Local News

Electronic benefit theft is on the rise. The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) is encouraging people to take steps to protect their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards from this crime. DHS officials said electronic theft includes card skimming, card cloning, phishing and other similar methods. Claire Seguin, director of DHS Self-Sufficiency Programs, said they know many individuals and families in Oregon rely on the food and cash assistance they receive through their EBT cards to meet their basic needs and to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families. She urged everyone with an EBT card to take some simple steps to protect their benefits. When you're not using your EBT card, freeze the card for extra protection and then simply unfreeze it when you're ready to make a purchase. You can block out-of-state and online purchases to protect your card from unauthorized use. You can remove blocks at any time. Monitor your EBT account activity by making it a habit to check your account regularly for any unusual charges. If you see a charge you didn't make, report it immediately. Cancel your card and call the replacement line at 1-(855)-328-6715 or go to your local Oregon DHS benefits office.

 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has distributed more than $27.7 million in timber revenue payments to 18 western Oregon counties. The payments are supported by the timber harvested from public lands and they support local services including emergency response and education. BLM Oregon/Washington State Director Barry Bushue said the agency manages more than 2.4 million acres of some of the world's most productive forests in western Oregon and it is committed to supplying a reliable, secure and resilient domestic supply of timber while providing jobs and support to local communities. The BLM manages this area -- known as the O&C and CBWR lands as well as funds generated from timber harvests in accordance with two laws.-- the Oregon & California Railroad and Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant Lands acts. Locally, Douglas County is by far the largest recipient of BLM timber revenue payments with more than $6.9 million. Jackson County received about $4.3 million while Josephine County received over $3.3 million, Coos County received more than $1.9 million, Curry County received just over $1 million and Klamath County got $642,000.

 

Rogue Community College is expanding its Dental Assisting certificate program at the Redwood Campus in Grants Pass this fall. RCC currently offers a one-year certificate program for Dental Assisting as well as a two-year certificate program for Dental Hygiene at the Table Rock Campus in White City. Dental Assisting is a one-year special admissions program that starts fall term and culminates with a practicum at a dental office. Several prerequisite courses are required prior to starting the Dental Assisting program. Dental assistants may perform a variety of clinical and administrative tasks including preparing patients for procedures and surgeries, charting, taking radiographs and making dental impressions, patient registration and scheduling appointments, insurance and billing. An information session about RCC's Dental Programs will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, May 6th, at noon. The Zoom link is available at "roguecc.edu/dental" or e-mail "dentalinfo@roguecc.edu." The application for admission to the RCC Dental Assisting program is open now through May 30th for fall. Attending an informational session is required prior to completing the application.

 

In honor of Dia de los Ninos -- "Children's Day" -- Josephine Community Library invites families to a week-long celebration of multilingual storytelling and early literacy. From April 24th through April 30th, the library will host a series of bilingual storytimes across its four branches, celebrating the joy of reading in many languages and formats. Each bilingual storytime will feature a story read in English and a second language by local volunteers and community partners followed by a culturally-inspired craft. This year's featured languages include Spanish on Thursday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Grants Pass branch, Japanese on Friday from 11 a.m. to noon at the Williams branch, American Sign Language on Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon at the Illinois Valley branch and Sensory Storytime next Wednesday from 11 a.m.-11:30 a.m. at the Grants Pass branch. A library card is not required to attend these sessions. For more information, visit "josephinelibrary.org," email "info@josephinelibrary.org" or call (541)-476-0571.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a Grants Pass man for assaulting his wife at their residence near Rogue Community College last weekend. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 2600-block of Demaray Drive on Sunday around 1:45 a.m.. Deputies said the Sheriff's 9-1-1 Dispatch Center received a call from that address with a woman screaming that her husband was hurting her and "please help me." Dispatchers also heard struggling in the background before the call disconnected. Deputies were assisted by the Oregon State Police when they responded to the incident. Both parties were interviewed and the wife's injuries were documented. Fortunately, she did not need transport to the hospital. The victim's husband -- identified as 35-year-old Alberto Luis Martinez -- was placed into custody. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 4th-Degree Domestic Assault, Domestic Strangulation and Interfering with Making a Police Report. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a California fugitive while investigating a disturbance at a residence in the south part of the city near Bi-Mart yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 45-year-old Martin William Mitchell, Jr., on Monday at 11:50 a.m. after responding to the incident at a home in the 300-block of Tussey Lane. Police said neighbors reported a female screaming and they contacted Mitchell as part of the investigation into the incident, which was determined to be a mental health crisis. They said he was found to be wanted on a San Luis Obispo Police Department felony warrant for Contempt of Court related to a PRCS Violation. Mitchell was placed into custody and he was found to be in possession of a baggy containing a white crystal substance that tested positive as methamphetamine. It was seized for destruction. Mitchell was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the fugitive warrant. He was being held without bail pending extradition proceedings that will send him back to California.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a Josephine County Community Corrections client on statewide and local warrants early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the presence of a man identified as 36-year-old Caleb Michael Bintz at the Corrections Office on NW 4th Street on Monday at 9:36 a.m.. Police said Bintz was called in by his corrections officer because he was wanted on a statewide felony warrant out of Josephine County for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. He was also wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Contempt of Court and for Methamphetamine Possession. Bintz was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for drug possession while performing a weekend welfare check at Walmart. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 31-year-old Michael Jordan Kitts while performing the welfare check in the parking lot of the store on NE Terry Lane on Sunday at 7:30 a.m.. Police said Kitts was passed out in his running vehicle with his wife and 6-year-old son inside. They observed two glass pipes, with one on the floorboard and the other in the driver-side door. He was detained and found to have a third cylindrical glass pipe in his shorts pocket. The pipes all tested positive for residue of methamphetamine and they were seized for destruction. Kitts admitted using the meth on Saturday night. He was arrested and lodged in jail for Meth Possession. He was released from custody on Sunday afternoon.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man on two outstanding warrants early yesterday after a traffic stop in the Wilderville area. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies pulled over a vehicle driven by 40-year-old Hank Sterling Sowell near the intersection of Redwood Highway and Old Redwood Highway on Monday at 2:35 a.m.. Deputies said they stopped Sowell for a traffic violation and discovered that he was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for Violating the Conditions of a Jail Release Agreement. He was also wanted on a Douglas County warrant for Driving While Suspended. He was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail. Sowell's vehicle and a trailer carrying a portable saw mill were impounded and towed to Grants Pass.