Local News

Grants Pass Police assisted a motorist who was given false information by another person after their vehicles collided earlier this month. According to the Police Department, officers were flagged down by a man at the Li'l Pantry Market & Deli on Rogue River Highway at 10:37 p.m. Thursday. Police said the man told them he had been given false insurance information by a passenger in a Volvo following a February 11th crash. The passenger -- who was identified as "Simone Hartnett" -- admitted to providing false information after she was confronted by the complainant. The woman admitted she had purchased insurance after the crash occurred. As a result of the investigation, Hartnett was cited for No Insurance and warned for Furnishing False Information about Liability Insurance to a Police Officer.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted four campers from Riverside Park for city ordinance violations early yesterday. The Police Department reports the incidents occurred around 10:15 a.m. Thursday. David Wong was cited for Possession of a Schedule 2 Controlled Substance, Michelle Richardson was cited for Buffer Zone Violation, and Kyle Palomino and Clint Palomino were cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Misuse of Park Open Spaces. All four were issued 30-day exclusions from the city park. Officers said they posted a total of 22 campsites for Illegal Camping at Riverside Park. They said approximately 12-15 soiled and abandoned campsites -- most with observed biohazards -- were removed from the park in two 12-by-6-foot trailers and disposed of at Southern Oregon Sanitation. An e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network (UCAN).

 

A Jackson County grand jury has indicted a Trail man on charges stemming from multiple incidents involving domestic violence and child endangerment. The suspect -- 24-year-old Justin Ryan Trompeter -- is wanted for crimes of Felony 4th-Degree Domestic Assault, 3rd-Degree Robbery, 1st-Degree Theft, Harassment, and two counts each of Child Neglect and Reckless Endangering. Trompeter remains on the run with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office continuing their investigation. Deputies were originally searching for Trompeter in connection with a February 7th domestic violence call when he fled the scene at a high rate of speed with his two children. On February 16th, deputies received information that the suspect was hiding with the 1-1/2 and six-month-old children deep in the woods surrounding Jacksonville. Deputies located a vehicle at the top of Wagon Trail Drive. They approached the car with caution, but Trompeter had fled the scene before their arrival. The two children had been abandoned and left alone in the vehicle for up to two hours. A search of the vehicle uncovered fentanyl and methamphetamine. Mercy Flights medics checked out the children on scene and then turned them over to the Oregon Department of Human Services. After the incident, the children were treated at a local hospital and they remain in DHS care. This case is open and ongoing, with deputies following additional leads. Anyone who may have information on the whereabouts of Justin Trompeter is encouraged to call Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon at (541)-776-7206.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a felon for violating his post-prison supervision by trying to steal hundreds of dollars' worth of groceries from a local supermarket this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 45-year-old Eric Delbert Rossiter for the incident at WinCo Foods on NE Terry Lane on Wednesday afternoon. Police said Rossiter selected more than $600 worth of merchandise, passed all points of sale and failed to pay for the cart full of groceries. He was detained by store security until officers arrived on scene to place him into custody. Eric Rossiter was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft and the resulting Felony Parole Violation. He was trespassed from WinCo and was still in custody on Thursday.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a statewide felony warrant while patrolling the north part of the city this week. According to the Police Department, officers were on patrol on NW 6th Street Wednesday night when they spotted 39-year-old Matthew Ryan Barton at the Lucky Duck. Police said Barton was standing outside the business and they recognized him from previous law enforcement contacts. They ran his information through records and discovered that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation. He was placed into custody. Barton consented to a search and several drug paraphernalia items were located with a white powdery residue which the suspect admitted was methamphetamine. Matthew Barton was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrant as well as the narcotics violation.

 

A woman wanted on a local warrant turned herself in to the Josephine County Sheriff's Office in the North Valley area this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies were on patrol in the 3,600-block of Merlin Road on Wednesday night when a female subject flagged them down. Deputies said 41-year-old Lacy Jo Martinez surrendered herself, stating that she believed she was wanted on a warrant issued by the Medford Police Department. The warrant was confirmed to be for failing to appear in court for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Methamphetamine Possession. Martinez was placed into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail where she was lodged pending transfer to the Jackson County Jail in Medford.

 

The 2024 competitive grant opportunity for the Connect Oregon Fund ends on Thursday, February 29th. About $46 million is available for eligible aviation, marine and rail transportation projects. Public, private and nonprofit entities are eligible to apply. This is the eighth competitive funding opportunity since the Connect Oregon program launched in 2005. The program has awarded about $463 million to 242 projects. Several committees will receive and rank submitted applications over several months before presenting a final recommended project list to the Oregon Transportation Commission. It is expected that the final project list will be presented to the commission at their November meeting. To apply or to learn more about the program, eligibility requirements and the application process, visit the Connect Oregon website. For questions about potential applications, please contact John Boren at "John.boren@odot.oregon.gov."

 

Grants Pass-based AllCare Health is pleased to announce a $175,000 grant award to Rogue Retreat for an important project supporting citizens transitioning from substance abuse recovery to a healthy life in Southern Oregon. The project named "Haven House" is currently underway in Jackson County. The grant creates additional temporary recovery housing for individuals coming out of in-patient drug and alcohol treatment as well as on-site support in one location. The Haven House model has proven successful since 1998 in improving substance abuse recovery. This project supports members of AllCare Health's Coordinated Care Organization (CCO), low-income community members, Tribal community members as well as communities of color and -- particularly -- community members experiencing substance abuse, behavioral health challenges and housing insecurity. The Haven House grant is part of an AllCare Health pledge of $2.7 million this year for improving the health and well-being of all Southern Oregon communities. Rogue Retreat is a non-profit community partner of AllCare Health. It provides housing assistance, drug- and alcohol-abuse counseling, peer recovery coaching and access to medically-assisted recovery.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department recently honored excellence during its 2023 Awards Ceremony. Earlier this week, Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman recognized several members of the agency for going above and beyond the call of duty last year. The honorees included two Medal of Valor recipients -- Corporal Nathan Tracey and Officer Lucas Six, and four Medal of Honor recipients -- Officers Tim Artoff, Kyle Hodge, Jason McGinnis and Kasen Perkins. There were three Medal of Merit recipients -- Sergeant Doni Hamilton, Detective Robert Gilinsky and Detective Robert Shaw. Lifesaving Awards were presented to 9-1-1 Dispatchers Tatiana Hill and Bryan Mathews. Unit Citation Medals were given to the Major Crimes Unit and 9-1-1 Emergency Communications. The Chief's Award had two recipients -- Officer Ken Frownfelter and Krystal Nieminen. Volunteer of the Year was Shirley Rhodes, Supervisor of the Year was Sergeant John Moore, Officer of the Year was Detective Robert Shaw, Dispatcher of the Year was Bryan Mathews and Non-Sworn of the Year was Property Specialist Chelsea Wiley.