Local News

The Oregon State Police arrested an Albany man for impaired driving following a weekend traffic stop on Interstate 5 near the Hugo Exit. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Ford F-250 driven by 28-year-old Cameron Albert Gillott in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 67 on Friday at 9:05 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Gillott due to observed violations and him possibly fleeing the scene of a crash. They said he displayed several signs of impairment, so he was placed into custody and transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was nearly twice the legal driving limit. Gillott was cited to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was lodged at the Sobering Center and the investigation was continuing. His pickup was impounded due to the DUII arrest and being involved in a crash.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman late last week after she was found to be driving a stolen vehicle while in possession of narcotics. The Police Department reports officers arrested 39-year-old Shayna L. Dowell in the 1900-block of NW Vine Street on Friday morning. Police said a Hyundai Elantra had been reported stolen and the registered owner's son notified her that he spotted the car in the north part of the city. Officers found the vehicle, confirmed it had been stolen and contacted Dowell inside. Officers said Dowell was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and they noted that efforts were made to alter the appearance of the vehicle. She was placed into custody, the stolen car was recovered and the meth was seized for destruction. Dowell was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Meth Possession. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man on a statewide felony warrant after he was spotted at a southeast-city watering hole. The Police Department reports officers arrested 26-year-old Anthony Michael Moreno near Flespy's Bar & Grill on Fruitdale Drive on Saturday shortly before midnight. Police said an anonymous caller notified them that Moreno was inside the bar and officers knew that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for 2nd-Degree Robbery. When officers approached Moreno, he fled on foot and led them on a pursuit in some nearby storage units until they cornered him. He continued trying to flee, so officers deployed a Taser which proved to be ineffective. However, the suspect gave up and was placed into custody without further incident. Moreno declined medical treatment and was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on three local warrants following a weekend chase in the southeast part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers were performing a patrol check while trying to find 58-year-old Todd Charles Harphant at a home in the 900-block of SE Grandview Avenue on Saturday evening. Police said they observed Harphant in the yard of the residence and they knew that he was wanted on three Grants Pass warrants -- one for failing to appear in court for 1st-Degree Theft and two for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Theft. After Harphant was told he was under arrest, the suspect fled into the home and then took off from the house. A short foot pursuit ensued before he surrendered. After the warrants were confirmed, Harphant was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants plus a new charge of 3rd-Degree Escape. He was being held on $110,000 bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for vandalism and bad behavior late last week after a violent incident at Southern Oregon Goodwill. The Police Department reports officers responded to a trespassing complaint at the thrift store in the 300-block of NE Beacon Drive on Friday afternoon. Police said the store manager called 9-1-1 to report that 51-year-old Sean William MacDowell was trespassing. The caller said the suspect broke a bathroom stall door, causing several hundred dollars in damage. He was also screaming, yelling and cussing in a threatening manner, causing public alarm and annoyance. MacDowell was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Criminal Mischief and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail and he was trespassed from Southern Oregon Goodwill.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a well-known offender for her unruly weekend antics at Riverside Park. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident involving 32-year-old Whitney Ann Word at the city park on Saturday around 2:40 p.m.. Police said Word was called in for fighting, screaming and taking her clothes off near the Riverside Park playground. They said one caller was very upset that the woman was making people very uncomfortable at a public facility. Others stated that the woman was walking up to citizens' vehicles and causing them to drive off. When officers arrived at the park, they observed Word walking in the middle of the parking lot with her pajama bottoms removed and her shirt half off. She was placed into custody without further incident. Word was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and she was being held without bail.

 

Applications are being accepted for two positions on the Grants Pass Urban Tree Advisory Committee. These positions are two-year terms. The purpose of this committee is to review, develop and implement programs and activities that promote, protect and enhance the urban forest as part of the Tree City USA program of the US Arbor Day Foundation. The special qualification for these positions is an interest in the promotion and enhancement of the urban forest in Grants Pass. Applications are available at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or online at "grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application." Completed applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, May 2nd. Applications will be reviewed by the committee on Monday, May 12th. The appointments will be made by the Grants Pass City Council on Wednesday, June 4th.

 

The Josephine Community Library District is preparing to be evicted from its Grants Pass branch after it contends the county has canceled lease negotiations. On Friday afternoon, the local library district issued a press release in which it stated "Josephine County is now making plans to evict the library from the building it has occupied since 1959." Library officials said the unexpected shift was shared by Josephine County Legal Counsel Wally Hicks without clear reasoning or a timeline and it comes after county officials canceled a scheduled meeting with the district. They said the county has yet to reschedule or respond directly to its lease renewal proposal. The library district has proposed a five-year renewal of the current lease at $1 per year. The rate reflects the significant public investment and community benefit including over $500,000 in building improvements since 2009. Officials said they need five more years to raise an estimated $26 million to build a new facility on land the Library Foundation owns in downtown Grants Pass. The Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 on January 6th to terminate the current lease with just 30 days' notice. In a January 8th press release, officials said the move was intended to establish a framework for a new lease -- not to evict the library. However, no progress has been made.

 

The Grants Pass City Council has scheduled a Special Workshop tomorrow in order to tackle the homeless problem and an accompanying court injunction. The single topic on the workshop agenda is "Resting Sites for the Homeless." The City is under a preliminary court injunction prohibiting it from enforcing rules restricting conduct of the unhoused population except at Riverside and Reinhart Volunteer parks along with city streets and sidewalks. Josephine County Circuit Judge Sarah McGlaughlin granted the injunction at the request of Disability Rights Oregon and five homeless plaintiffs. The judge said she will drop the injunction if the City Council offers more space for homeless camping and provides paved surfaces that are accessible for disabled people. Disability Rights Oregon sued the City of Grants Pass on January 30th while arguing the city was violating state disability rights law as well as an Oregon law that states local homeless camping regulations must be "objectively reasonable." Tuesday's Special Workshop will take place in the City Council Chambers at 3 p.m.. The public may attend, but citizens input is not accepted at workshops.