Local News

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will consider approval of a collective bargaining agreement during its business session this morning. The Board is scheduled to consider the bargaining agreement between Josephine County and the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Members of the union spoke in favor of the contract last week. Also under Administrative Actions is approval of a personal services contract for installation of a new fuel station at Public Works. The contract for just over $191,000 is with M&M Services, LLC, and it includes decommissioning the outdated fuel station. In other business, the Commissioners will consider a second service contract with Wally Schmidt Electric, Inc., for the above-ground fuel tank installation. This contract is for just under $63,000. As part of the Consent Calendar, the Board will consider the Hazel Hill Estates Phase 2 plat map and the Westralia Estates final subdivision plat map. Today's public meeting starts at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

The City of Grants Pass has announced that the homeless encampment at 755 SE J Street will close permanently on Thursday at midnight. The campsite was originally scheduled to close on January 10th, but city officials decided to delay the closure until the interim City Attorney could research whether any laws were being violated. A sign has been posted at the campsite that reads: "Unlawful entry into the closed area (after January 23rd) is prohibited and punishable by citation or arrest for criminal trespass." Meanwhile, the hours for camping at 712 NE 7th Street are now 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. The J Street campsite closure and the new regulations for the 7th Street campsite were approved by the Grants Pass City Council during a special meeting held on January 7th. The Council voted to close and regulate the temporary campgrounds despite the advice of the interim City Attorney and overwhelming opposition of people who spoke during the public comment period.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office has in its possession a large amount of unclaimed personal property and there are some rules by which to claim it. Unclaimed items include antiques, tools, sporting goods, electronics, firearms, jewelry, vehicles, bicycles, clothing, household goods, backpacks, knives, swords, and miscellaneous amounts of US and foreign currency. If you have ownership interest in any of the unclaimed property, you must file a claim with the Sheriff's Office by February 14th or you will lose your interest in the property. You must have made a report with law enforcement prior to this publicized notice regarding your property. Unclaimed property claim forms are available at the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, which is located at 1901 NE F Street in Grants Pass. Questions about this notice should be directed to the Property Control Specialist at (541)-474-5128.

 

Fifty-two organizations will receive $5,000 Arts Build Communities grants this year, totaling $260,000 for projects that address community issues or needs through the arts. The Oregon Arts Commission's "Arts Build Communities" program is committed to promoting arts access for underserved audiences and targets broad geographic impact throughout the state. In recent years, the program has generated more than $600,000 in additional community investment, much of it representing salaries paid as well as products and services purchased in the funded communities. These grants are made possible through a funding partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. Local grant recipients include Ashland High Arts Advocates, Ashland New Plays Festival and the Cave Junction Farmers Market.

 

The City of Grants Pass has announced that the homeless encampment at 755 SE J Street will close permanently on Thursday at midnight. The campsite was originally scheduled to close on January 10th, but city officials decided to delay the closure until the interim City Attorney could research whether any laws were being violated. A sign has been posted at the campsite that reads: "Unlawful entry into the closed area (after January 23rd) is prohibited and punishable by citation or arrest for criminal trespass." Meanwhile, the hours for camping at 712 NE 7th Street are now 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. The J Street campsite closure and the new regulations for the 7th Street campsite were approved by the Grants Pass City Council during a special meeting held on January 7th.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for stealing property from a Cave Junction resident and then selling it to others. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 29-year-old Luke Wyatt Mulligan at the Taco Bell on NE Terry Lane in Grants Pass on Monday around 1:20 p.m.. Deputies said a Cave Junction woman reported that her 2019 Dodge Caravan had been stolen from her home in the 200-block of West River Street. She advised that she found items taken from the stolen vehicle posted on Facebook Marketplace. One of the items stolen was a BMX bicycle. According to the report, a friend of the victim had video footage of the theft and it was shared with law enforcement. Based on the video, one of the suspects was identified as Mulligan and deputies searched the area before finding him in Grants Pass. He was not in possession of the stolen vehicle when he was placed into custody, he admitted to selling some of the stolen items and he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine. Mulligan was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on three outstanding warrants for Probation Violation related to arrests for Identity Theft and Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants as well as failing to appear in court for DUII. He was additionally charged with Felony 1st-Degree Theft, Felony Theft-by-Receiving and Meth Possession. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested three men on outstanding warrants during the long holiday weekend. OSP reports the first incident occurred on Friday at 4:02 p.m. when troopers pulled over a Ford Explorer driven by 75-year-old Robert Snow on Redwood Highway in south Grants Pass. Troopers said they stopped Snow for a driving complaint and he was found to be in violation of a no-contact order listed on his probation. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Probation Violation. The second incident happened on Saturday at 2:41 p.m. when troopers contacted a bicyclist identified as 41-year-old Zacharey Michael Costa of Lodi, California, on Old Highway 99 in Wolf Creek. Costa was wanted on a local felony warrant for Probation Violation, so he was arrested and lodged in jail on $25,000 bail. The third incident took place on Sunday at 5:40 p.m. when troopers pulled over a vehicle containing 33-year-old Mason Leland Haugh of Grants Pass at SE 7th and H streets. Troopers said Haugh was not wearing a seat belt and he was found to be wanted on a warrant for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was lodged in jail on the warrant and the driver of the vehicle was cited for traffic violations.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested at least two motorists for impaired driving over the holiday weekend in the Illinois Valley. According to OSP, the first incident occurred on Saturday at 11:11 p.m. when state troopers pulled over a Mazda MZ3 driven by a 37-year-old Cave Junction man at the intersection of Redwood Highway and Laurel Drive. Troopers said they stopped the Mazda for a traffic violation and the driver showed signs of impairment. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was cited to appear in court and released. His vehicle was parked and secured. The second incident happened on Sunday at 1:19 a.m. when troopers pulled over a Toyota Tundra driven by a 29-year-old Selma man at the intersection of Redwood Highway and Reeves Creek Road. Troopers said they stopped the Toyota for a traffic violation and the driver showed signs of impairment. They said he refused to participate in field sobriety tests, so a search warrant was obtained and he was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for DUII and his vehicle was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man with a bad habit of trespassing on two local warrants early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 42-year-old George Charles Pearson Williams near the corner of the Grants Pass Parkway and NE Terry Lane on Monday at 8:44 a.m.. Police said they immediately placed Williams into custody because they knew he was wanted on two Grants Pass warrants for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. Williams was lodged in jail and his belongings were logged into evidence for safekeeping.