Local News

The Oregon Department of Forestry will officially declare the start of the 2025 fire season in Josephine and Jackson counties on Sunday, June 1st, at 12:01 a.m.. According to ODF, the fire danger level in southwest Oregon will be "low" and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) will be "1". The declaration includes 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management lands. Starting Sunday, all outdoor debris burning -- including burn barrels -- will be prohibited. No fireworks will be allowed on or within 1/8th of a mile of ODF-protected lands. Exploding targets and tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base are prohibited. Campfires are allowed in designated campgrounds and on private land with the landowner's permission. Portable stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels may be used in areas free of vegetation. Smoking while traveling will only be allowed in enclosed vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water and other designated locations. IFPL 1 regulates industrial and commercial operations. A Firewatch is required at this and all higher levels unless otherwise waived. For more information about fire season regulations, please call ODF's Grants Pass Office at (541)-474-3152 or their Medford Office at (541)-664-3328. Additional information can be found at "swofire.com."

 

The Josephine County Budget Committee will convene its first session on Friday. The public meeting is scheduled for tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium. The Budget Committee is comprised of Commissioners Andreas Blech, Chris Barnett and Ron Smith along with three appointed citizens: Chad Hansen, Marc Kirby and Joseph Rice. They are charged by Oregon Statute with approving a balanced budget for the next fiscal year before July 1st. The first order of business will be the election of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the committee followed by the presentation of the Budget Message by County Finance Director Ruth Nelson. The committee will then establish its meeting calendar. The proposed date of the next meeting is June 4th, with presentations to be determined by the committee. Public comment will be limited to three minutes per person and public comment may be allowed at additional meetings.

 

Everyone is invited to attend the Jackson & Josephine Health Fair at the Jackson County Expo Park in Central Point on Saturday. Event admission is free. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., attendees can enjoy free health screenings, explore community resources, and engage in fun and exciting activities for the whole family. Health screenings including blood pressure checks will be offered for free, and attendees can get access to no-cost dental education and supplies. Community resources from local nonprofits, healthcare providers and support services will be present to offer help and guidance on health and wellness. The Health Fair will also feature interactive wellness activities and children can visit the "Kids' Zone" where they'll find fun games, crafts and entertainment. The Master of Ceremonies will be Tom Ray from Grants Pass Broadcasting. For more information, email "2025HealthFairInfo@jacksoncountyor.gov."

 

Grants Pass Police captured a man on a local felony warrant containing a total of 21 charges including 20 allegations of child sexual abuse at a city park last night. The Police Department reports officers arrested 41-year-old Emitt Johnathan Kling at Morrison Centennial Park on Rogue River Highway on Tuesday at 9:05 p.m.. Police said they located Kling after the Oregon State Police sent out a bulletin. He was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant containing 10 counts each of 1st- and 2nd-Degree Encouraging Child Sex Abuse plus one count of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. No details about the allegations were disclosed. Kling was transported to GPPD headquarters for an interview before being lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the outstanding warrant. His scheduled bail was set at $100,000.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for felony drug possession and an outstanding warrant in a neighborhood near the downtown area late last night. According to the Police Department, officers were handling an unrelated call for service on Tuesday around 10:30 p.m. when they observed 56-year-old John Daniel Iker near the corner of NE 8th and B streets. Police said Iker was unconscious with his legs hanging out of parked vehicle near the intersection. They made contact and observed him holding a tooter and piece of foil with burnt residue of a narcotic substance later determined to be fentanyl. Further investigation revealed that Iker was wanted on an outstanding Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Felony Possession of Fentanyl and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon. The dangerous narcotic and associated paraphernalia were seized for destruction. Iker was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Possession of Fentanyl and the warrant. He was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon State Police jailed a Selma man on a local felony warrant following a Memorial Day traffic stop in Cave Junction. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Ford Ranger pickup driven by 30-year-old Steven Robert Cooke on Caves Highway near Dogwood Lane on Monday at 3:37 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Cooke for traffic violations and they quickly learned that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for 4th-Degree Assault. He was placed into custody. Cooke was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. His vehicle and dog were released to a friend who responded to the scene.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for obstructing traffic on Williams Highway and trying to run away from law enforcement last night. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident involving 50-year-old Angelica Lane in the 2400-block of Highway 238 at 6:34 p.m. Tuesday. Police said multiple callers reported a female subject crossing the highway outside a crosswalk and obstructing traffic. An officer activated his overhead lights and siren, exited the patrol car and advised the woman she was under arrest. Lane attempted to escape arrest by fleeing on foot into traffic and causing multiple vehicles to stop in the middle of the highway. She was eventually placed into custody. Lane was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct, Escape and the resulting Probation Violation. She was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for bad behavior while investigating a verbal disturbance at a downtown resting site early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the disturbance at the 6th & A Street homeless encampment on Tuesday shortly after midnight. Police said they observed 41-year-old Mary Lynn Tognoni in a verbal altercation with a man at the resting site. They said she was loud enough to wake multiple people in the adjacent campsites. She was making threats to fight and kill people. When contacted by officers, Tognoni was found to be in possession of burnt foil and drug tooters. She was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct. She was also issued a 30-day park exclusion order. The man Tognoni was yelling at -- identified only as "Wong" -- was warned for Disorderly Conduct.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorist for impaired driving last night following a traffic stop just southwest of Grants Pass. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies pulled over a Ford pickup driven by 26-year-old Griffin Ferrara in the 300-block of Arbor Ridge Drive on Tuesday around 8:30 p.m.. Deputies said they stopped Ferrara for speeding on Redwood Highway near Midway Avenue. They said he displayed signs of impairment and performed poorly in field sobriety tests before they detained him. Ferrara was transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit. He was lodged there for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. His pickup was impounded. Two passengers were forced to find another way home.