Local News

GP Police Snared Woman on Warrant and for Drugs after WinCo Trespass Call
Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on an outstanding warrant and for narcotics possession while investigating a trespassing complaint yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a call at WinCo Foods on NE Terry Lane on Wednesday at 12:15 p.m.. Police said the WinCo manager called to report a black El Camino and a red Camaro in the store parking lot. The caller said the vehicles were there for three hours, and he observed a man and woman loading property into a gray minivan that was parked on the street. He wanted them trespassed for suspicious behavior. Officers arrived on scene and the male suspect fled, but the 32-year-old female subject was detained. She was found to be wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for impaired driving. She was also found with small amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl, which were seized for destruction. The woman was cited to appear in court for the warrant and drug violations. She was released, but not before being trespassed from WinCo.
Posted on 5/16/24 11:25AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Netted Five for Warrant and Corrections Violations in Park Patrols
Grants Pass Police arrested five people for warrant and corrections violations during city park patrol checks on Wednesday. At Fruitdale Park, officers contacted a 64-year-old man for ordinance violations and discovered that he was wanted on three Grants Pass misdemeanor warrants. He was cited to appear in court and released. At Riverside Park, police contacted a 19-year-old woman for ordinance violations and contacted her corrections officer. The officer wanted her arrested for Probation Violation and she was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. At Kesterson Park, officers observed a 43-year-old man they knew from previous contacts. He was lodged in jail on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Larceny. He was being held on $35,000 bail. Also at Kesterson Park, officers contacted a 53-year-old man for an ordinance violation and discovered that he was wanted on a Douglas County warrant for failing to appear in court for 3rd-Degree Theft. He was cited and released. At Lawnridge Park, officers contacted a a 46-year-old woman for Illegal Camping. Her corrections officer was contacted and directed them to place her into custody. She was lodged without bail for Criminal Trespass and Felony Parole Violation.
Posted on 5/16/24 11:23AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Evicted 3 Campers from Riverside Park for Ordinance Violations
Grants Pass Police evicted three campers out of one city park for repeat ordinance violations on Wednesday. At Riverside Park, a man was cited for Scattering Rubbish, a second man was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Misuse of Open Space, and a third man was cited for Illegal Camping and Buffer Zone Violation. All three were trespassed for 30 days. A total of 16 campsites at Riverside Park were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network (UCAN).
Posted on 5/16/24 11:22AM by Sam Marsh
 

OSP Seized Stolen License Plate Off Car Stopped on Grants Pass Parkway
State troopers seized a stolen license plate off a vehicle that was pulled over on the Grants Pass Parkway late yesterday. The Oregon State Police reports troopers stopped a white Hyundai Sonata driven by a 45-year-old Grants Pass woman on US Highway 199 near NE Terry Lane on Wednesday shortly after 4 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the suspect vehicle for failing to properly display a license plate. During the course of the investigation, they discovered that the license plate had been previously reported as stolen. During a field interview, it was learned that the driver was in possession of one of the stolen license plates. The woman was not arrested, but she was warned and the stolen license plate was seized and submitted for destruction.
Posted on 5/16/24 11:20AM by Sam Marsh
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Oregon Transportation Safety Commission Hosts Open House at GP Fairgrounds
The Oregon Transportation Safety Commission wants to make sure they hear from each corner and from all communities in the state with feedback, project ideas and concerns to better serve citizens. This spring, the commission is hosting eight in-person sessions where community members can make their voices heard. One of those sessions is taking place today in Grants Pass. It runs in an open house format from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Josephine County Fairgrounds. If you're interested in transportation safety in Josephine and Jackson counties, stop by the open house before 6.
Posted on 5/16/24 10:20AM by Sam Marsh
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ODF and Keep Oregon Green Urge People to Burn Responsibly to Prevent Fires
The Oregon Department of Forestry and other five prevention experts urge the public to exercise caution when disposing of yard debris this spring. Over 70% of wildfires in Oregon are human-caused, with debris burning being the #1 cause. As the weather gets hotter and fuels begin to dry out, the risk of a debris burn escaping increases. Now is the time to trim trees, bushes and tidy up plants around your home to create a "defensible space" around your property. As you begin spring clean-up, the Oregon Department of Forestry and Keep Oregon Green urge you to put some extra thought into how you plan to dispose of your yard debris. Call your local ODF office before burning to make sure the weather conditions are safe. You can also cover part of the pile with plastic and keep it dry until the rainy fall and winter seasons and when it's safer to burn. Delaying your plans will give the debris more time to cure and avoid spring holdover fires as fire risk increases with hotter, drier weather. By choosing alternative disposal methods or burning under safe conditions outside of fire season, Oregonians can significantly reduce the risk of creating a large wildfire. Remember, outdoor debris burning is prohibited in southwest Oregon during fire season. ODF officials said the 2024 fire season will begin on or before June 1st.
Posted on 5/16/24 10:05AM by Sam Marsh
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Special Districts Association Covers Library Legal Fees for Appeal of BCC Ruling
The Special Districts Association of Oregon has agreed to cover legal fees of more than $14,000 that were incurred in litigation between the Josephine Community Library District and Josephine County Board of Commissioners. On December 6, 2023, the Board of Commissioners voted 2-to-1 to allow residents Mike & Winnie Pelfrey to opt out of the library district and no longer pay taxes to support library services. Immediately after, the Josephine Community Library District Board of Directors voted to appeal the ruling to both preserve the integrity of the 2017 library district election and to seek judgement from a higher court on the Commissioners' ruling. As a result, the library district contracted with the law firm Hornecker Cowling, LLP, to appeal the decision through the courts. In March, the Board of Commissioners conceded to a stipulation and rescinded their ruling to allow the Pelfreys to withdraw from the library district. In addition to support from the Special Districts Association, library supporters donated $1,695 to the Josephine Community Library Foundation toward total legal expenses of $15,905. Library officials said contributions from the organization and donors ensure responsible financial stewardship of resources for the district to taxpayers.
Posted on 5/16/24 6:26AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Jailed Man for Four Crimes after Catching Him with Stolen Vehicle
Grants Pass Police jailed man for multiple crimes this week after catching him driving a stolen vehicle on Rogue River Highway. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a Toyota Tacoma driven by the 45-year-old man on Highway 99 near Parkdale Drive on Tuesday night. Police said they spotted the Tacoma, which had been reported stolen from the 5900-block of Jerome Prairie Road by the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. While contacting the driver, they discovered that his driving privileges had been suspended. During a consent search, he was found to be in possession of both methamphetamine and fentanyl. The narcotics were seized for destruction and the registered owner of the truck was notified of its recovery. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Possession of a Stolen Vehicle along with misdemeanor charges of Driving While Suspended, Possession of Meth and Possession of Fentanyl. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 5/16/24 6:17AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Jailed Felon for Parole Violation in Violent Incident at Local Hospital
Grants Pass Police jailed a felon for violating his post-prison supervision early yesterday after he caused a violent disturbance at Three Rivers Medical Center. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 41-year-old man for the incident at the hospital on SW Ramsey Avenue on Wednesday at 6:05 a.m.. Police said the male subject became uncooperative and confrontational in the Three Rivers emergency room before walking away from the facility while armed with a six-inch knife. Still acting aggressively, the man entered the outpatient building where one of the employees set off the panic alarm. The man -- who was carrying the knife, a hospital blanket and some other items -- was contacted near a tire shop on Union Avenue where he was placed into custody without further incident. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Parole Violation and he was being held on a no-bail detainer. He was also trespassed from the hospital.
Posted on 5/16/24 6:15AM by Sam Marsh
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Josephine County DA May File Charges on GP Man Caught Breaking into Truck
The Josephine County District Attorney's Office was deciding whether to file charges against a Grants Pass man who was allegedly caught by the Oregon State Police breaking into a parked pickup on Interstate 5 at Highland Hill. OSP reports troopers detained the 43-year-old man along the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 60 on Tuesday morning. Troopers released few details about the incident, but the vehicle involved in the break-in was identified as a green Chevrolet C-1500 pickup and the suspect tried to run away. He was chased down and detained, but not arrested. OSP referred charges of Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle and Attempt to Elude Police against the suspect to the DA's office for consideration.
Posted on 5/16/24 6:13AM by Sam Marsh
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Police Snared Female Transient for Creating Problems at GP Shopping Center
Police arrested a female transient for making a nuisance of herself at the Grants Pass Shopping Center this week. The Police Department reports officers responded to perform a welfare check on the 29-year-old woman at the shopping center on NE D Street on Tuesday night. Officers said Concierge Security contacted them about a female subject who had scattered a large amount of garbage behind a paint store and refused to leave the premises when contacted. The woman was yelling that she needed Top Ramen. She was offered a ride to the Sobering Center, but did not want to go there. According to the report, the woman had been previously trespassed from the shopping center and she also wandered onto a nearby residential property. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Criminal Trespass. Her trespass warning at the shopping center was renewed and she was issued another warning for the residential property.
Posted on 5/16/24 6:12AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Nabbed Motorist for Impaired Driving in Redwood Area Traffic Stop
Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving early yesterday during a traffic stop on the southwest side of the city. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a red Cadillac driven by a 32-year-old man near the corner of Redwood Avenue and Allen Creek Road on Wednesday at 2:46 a.m.. Police said they stopped the suspect vehicle after the motorist was seen driving outside of his travel lane several times and nearly striking a curb on US Highway 199 near Ringuette Street. They said the driver exhibited signs of impairment and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. The suspect was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit. He was cited for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and then released. His car was parked and secured.
Posted on 5/16/24 6:11AM by Sam Marsh
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