed from the park for 30 days.

Posted on 3/6/24 11:28AM by Sam Marsh

Ashland Police Department Line of Duty Death from 1919 to be Honored in 2024

The Ashland Police Department recently learned of a previously unknown line of duty death that occurred in March 1919 and the deceased officer will be honored later this year in Washington, DC, Salem and Jackson County. Ashland Police Officer George Martin Lowe was struck and killed by a train while on foot patrol in the railroad district. He was 54 years old. APD Chief Tighe O'Meara said the incident was brought to his agency's attention by the Officer Collin Rose Foundation, a Michigan-based nonprofit that works to honor officers who have fallen in the line of duty. The department requested that Officer Lowe's name be added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Wall in Washington, DC -- a request that was approved. His name will be added during a ceremony in May of this year. APD has also requested that Lowe's name be added to the state's Wall of Honor at the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training in Salem along with the Jackson County Wall of Honor at Singler Memorial Plaza in Medford between the Courthouse and Jail. Chief O'Meara said the department is in the process of updating its badge as well. He said the bottom of the APD badge contains a panel with stars, one for each officer who has died in the line of duty. A fourth star will be added for Officer Lowe, joining three other stars honoring Samuel Prescott and Victor Knott who both died in 1931, and Malcus Williams who died in 2018.

Posted on 3/6/24 6:16AM by Sam Marsh

Authorities Jailed Out of Compliance Sex Offender after Contact at GP Walmart

Grants Pass Police jailed a convicted sex offender for being out of compliance with his registration requirements early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 50-year-old Eugene Lynn Jenkins, Jr., at Walmart on NE Terry Lane on Tuesday at 3:52 a.m.. Police said Jenkins was contacted in the Walmart parking lot by a patrol officer and he was found to be out of compliance with his sex offender registration conditions since 2022. Eugene Jenkins was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. He was being held without bail. Jail records show Jenkins was out on a conditional release after being arrested on three local warrants on March 1st.

Posted on 3/6/24 6:15AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Man for Parole Violation after He Overdosed at NW City Park

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for violating his post-prison supervision after he overdosed on narcotics at a northwest city park this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 34-year-old Franklin Leroy Lister, III, at Gilbert Creek Park on NW Hawthorne Avenue on Monday afternoon. Police said Lister overdosed on fentanyl at the city park and he was revived with four milligrams of Narcan. Upon the arrival of fire and medical personnel, they said he refused further treatment and transport to the hospital. Lister's corrections officer in Jackson County was contacted and he requested his client be detained. Lister was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Parole Violation and he was being held on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 3/6/24 6:13AM by Sam Marsh

Local News