Local News

The Oregon State Police arrested a Cave Junction man on an outstanding warrant during a patrol check at a Redwood Highway business in O'Brien yesterday. OSP reports troopers were conducting an area check at the O'Brien General Store on Thursday at 12:26 p.m. when they contacted 48-year-old Travers Johnson. Troopers identified Johnson as a "suspicious pedestrian" whom they recognized from prior arrests while he was loitering in the store parking lot. A routine records check showed that he had an active misdemeanor warrant for his arrest. Johnson was detained before being cited to appear in court and then released.

 

Two people were injured in a motor vehicle accident that occurred in Josephine County early this morning. An incomplete entry in the Oregon State Police daily log indicates the accident occurred at 12:49 a.m. today in an unspecified location. Troopers said a vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a tree. They said both the driver and passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries, and they were taken by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center. The brief report did not identify them. According to OSP, the vehicle sustained heavy front-end damage and it was towed from the scene.

 

For the past two years, the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement team (MADGE) has been investigating a local drug trafficking organization responsible for transporting significant quantities of narcotics into the Rogue Valley. Last March, Jackson County Circuit Court authorized MADGE to begin digital surveillance of this organization, enabling investigators to identify individuals and relationships suspected of involvement in drug trafficking and money laundering. The investigation revealed that the organization -- led by 40-year-old Carlos Diaz-Lourdes of Eagle Point -- operated as a family-run enterprise importing narcotics into Jackson County from outside the region. In November, MADGE obtained six wiretap orders to intercept communications among organization members. Using these wiretaps, investigators developed more leads and identified more suspects. Between January 16th and 22nd, MADGE and its partner agencies carried out tactical operations and executed 14 search warrants. During the investigation, MADGE seized approximately 10 pounds of narcotics including methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder and heroin. Other items seized included $210,000 in cash and approximately 50 firearms, many of which were short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and ghost guns, which are firearms assembled without serial numbers. According to the Medford Police Department, the investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are anticipated.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on an outside felony warrant this week after he tried to elude them in the downtown area. The Police Department reports 38-year-old Joshua Scott McFadden was finally arrested in the backyard of a home in the 800-block of SE 8th Street on Wednesday afternoon. Police said they spotted McFadden acting suspicious with two other men in an alley at SE 6th and M streets. They said he was wanted on a Rogue River Police Department felony warrant for Probation Violation related to a 2021 arrest for 1st-Degree Burglary. When officers approached him, he walked and then ran away. According to GPPD, officers set up a perimeter to locate McFadden and two of them apprehended the suspect in a residential backyard when he fled from a dog house where he was hiding and attempted to jump a fence. After the warrant was confirmed, McFadden was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and he was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Josephine County man for his dangerous behavior in a Redwood Highway construction zone near Wilderville this week. OSP reports troopers responded to the incident involving 26-year-old Nick Dustin Farmer near milepost 11 of US Highway 199 on Wednesday afternoon. Troopers said Farmer was contacted for jumping in front of multiple vehicles, throwing rocks at vehicles and taking apart traffic control signs in an Oregon Department of Transportation construction zone. Fortunately, no one was hurt. According to OSP, Farmer was placed into custody as he was walking along the highway near the incident location. Farmer was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for attempting to swindle Fred Meyer out of some money this week. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a theft complaint at the store located off the Grants Pass Parkway on Wednesday night. Police said 58-year-old Troy Allen Hornsby entered Fred Meyer and placed batteries valued at $20 in his back pocket before proceeding past all points of sale and exiting the store. They said the suspect then re-entered the store to return the batteries he had just stolen. An unsuspecting clerk provided him with a gift card. Hornsby was stopped by loss prevention and the gift card was recovered, but he left before the arrival of law enforcement. Officers searched the area and finally located him near the corner of 7th and M streets. He was questioned and then placed into custody. Hornsby was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two counts of 3rd-Degree Theft. He was also trespassed from Fred Meyer.

 

For the second time in two days, a kitchen fire broke out in the Fort Vannoy area, mobilizing a response from Rural Metro Fire Department and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue. On Thursday at 5:46 p.m., Rural Metro and Grants Pass firefighters responded to a reported blaze in the 300-block of Stewart Road. Rural Metro officials said oil used for cooking french fries on a stovetop evidently caused an ignition in the kitchen of the dwelling. Initial suppression efforts by the occupants using water turned out to be ineffective. Firefighters completed the suppression and were able to confirm spread into the attic was minimal. Fortunately, there were no injuries. Fire officials urge everyone to be cautious to ensure safe cooking. Do not leave cooking unattended. Do not use heat too high for proper cooking. Use a lid to smother fires involving oil in pans. Always have a working smoke alarm and have a charged fire extinguisher handy.

 

January is National Radon Action Month and students across the Pacific Northwest were encouraged to get creative to help raise awareness about the dangers of radon gas by participating in the annual Northwest Radon Poster Contest. Oregon's first place winning poster was created by 13-year-old Alexia Vallo of Medford. Her poster also took second place nationwide. Alexia will receive a $300 prize from the American Lung Association. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can build up in homes. Both old and new housing can have radon problems. Testing is the only way to know if a home has radon because it is colorless, odorless and tasteless. Long-term exposure to radon is the #1 cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second-leading cause of lung cancer in smokers. Youths ages 9 to 14 who live in Oregon, Washington and Idaho are eligible to participate in the annual poster contest. Only one entry per student is allowed. The poster contest serves to raise awareness of harmful effects of elevated indoor radon levels and promote testing and mitigation of radon gas.

 

The Josephine Community Library District Board of Directors has issued a statement addressing the community regarding the ongoing discussions about the lease for the Grants Pass branch on NW C Street. First and foremost, the local library board extends its heartfelt thanks for citizen's advocacy efforts including letters, rallies and public statements in support of the district and its existing lease with Josephine County. The board also acknowledges endorsements by the Chamber of Commerce and Oregon Library Association. The current lease agreement of $1 per year -- which expires on December 31, 2025 -- aligns with the Josephine County Charter's obligation to provide support and maintenance for public libraries, specifically Section 14.5. This history of library funding in Josephine County provides important context. In 1997, a voter-approved 33-cent levy was designated to fund library operations. But after Measure 50 made the levy permanent, the Board of Commissioners merged it into the county's general fund. Over the years, as federal O&C timber revenues declined, the 33 cents originally meant for libraries became a crucial source of funding for other county departments. As a result, the library was left unfunded and ultimately forced to close in 2007.