Local News

The Oregon Department of Forestry and Applegate Valley Fire District battled a small vegetation fire near Ruch yesterday. On Wednesday at 2:29 p.m., firefighters from both agencies were dispatched to a reported fire in the 3,000-block of Upper Applegate Road. Arriving units estimated the blaze to be about a half-acre in size with poor access. ODF ordered additional resources including Type 2 and Type 3 helicopters as well as an air attack plane out of Medford. An aggressive attack was launched, which knocked down the flames and stopped forward progress by 2:55 p.m.. Due to the rapid success on the fire, aircraft were canceled and additional engines stood by. In a final update at 4:25 p.m., ODF reported crews had lined 80% of the fire's perimeter and were working on mop-up operations. The fire was estimated to be one acre, but the agency said it would GPS map it when work was complete. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

A Grants Pass woman was killed this week when she crashed her vehicle into a utility pole near the City of Rogue River. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle wreck near milepost 8 of Rogue River Highway on Tuesday at 2:50 p.m.. Troopers said the preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Ford Ranger pickup driven by 59-year-old Katrina Ann Knight left the highway for unknown reasons, rolled and struck a utility pole. According to OSP, Knight was declared deceased at the scene. Highway 99 was impacted for about one hour during the investigation. OSP was assisted by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended two men wanted on statewide felony warrants during separate incidents on the same day this week. The Police Department reports the first incident occurred early Tuesday morning when officers arrested 40-year-old Glen Everett Porter during a traffic stop at SE M and 8th streets. Police said Porter was riding a bicycle with no light. They placed him into custody when it was discovered that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for 4th-Degree Assault. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. The second incident occurred around midday Tuesday when officers contacted 38-year-old Christopher Michael Anthony at Morrison Centennial Park on Rogue River Highway. Police said Anthony was working on his truck in the park and a routine records check showed that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation related to a 2023 conviction for Larceny. He was placed into custody and also lodged in jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a California man for stealing a vehicle from a Los Angeles rental company at a north-city motel early yesterday. According to OSP, troopers located an unoccupied Dodge Caravan in the Motel 6 parking lot off NE 7th Street on Wednesday at 1:18 a.m.. Troopers had been alerted that 34-year-old Andrew Charles Lake of Long Beach, California, had failed to return the minivan to Travelers Autobarn Campervan Rentals in LA. They tracked him down in a motel room and detained him. Lake was cited to appear in a Los Angeles County courtroom on felony charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. The rental company was notified and the stolen van was towed away.

 

An abandoned two-story home near Schroeder Park burned early yesterday, drawing a response from Rural Metro Fire Department and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue. On Wednesday at 2:03 a.m., Rural Metro and Grants Pass crews were dispatched to the fire in the 800-block of Schroeder Lane. A Grants Pass engine from the nearby Redwood Station arrived quickly and knocked down the flames, preventing spread to adjacent structures, a recreational vehicle and vegetation. Rural Metro officials reported a subject known to frequent the location was seen leaving the area by responding firefighters. The unidentified man was picked up by law enforcement and was being questioned about the fire. Officials said the Oregon State Fire Marshal has been notified about the incident.

 

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has contained a wildfire burning on the High Cascades Ranger District. In its final update on Wednesday, the US Forest Service reported the Scenic Fire located near National Creek east of Highway 230 is fully-contained at 49 acres. Crews will continue to grid for any remaining heat and mop up toward the interior where heavy timber may still smolder and produce smoke in the area. Please travel with caution on the Diamond Lake Highway, watching for crews and engines as they continue working on this incident. Firefighters, engines, heavy equipment and other resources are staged in strategic locations around the forest to be ready for any new fire starts. Air and ground reconnaissance is ongoing. Please use caution while recreating to keep the forest and firefighters safe. If you see suspicious or careless behavior while you are out in the woods, please report it. Law enforcement will be actively patrolling the High Cascades Ranger District and other areas of the forest.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to hold a public hearing, finish a public hearing and conduct a public consideration during its weekly business session this morning. The Board will first hold a public hearing for three requested annexations to the Josephine Community Library District. Under Administrative Actions, the Commissioners will consider re-appointments to the Josephine County Dog Board. After the meeting, the Board is set to continue a hearing on a lease agreement for the Grants Pass branch library that was abruptly halted last week before a decision could be rendered. Under public consideration is an American Mineral Research lease application for the St. Peter Mine Property located east of Wolf Creek. Today's public meeting starts at 10 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

Total payroll employment in Josephine County fell by 510 jobs in July led by seasonally typical declines in local government education. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 32,861 people working in Josephine County last month for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 6.8%, which was up from 6.6% in June and from 5.9% in July 2024. Government employment decreased by 660 jobs with a small gain of 30 in state government. Leisure & hospitality, private education & health services, and construction added jobs over the month. Other published industries showed little change. Over the past year, payroll employment in Josephine County was down by 950 jobs, a sharp loss of 3.5%. Employment fell over the year in most private-sector industries. The most notable declines occurred in private education & health services (-300), financial activities (-160), retail trade (-150), leisure & hospitality (-120), manufacturing (-80) and wholesale trade (-50). Government employment fell by 30 jobs over the year.

 

The heat is on again for southwest Oregon. The National Weather Service has posted another Extreme Heat Warning for Josephine, Jackson and eastern Curry counties -- this one from 1 p.m. Friday through 8 p.m. Monday. The warning is for the valleys of Josephine and Jackson counties including the cities of Grants Pass, Cave Junction, Williams, Rogue River, Gold Hill, White City, Shady Cove, Medford, Jacksonville, Talent and Ashland. Very hot conditions with high temperatures of 100 to 107 degrees are expected. Overnight temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees will provide little relief from the daytime scorchers. The unusually hot temperatures will increase the risk for heat-related illnesses. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors -- especially the elderly. Do not leave children and pets in unattended vehicles. Vehicle interiors will reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.