Local News

The Illinois Valley Fire District mobilized against a grass fire at a state park south of Cave Junction late yesterday. On Monday at 4:36 p.m., IVFD and the Oregon Department of Forestry were dispatched to the blaze at Illinois River Forks State Park. IVFD officials said units arrived at the park to find an active grass fire, which was extinguished and mopped up. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

Rural Metro Fire Department wants to be sure local residents are ready to go this week as hot temperatures and dry weather will pose a challenge to the community. Rural Metro officials passed along several reminders and safety tips as hot weather invades the region starting on Thursday. Avoid any activity that might cause a spark and start a fire. Use only legal fireworks in safe locations on Independence Day, with water readily available. Take protective action with pets that might be frightened by the sounds of fireworks. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Avoid any unnecessary outdoor activity if you are susceptible to heat-related illness. Do not leave pets or children unattended in a vehicle under any circumstances. Check on elderly family and friends that live alone to make sure they stay cool and comfortable.

 

The City of Grants Pass has reached the next step in the design process for the replacement Water Treatment Plant. The city has hired Slayden Constructors, Inc., as the design-builder for the new water treatment plant located at 755 SE J Street. Carollo Engineers is the design consultant. The new membrane water filtration plant has an estimated construction value of $90 million and $40 to $50 million could go to local contractors. At Monday's City Council workshop, Public Works Director Jason Canady said the cost estimate for the new water treatment plant right now is between $104.5 million and $123.8 million. He said construction could begin as soon as next spring, with completion of the plant in either late 2027 or early 2028. Slayden Constructors will be requesting subcontractor and supplier bids for numerous scopes of work. The anticipated solicitation date is July 15th, with anticipated bids due on August 20th. For any inquiries before the bid release date, please contact Vanessa Mora at "Vanessa.Mora@mwhcontractors.com" or call (503)-782-1979. Slayden Contractors is an EEO employers and requests sub-bids from all interested firms -- including emerging small businesses, minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses and disadvantaged business enterprises.

 

The Grants Pass City Council has directed staff to look at available resources to rebuild Caveman Pool. During its Monday workshop session, the City Council heard a presentation from Community Development Director Brad Clark on Caveman Pool funding options. Clark said the Council reviewed two pool designs on April 29th and heard a donation request from the Grants Pass Family YMCA on June 3rd. The YMCA asked the city to donate park land in the Allen Creek area to facilitate a partnership aimed at building a new facility with a pool on the south side of the river. Meanwhile, the Grants Pass Parks Advisory Committee made a motion to make a modest effort to renovate Caveman Pool to extend its useful life by 20 years. The estimated cost to do that would be just over $1 million as opposed to an estimated cost to completely renovate the pool of up to $13.5 million. Councilor Brian DeLaGrange made a motion to direct staff to look at existing funding streams for an $11 million renovation of the aging pool. DeLaGrange said he believes the renovation could take place without the city having to float a bond measure to pay for it. He suggested untapped project funds dedicated to parks. The motion passed by a 5-3 tally.

 

The National Weather Service has posted an Excessive Heat Watch for most of southwest Oregon and northern California starting on Independence Day. According to an Urgent Weather Message, the Excessive Heat Watch will be in effect from Thursday morning through Sunday evening in Josephine, Jackson, central Douglas, eastern Curry and Siskiyou counties. Nearly every city in the region will be affected by the extreme heat including Grants Pass, Medford, Ashland, Cave Junction, Merlin and Rogue River. Dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures between 100 and 115 degrees, with low temperatures in the 60s are expected through next weekend. Heat-related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat events. NWS officials say residents should drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned rooms, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Local residents should monitor the latest weather forecasts for updates including if the Excessive Heat Watch becomes an Excessive Heat Warning.

 

All evacuation levels are canceled for the Upper Applegate Fire due to successful firefighting efforts over the last few days. The Oregon Department of Forestry reported this morning that the final size of the wildfire will be 1,143 acres, with the fire completely encircled by direct line. Mop-up last night reached 300 feet into the interior of the blaze in some area, upping the mop-up percentage to 35%. Around 300 personnel are assigned to the wildfire today including 11 20-person hand crews backed by six engines, three water tenders and five tree-fallers. The number of aircraft assigned remains the same as Sunday's fleet, with two Type 2 helicopters for water bucket drops and one Type 3 helicopter operating as an air attack platform. A scaled-down Type 4 incident management team led by the BLM will be taking command of the fire tomorrow morning. The new team is shadowing the current organization for a full shift today to ensure a smooth transition. Key personnel -- including the incident commander -- have been working for the past two days. Firefighters on the new team will continue to mop up and conduct suppression repairs. However, ODF officials said even when this work is completed, smoke may be seen within the fire perimeter for several more weeks or even months. They said ODF and the Applegate Valley Fire District are always ready to respond. According to ODF Southwest, this will be the final update on the Upper Applegate Fire unless there is a significant change in conditions.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant over the weekend. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 32-year-old male subject behind Mini Pet Mart on Rogue River Highway on Saturday at 3:46 p.m.. Police said the man they identified as 32-year-old Aliczandr Mikal McClymonds was wanted on an Oregon state warrant for Felony Parole Violation stemming from a past robbery conviction. They spotted him during a routine patrol check. Officers said McClymonds attempted to hide in the bushes behind Mini Pet Mart, but he was located due to the bushes moving around and the crunching noises he made while hiding. He was placed into custody without further incident. McClymonds was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for violating terms of his probation after he left Three Rivers Medical Center without receiving care for an injury he sustained in a weekend fall. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident involving the 36-year-old man at the hospital on SW Ramsey Avenue on Saturday around 5:30 p.m.. Police said they had contacted the man regarding a welfare check at Tussing Park earlier in the day and discovered that he had fallen and suffered severe injuries. His corrections officers was contacted and requested that he be placed on a detainer. The corrections client was transported to the hospital for treatment, but he left the facility without receiving medical care. The man was located back at Tussing Park and placed into custody. He was taken back to the hospital where he received medical clearance before being lodged at the Josephine County Jail without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for causing a disruption at Riverside Park during a weekend children's event. The Police Department reports officers responded to the disturbance at the city park on Saturday shortly before 1 p.m.. Police said a caller reported the female subject was bathing herself in the sink of the public restroom near the upper gazebo. They said the woman was screaming at any person or child that came into the restroom while ruining the kids' event. According to the report, the 42-year-old woman had been warned for trespassing at Riverside Park on June 24th, but she returned to the park and engaged in disorderly conduct. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. She was being held without bail and her trespass warning was updated to Saturday's date. Her personal property was logged into evidence for safekeeping.