Local News

Firefighters knocked down a small fire in northeast Jackson County yesterday. On Tuesday afternoon, the Oregon Department of Forestry and Jackson County Fire District #4 responded to a reported blaze in the 17,000-block of Highway 62. ODF officials said arriving units found a quarter-acre fire burning alongside the highway. They mounted an aggressive attack and stopped forward progression of the fire at an estimated one acre. Crews lined the fire and began mopping up. According to ODF, the cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

The Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) raided an illegal cannabis growing site near Cave Junction this week. On Monday, JMET -- with assistance from federal agencies including the FBI, US Homeland Security, US Marshal Service, BLM and IRS -- served a search warrant in the 200-block of Dick George Road. During execution of the warrant, six pounds of processed marijuana and more than 1,500 marijuana plants were seized and destroyed. A firearm was also seized in the search. The property had multiple electrical, water and solid waste code violations that could result in civil forfeiture of the property. The primary suspects were not on scene during the time of the search. If located, they will be charged with Unlawful Manufacture of Marijuana and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana. According to JMET, the investigation is ongoing and no further details about the incident are being released at this time.

 

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office arrested a Prospect man for intentionally starting a June 18th fire in the Red Blanket Road area. Last Wednesday at 1:57 p.m., the Oregon Department of Forestry responded to a fire in the area east of Prospect. Firefighters were able to stop the blaze at an estimated two acres. During the firefight, an ODF firefighter reported observing a suspect -- later identified as 51-year-old Allen Lee Bicknell, a Prospect area transient -- acting in a suspicious manner before he fled on foot. Deputies located Bicknell in the 44,000-block of Highway 62. The suspect briefly barricaded himself in a house before he was placed into custody. He was lodged at the Jackson County Jail for 1st-Degree Arson and Reckless Burning. A Jackson County grand jury on Tuesday indicted Bicknell on both charges.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for making a big nuisance of himself at the Ray's Food Place in Selma this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a trespassing call involving 28-year-old William Gene Bruhnsen Studzinski at the supermarket in the 100-block of Deer Creek Road around midday Monday. Deputies said they were first alerted to Studzinski's antics shortly after 8 a.m.. The store manager called 9-1-1 to report a male subject was there the night before, starting fires on the side of the building, throwing trash all over the parking lot and scattering grocery carts. He fled the scene, but was identified through photographs. More than three hours later, deputies located Studzinski at CJ Coffee in Cave Junction. Deputies told him he could not leave, but he walked away. He was grabbed and started resisting, so he was taken to the ground and handcuffed. Studzinski was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Criminal Mischief, Reckless Burning and Interfering with a Police Officer. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorist for impaired driving and more after she crashed a vehicle near Merlin this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle wreck near the intersection of Azalea Drive and Robertson Bridge Road early Monday morning. Deputies said they were alerted to the incident by an Azalea Drive resident who advised he heard a vehicle roll at least five times while taking out several mail boxes. Upon the arrival of law enforcement, 36-year-old Desiray Deon Tolson was out of the vehicle and walking around. Fortunately, she was not badly hurt. According to the report, Tolson displayed signs of impairment and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. A search warrant was obtained and she was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented inebriation. Tolson was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving and Criminal Mischief. She was being held without bail and her wrecked vehicle was impounded

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District and Oregon Department of Forestry battled a vegetation fire in the Selma area early yesterday. On Tuesday at 6:19 a.m., IVFD and ODF crews were dispatched to the reported fire in the 1,000-block of Thompson Creek Road. Firefighters promptly addressed the incident by successfully containing and extinguishing the blaze, with a total of just under a quarter-acre affected. IVFD officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District is seeking bids for a water and sewer line expansion project. Qualified contractors are invited to submit a bid for the project for IVFD, which is headquartered at 681 Caves Highway in Cave Junction. Bid documents may be viewed and ordered online by registering with the issuing office at "civilwest.com" under "Bidding." Bidders may download the digital plan documents through QuestCDN. Contact QuestCDN at (952)-233-1632 or by email at "info@questcdn.com." The deadline for bids is 2 p.m. on Monday, June 30th, at which time the bid opening will take place. For more information, contact IVFD Chief John Holmes at (541)-415-1151 or "johnholmes@ivfire.com."

 

The City of Grants Pass -- in partnership with the Oregon Department of Transportation -- is working to make the downtown area a safe, more active and easier place to get around for everyone. The 6th & 7th Streets Multimodal Corridor Study is focused on identifying practical, fundable improvements for non-automobile travel. The study builds on earlier planning work and supports the City's 2020 Master Transportation System Plan. Retail businesses in the Central Business District serve a mix of both the local community and visitors. Adjacent areas are primarily residential, with community spaces, schools and public buildings. 6th and 7th streets form the spine of the downtown transportation system, which is presently auto-dominated but affords many opportunities for safety and access improvements to the pedestrian, bicycle and transit networks. The study corridor extends from Interstate 5 Exit 58 southward across the Rogue River to the Big Y intersection of Rogue River, Williams and Redwood highways. It encompasses 6th and 7th streets (US Highway 99) and adjacent streets from 4th to 9th streets. An Advisory Committee made up of local stakeholders is helping guide the process to make sure the proposed improvements reflect the needs and values of the Grants Pass community.

 

Total payroll employment in Josephine County rose by 220 jobs in May led by strong gains in leisure & hospitality. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 32,953 people working in Josephine County last month for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 6.4%, which was slightly higher than the 6.2% mark announced in April. Leisure & hospitality gained 170 jobs in May. Other industries posting estimated employment increases were private education & health services and retail trade. Government employment increased by 50 jobs. Gains were posted in federal, state and local government education. Over the past year, payroll employment in Josephine County was down by 630 jobs, a loss of 2.3%. Employment fell over the year in most private-sector industries. The most notable declines occurred in retail trade (-190), leisure & hospitality (-120), financial activities (-110), manufacturing (-70), construction (-60) and wholesale trade (-60).