Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving following a traffic incident in the downtown area early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a Toyota Scion driven by 44-year-old Marissa Ziegler near the intersection of 6th and G streets on Thursday around 8:45 a.m.. Police said Ziegler had been reported as a traffic complaint by a fellow motorist who reported observing her swerving and unable to maintain a single travel lane. The caller said they began following the suspect vehicle after it ran a stop sign and nearly hit them at the corner of SE 7th and M streets. Upon contact with Ziegler, officers said she displayed indicators of impairment and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. The suspect was taken to the Sobering Center where she was detained and a urine sample was collected. The Oregon State Police drug recognition specialist was unavailable. Marissa Ziegler was charged with suspicion of Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. She was cited to appear in court and released. An acquaintance arrived to assume custody of the vehicle and a canine passenger.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving following a traffic stop in downtown Grants Pass late last night. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Ford F-150 pickup driven by 44-year-old Brandon John Bretl near the corner of SE 7th and I streets at 11:35 p.m. Thursday. Troopers said they stopped Bretl for a traffic violation and he exhibited signs of impairment. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was taken to the Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was exactly the legal driving limit of .08%. Brandon Bretl was lodged at the Sobering Center on charges of Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. His pickup was impounded.

 

A semi-truck driver escaped serious injury yesterday after he rolled his vehicle over on Interstate 5 in the Sunny Valley area. The Oregon State Police reports troopers, Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to the commercial vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 70 on Thursday at 11:45 a.m.. Troopers said an investigation indicates 27-year-old Matewos Adale was driving a Volvo semi-truck too fast for the wet road conditions when he lost control in a left-hand corner. The semi rolled and came to rest on its top in a ditch. According to OSP, Adale was not seriously hurt. The truck -- which was not carrying any hazardous cargo -- was eventually towed to Grants Pass. The Oregon Department of Transportation provided traffic control while the scene was active. Adale was warned for Violating the Basic Rule. Rural Metro officials said the sweeping corners on that stretch of I-5 quite often contribute to rolled semi-trucks and other vehicles. They urged motorists to slow down on that section of freeway -- especially when it is wet.

 

UPDATE: HOPE HOOVER HAS BEEN LOCATED AND IS NO LONGER MISSING.

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office was seeking public assistance in locating a missing Grants Pass area woman. In a Thursday afternoon press release, the Sheriff's Office reported that 32-year-old Hope Susan Hoover left from the northeast area of Grants Pass on January 22nd with an unknown direction of travel. Hoover's family has not been able to contact her since that time and they called the Sheriff's Office to report her missing. She did not take any of her belongings with her when she left. Hoover is described as a white female adult, 5-feet-7-inches tall and 150 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She is possibly driving a gray 2004 BMW X5 sedan with Oregon license plate 036 LWC. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Hope Hoover is encouraged to call the Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a fugitive wanted on out-of-state and out-of-county warrants during a routine patrol check in the south part of the city this week. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 50-year-old Douglas Hale Wiggins, Jr., in the 600-block of Redwood Highway on Wednesday night. Police said they were on patrol when they observed a Chevrolet Trailblazer with switched license plates and contacted Wiggins who told them he knew the plate did not belong on his vehicle. A subsequent records check revealed that he was wanted on a Liberty County, Texas, felony warrant for narcotics possession and a Douglas County misdemeanor warrant for failing to appear in court for impaired driving. After confirming the Texas warrant was extraditable, Wiggins was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail without bail. Officers removed the license plate from Wiggins' vehicle and planned to return it to the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving and drug possession after a traffic stop in southeast Grants Pass this week. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Chevrolet Blazer driven by 38-year-old Lionell Augustus Lims of Grants Pass near the intersection of Fruitdale Drive and Poplar Drive late Wednesday night. Troopers said they stopped Lims for traffic violations and he displayed signs of impairment. They said he then performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was positive for alcohol but below the legal limit. A drug recognition specialist responded to assist with the investigation which revealed the use of narcotics. Lionell Lims was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Controlled Substances as well as Possession of Cocaine. He was also cited for Failure to Drive Within Lane, Unsignaled Turn and Expired Registration. After being cited to appear in court, Lims was released and given a courtesy ride home. His vehicle was parked and secured at the scene of the traffic stop.

 

The Oregon Heritage Commission is offering grants to qualified museums for collections, heritage tourism, and education and interpretation projects. Awards typically range between $2,000 and $10,000. Museums may apply for a variety of projects. Collections projects may include cataloging, archival storage, disaster preparedness and conservation. Heritage tourism projects may include museum marketing and promotions, enhancing visitor experience and training for museum staff. Education and interpretation projects may include exhibits, online education, school classes, workshops and camps. Museums may also partner with other organizations for projects that might be outside of the museum, but still meet the museum's mission. The online grant application is simple to use and includes plenty of support. A free online workshop specific to this grant and how to use the online grant application will be offered on February 20th. Advance registration is required. Recorded trainings and tips are also online. To learn more about museum grants, visit "oregonheritage.org."

 

The Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) put a big dent in the illegal cannabis industry in 2023. According to JMET statistics released this week, the local task force conducted searches on 53 properties in Josephine County last year. JMET officials said the team seized and destroyed a total of 129,648 illegal pot plants as well as 13,865 pounds of processed cannabis. The local team also seized 49 firearms and nearly $94,000 in cash. Many of these searches were conducted in partnership with other law enforcement agencies. They were also performed with agencies such as Josephine County Code Enforcement, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon State Health Administration, Oregon Department of Agriculture, and the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC). Due to the ongoing nature of the investigations, names of suspects, locations, dates and times of the 2023 operations are not being released. The black-market marijuana industry remains a big issue for the Josephine County community, and the Sheriff's Office is committed to combatting the illegal grows. Tips on illegal local marijuana activity can be submitted to the JMET Tip Line at (541)-474-5252 or by visiting "josephinecounty.gov/government/sheriff/josephine-marijuana-enforcement-team."

 

With the February 21st deadline fast-approaching for updating child vaccinations, the Oregon Immunization Program (OIP) reminds parents and caregivers that their children may miss out on school or childcare if their records show missing shots. The third Wednesday in February is known as "School Exclusion Day." Under Oregon law, all children in public and private schools, preschools, Head Start and certified childcare facilities must submit documentation showing they are up-to-date on their required immunizations or have an acceptable exemption. If a child's vaccination records do not show up-to-date immunizations by February 21st, their school or childcare center will send them home. Leading up to School Exclusion Day last year, local health departments in Oregon sent 26,688 letters to parents and caregivers informing them that they needed to submit records showing up-to-date immunizations for their children. That led to a total of 4,048 children being sent home and not being able to attend school until their families provided the necessary vaccination records. Parents and caregivers seeking immunizations for their children should contact their health care provider or local health department.