Local News

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters logged another busy week of protecting residents, visitors and structures in the community. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 675 calls for service and 256 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 58 arrests, 24 citations, 28 warnings and one highly intoxicated person being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 41 traffic stops and made a total of 12 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) made a total of 161 contacts with potential troublemakers while arresting one person, citing 18 more and warning 43 others. The CRT unit also trespassed nine individuals, posted 73 transient camps and removed trash from three campsites in city parks. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 123 calls last week including 40 for emergency medical service, 13 reports of fire or smoke, 14 lift assists, seven rescue situations, 13 assists to other agencies and one false alarm. Firefighters also performed 16 business inspections, assisted the public 11 times and installed two child car seats. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center received 1,372 emergency calls last week along with 786 calls for non-emergency service.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Cave Junction man for multiple sex crime allegations last week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested a 33-year-old male subject in the 200-block of South Caves Avenue on Thursday afternoon. No information was disclosed about the specifics of the case, but the man was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant containing a secret indictment for sex offenses including three counts of 1st-Degree Sex Abuse and one count of another felony-level sex crime. The suspect -- identified in court records as 33-year-old Kenneth Andrew Nelson -- was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail where he was being held in lieu of posting $250,000 bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Grants Pass man over the weekend for attacking his wife at a residence in the southwest part of the city. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 46-year-old male subject for the incident in the 2,000-block of Allen Creek Road on Friday at 8:05 p.m.. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her husband choked her. They said dispatchers could hear the victim gasping for air as she told them she was not sure if she needed an ambulance. Personnel from American Medical Response were staged near the home awaiting the arrival of law enforcement. Upon arrival, deputies interviewed both parties, documented the woman's injuries and then placed the husband into custody. The victim refused medical transport to the hospital. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Domestic Strangulation. He was being held without bail.

 

Firefighters worked all day Sunday on four new lightning-sparked fires across the Oregon Department of Forestry's Southwest District. As of 6 p.m. yesterday, all fires were 100% lined and in various stages of mop-up. ODF reports the Sugarpine Gulch Fire located northwest of Rogue River was the most challenging incident and the last one to be fully-lined due to steep terrain and windy conditions. It was caught at just over seven acres. The Eastside Road Fire located along Upper Applegate Road and west of Buncom was holding at an estimated two acres. It was 100% lined and 20% mopped up last night. Operations were ongoing on the blaze overnight. The Canyon Creek Fire located west of Highway 227 and northwest of Trail was caught at just over six acres. It was 30% mopped up and operations continued overnight. The Old Baldy Fire located in the hills between Grants Pass and Wimer was caught at 1.5 acres. It was 30% mopped up and operations were ongoing. The Sexton Fire reported on the east side of Interstate 5 between Hugo and Sunny Valley was not found by firefighters after a thorough search. A second reconnaissance flight was conducted Sunday and no new fires were found. ODF detection camera operators will continue to search lightning strike areas for any smoke or fires. Crews remain ready to respond to any new fire starts across the district.

 

Grants Pass firefighters knocked down a grass fire near the Parkway late last night. On Sunday at 11:34 p.m., Grants Pass Fire & Rescue was dispatched to a reported fire burning in grass and brush in the 1,000-block of NW F Street. Battalion Chief 4 arrived on scene to find the fire to be around 1/10th of an acre. Engine 7307 and Brush Truck BC4 from the Parkway Station were able to quickly pull a hose line to knock down the flames. Forward progress was stopped, with assistance from Engine 7308 and Brush Truck 7369 from the Redwood Station. There was no damage to structures or nearby infrastructure. GP Fire & Rescue was assisted by the Grants Pass Police Department. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

Draft versions of the statewide wildfire hazard and wildland-urban interface maps are now available for public review and comment on Oregon State University's Wildfire Risk Explorer website. The Oregon Department of Forestry said the wildfire hazard maps' purposes are to educate Oregon residents and property owners about the level of hazard where they live, assist in prioritizing fire adaptation and mitigation resources for the most vulnerable locations, and identify where defensible space standards and home hardening codes will apply. A series of open houses about the state's new community wildfire risk reduction programs were held from June 3rd to July 1st throughout Oregon. It was a chance to learn about wildfire hazard assessments, new defensible space and home hardening programs and standards, insurance concerns and state wildfire policy. At those meetings, early maps depicting wildfire hazards were available, but property tax-level maps were not yet available. Draft maps are now ready for Oregonians to see the hazard designation of their specific address and whether they're in the wildland-urban interface. The draft maps reflect recent revisions. Comments can be sent to "hazardmap@odf.oregon.gov."

 

The Grants Pass City Council will hold a special workshop this evening to discuss next steps after the US Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of criminalizing the camping of homeless people in public spaces. On June 28th, the nation's highest court reversed lower court rulings, finding that public camping restrictions issued by the City of Grants Pass do not constitute "cruel and unusual punishment." The landmark case arose when several homeless people filed suit in federal court against Grants Pass in 2018, alleging the city's aggressive enforcement of its public camping and sleeping ordinances were intended to banish them from town. Grants Pass officials said the Supreme Court ruling will help guide their next steps regarding unhoused members of the community. Tonight's workshop will focus on time, place and manner discussions aimed at dealing with homelessness in parks. The public is invited to attend or view the workshop discussion, which begins at 6 in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street.

 

Due to the ongoing heatwave and wildfire smoke settling into the Rogue Valley, the Mobile Integrative Navigation Team (MINT) is opening its Emergency Cooling Shelter all this week. The Cooling Shelter near Bi-Mart will be open today-Friday from noon to 7 p.m.. MINT said it was working on getting volunteers to help keep it open the same hours next weekend with more to come. MINT officials said they're grateful to their volunteers who have stepped up to help make this possible. If you would like to contribute to this effort, contact their Mealtrain links to sign up to donate meals or snacks. They're also in need of men's clothing donations, which can be dropped off during their hours of operations. To bring dinner items, please visit "mealtrain.com/Omg7yv." To bring snacks and/or sandwich fixings, please visit "mealtrain.com/0mg74v."

 

The Grants Pass Police Department is investigating an apparent fatal shooting that occurred last night near an apartment complex on Rogue River Highway. Details are sketchy this morning as GPPD has not yet issued an official press release on the incident, but the agency sent out a bulletin on Friday at 9:57 p.m. that asked citizens to avoid the 1400-block of Rogue River Highway while they investigated a shooting. At 4:17 a.m. today, GPPD said the highway was open. Trusted sources said the 9-1-1 call came in at 9:20 p.m. and reported five male subjects were armed with rifles, with one man down in the complex parking lot and CPR in progress. The shooter then called 9-1-1 and told dispatchers he shot in self-defense. He was detained and the firearm was secured. The victim was confirmed deceased at 9:34 p.m.. Those same sources said there was an unknown amount of shots fired and there were no other victims. We are awaiting a GPPD press release to clarify details of the shooting.