Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local felony warrant while performing a weekend welfare check at Riverside Park. According to the Police Department, officers responded to reports of disorderly conduct at the city park on Sunday shortly after 2 p.m.. Police said they contacted a 32-year-old male subject and found him to be displaying several signs of intoxication by a narcotic stimulant including erratic movements, muscle rigidity, lack of coordination, profuse sweating and the inability to stop moving. Witnesses reported the man was taking his clothes off and "trying to smash his leg off with a rock." He was placed into custody between the 6th Street Condos and Caveman Bridge. A routine records check revealed that the man was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation related to an unspecified criminal conviction. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two women for allegedly working together to steal hundreds of dollars' worth of merchandise from Walmart. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at the store on NE Terry Lane on Sunday around 2:45 p.m.. Police said two women -- ages 23 and 19 -- were observed by Walmart security gathering more than $1,000 worth of items and coordinating to push the stolen items out of the store together. The 19-year-old woman was detained by loss prevention, but the 23-year-old woman fled to her vehicle and drove away. Officers stopped the woman while she was trying to exit the parking lot in a Toyota pickup that was later retrieved by her grandmother. All of the stolen items were recovered. Both female suspects were lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Theft and Criminal Conspiracy. Both were being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for vandalizing multiple parked vehicles in the downtown area last weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to reports of vandalism in the area of SE 6th and I streets late Saturday morning. Police said a 33-year-old female subject damaged at least three parked vehicles in that area by kicking them and causing estimated damages of over $1,000. Callers told officers that the woman was not harming anyone physically, but she was intentionally damaging vehicles while walking by on the sidewalk. Officers caught up to the suspect in the Salmon Parking Lot and she admitted to damaging a couple of vehicles in the lot, so she was placed into custody. She was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters sharpened their community protection skills throughout the city last week. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 673 calls for service along with 242 officer-initiated calls that resulted in 51 arrests, 28 citations, 29 warnings and five highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 51 traffic stops in the city and made 27 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 209 potential troublemakers while arresting six people, citing 47 more and warning 59 others. The CRT unit also trespassed 29 individuals, posted 96 transient camps and removed trash from four campsites. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 109 calls last week including 69 for emergency medical service, three reports of fire or smoke, 23 lift assists, seven rescue situations, nine assists to other agencies and three false alarms. The 9-1-1 Dispatch Center fielded a total of 1,232 emergency calls in addition to 736 calls for non-emergency service.

 

The race to replace two departing members of the Josephine County Board of Commissioners appears to have been narrowed down from eight to four total candidates after the first run of ballots in the May Primary Election. For Position #2 on the Board, Chris Barnett had a substantial lead with 44.91% of the ballots with Colene Martin in second place with 25%. Candidates Mark Jones and Dan Mancuso trailed the leaders with 17.18% and 12.03%, respectively. For Position #3 on the Board, Pat Fahey was the leader with 40.01% of the vote while Ron Smith was second with 25.61%. Candidates Nathan Gonzalez and Russell McAlmond trailed the leaders with 22.21% and 11.85%, respectively. It appears Josephine County voters sent all three ballot measures down to defeat. Measure 17-116 to replace the County Charter was losing 66.42% to 33.58%. Measure 17-117 to fund the Animal Shelter and Animal Control was losing 59.19% to 40.81%. Measure 17-118 to authorize a bond for Three Rivers School District building improvements was also losing by a 67.80% to 32.20% tally. For Senate District 2, it was Republican Noah Robinson leading Christine Goodwin by a count of 50.69% to 49.07%. Robinson easily defeated Goodwin in Josephine County, but the district includes portions of Douglas and Jackson counties. For State Representative District 3, Democrat Mark Seligman was defeating Dustin Watkins by a tally of 60.60% to 37.27%. Josephine County Clerk Rhiannon Henkels reported that more than 10,000 ballots were hand-delivered over the past two days and her staff is extremely busy. As of 8 o'clock tonight, the local turnout was 29.3%. Elections staff will continue counting ballots until late tonight and we'll have fresh numbers for you in the morning.

 

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has renewed the ban on alcohol on the recreation section of the Illinois River Corridor from May 24th through September. As in previous years, the area included in the temporary alcohol ban extends from the Forest boundary on Illinois River Road west of Selma to an area near the McCaleb Ranch including the area surrounding Cedar Camp. The ban is effective approximately 1/4-mile on either side of Illinois River Road in those areas. The ban will not be in effect on privately-owned lands, nor will it apply to those who are driving on Illinois River Road to reach a destination outside the closure area. Violation of the alcohol ban is punishable by law, with the penalties of up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine. Wild Rivers District Ranger Scott Blower said the decision to implement the alcohol ban arose from the concern for public safety and it has been met with overwhelming support from both the local communities and those who travel to the river from outside areas.

 

In support of National Safe Boating Week -- held from May 18th-May 24th -- the US Coast Guard urges all recreational boaters and recreational paddlers throughout the Pacific Northwest to exercise caution and become knowledgeable on water safety in preparation for the 2024 boating season. As the weather improves and many members of the public return to the water, the Coast Guard reminds all residents that weather conditions remain variable. Many of the accidents and deaths on the water can be prevented with simple and effective measures including boater education, life jacket usage and trip preparation. The highest group at risk are boaters and water sports enthusiasts exposed to the elements on small crafts such as paddleboards and kayaks. The vulnerability to the elements and physical demands of their activity can cause even experienced sportsman and swimmers to become exhausted and unable to return to shore, with long exposure being a potentially fatal risk factor.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for vandalizing multiple parked vehicles in the downtown area over the weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to reports of vandalism in the area of SE 6th and I streets on Saturday around 11 a.m.. Police said a 33-year-old female subject damaged at least three parked vehicles in that area by kicking them and causing estimated damages of over $1,000. Callers told officers that the woman was not harming anyone physically, but she was intentionally damaging vehicles while walking by on the sidewalk. Officers caught up to the suspect in the Salmon Parking Lot and she admitted to damaging a couple of vehicles in the lot, so she was placed into custody. She was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief.

 

Two people were injured in a weekend motor vehicle accident west of Selma. On Friday at 10:03 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response were dispatched to the single-vehicle rollover crash near milepost 2 of Illinois River Road. IVFD officials said arriving units found a vehicle upside-down on its roof in a ditch off the roadway. They said two people were removed from the vehicle and transported by AMR to Three Rivers Medical Center for evaluation. Jerry's Towing was called into remove the vehicle from the waterway and haul it to Cave Junction.