Local News

For more than 40 years, the American Water Works Association and its members have used "Drinking Water Week" as a unique opportunity for water professionals and the communities they serve to recognize the vital role water plays in our daily lives. The City of Grants Pass is calling all kids -- grades K-12 -- to design a poster to demonstrate this year's theme, which is "What Water Means to Me." Three winners will be chosen from each category. Enter for a chance to win $100, $75 or $50. Winners and their artwork will be featured on City social media platforms and on Josephine County Transit buses this summer. Entries will be judged on creativity, originality and relevance to the theme. Entrants are allowed to use crayons, colored pencils, markers, pens or watercolors on an 8-1/2-by-11-inch piece of paper. For more information, contact Grants Pass Public Works at (541)-450-6110 or email Susan Morgan at "smorgan@grantspassoregon.gov."

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office successfully rounded up six local fugitives in five different locations yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports the first incident occurred on Thursday at 8:15 a.m. when deputies arrested 60-year-old Dennis Manuel Haugh at a transient camp on Shan Creek Road. Haugh was lodged in jail on a Josephine County warrant for 1st-Degree Theft and Probation Violation. The second incident happened at 3:47 p.m. when deputies arrested 39-year-old Jesse Nathaniel Firestone and 34-year-old Thomas Alan Kincaid in the 500-block of SW Alder Street. Firestone was wanted on Grants Pass and Josephine County felony warrants for probation and drug violations while Kincaid was jailed for a probation violation. The third incident took place at 4:36 p.m. when deputies arrested 34-year-old Jonathan Robert Davis in the 100-block of Smokey Lane. Davis was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Felony Attempt to Elude Police and Reckless Driving as well as a Grants Pass warrant for Resisting Arrest. The fourth incident occurred at 5:30 p.m. when deputies arrested 45-year-old Zara Heather Thomas in the 2900-block of Foothill Boulevard. She was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation related to a drug conviction. The fifth incident happened at 7:30 p.m. when deputies arrested 46-year-old Dustin Jay Vanhulzen in the 3300-block of Rogue River Highway. He was wanted on Grants Pass and Josephine County warrants for 4th-Degree Assault, Strangulation and Contempt of Court.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a frequent offender for drug and probation violations yesterday following a report of suspicious activity near a downtown barber shop. The Police Department reports officers arrested 31-year-old Mark Jeffrey Mislon behind Rogue Barbers in the 700-block of NW 6th Street at 1:08 p.m. Thursday. Police said they responded to a report of three male subjects who went behind the shop. They contacted two subjects identified as "Kane" and "Brennan," warning them for trespassing. The third subject was identified as Mislon. Officers said Mislon was "extremely impaired" by a narcotic stimulant. During a consent search, he was found with a small amount of methamphetamine -- which was seized for destruction. His corrections officer was notified about the incident. Mislon was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession and the resulting Felony Probation Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Mislon has been arrested for violating his probation seven times since June 2024.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on four outstanding warrants early yesterday after he was reported to be obstructing traffic on the south side of Caveman Bridge. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident involving 35-year-old Scott Anthony Murphy near the corner of West Park Street and Lewis Avenue on Thursday around 8:15 a.m.. Police said Murphy had generated multiple calls by walking in front of vehicles on West Park Street and impeding traffic. At least two motorists reported that the man caused them to stop and one of them said he tried to open their car door. Upon arrival, officers observed Murphy obstructing traffic and they detained him. They quickly discovered that he was wanted on three Josephine County warrants and one Jackson County warrant charging him with failing to appear in court for Telephonic Harassment, Improper Use of 9-1-1, Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving and Criminal Trespass. Murphy was lodged at the Josephine County on the warrants plus a new charge of Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested an out-of-compliance sex offender on a local warrant on the west side of the city yesterday. The Police Department reports officers placed 41-year-old Nickalas Owen Zook into custody in the 700-block of SW Greenwood Avenue at 11:46 a.m. Thursday. Police said they were looking for Zook during "Operation Sentinel," an effort to round up noncompliant sex offenders. They said Zook had failed to report as a convicted sex offender as ordered by a Josephine County Circuit Court judge. During Zook's arrest, officers discovered that he was also wanted on a Josephine County warrant for Contempt of Court. Zook was lodged in jail on the warrant and for Felony Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for drugged driving and drug possession last night after receiving multiple traffic complaints near Home Depot. According to the Police Department, officers responded to complaints of a possible impaired driver in a Chevrolet Tahoe in that area shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday. Police said the callers reported the male driver appeared to be impaired when he got into the pickup. They said he was both speeding and swerving as they followed him to the Grants Pass Shopping Center. Officers contacted the 54-year-old man near Southern Oregon Goodwill and said he showed numerous signs of impairment from a narcotic stimulant. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was detained. During a search of his vehicle, they found a small baggy with a white crystal substance that field-tested positive as methamphetamine. It was seized as evidence and for destruction. The suspect was transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center for breath and urine samples. He was subsequently charged with Driving Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance and Meth Possession.

 

The Oregon State Police was looking for the driver of a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run crash that occurred yesterday on Redwood Highway west of Grants Pass. According to OSP, troopers responded to a hit-and-run involving state property damage on US Highway 199 near Robinson Road on Thursday at 3:25 p.m.. Troopers said the suspect vehicle -- a black Toyota Tacoma with Oregon license plates -- fled just before they arrived on scene and an investigation is pending. Anyone with information on the suspect or suspect vehicle is encouraged to dial *OSP.

 

Grants Pass Police cited at least eight motorists for speeding in designated school zones on Thursday. GPPD officers were watching for speeders near Grants Pass High School, South Middle School and a downtown private school yesterday -- and the effort paid off. Police said all school zones across the state are posted with a 20 mile-per-hour speed limit, but most of the motorists pulled over yesterday were traveling at 30 miles per hour or more. The traffic stops resulted in speeding citations as well as some other moving and equipment violations. Motorists are encouraged to slow down whenever they're in the vicinity of schools and especially when they see flashing yellow lights.

 

Four members of the Josephine County Sheriff's Office were honored this week for saving the life of a co-worker in February. Just over one month ago, Sheriff's Office employee Doug Dulong suffered a traumatic medical event while working at their facility. Doug's family came to the Sheriff's Office and recognized the four for their roles in saving his life. Lieutenant Geiger, Detective Sergeant Henrich and Evidence Technicians Kayla Lauer and Haylee Bayard were presented with plaques from the family that read: "In recognition of your heroic bravery, swift decision-making, expertise and training that saved the life of fellow co-worker Doug DuLong, who suffered a critical cardiac event on February 6, 2025, in Grants Pass, we are forever grateful." In a photo taken at the event, Doug is holding the automatic external defibrillator (AED) that was used to save his life.