Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing a motorcycle and on an outstanding warrant this week during a patrol check at a city park. The Police Department reports officers arrested 39-year-old Christopher Michael Jenkins at Tussing Park on Tuesday morning. Police said they observed a black Ninja motorcycle with a tarp over it next to a tent in the middle of the park. The bike had no license plates and a check of the vehicle information number showed it had been stolen out of Red Bluff, California. Officers said they knew Jenkins was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. He told them he traded a motorhome for the motorcycle, making the deal with a short bald man at 7-Eleven a few days prior. However, he had no bill of sale with his name on it so he was placed into custody. According to the report, Jenkins confirmed that it was an "odd deal" and he should have known better. He said his wife witnessed the deal, but she was not home to corroborate his story. The stolen motorcycle was towed to an impound yard. Jenkins was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and the outstanding warrant.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested an Illinois Valley man on a local warrant this week following a traffic stop in Cave Junction. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies pulled over a vehicle driven by 39-year-old Anthony David Pope near the corner of North Kerby Avenue and West Palmer Street on Tuesday morning. Deputies said they stopped Pope for a traffic violation and discovered that he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for Probation Violation related to a past arrest for Felony Identity Theft. Pope was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged in jail on the warrant. His vehicle was secured and left on the side of the road.

 

A portable heater came close to burning down a house last week in the Jerome Prairie area. The danger was not due to how close the heater was to combustibles, but from the electrical strain in a power cord. Rural Metro Fire Department and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to the incident at a home on Midway Avenue and found the resulting electrical short burned the outlet and the wall, filling the house with smoke. The incident summoned a quick response from firefighters to secure the power source and ensure fire had not extended into the walls of the dwelling. Crews also helped the occupant clear out the smoke. Rural Metro officials said an investigation revealed that the upright oscillating heater had been working to warm a room, but it was sharing a light extension cord with another device. The electrical strain found the weak point in the system where the cord plugged into the outlet. It was the second similar "close call" involving overloaded extension cords for Rural Metro this month.

 

The Rogue River City Council will consider two ordinances and a resolution when it gathers for its monthly meeting this evening. Following Committee Reports and Public Input, the City Council will engage in Old Business. The Council will consider adopting an ordinance which changes the City's flood damage prevention code to comply with current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standards. A second ordinance would amend the City's off-street parking standards to implement mandated parking reform. An accompanying resolution would adopt a citywide parking policy. The City Council is also set to approve the annual Rooster Crow agreement with the Rogue River Kiwanis Club. Under New Business is confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Mark Minegar to Council Position #3 until the first meeting in January 2027 and an agreement to accept the ODOT Small City Allotment Grant of $250,000 for sidewalk repairs on Pine, Oak and 1st streets. The panel is also scheduled to declare two police vehicles and three police guns as surplus property. Tonight's meeting starts at 6 at Rogue River City Hall, 133 Broadway Street.

 

More than 200 firefighters from departments across the state participated in Winter Fire School at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem last weekend. The two-day event provided both classroom instruction and hands-on training exercises designed to enhance firefighters' skills and improve their ability to protect lives, property and natural resources within their communities. The 20th annual event -- hosted free of charge by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) -- featured eight National Fire Academy courses covering topics such as community risk reduction, incident command, leadership and company operations, and wildland-urban interface operations. These specialized courses provided expert-led training in advanced topics, ensuring accessibility for departments with limited training budgets and strengthening the fire service statewide. A highlight of Winter Fire School was the hands-on training sessions, which allowed participants to gain experience in a variety of real-world scenarios. They engaged in training on search and rescue techniques, forcible entry, hose handling, and water mapping and pump station applications.

 

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office recently hosted a training for local law enforcement agencies to become eligible to work federally-funded overtime during DUII High Visibility Enforcement patrols. Extra patrols are funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The training is the Oregon-Specific 4-Hour Standardized Field Sobriety Test Refresher curriculum from NHTSA and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The class is required for any officer working under ODOT DUII grants. The local training event included officers from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police, Ashland Police Department, Jacksonville Police Department, Rogue River Police Department and Talent Police Department. The training location was provided by Jackson County Fire District #1 in Rogue River. The next grant-funded DUII training event is scheduled for Labor Day.

 

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Rogue Valley hosted the highly-anticipated Youth of the Year Competition at its Grants Pass location last weekend. This signature celebration and competition highlighted the achievements of local youth, showcasing the future leaders of our community. Three outstanding teens from the local Boys & Girls Clubs -- Gabriel C. from Grants Pass High School, Maximilian F. from Grants Pass High School and Hannah V. from South Middle School -- competed for the esteemed Youth of the Year title. This year's event featured speeches from all three contestants, with each sharing how their time at the Club shaped them and the life experiences that contributed to their personal growth. A panel of community leaders interviewed the contestants, reviewed their essays and judged their speeches before selecting Maximilian as the 2025 Youth of the Year. He advances to state and possibly regional and national competitions.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for forcing his way into his ex-girlfriend's house and attacking her roommate earlier this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested a 55-year-old male subject for the alleged incident in the 7200-block of Monument Drive on Monday afternoon. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report her roommate's ex-boyfriend came to the door and when she told him she wasn't there, he forced his way inside the home, grabbed her by the neck and choked her. The caller said the man also tore off one of her fingernails, pushed past her and began searching the home for his ex. According to the report, the man identified himself as a hospital employee and demanded money from the victim who was shaken but not seriously injured. He refused to leave the home despite being asked to do so several times. Upon arrival, deputies interviewed both parties and placed the man into custody. The suspect was booked into the Josephine County Jail for felony crimes of 1st-Degree Burglary and two counts of 4th-Degree Assault plus misdemeanor crimes of Attempted Strangulation, two counts of Menacing and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was being held in lieu of posting $100,000 bail. During his court arraignment on Tuesday, the District Attorney's Office dismissed four of the seven charges, but filed for prosecution of the Burglary, Simple Assault and Attempted Strangulation allegations.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man wanted on a local felony warrant at Family Court late yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies tracked down 32-year-old Kyle James Diffie at the court facility on NW F Street on Tuesday around 4:15 p.m.. Deputies said they spotted Diffie's 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan in the family court parking lot. They knew he was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant containing a secret indictment for Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Strangulation, 4th-Degree Assault and Menacing. According to the report, Diffie was placed into custody with some difficulty due to his uncooperative behavior. Diffie was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant, but he was released this morning due to unspecified medical reasons.