Three Local Heroes Rescued Man Trapped in Vehicle Fire, Honored for Heroism
Three citizens were honored for rescuing a man trapped in his vehicle as it was burning. On June 27, 2025 a fiery crash on Rogue River Highway near Gordon Way prompted a swift response from the three. A Ford Mustang and a commercial water truck collided. The driver of the Mustang, John Irwin, was trapped inside his car as it burst into flames. Calls came into Grants Pass 911 Communications, who mobilized crews from Rural Metro Fire, Grants Pass Fire and AMR-Josephine County. While first responders were en-route to the incident, citizens at the scene, Chelsae Booth, Andrew Clem, and Michael McGilvreay, jumped into action to pull John from the wreckage. The three worked together to force open the passenger door, unbuckle John, and pull him to safety before the vehicle became fully involved. Austin Prince, Operations Chief with Rural Metro Fire, recently led a joint multi-agency effort to recognize the heroic acts of Booth, Clem, and McGilvreay.
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Art Along the Rogue Returns to Downtown Grants Pass
The 22nd Annual Art Along the Rogue Art and Music Festival is coming up October 3, 4, and 5, in downtown Grants Pass. This year’s theme is “Time Warp: When Past Meets Future.” The festival will be expanded to include the Oregon Center for Creative Learning, which will host the Kiddie Squares on the northwest corner of 4th and G Streets, the former Dutch Bros headquarters, on Saturday and Sunday. The Grants Pass Museum of Art between 4th and 5th on G Street will host several artists painting on their patio. Sharyn Chan from Goleta, California, will return this year to create a 3D piece. Ashly Wissler of Cave Junction and Joel Yau of San Rafael, California, are two premier artists who will create in a 12x12 square. Since its inception in 2003, Art Along the Rogue has been one of Grants Pass's premier community events and one of Oregon's leading street chalk and music festivals, attracting thousands every October.
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Library Lease Agreement Approved by Josephine County and Library District
The latest library lease agreement has been approved by both Josephine County and the Library District. During their Tuesday workshop, the Josephine County Board of Commissioners voted 2-1 to approve a new five-year lease agreement for the Grants Pass library building at 200 NW C Street, with Commissioner Blech voting against. Commissioner Chris Barnett made a motion to adopt the latest version of the lease, with a modified “for cause” termination clause. Under the agreement, the library district will assume responsibility for the maintenance of the building and grounds. The Josephine Community Library District Board of Directors discussed the updated lease and agreed to its terms, clearing the way for the continuation of library services in Josephine County. Library Director Kate Lasky said “We are relieved this agreement moves us past months of uncertainty. This has been a difficult process, but what matters most is that we can keep our focus on serving the community.”
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