Commissioners Designate Four County-Owned Properties for Sheriff's Auction in June
The Josephine County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday designated four county-owned properties as surplus property and included them on a list of 10 properties that will be sold at a Sheriff's Auction in June. The Board voted unanimously to designate 24.8 acres on Lower Wolf Creek Road, 5.07 acres at 125 Ingalls Lane, 0.37 of an acre on Josephine Street and 1.7 acres at 33223 Redwood Highway as forest, public parks or recreational areas. Proceeds from the sales of these properties will benefit the Parks and Forestry Departments. Property Manager Helene Lulich testified that the majority of the 10 parcels were obtained by Josephine County through property tax foreclosures, which is a six-year process. The exact date of the Sheriff's Sale has not yet been approved. In other business, the Commissioners unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Cave Junction to apply for a Community Development Block Grant of $500,000 to repair houses for low-income residents. The program would allow individuals to apply for up to $25,000 to improve their housing. All areas outside the City of Grants Pass would be eligible for the CDBG funding. No action was taken by the Board on a possible resolution to the proposed sale of the Pipe Fork timber property near Williams. The agenda item was postponed due to ongoing negotiations to purchase the 320-acre forested parcel. ...Read more

ODOT Reports Seismic Bridge Retrofit Project on Rogue River Highway Continues in May
An Oregon Department of Transportation contractor is continuing work on the bridge retrofit project on Rogue River Highway between the cities of Rogue River and Gold Hill. ODOT officials said this project will replace the Millers Gulch, Birdseye Creek and Foots Creek bridges to improve earthquake resilience and public safety. The contractor is currently working at the Millers Gulch Bridge with flaggers directing traffic with minor delays. This project is expected to continue for the next couple of weeks when the contractor moves over to the Birdseye Creek Bridge. Around the middle of May, there will be a full closure of Highway 99 at the Birdseye Creek Bridge for approximately three to five days. During the closure, motorists are asked to find an alternate route. According to ODOT, these dates are subject to change. Check the project website for updates at "oregon.gov/odot/projects/pages/project-details.aspx?project-22290." Closures are also posted on "tripcheck.com." ...Read more

Medford District BLM Closing Upper Table Rock Trail for Repairs from April 29th-May 2nd
The Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management will close Upper Table Rock trailhead and trail from April 29th-May 2nd. BLM crews will continue improving the trail by re-routing sections near the summit and completing some drainage work on wet areas that developed over the winter. Small excavators and motorized trail-building equipment will be used to complete the project. The closure will allow for public and worker safety during construction periods. The project will continue to improve the re-route work completed late last year. A few wet areas will be fixed to create a more sustainable year-round experience. The new sections will reduce the slope of the trail and provide a safer and more durable route to the top of Upper Table Rock. Until the trailhead and trails officially reopen, members of the public may not enter closed areas. All uses -- including hiking and hunting -- are prohibited. ...Read more