Local News

The Josephine Community Library Foundation has pledged its full support for the library district in response to the Board of Commissioners' January 6th vote to terminate the lease for the Grants Pass branch library. Library Foundation Executive Director Rebecca Stoltz said the Board's decision raises serious concerns about the legality and process of the termination. She calls on the Commissioners to reverse their vote and honor the library's lease agreement, which is set to run through December 31st of this year. Stoltz said the library is a vital community resource, and decisions about its future should reflect thoughtful collaboration and input from the public. Library donors, volunteers and patrons have expressed frustration and a desire to support the library during this critical time. The foundation has provided tools to make that possible including contact information for the Commissioners and a customizable letter template on its website. These resources empower residents to voice their concerns and advocate for the library. The lease termination is scheduled to take effect in 30 days following written notification, potentially disrupting access to critical library programs and services relied upon by thousands of Josephine County residents.

 

Every pet parent's worst nightmare is having their furry family member go missing. In 2025, getting a license for your pet to help them return home is easier than ever. Online pet licensing is now available on Jackson County Animal Services' website. Jackson County Animal Services requires that all dogs over six months old be licensed. This helps ensure compliance with vaccinations and helps keep the whole community safe. If a licensed pet gets loose and ends up with Jackson County Animal Services, they offer a free ride home if it is the pet's first incident in 12 months. This means that your four-legged friend will be returned to you at no charge. In 2024, 55 dogs were returned using the Free Ride Home Program. If a dog is brought to the shelter without a license and the owner is located, they are required to pay the redemption fees along with purchasing a license. The new online system makes it easier than ever for pet parents to protect their pets and keep them safe all year. Make safety for the family your 2025 resolution.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman on a statewide felony warrant after an early morning contact today on the west side of the city. The Police Department reports officers arrested 39-year-old Ciera Michelle Lokken near the corner of SW J and Alder streets at 4:34 this morning. Police said they spotted Lokken pushing a shopping cart at that location and they were familiar with her from frequent law enforcement contacts. She was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a 2021 conviction for an unspecified weapon offense. Lokken was placed into custody without incident and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Community service officers returned the cart to the business from which it was taken. Jail records indicate Lokken has been arrested for violating her post-prison supervision at least nine times in the past year.

 

A Grants Pass Police Department investigation into a violent crime resulted in the arrest of a man last night. The Police Department reports officers arrested 39-year-old Sean Patrick Mitchell in the 200-block of NW 4th Street on Wednesday at 10:04 p.m.. Police said they contacted Mitchell in his parked vehicle at that location and they knew he was a suspect in a criminal investigation. While he was being placed into custody, a glass pipe with methamphetamine residue was found in plain view near the front driver-seat. The pipe was seized for destruction. Mitchell was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for probable cause of Menacing plus a new charge of Meth Possession. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for violating a court order by being caught on his sister's property early today. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing complaint at a home in the 1,000-block of SW I Street shortly after midnight. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her 55-year-old brother just got out of jail and he was on her property, which was in violation of an active restraining order. The caller said she saw her sibling leaning on her car, but he left and went in to her backyard. That's where officers located him and placed him into custody. The suspect was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation and he was being held without bail.

 

A Josephine County jail inmate is facing an additional charge after being served with an outstanding warrant yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports a jail deputy served 38-year-old Braide Preston Shipman with a Josephine County warrant on Wednesday at 1:45 p.m.. Preston was wanted for failing to appear in court for Attempting to Elude Police related to an incident that occurred last year. Jail records show he was already serving a 60-day sentence for Felony Parole Violation. Shipman remains in custody without any scheduled bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant and for drug possession after contacting him on railroad property near the Sobering Center. The Police Department reports 51-year-old Sean William MacDowell was one of two men located on railroad property near the 1300-block of SW Foundry Street on Wednesday around 9:55 a.m.. Police said MacDowell was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Petty Theft and he was placed into custody. During a consent search, he was found to be in possession of a 7.7-gram baggy containing a white substance that field-tested positive as methamphetamine. It was seized for destruction. MacDowell was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Meth Possession. He was being held without bail.

 

Creosote buildup contributed to a flue fire at a home in the Hugo area yesterday. On Wednesday at 1:42 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department responded to a 9-1-1 call from a residence in the 500-block of Jack Pine Road. Visible flames shooting out of a stovepipe mobilized engine companies from Rural Metro's Monument Drive Station. Arriving units extinguished the flames and confirmed the structure was not damaged. No injuries were reported. Rural Metro officials said flames that travel inside a chimney or stovepipe are not a problem, but flames that escape into the attic or wall are a problem. In fact, that is one of the leading causes of house fires this time of year. Certain tools carried by firefighters like thermal imaging cameras allow crews to detect hidden fire in the attic and walls. Specialized suppression equipment can provide cooling of the pipe without causing damage. Firefighters and chimney sweep professionals recommend regular cleaning and inspections to confirm your wood heating devices are in good working order -- and always have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on each level of your home, especially near sleeping areas.

 

A Eugene television station is reporting the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT) arrested a Glendale man on various drug-related charges after a suspected drug deal in Roseburg late last week. According to KEZI-TV, DINT detectives learned through an ongoing investigation that a suspected drug dealer -- 30-year-old Ryan Heaven -- was in the parking lot of a business in the 1400-block of Garden Valley Boulevard, where he was allegedly waiting to complete a drug deal. Detectives contacted and detained Heaven at about 4 a.m. last Friday. They said he was arrested after investigators found about 40 suspected Clonazepam pills and a user amount of suspected methamphetamine following a search of Heaven and his vehicle. Authorities said Heaven was lodged at the Douglas County Jail on charges that included Unlawful Possession and Delivery of a Schedule 4 Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Meth and Criminal Conspiracy.