Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested an uncooperative motorist for driving with a suspended license following an early morning traffic stop in the Cave Junction area yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies pulled over a Dodge driven by 37-year-old Nicolas Michael Bryant on Caves Highway near South Old Stage Road at about 12:45 a.m. Wednesday. Deputies said Bryant initially refused to identify himself, refused to get out of his vehicle and stated that he has the right to travel in Oregon. They said his driving privileges were suspended by the state and he does not have the right to do so unless it's an emergency situation. They determined there was no emergency. According to the report, Bryant had a .22-caliber pistol on his hip and "lots" of rounds on the floor of his vehicle. He reportedly struggled with deputies as they placed him into custody. Bryant was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Resisting Arrest and Driving While Suspended. His vehicle was impounded and his dog was picked up by a friend.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man for drug possession during a traffic stop in the southeast part of the city late last night. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Chevrolet pickup driven by 43-year-old John Ray Buckley on Fruitdale Drive near Maple Lane on Wednesday at 10:51 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Buckley for traffic violations near Flespy's Bar & Grill. They said he admitted to having a methamphetamine pipe on him and consented to a search. The pipe contained residue of the narcotic and he was detained. Buckley was cited to appear in court for Meth Possession and then released from custody.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a woman for forcing a man off a property in Merlin and then attacking him at a nearby marijuana dispensary. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 40-year-old Kristen Xaros on Tuesday for the incident that occurred Monday night in the 400-block of Robertson Bridge Road and the 300-block of Merlin Road. Deputies said a man called 9-1-1 to report that Xaros forced him off the property with a knife and attempted to stab him multiple times. The caller said he ran to safety at the marijuana dispensary, but Xaros and two men followed him in a vehicle to the cannabis store where they began punching and kicking him. The suspects fled after grabbing the victim's phone. The victim refused medical attention. Upon arrival, deputies reviewed surveillance video that clearly showed three suspects assaulting the victim. The victim did not want to pursue charges, but because the victim and Xaros were in a previous relationship and have a young child together, her arrest was required by state law. Xaros was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 3rd-Degree Domestic Assault. Charges of Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing were referred to the District Attorney's Office for consideration.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff Office apprehended a woman on a local warrant for violating her post-prison supervision following a Cave Junction pursuit this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies eventually arrested 27-year-old Katherine Denae Rodriguez near the Illinois Valley Community Center on Tuesday. Deputies said they spotted Rodriguez walking near the intersection of South Redwood and Caves highways and they knew she was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a previous conviction for Felony Attempt to Elude Police. True to form, Rodriguez took off running toward the Cave Junction Water Treatment Plant and doubled back through a parking lot before she was placed into custody at Taser point. Rodriguez was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. She was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for trying to steal mail from a home near a downtown homeless encampment this week. The Police Department reports officers responded to a theft complaint at a home in the 800-block of NW 5th Street -- about a block away from the 5th Street resting site -- on Tuesday afternoon. Police said 37-year-old Melissa Sue Koenig walked up to the front porch of the home and removed mail from the attached US Postal Service box. They said she then picked up a package off the porch and was confronted by the residents. Koenig gave the items back and fled from the scene, but was located nearby. The victims' surveillance camera captured the entire incident, which clearly showed the suspect removing mail out of the mailbox. Koenig was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Mail Theft. She was also trespassed from the victims' residence.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two people on outstanding warrants this week after receiving reports of suspicious activity in the Williams Highway Plaza. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident in the parking lot near Rite Aid on Tuesday afternoon. Police said several people called 9-1-1 to report two occupants of a camper who appeared to be dealing drugs. The callers reported seeing a lot of foot traffic at the camper and that the occupants had covered up the windows to obstruct their view of what was taking place inside. Officers arrived on scene and contacted 28-year-old Millana Lavaun Hathaway and 31-year-old Jacob Allen Jensen. They said there was no evidence of drug dealing. However, both Hathaway and Jensen were found to be wanted on Ashland Police Department warrants for Probation Violation related to arrests for Heroin and Methamphetamine Possession, respectively. Hathaway was also wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Criminal Trespass. Hathaway and Jensen were lodged in jail on the warrants.

 

With the first major heatwave about to hit Josephine and Jackson counties this weekend, the Oregon Department of Forestry is asking residents to be extremely careful. Since the start of the 2025 fire season on June 1st, ODF Southwest has responded alongside its local partners to four fires in the last four days. All of the fires were in Josephine County and quickly stopped by local agencies. They included the 3900-block of Galice Road, 500-block of Squaw Mountain Road, 10,400-block of Williams Highway and 2900-block of Jumpoff Joe Creek Road. With hot temperatures and windy conditions, fires are starting easily and spreading quickly. While all the mentioned fires were stopped at a half-acre or less, the conditions we've been experiencing are prompting fire growth at a faster rate than expected for this time of year. Help prevent fires by following all current seasonal regulations, which can be found at "swofire.com."

 

The Grants Pass City Council last night balanced the current budget, established a new task force and appointed two people to the Committee on Public Art. The City Council opened its regular meeting with a public hearing on a resolution supplementing the Fiscal Year 2025 budget and making appropriations. Finance Director JC Rowley said some small "normal" adjustments were made to the General Fund, Transportation Fund, Stormwater Fund, Water Fund, Water Projects Fund, Wastewater Fund, Solid Waste Fund, Administrative Services Fund, Environmental Waste Fees Fund and Lands & Buildings Projects Fund. The Council approved the supplemental budget unanimously. They will consider the Fiscal Year 2026 budget on June 18th. By Oregon Statute, the City must have a balanced budget in place before July 1st. The Council also approved a resolution that establishes a Non-Bargaining Compensation and Classification Task Force. The new task force will be charged with studying potential salary adjustments for the City's non-union employees and making recommendations. Councilors Rick Ryker and Seth Benham will serve on the task force along with two members of the Grants Pass Budget Committee, two members at-large with experience in large payrolls and McGrath Consulting. Following multiple votes by the City Council, Cindy Hernandez and Eva Shaw were appointed to the Grants Pass Committee on Public Art.

 

Frustrated by the Josephine County Commissioners' perceived lack of action after the termination of the Grants Pass branch library lease in January and afraid the termination could lead to eviction, Grants Pass Friends of the Library is launching an "Eviction Watch" campaign. The campaign will begin with a countdown clock website today, which marks 30 weeks until the end of the library's current lease agreement on December 31st. The Eviction Watch website has gone "live" at "grantspassfol.wixsite.com/gpfol." On January 6th, the Board of Commissioners voted to terminate the Grants Pass library lease with 30 days' notice and no prior consultation with the Josephine Community Library District. The Board did not provide an explanation, indicate what it wanted, offer any lease terms, name a proposed rental rate or send a termination notice. Despite this lack of communication, the library district responded with flexibility and transparency -- offering multiple meeting dates and submitting a formal lease renewal proposal on March 25th and May 5th. Five months after the lease was canceled, the Grants Pass Library remains in limbo while waiting for the County to act.