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Today's Special Election Features Numerous Candidates Running for Board Positions

Today's Special Election features candidates running for leadership positions for local school and community college boards, the library district, fire districts, a park district and a water district. A number of the candidates are running unopposed. Contested races include three positions on the Grants Pass School Board. Gary Richardson is defending his seat against Judy Christensen, Cassie Wilkins is defending her seat against Tom Sheckells and Quin Collins Pehrson is taking on Marjie Wilkie. Six candidates are running for three positions on the Three Rivers School Board. The races include Cameron Camp against Neigel Von Hruska, Mariah Rossi versus Bill Ertel and Carrin Godfrey against Rick Nelson. There is one contested race for the Josephine Community Library District Board, with Kelly Robinson taking on Tommi Drake. There is one contested race for the Josephine County Rural Fire Protection District, with Ralph Weidling against Michael Grant. Claudia Pratt is running against Jim Krois for the Williams Rural Fire Protection District. As of Monday evening, the Josephine County Clerk's Office reported an unofficial turnout of just 14.44% of ballots received and 13.65% of ballots accepted. The deadline for the return of ballots by hand or in the mail is 8 o'clock this evening.

Posted on 5/20/25 6:11AM by Sam Marsh

Phoenix High Student Selected as Winner of Oregon Congressional Art Contest

US Representative Cliff Bentz has announced that a junior from Phoenix High School has been selected as the winner of Oregon's Congressional Art Contest out of a record number of 38 submissions. Talula Heckendorf's artwork, "Man Walking Through an Alaskan Town," was selected by a panel of five judges who praised the piece as having 'great depth, detail and perspective.' Talula may travel to Washington, DC, to see her artwork displayed in the national student art exhibit in the US Capitol and attend a reception in her honor. Bentz also announced three regional winners from Oregon's Second District. They will have their art displayed in one of the Congressman's offices in Medford, Ontario or Washington, DC. They are Heckendorf, Avery McLean of Crater High School and Lesly Alvarado-Perez of McLoughlin High School. Congressman Bentz thanked the 38 young artists for their "amazing" submissions and the judges for their work in judging the 2025 competition.

Posted on 5/20/25 6:09AM by Sam Marsh

GP City Council Directs Staff to Create Competitive Grant for Non-Profit to Manage Shelter & Navigation Center

The City Council’s Monday workshop to deal with alternative approaches to a low barrier shelter and navigation center to deal with the homeless situation. Council is considering providing real property to deal with the unhoused population. Real property would be either currently owned or to be purchased. Council directed staff to create a competitive grant program a private entity would apply for to manage either or both a low barrier shelter and navigation center. The goal would be to reduce or eliminate the current no barrier camps. The program would be brought back to the Council at the June 2nd workshop, to be followed by a community forum.The Grants Pass City Council directed staff to initiate a rate review for revenue bonding to fund the new water treatment plant. Impact to citizens will be a 2.5 percent increase in water rates for three years. A single-family dwelling currently paying $47.45 monthly for water only would be paying $54.23 in 2028.The increase was needed after the federal government cancelled FEMA’s BRIC grant program that had already approved $50 million for the proposed water treatment plant. Council moved forward due to concerns for fragility of the current plant. Councilors also received updates on Economic Development funds and Urban renewal grants. The programs are for among other things, attracting visitors from over 50 miles outside of the urban area, plus updating and beautifying Grants Pass’s downtown area. The fiscal budget for 2026 is just over $468,000.

Posted on 5/19/25 2:53PM by Chuck Benson

Authorities Continues Enforcement of Shoplifting & Theft Violations

Local authorities continue enforcing shoplifting and theft laws with three more arrests Sunday. The first occurred when Amy Ward, 44, was seen on Walmart security cameras at self-checkout knowingly not scanning items and placing them in her shopping cart. She passed the final point of sale and was stopped at the door by Walmart asset protection. Officers issued a citation and court date and trespassed her from Walmart. At 4:23 Sunday afternoon Walmart loss prevention notified law enforcement a shoplifter was being detained in their office. 32-yar-old Jillian Roberts was arrested and lodged in jail on theft III charges. She was released this morning. At 7:31 Sunday evening Catalyst Pizza called City Police to report a woman stole money from the tip jar and was currently passing the A-1 market on foot. Angelica Lane was located and had spent part of the $3 she had taken from Catalyst at the market. She was arrested and lodged in jail for theft III and remained in custody this morning.

Posted on 5/19/25 10:04AM by Chuck Benson

GPPD Arrest Woman for Possession of Fentanyl & Meth

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman with an active warrant and found her to be in possession of both fentanyl and methamphetamine. At 3:48 p.m. Sunday an officer recognized Hope Susan Hoover, 33, and knew she was wanted. After confirming the warrant and Hoover’s identity the officer observed the tip of a small, clear baggie in her left pants pocket. The baggie was removed and contained a chalky white substance that Hoover admitted was fentanyl. The fentanyl had a gross weight of 7.9 grams.She was transported to the Josephine County Jail where, during the dress out process two more baggies were removed from between her buttocks. One tested positive for fentanyl and the other tested positive for meth. At that time, she told deputies she swallowed four grams of fentanyl during her initial contact with officers. She was transported to the hospital for medical clearance, and then returned to the jail where she is being held possession charges for both fentanyl and meth plus the out of county hold warrant.

Posted on 5/19/25 9:39AM by Chuck Benson

911 Call for Break-In Results in Arrest for Drugs & Driving Suspended

A 911 call came from a woman that advised she wasn’t home but could see someone on camera breaking into her home the 100 block of Neila Lane. The woman stated some cameras were not working and wasn’t sure what was happening but did mention a vehicle. A responding officer reported a visual of a white truck in the area of Neila Lane and Redwood Avenue and contacted Bret Leon Court-Murphy, 49, at the truck. Court-Murphy was found to be driving while suspended-misdemeanor and was taken into custody. A baggie with a white substance was located in his right front pocket after he consented to a search. He advised it was methamphetamine and it tested positive as such. He was lodged in the Josephine County Jail on the Driving while revoked charge and possession of meth. According to jail records this was Court-Murphy’s 5th incarceration this month for various offenses including assault, harassment, resisting arrest and contempt of court. There was no further word on a break-in.

Posted on 5/19/25 9:18AM by Chuck Benson

GPPD Arrest Woman on Forgery Charges Following Trespass Allegation

A 32-year-old woman is in the Josephine County Jail after being Trespassed from Los Postres Ice Cream.Grants Pass City Police received a call from the business asking that she be trespassed from their location. The business stated she was tall with a hat, and two dogs and said she looks like she has a train behind her with two wagons and the canines. Officers contacted Holly Marie Long near the intersection of Ringuette and West Park Street. Officers found Long to have a serviceable warrant and, following confirming her identity, trespassed her from that location and lodged her in the County jail for forgery II. Long remained in custody this morning.

Posted on 5/19/25 8:11AM by Chuck Benson

Fire Restrictions in Place for All BLM Lands in Oregon & Washington

Fire restrictions went into effect for all Bureau of Land Management public lands throughout Oregon and Washington on May 15th. BLM leaders encourage all visitors to be aware of active restrictions and closures as warmer, drier weather is forecasted around the Pacific Northwest. Those who violate the prohibition may be fined up to $100,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 12 months. In addition, those found responsible for starting wildland fires on federal lands can be billed for the cost of fire suppression.
For the complete order and more information on seasonal fire restrictions and fire closures, please see www.blm.gov/orwafire.

Posted on 5/19/25 7:36AM by Chuck Benson

Early Sunday Crash Lands Driver in Jail

A 34-year-old man is in the Josephine County Jail following an early Sunday morning motor vehicle crash. The Josephine County Sheriff’s log’s first note came at 12:58 a.m. requesting a DMV identity check and an indication the Deputy was with a driver for DUII testing. The Deputy was reporting the driver hit a guardrail in the area of the Redwood Highway and Riverbanks Road. Little to no damage was observed. The vehicle was towed. Jacob Pass was lodged for careless drive and DUII and remained in custody this morning,

Posted on 5/19/25 7:35AM by Chuck Benson

Two indicted on Murder Charges by Grand Jury

The Grand Jury indicted two men on serious but separate charges last week. 24-year-old Christian Michael Loop turned himself in to the Grants Pass City Police last week following his indictment for 2nd degree murder. The charge stemmed from an April 23rd incident in which a man was stabbed during an argument in the 1700 block of Southwest G Street. The victim was eventually transported to the Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, but within days succumbed to the stab wound.
Loop remains incarcerated in the Josephine County Jail. The Grand Jury also indicted 33-year-old Adin Kimball who allegedly stabbed his mother with a butcher Knife on the morning of May 7th. 911 received a call from the mother who still had the 12-inch butcher knife impaled in her shoulder blade area. Kimball is facing a charge of attempted murder. Jail records do not show Kimball as being incarcerated as of this morning.

Posted on 5/19/25 7:33AM by Chuck Benson

Grand Jury Indicts Son for Attempted Murder after Stabbing Mother

Adin Kimball, the adult son who allegedly stabbed his mother with a butcher knife, has been indicted by the grand jury for Attempted Murder. On the morning of May 7th at approximately 10:16 a.m., the Grants Pass 9-1-1 Center received a call from a mother who said her son had stabbed her in the back, and the knife was still impaled in her. Grants Pass Police officers, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue, and AMR medics expedited their response to the scene on SW Vicki Lane. Upon arrival, police officers arrested Adin Kimball, a 33-year-old male, and began first aid for the victim who still had an approximately 12-inch butcher knife sticking from her shoulder blade area. The arriving medics stabilized the victim and transported her to the Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment, where she remained in serious condition. Grants Pass Police Detectives assisted with the investigation, and Adin Kimball was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Assault in the first degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. A check of jail records Friday did not show Kimball to be incarcerated.

Posted on 5/16/25 2:01PM by Chuck Benson

Murder Suspect Indicted & Arrested

A man accused of 2nd degree murder turned himself in to the Grants Pass Police Thursday. 24-year-old Christian Michael Loop was lodged in the Josephine County Jail with an arraignment set for Friday.The charges stem from a crime that occurred April 23rd when an adult male was reported stabbed during an argument in the 1700 block of Southwest “G” Street. The victim was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center with life-threatening injuries and then taken to Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford for further lifesaving medical treatment. Within days the victim succumbed to his stab wound. The Grants Pass Police Major Crimes Unit continued their investigation that resulted in Christian Loop, a 24-year-old male, being indicted by the Grand Jury for Murder in the second degree. Yesterday Christian Loop turned himself in for arrest at the Grants Pass Police Department and was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the Murder warrant.

Posted on 5/16/25 10:14AM by Chuck Benson

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