Local News

The Medford Police Department has arrested a suspect in an armed coffee stand robbery that occurred this week. On Tuesday at about 8:50 p.m., Medford police officers responded to a report of an armed robbery that had just occurred at the Dutch Bros coffee stand located at Crater Lake Highway and Whittle Avenue. Arriving officers discovered that the suspect had arrived on a black electric scooter and had displayed a handgun, ordering the employee to give them money. The worker was able to close the window to the coffee stand, drop to the floor and call 9-1-1. The suspect fled southbound on Whittle Avenue. Investigators were able to quickly identify a person of interest in the case as 34-year-old Raymond William Mathes. At about 8 p.m. Wednesday, an MPD officer saw Mathes riding an identical scooter to the one used in the robbery. He fled from officers who were able to overtake him. He was tackled during a foot pursuit and taken into custody after a brief struggle. He was in possession of an air rifle and an air pistol at the time of his arrest. Mathes is currently lodged at the Jackson County Jail for Probation Violation while detectives work to tie up loose ends on this case. It is expected he will be charged with 2nd-Degree Robbery, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing. MPD Lieutenant Geoff Kirkpatrick commended the coffee stand employee's quick thinking and bravery, which were crucial in alerting authorities and ensuring a swift response.

 

The Oregon State Police jailed a man for impaired driving after he led troopers and deputies on a pursuit in the Illinois Valley this week. OSP reports troopers eventually pulled over a Honda Civic driven by a 20-year-old male subject on Redwood Highway near Lakeshore Drive in Selma on Wednesday shortly before midnight. Troopers said they attempted a traffic stop on the car for moving violations and the driver showed no acknowledgement of emergency lights and siren, and continued his poor driving behavior. They ended their traffic stop attempt as the car got close to Kerby. A short time later, a Josephine County sheriff's deputy located the car and a pursuit was initiated that ended at a private driveway. Upon contact with the driver -- whom OSP identified as "Bob Jack Crouch" -- he showed signs of impairment and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. He was placed into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail where he gave a breath sample that was well over the legal driving limit. Crouch was lodged in jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, two counts of Reckless Driving and two counts of Felony Attempt to Elude Police. He was being held without bail. His car was parked and secured at his request.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a motorcyclist this week after he led deputies on a high-speed pursuit in the Illinois Valley. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 37-year-old male subject when he finally pulled over on Redwood Highway at Laurel Road in Cave Junction late Wednesday night. Deputies said the pursuit started on US Highway 199 near Kerby when they tried to stop a Harley Davidson-style motorcycle for traffic violations. They said the rider refused to yield and led them on a chase that reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. Fortunately, the pavement was dry and traffic was light at the time. The motorcycle rider -- identified as 37-year-old Derrick Leif Robinson-Corporan -- was determined to have a suspended operator's license. Robinson-Corporan was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Attempt to Elude Police, Reckless Driving and Driving While Revoked. His motorcycle was impounded by Jerry's Towing.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for obstructing traffic near the Parkway this week. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incidents at Taco Bell and Walmart on NE Terry Lane on Wednesday afternoon. Police said a 43-year-old male subject they identified as "Donn Reeves Fincher" was impeding the flow of traffic by getting in front of vehicles and asking people for money. They said he was causing public alarm in the Taco Bell and Walmart parking lots by approaching vehicles and testing their doors to see if they were unlocked. Fincher reportedly admitted to his actions and he already had a Walmart trespass warning on file. Fincher was lodged at the nearby Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Trespass.

 

Tall dead grass and a little wind helped push a fire to a half-acre in the North Valley area yesterday. Rural Metro Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Forestry responded to the grass fire in the 8600-block of Monument Drive on Thursday at 11:30 a.m.. Firefighters encountered the blaze moving quickly toward a wooded area as well as into a row of 16 storage containers. Using an aggressive coordinated attack and incorporating a tactic called "pump and roll," forward progression was stopped. An engine from Grants Pass Fire & Rescue assisted with the fire in the containers and electricity was secured by Pacific Power. Rural Metro officials said the two-alarm fire was extinguished and completely mopped up by early afternoon. The cause was under investigation, but it appeared to have started near some outdoor electrical equipment.

 

After 28 days on the Battle Mountain Complex this summer, the Rural Metro Type 1 Rapid Extraction Module Support (REMS) team has returned home. REMS is deployed to wildfires as a rescue resource in case other firefighters get into trouble. The four-person team consists of firefighters who are trained and equipped in technical rescue and advanced medical care operating out of a 4x4 UTV. The REMS team was ordered and assigned by the Oregon Department of Forestry. A deployment summary of "incidents within the incident" on the Battle Mountain Complex consisted of not only heat-related illnesses and other medical issues, but they were there to care for members of a Rural Metro team when their engine rolled over. They were also mobilized when a 20-person hand crew was cut off by fire. Thankfully, a relentless aerial assault of water drops provided the local crew with an escape route. In between rescues, the Rural Metro team conducted a lot of in-field training, preparation and coordination, scouting best access points into remote locations, and building relationships with local residents. The mission was an overall success and the local team is proud to have been there for fellow firefighters.

 

The Grants Pass City Council voted unanimously to purchase 8.3 acres of property along NW Washington Boulevard and Midland Avenue, with a small part of the lot fronting 6th Street. The purchase price for the 23 tax lots was $2 million. The property is the former location of a hospital and medical facilities that was known as the Washington Campus. It is within the Urban Renewal Area. At its June 21st executive session, the City Council directed staff to negotiate a purchase of $2 million for this property, which is zoned R-4 and General Commercial. The owners -- Asante -- have since accepted the purchase price. The Purchase and Sale Agreement provides the City of Grants Pass with a 60-day due diligence period to have the property appraised and complete an environmental assessment -- both of which are currently underway. Grants Pass currently lacks approximately 2,000 housing units for those at or below 80% of the Area Median Income. The City Council is prioritizing the development of transitional, moderate and workforce housing. The City Council also voted 8-0 to purchase a parcel measuring 3/10ths of an acre at 601 SE I Street. The lot is adjacent to property owned by Grants Pass.

 

Total payroll employment in Josephine County fell by 300 jobs in July because of the summer break for public schools. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 34,385 people working in Josephine County last month for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 5.5%, which was up slightly over 5.4% in June. Government employment decreased by 480 jobs with gains in state government and federal government. Local government fell by 500 over the month with all the loss due to seasonally typical declines in local government education. Private education & health services, leisure & hospitality, and construction added jobs in July. Other published industries showed little job change over the month. Over the past year, payroll employment in Josephine County climbed by 520 jobs, an increase of 1.9%. Industries adding jobs since July 2023 included private education & health services (+570), professional & business services (+100), and financial activities (+20). Industries with estimated losses were leisure & hospitality (-240), manufacturing (-100), retail trade (-70), construction (-50) and wholesale trade (-20).

 

Children across Oregon are still behind on their routine vaccinations. It's crucial to get them back on track before school starts to protect them as well as their schools and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases. For the 2022-23 school year, the Oregon Health Authority reports only 87.1% of the state's kindergartners were up to date on their required vaccinations. Twenty years ago, that number was 94.4%. The overall decline has state health officials concerned -- especially with a recent measles outbreak among mostly unvaccinated people under age 20 centered in Marion County. Measles is highly contagious and it may take 7-21 days after exposure before symptoms appear. Every child who attends public and private schools, preschools, child care facilities and Head Start programs in Oregon must be up to date on required vaccinations unless they have a medical or non-medical exemptions. COVID-19 and flu vaccinations are not required in these settings, but they are highly recommended for people of all ages.