KLDR - Local News

Eagle Point PD Calls on EPHS Students to Help Design Graphics on SRO Patrol Car

The Eagle Point Police Department recently updated their patrol vehicles with a new graphic design. While doing the patrol vehicle designs, students from Eagle Point High School were offered a chance to help design the School Resource Officer (SRO) vehicle. Eagle Point Police Chief Jim Hamilton said Emilio Salas-Escalante and Natalie Hill submitted designs that were included in the new graphics. Both students provided different designs that incorporated the EPHS "Eagle" mascot and helped add a creative touch to the SRO patrol vehicle. School Resource Officer Marc Slagle worked with EPHS staff to obtain the designs and Wrap-It-Up Graphics helped to integrate the design onto the vehicle. Chief Hamilton thanks the students and staff who helped create the new design. He said EPPD appreciates its partnership with the Eagle Point School District and working with students on projects like this. Hamilton said the agency thinks this design "knocks it out of the park."

Posted on 9/25/24 5:57AM by Sam Marsh

BCC Set to Hold Public Hearing on Supplemental Budget for Current Fiscal Year

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on a supplemental budget for the current fiscal year during its weekly business session tomorrow. The hearing for the supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2025 will be followed by a resolution that would transfer appropriations within or between funds and make budget adjustments. The Consent Calendar contains orders dissolving three task forces or committees, and a resolution making an appointment to the Mining Advisory Committee. As always, there will be Requests and Comments from Citizens in which residents can address the Board for up three minutes on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

Posted on 9/24/24 11:28AM by Sam Marsh

North Valley Residents Showing Concern after RR Tracks Fire near Hugo Today

Firefighters extinguished a small fire near the railroad tracks in the Hugo area early today. Rural Metro Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Forestry responded to a reported fire along the railroad tracks in the area of Russell Road and Jess Way. At 7:30 a.m., Rural Metro reported firefighters had accessed the 1/4-acre fire and were establishing water and containment lines. The railroad company was notified as some railroad ties had been damaged by the flames. No structures were threatened and the cause of the fire was under investigation. Many North Valley residents are concerned that someone might be intentionally setting fires in the area. On Monday, firefighters put out six fires along Interstate 5 near the Manzanita Rest Area and two more on Walker Mountain above the Josephine County Sportsman's Park. Officials said all the fires in the North Valley area over the past two days are being actively investigated by ODF, the Oregon State Fire Marshal and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. With no witnesses to the ignition of these fires, all factors must be taken into account. All leads are being pursued and evaluated. Potential factors include vehicles and trains throwing sparks, transient campfires and intentional acts by humans, but they are just a few of the possible contributors.

Posted on 9/24/24 11:13AM by Sam Marsh

GP Man May be Charged with Stealing Vehicle after Weekend Stop on Fruitdale

The Oregon State Police has referred charges against a Grants Pass man to the Josephine County District Attorney's Office after he was caught driving a stolen vehicle. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Honda Accord driven by 38-year-old Kurt Kent Krause near the corner of Fruitdale and Canyon Oak drives on Sunday afternoon. Troopers said they spotted the car that had been reported stolen from a 72-year-old woman in Gold Hill that morning. After confirming the license plate number, they pulled the car over and detained three subjects including Krause. According to OSP, Krause was placed into custody on two local warrants for Parole and Probation violations. He was being held on a no-bail detainer. His two female passengers were released. The stolen car was returned to its owner. Charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle against Krause were referred to the District Attorney for consideration.

Posted on 9/24/24 11:11AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Female Transient on Statewide Warrant after Park Patrol Check

Grants Pass Police jailed a female transient on a statewide felony warrant yesterday after a patrol check at a northwest-city park. The Police Department reports officers arrested 47-year-old Rose McLaughlin at Lawnridge Park on NW Hawthorne Avenue on Monday at 2:33 p.m.. Police said McLaughlin was smoking a cigar when they contacted her. She was cited for smoking tobacco and marijuana in the park. Further investigation showed she was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for a weapon offense. She was placed into custody without incident. McLaughlin was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and she was being held on a no-bail detainer. She was also trespassed from the park for 30 days. Jail records show McLaughlin has been arrested for violating her parole 10 times since September 2023.

Posted on 9/24/24 11:10AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Incarcerated "Frequent Flyer" for Parole Violation after Trespass Call

Grants Pass Police incarcerated a "frequent flyer" for violating her post-prison supervision yesterday while investigating a trespassing complaint at bicycle shop in the south part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers contacted and arrested 29-year-old Cierra Shay Powers near Bikekraft on Williams Highway at 10:55 a.m. Monday. Police said an employee at the store reported Powers appeared to be passed out in front of the business. When she was asked to leave, she stood up and dropped what appeared to be a methamphetamine pipe. She admitted to having more drugs on her person and 2.4 grams of meth were found in a baggie in her back pants pocket. Powers was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession plus the resulting Felony Parole Violation. She was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Powers has been arrested for violating her parole five times since September of last year.

Posted on 9/24/24 11:09AM by Sam Marsh

Weekend Patrol Check in Downtown CJ Led to Capture of State & Local Fugitive

A weekend patrol check in downtown Cave Junction led to the apprehension of a man wanted on statewide and local felony warrants. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 46-year-old Lukas Kristopher Short at Shop Smart on West Watkins Street on Sunday at 4:19 a.m.. Deputies said they were on patrol when they observed a vehicle with four occupants parked at the downtown supermarket. Among the four was Short, who was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a drug conviction and a Josephine County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Theft of a Vehicle. Short was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. The other occupants of the vehicle were told to move along.

Posted on 9/24/24 11:06AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Moped Rider for Drug, Weapon & Driving Crimes Last Night

Grants Pass Police arrested a moped rider for drug, weapon and driving violations following a traffic stop in the southeast part of the city last night. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a moped ridden by a 55-year-old male subject near the corner of SE J and Mill streets on Monday at 10:09 p.m.. Police said they observed a man they identified as "James Alan Nelson" fail to stop for a traffic control device and make an unsignaled turn before pulling him over. His driver's license was suspended and he was not driving for an emergent reason. During a consent search, Nelson was found to be in possession of 3.2 grams of methamphetamine and a spring-assisted dagger. As a convicted felon, he is banned from possession of any drugs or weapons. They were seized as evidence. Nelson was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon, Meth Possession and Driving While Suspended. He was cited for Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device and No Insurance, and he was warned for Unsignaled Turn and Failure to Renew Vehicle Registration. According to the report, the moped was impounded by Caveman Towing.

Posted on 9/24/24 11:05AM by Sam Marsh

North Valley Foot Pursuit Causes Temporary Lockdown of School Campuses

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for bad behavior early yesterday following a foot pursuit in the North Valley area that caused secure lockdowns on three school campuses. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies eventually arrested 49-year-old Ryan Paul Jantz in a gravel parking lot off North Valley Drive on Monday at 10:43 a.m.. Deputies said they spotted Jantz and he took off running, hopping a fence off San Francisco Street, passing California Street and staying between the property lines and Interstate 5. They said he removed his shirt at one point and hid in the brush. The law enforcement pursuit caused Manzanita Elementary, Fleming Middle and North Valley High schools to be temporarily placed on secure lockdown. The lockdowns were lifted after Jantz was placed into custody. Jantz was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and he was being held without bail.

Posted on 9/24/24 11:03AM by Sam Marsh

Four People Injured in Violent Weekend Crash on Redwood Highway in Selma

Four people were injured in a violent weekend crash on Redwood Highway in Selma. On Sunday at 3:15 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response, Josephine County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police were all dispatched to the two-vehicle wreck on US Highway 199 at Lakeshore Drive. According to OSP, a Ford Expedition driven by a 30-year-old man crashed into a Subaru Legacy driven by a 34-year-old woman. Three passengers from the Subaru and the driver of the Ford were injured. No one else was hurt. IVFD officials said AMR deployed three ambulances to transport the four patients to Three Rivers Medical Center. All travel lanes on Redwood Highway were closed during the incident and they reopened with assistance from the Oregon Department of Transportation. Jerry's Towing removed the vehicles from the highway and hauled them to Cave Junction. OSP was investigating the cause of the crash.

Posted on 9/24/24 6:40AM by Sam Marsh

Authorities Investigating Several Small Fires in North Valley Area Early Monday

Authorities were investigating several small fires that broke out in the North Valley area early yesterday. It all started early Monday morning when the Oregon Department of Forestry and Rural Metro Fire Department responded to six reported fires along Interstate 5 near the Manzanita Rest Area. By 3 a.m., all the fires were out and under investigation by ODF and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. Later Monday morning, ODF and Rural Metro crews responded to reports of two fires on the side of Walker Mountain above the Sportsman's Park. Fire activity was minimal, but smoke was clearly visible. Due to limited access, helicopters assisted hand crews in getting a jump on the fires. A bulldozer was brought in to build a road in order to get engines closer. Shortly before noon, ODF provided an update that the two fires on Walker Mountain were contained at about one acre combined. ODF and the Sheriff's Office were actively investigating the cause of the fires.

Posted on 9/24/24 6:39AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Felon for Parole Violation after Buying Gas with Funny Money

Grants Pass Police arrested a felon for violating his post-prison supervision last weekend by attempting to purchase gasoline at a local station with fake currency. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a fraud complaint at the Chevron station in the 600-block of Redwood Highway on Saturday night. Police said 45-year-old Kayasith "Johnny" Thavisack tried to purchase $40 in gas using two counterfeit $20 bills. They said he was contacted and placed into custody following the complaint by the gas station attendant. During a consent search, Thavisack was found to be in possession of more than one gram of methamphetamine. It was seized for destruction and the 'funny money' was seized as evidence. Thavisack was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Forgery, Meth Possession and the resulting Felony Parole Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 9/24/24 6:31AM by Sam Marsh