Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man on two outstanding warrants and probable cause of other crimes during a Wilderville area traffic stop late last week. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies pulled over a blue Toyota Celica driven by a 56-year-old man on Redwood Highway near Little Cheyenne Trail around midday Friday. Deputies said they spotted the driver whom they knew was wanted on two Josephine County felony warrants for charges including two counts of Felony Attempt to Elude Police, Reckless Driving and Methamphetamine Possession. Further investigation revealed that the man was suspected for another criminal incident that was under investigation. The suspect was placed into custody and transported to Grants Pass where he was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrants plus felony charges of 1st-Degree Theft and 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief. His car was parked and secured at his request.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a shoplifter for felony robbery late last week after he fought with a supermarket employee who tried to detain him for petty theft. The Police Department reports officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at WinCo Foods on NE Terry Lane on Friday afternoon. Police said the 31-year-old male subject stole just over $28 worth of items from WinCo by putting them in a shopping cart and pushing it past all points of sale without paying. They said he was confronted outside the store by loss prevention and he used physical force against an employee in an attempt to retain the items. The suspect then ran to his truck in the WinCo parking lot where he was arrested by responding officers. Surveillance footage was reviewed, which confirmed the man had scuffled with the worker. The stolen items were recovered. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a felony charges of 3rd-Degree Robbery and a misdemeanor charge of 3rd-Degree Theft. He was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon Department of Forestry extinguished a wildfire that erupted yesterday in the Hog Creek area west of Merlin. ODF Southwest and Rural Metro Fire Department were dispatched to the reported blaze northeast of Hog Creek Boat Landing on Sunday afternoon. ODF officials said arriving units estimated the fire to be five acres in size. Crews quickly lined 75% of the fire, slowing most of the growth in 90-degree heat. There were no evacuations ordered and no structures were threatened. At 7:40 p.m., officials said the fire was stopped at 5.71 acres, with 100% of the blaze lined and 20% of it mopped up. Firefighters remained engaged with the fire overnight to ensure it was completely extinguished. According to ODF, the cause of the fire remains under investigation. As temperatures continue to heat up this spring, the risk of wildfires starting and spreading will naturally increase as well. Please be aware of these heightened chances and help ODF keep Southern Oregon wildfire-free.

 

A motorist escaped injury when their vehicle struck a bear on Redwood Highway south of Cave Junction.. The Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response and Oregon State Police were dispatched to the single-vehicle crash near milepost 32 of US Highway 199 on Friday at 10:39 p.m.. IVFD officials said arriving units found a vehicle into a guardrail and a bear that was hit by the truck was declared deceased. The single occupant of the vehicle was not injured. Jerry's Towing hauled the damaged vehicle to Cave Junction. OSP conducted the interview of the driver and removed the deceased bear from the highway. Troopers were assisted by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

 

Emergency first responders were treated to a rare spectacle when they responded to a weekend vehicle fire on Redwood Highway at Hayes Hill. The Illinois Valley Fire District, Rural Metro Fire Department and Oregon State Police responded to a small vehicle fire near milepost 16 of US Highway 199 on Friday at about 10:40 p.m.. IVFD officials said the occupants noticed smoke coming from the engine, pulled over and discovered the fire. A passing tow truck driver stopped and extinguished the flames prior to the arrival of first responders. No one was hurt and the vehicle was towed away. Rural Metro officials said the vehicle fire gave firefighters and state troopers a rare glimpse of the Aurora Borealis, which was made possible by a strong geomagnetic storm due to solar flares from the sun.

 

The Grants Pass City Council will open its bi-weekly workshop session today with interviews of candidates for the Urban Area Planning Commission (UAPC). The UAPC consists of eight members appointed by the City Council. It is the advisory agency for the Council on land use procedures. Next up on the agenda is "Private Streets and Home Builders Association Timing" followed by the First Quarter Work Plan Update and a review of the agenda for Wednesday night's regular meeting. Following the workshop, Mayor Sara Bristol will convene a Special Meeting in Executive Session. The closed-door meeting will be led by the City Attorney on current and/or likely litigation. Today's workshop begins at 11:45 a.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street.

 

The Cave Junction City Council meets tonight to consider two new ordinances, a park use request and an Oregon Liquor & Cannabis Commission recommendation. Following the regular Council Update from Public Works Director Alex Ponder, the panel will hear planning updates and consider a request regarding a Skatepark Memorial event on June 21st. The Council will also decide whether to provide an OLCC recommendation for Li'l Pantry Market & Deli. Two ordinances will be under consideration. One would amend the Zoning Map and Comprehensive Plan while the other would make rate changes for city water and sewer services. Tonight's meeting starts at 7 in the City Council Chambers at 222 Lister Street in Cave Junction.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters logged a busy week of activity while protecting citizens and structures. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 592 calls for service along with 253 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 41 arrests, 30 citations, 35 warnings and five highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 55 traffic stops in the city and made 24 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 182 potential trouble-makers while arresting six people, citing 12 more and warning 38 others. The CRT unit also trespassed six individuals, posted 110 transient camps and removed trash from five campsites. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 113 calls last week including 67 for emergency medical service, one report of fire or smoke, 15 lift assists, 10 rescue situations, five assists to other agencies and seven false alarms. The 9-1-1 Dispatch Center fielded a total of 1,120 emergency calls in addition to 739 non-emergency calls for service.

 

May 12th through May 18th is "National Police Week," which honors all law enforcement officers throughout the United States who have given their lives to safeguard our rights and freedoms. Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel invites citizens to join him in remembering those officers and showing appreciation for the sacrifices they and their families have made. Please join the Sheriff's Office, Grants Pass Police Department and Oregon State Police to salute their memory on the steps of the Josephine County Courthouse at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Roll call of local law enforcement personnel who have paid the ultimate price and lost their lives in the line of duty include Trooper Burrell Baucom in July 1933, Search and Rescue Captain Emmett Blackmun in September 1968, Deputy Alice Moran and Deputy Glenn Allen in November 1971, Sergeant Marvin Brewster in April 1972, and Deputy Thomas Rice in May 2002. For those wishing to attend the ceremony but are unable to make it, Sheriff Daniel said it will be live-streamed on their social media platforms.