Local News

Tomorrow morning, around 7 a.m., a mass casualty training exercise will be taking place near Grandview Avenue and Ringuette Street in Grants Pass. Several emergency response personnel and vehicles from fire, law enforcement, and ambulance services, possibly even a helicopter, will be in the area for several hours. Ringuette Street will be closed between Grandview Avenue and Southgate Cinemas. If possible, please avoid this area to help prevent congestion.

 

Grants Pass Fire Rescue crews responded to two separate water rescue incidents Wednesday about one hour apart. Both rescues utilized an inflatable rescue boat referred to as an IRB. In the first rescue, a boater fell from their kayak near Chinook Park at about 10:45 a.m. and was unable to get back in. The boater was wearing a life jacket, but the current was too strong to swim to shore. The person was stuck in the middle of the river and was quickly being affected by the colder water temperatures. Grants Pass Fire Rescue crews worked with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, Rural Metro Fire, and American Medical Response to rescue the boater. The boater was uninjured and transported to shore by trained swift water rescue personnel utilizing the IRB. In the second rescue at about 11:45 a.m, an individual along with a civilian attempting rescue ended up under Deb Potts bridge in the water clinging to the water intake structure, both without life jackets. Both individuals were in the water for at least 15 minutes prior to 911 notification. Grants Pass Fire Rescue crews again worked with the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, Rural Metro Fire, American Medical Response, and Grants Pass Police to quickly launch the boat and retrieve the individual from the river. One person was then transported to Three Rivers Hospital for further care while the other refused care.

 

Grants Pass City Police were dispatched to a three-vehicle accident at 9:19 Wednesday morning at the intersection of the Parkway and Agness. According to the police report, a Nissan Rogue with Florida license plates was going east on the Parkway and Agness in the north bound turn lane, ran a red light and turned through the intersection and crashed into a grey Honda Accord. The Nissan then collided with a third vehicle staged at the red light. The crash blocked Agness for a short time with one of the vehicles on its top. The driver of the Nissan, identified only as a Mitchell, admitting going through the red light and was cited for driving while suspended, failure to obey a traffic control device and careless drivin

 

The Oregon State Police lodged three individuals in jail in three separate incidents beginning at 7:58 a.m. Wednesday morning. A trooper stopped a blue Nissan Sentra for speeding on Interstate-5 near milepost 62 and found the driver, 39-year-old Christopher William Turley, was driving suspended. He was also cited for speed, driving uninsured, failure to register the vehicle and warned for expired tags. He was lodged in jail and the Nissan was towed. At 7:30 Wednesday night a trooper was dispatched to milepost 77 on Interstate-5 to the report of a disorderly man. The Trooper contacted 32-year-old Timothy Jordan Brenden of Glendale, who showed obvious signs of intoxication. Brenden initially refused to identity himself, so he was arrested and transported to the Josephine County Jail. He was then identified and found to have a warrant for his arrest for disorderly conduct and failure to appear on a bench warrant.

 

Two motorcycle riders were hospitalized Wednesday afternoon after both collided with a sedan on Highway 199 and Round Prairie Road. The Oregon State Police responded to the 3-vheicle crash in which, for unknown reasons, two motorcycle riders hit a blue Hyundai Elantra that was waiting to turn onto Round Prairie Road. Both riders received moderate injuries with one being transported to Three Rivers Medical Center and one being taken to the Rogue Regional Medical Center. 59-year-old Michelle Louise Larson of Gold Hill was riding a blue Harley Davidson. Lisa Lear Buckman, also 59, was riding a purple and mauve Harley Davidson. The driver of the Hyundai, 37-year-year old Tayle Marie Grace Williams, was not injured.

 

One man was arrested, and a woman cited to appear following a traffic stop by a Josephine County deputy at 5:28 p.m. Wednesday. The deputy observed the driver of a vehicle known to be driving suspended operating a white 4-door vehicle and stopped the vehicle, detaining both the driver and passenger. The driver, identified as Ryan Scott Crisel, 28, and passenger, 27-year-old Shelby Mckenzie Spliethof, both admitted to being part of a current burglary case. Crisel was arrested and lodged in the county jail on charges of a parole violation, burglary I at a residence, theft II and driving while suspended. He is being held on a no bail detainer.

 

Josephine County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested one after detaining three individuals at a reported homeless camp in the 400 block of Redwood Highway Wednesday morning. A large homeless camp was reported at that location at 9:29 a.m. Deputies investigated and detained 27-year-old Dustin Herrell at taser point. It was determined Herrell was wanted on a Curry County warrant for driving while suspended-misdemeanor and a Josephine County warrant for a parole violation stemming from a driving under the influence conviction. Herrell was transported to the Josephine County Jail and incarcerated with bail set at $30,000.

 

Grants Pass City Councilors passed three ordinance amendments, made several appointments to public committees and approved the drafting and dispatch of a letter to the legislature regarding reform to ballot measure 110. Following a legislative public hearing Councilors approved the amendment to the development code updating existing stormwater regulations to become consistent and maintain compliance with the city’s MS4 permit. Councilors also approved an amendment to the city code to more consistently align the code with the state of Oregon for collecting lodging tax that will now include more incidental charges in the base tax rate. The amendment does not increase the tax rate, but does expand what is taxed, increasing revenues to the city. A portion of those revenues can be dedicated to public safety. A third amendment authorizes the City Manager to, during an emergency that creates substantial risk of loss, damage, interruption of services or threat to public health, safety, welfare, or property to procure necessary goods or services to promptly execute a remedy to the condition. The City Manager is still required to submit a report if using this provision.

 

Four individuals were acknowledged statewide with Standout Volunteers Recognition certificates Wednesday, including a Jackson County man, during the Oregon Main Street conference in Independence. Medford’s Richard Barney was singled out for his contributions on behalf of the Medford Downtown Association. Others receiving that recognition include Tommy Wood, Downtown Estacada Commission, Josh Johnson, Beaverton Downtown Association and Nicole Felty of the La Grande Main Street Downtown.Oregon Main Street, which is part of Oregon Heritage, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, announced its 2023 “Excellence on Main” award winners during the annual Main Street conference on October 4th in Independence. Created in 2010, the annual Excellence on Main awards honor outstanding accomplishments, activities, and people making a difference in historic downtowns and traditional commercial neighborhoods across the state.