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State Fire Marshal Urges Oregonians to Create Defensible Space around Homes

Last year, Oregon had one of the most destructive fire seasons in its history. With 1.9 million acres burned, communities were tested and lives were changed. But amid the devastation, there were also stories of resilience -- homes that stood strong because they had defensible space. As May marks "Wildfire Awareness Month," the Oregon State Fire Marshal is urging Oregonians to act now. With the possibility of another challenging fire season ahead, preparing your home could make all the difference. Start with small changes that have a big impact. Space and prune trees to prevent fires from climbing into canopies. Remove leaves, pine needles, bark mulch and other debris within 100 feet of structures or up to your property line. Clean roofs and gutters of flammable debris. Move combustible materials -- like mulch and firewood -- away from your home. Keep plants trimmed and clear of dead material, especially near the house. Avoid planting directly under eaves -- leave at least a five-foot buffer. As you clean up your yard, be mindful about disposal. Consider chipping, composting or recycling. If burning is necessary, always follow local rules. Debris burns that get out of control are the leading cause of human-caused wildfires in Oregon. For more information, please visit "oregondefensiblespace.org."

Posted on 5/7/25 6:19AM by Sam Marsh

Grants Pass Public Works Celebrates "Drinking Water Week" with Citywide Information

It's Drinking Water Week 2025. For more than 40 years, the American Water Works Association and its members have used Drinking Water Week as a unique opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to recognize the vital role water plays in our daily lives. This week, Grants Pass Public Works will present information about the drinking water in this city along with some items of interest for children. How much water does the average city customer use each day? Residential customers of Grants Pass use an average of approximately 350 gallons per day. It's important to note that Grants Pass tracks its customers, not individual water users. A customer account likely has several people living there, especially if it's one of the 1,000+ multi-family housing units in the city. How long is the water distribution system in Grants Pass? The distribution system is made up of five different elevation zones and over 188 miles of distribution lines varying in size from two to 36 inches in diameter.

Posted on 5/7/25 6:18AM by Sam Marsh

Rentec Direct of GP Once Again One of "Best Companies to Work For in Oregon"

For the second year in a row, a Grants Pass-based company is among the "100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon" -- a list compiled by Oregon Business Magazine. Companies on the 2025 list are celebrated for building outstanding workplaces dedicated to employee satisfaction, recruitment and retention. Rentec Direct's commitment to creating a strong sense of community among its 18 employees distinguishes the company as a standout employer. Robust employee engagement programs -- from company-wide social outings to team philanthropy initiatives -- coupled with competitive compensation and benefits packages have contributed to an impressive employee retention rate after nearly 20 years in business. The property management software company was founded in 2007 and remains proudly headquartered in Grants Pass, offering stability and security to employees while contributing to the local economy.

Posted on 5/7/25 6:16AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Man for Multiple Crimes after Catching Him Prowling on NE C

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for multiple crimes after they caught him prowling around properties in the northeast part of the city late last night. The Police Department reports officers arrested 44-year-old Joshua Colin Hawkins in the 1100-block of NE C Street on Monday shortly before 11 p.m.. Police said Hawkins was called in for attempting to enter an Air B&B through the front door and then went to the back of the house through a gate. The occupant told him to leave and he appeared to be casing other nearby properties. Another person reported that he tried to enter their house through a sliding glass door. Officers arrived on scene and found Hawkins exiting a carport with an arm full of items. The suspect took off running and a short foot pursuit took place before he was tackled to the ground and placed into custody. According to the report, Hawkins was put in ankle restraints for being combative and destructive throughout the incident. No one was injured. Hawkins was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Attempted 1st-Degree Burglary, Felony 2nd-Degree Burglary, 3rd-Degree Theft, 3rd-Degree Criminal Mischief and Attempted Escape. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 5/6/25 11:35AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Nabbed Motorist for DUII, Outstanding Warrant and Narcotics Possession

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving, an outstanding warrant and drug possession during a traffic stop in the Merlin area late last night. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Volkswagen Jetta driven by 25-year-old Cody Miles Marvin on Venture Place near Merlin Road on Monday at 11:21 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Marvin for traffic violations and he displayed signs of impairment. He was found to be wanted on a warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He initially declined to perform field sobriety tests and was placed into custody on the warrant. According to OSP, additional signs of impairment were observed and probable cause was developed to arrest Marvin for DUII. A search of the vehicle uncovered marijuana, alcohol and drug paraphernalia with methamphetamine residue. He was transported to the Josephine County Jail where he agreed to perform sobriety tests and provide a urine sample. Marvin was lodged in jail on the warrant plus new charges of DUII-Controlled Substances, Reckless Driving and Meth Possession. His Jetta was impounded and towed to Grants Pass.

Posted on 5/6/25 11:33AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Arrested Wolf Creek Woman for Drug Possession and Lying about Identity

The Oregon State Police arrested a Wolf Creek woman for drug possession and lying about her identity during a traffic stop late yesterday. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Honda Accord driven by 26-year-old Promise Hope Phelps in the 700-block of North Frontage Road at 5:51 p.m. on Monday. Troopers said Phelps initially provided a false identity because she believed she was wanted on an outstanding warrant. While being questioned, she admitted that she lied about her identity and provided her real name. Turns out the warrant she was worried about was not serviceable in Josephine County. Phelps was detained when troopers observed a drug pipe in plain view in the driver-side door pocket. It had residue of methamphetamine. The paraphernalia was seized as evidence. Phelps was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession and Furnishing False Information to Police. Her car was released to a licensed driver.

Posted on 5/6/25 11:32AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Woman for Drug Possession near Northwest City Restaurant

With some difficulty, Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for drug possession in the northwest part of the city last night. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 38-year-old Shani Renee Fedosky near The Orchid Grill on NW 6th Street on Monday at 6:50 p.m.. Police said a business owner reported Fedosky was smoking out of a drug pipe behind the building and they wanted her trespassed. Officers detained her and her drug paraphernalia field-tested positive for methamphetamine.While transporting Fedosky to the Josephine County Jail, she slipped out of her handcuffs. Officers re-secured the cuffs and she became combative, requiring her to be taken to the ground. No one was injured. Fedosky was lodged in jail for Meth Possession. She was being held without bail. She was also trespassed from the incident location.

Posted on 5/6/25 11:31AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Woman for Drug Possession at NE 7th Street Resting Site

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for drug possession after she was caught openly smoking narcotics at a temporary resting site late yesterday. The Police Department reports officers were performing a patrol check at the NE 7th Street resting site when they contacted 35-year-old Brittany Rae Adams on Monday shortly after 4 p.m.. Police said Adams admitted to smoking "second-hand meth" from the pipe. She was placed into custody for Meth Possession and lodged in jail without bail. Officers entered the 7th Street resting site to advise people the site would soon be closing. Numerous subjects were advised that the new NW 5th Street site will be opening and they can move there when it does.

Posted on 5/6/25 11:30AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man on Local Warrant after Disturbance at North-City Motel

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local warrant after finding him hiding inside a vehicle at a north city watering hole last weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a disturbance at or near the Quality Inn on NE 6th Street on Sunday around 10:40 p.m.. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that 42-year-old Amos Joe Nance had threatened her. She identified him as her boyfriend and said the confrontation was verbal. She advised he left the scene and went across the street to the Purple Parrot. Responding officers searched the area and found Nance hiding inside a friend's vehicle in the Purple Parrot parking lot. They decided no crime was committed, but encouraged the woman to seek a restraining order against her boyfriend. Meanwhile, a records check revealed that Nance was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for 1st-Degree Theft. He was placed into custody and lodged in jail on $40,000 bail.

Posted on 5/6/25 11:28AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Snared Woman on Local Warrant while Performing CJ Welfare Check

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a woman on a local warrant while performing a welfare check in Cave Junction yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies were alerted to a female subject sleeping in the backseat of a vehicle parked in the 400-block of Fir Drive on Monday around 3:35 p.m.. Deputies said the caller reported the woman had been inside the car all day and they were unsure if she was sleeping or had overdosed on drugs. The caller told dispatchers the car was parked at a well-known drug house. Upon arrival, deputies contacted 35-year-old Jessica Lee Pitts and discovered that she was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for 1st-Degree Theft. They said she was cooperative while being arrested. Pitts was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. She was being held on $25,000 bail.

Posted on 5/6/25 11:27AM by Sam Marsh

IVFD Responded to and Extinguished Sunday Grass Fire on Holland Loop

The Illinois Valley Fire District had a busy weekend responding to outdoor fires. On Saturday, IVFD crews extinguished an abandoned campfire on Tarter Gulch Road near Cave Junction and an escaped debris burn on Deer Creek Road near Selma. On Sunday at 3:13 p.m., IVFD was dispatched to a grass fire in the 4,000-block of Holland Loop Road. Firefighters discovered an uncontrolled open debris burn had spread to nearby grass and they quickly contained it and mopped it up. No injuries were reported and the size of the fire was not disclosed.

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

Cave Junction Motorcyclist Killed in Redwood Highway Crash Late Last Week

A Cave Junction man was killed when he crashed his motorcycle off Redwood Highway near O'Brien late last week. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle wreck near milepost 35 of US Highway 199 on Friday shortly after 9 a.m.. Troopers said the preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by 37-year-old William Robert Murphy of Cave Junction crossed over the northbound lane, entered a pullout area and left the improved portion of the highway. They said he traveled into a ditch and struck a tree. According to OSP, Murphy was declared deceased at the scene. The highway was impacted for about one hour during on the on-scene investigation. OSP was assisted by the Illinois Valley Fire District and Oregon Department of Transportation.

Posted on 5/6/25 6:44AM by Sam Marsh

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