Local News

The Grants Pass City Council is scheduled to meet today for a first quarter work plan update.

The workshop begins at 11:45 a.m. with the update, followed by a non-bargaining cost-of-living adjustment presentation and discussion. Council will hear about the Allenwood Development, then conclude the main meeting with an agenda review.

The workshop will adjourn, and the Council will immediately convene in Executive Session to consider real property transactions and/or negotiations.

The workshop and session will take place in Council Chambers, 101 NW A Street. The public may attend the workshop in person or online at www.grantspassoregon.gov.

 

Jamee Harrington, Rogue Community College’s vice president of People, Culture and Safety, chief human resources officer, and chief of staff, has been selected to serve a three-year term on the board of directors for the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.

Harrington's term begins July 1st. She has been an active member of the association for several years. Most recently, she completed a three-year term on the association's Western Region Board of Directors, including service as chair-elect during the 2024–25 year.

At the national level, Harrington has served on the Public Policy and Creating Inclusive Communities committees and currently serves as a navigator for the association's Navigators program, mentoring chief human resources officers from colleges and universities across the country. She participated in the association's 2021–22 Emerging Leaders program.

Harrington said she is honored to represent both Rogue Community College and the community college sector through the appointment.

 

North Safeway Loss Prevention alerted Grants Pass Police to a theft suspect, leading to the woman's arrest Thursday.

She was described to dispatch as wearing a black sweatshirt over a pink hoodie, and that she was stuffing items into a bag around 1:35 p.m. Staff continued to watch the suspect, waiting until she began to leave to confront her.

She paid for some of the items in her bag, but was quickly stopped by Loss Prevention. Officers began to arrive and contacted the suspect, Milan Stewart. She had stolen about $60 worth of merchandise from the 115 SE 7th Street grocer, and was promptly taken into custody.

Officers trespassed Stewart from both Safeway locations and Albertsons, and transported her to the Josephine County Jail. She was lodged for Third Degree Theft, then released this morning on her own recognizance at 7:50 a.m.

 

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) last month warned that 6,948 people were at risk of having SNAP benefits close at the end of April due to federally directed changes to SNAP work rules. According to ODHS, those closures and reductions have now taken effect. The average SNAP benefit for affected cases was about $287 per month, money that would otherwise have been spent on groceries in local communities across Oregon. An additional 6,309 people are currently at risk of having SNAP benefits close or reduce at the end of May. Even if SNAP benefits stop and a person’s EBT card does not have June benefits on it, they may still be able to regain benefits by meeting work rules, qualifying for an exemption, or reporting a change in their situation. ODHS has been working to connect with people before benefits stop. Approximately 20,000 people were notified in March that their SNAP benefits could close if they did not meet work requirements or qualify for an exemption. People who need to meet work rules can receive free employment and training support through partnerships between ODHS, the Oregon Employment Department and WorkSource Oregon.

 

Grants Pass Police are seeking the public's help in locating a missing elderly man. Scott Smith, 68, was last seen Friday, May 22nd, at his NE A Street residence prior to leaving in his white 2006 Ford Taurus, Oregon license plate #008RBW. He's described as 6'2" and weighing 250 pounds. If you know or have seen Mr. Smith since his disappearance last week, contact your local law enforcement agency or the Grants Pass Police Department at 541-450-6260. Reference Case #2026-18040.

 

State Police troopers arrested a man Thursday after he and a woman were reportedly vandalizing a gray Lexus.

Only the male suspect was located going through the vehicle at milepost 66 on Interstate 5 around 6:53 p.m. He told troopers that he was helping a friend with the reportedly broken down vehicle. A call to the registered owner proved that wasn't the case, and that the owner and suspect didn't know each other.

Charges weren't pursued for Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle and Criminal Mischief at the owner's request, and the vehicle was towed from the scene. The suspect, identified as Jack Lavine II, 33, of Glendale, was found to have an outstanding Failure to Appear Bench warrant out of Douglas County.

Troopers arrested Lavine, and subsequently lodged him in the Josephine County Jail.

 

Deputies with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man on a Parole Violation Detainer Thursday morning.

The suspect was tracked down behind a property in the 25,000 block of Redwood Highway. Three additional suspects were run through dispatch according to police logs, but only Joseph Ainsworth was detained at 11:40 a.m.

He was charged for the detainer and taken into custody, later to be lodged in the Adult Jail Facility at 12:35 p.m.

 

Two traffic stops Thursday resulted in the arrest of suspended drivers, one by Grants Pass Police, and the other by the Josephine County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies pulled over the first suspect, Julian Hall, at 12:33 a.m. The driver of the white Honda Accord was found to be Driving While Suspended, and was taken into custody at the intersection of Williams Highway and Grays Creek Road.

Sheriff's deputies lodged Hall for his misdemeanor charge and a detainer at the request of his Parole Officer. Hall's brother picked up the Accord later that morning.

That night, Police officers conducted a traffic stop on a gray BMW sedan driven by Timothy Garcia at the corner of Rogue River Highway and Maple Lane. He was stopped and warned for improper display on account of his missing license plate.

Officers learned Garcia was driving while suspended, and had no emergent reason to be behind the wheel. He was taken into custody around 8:30 p.m., after the sedan was legally parked to be picked up later.

His Parole Officer was contacted, and a detainer was requested. Police transported Garcia to the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility for the detainer in addition to his charge of Misdemeanor Driving While Suspended.

 

Officers with the Grants Pass Police Department arrested a man for a warrant after he was contacted for littering.

The suspect, Joshua Weathers, was seen littering at the 111 Union Avenue Walgreens. Upon contact, officers found him to be wanted on a valid and serviceable warrant out of the Josephine County Sheriff's Office.

The warrant charged Weathers with Probation Violation for a Weapon Offense, and he was promptly taken into custody. Officers transported him to the Josephine County Jail and lodged him.