Local News

Josephine County leaders heard from several community agricultural and educational groups during a town hall meeting this week at the Fairgrounds. Speakers from groups serving both children and adults addressed members of the Board of Commissioners and Fair Board in the Fairgrounds Floral Building on Thursday night, with Recreation Director Tamra Martin serving as emcee. More than 45 community members attended the town hall. Speakers from six organizations presented assessments of their groups' participation numbers and needs, such as meeting spaces and additional funding. The interests represented ranged from gardening to animal husbandry to youth shooting sports and women's strength training. A seventh organization focused on robotics was not able to send a representative but asked Martin to present their needs to board members. That group's needs include a classroom for education and practice as well as showroom for members' final projects to be displayed. The Board of Commissioners plan to hold another town hall in the future to learn and listen to the needs of these local groups.

 

The Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management has reopened public lands within and near the two largest wildfires in southwest Oregon this summer. The Upper Applegate Fire near Ruch started on June 20th and it was finally contained at 1,143 acres while the Salt Creek Fire between Eagle Point and Butte Falls started on July 7th and it was contained at 4,102 acres. The Oregon Department of Forestry said the cause of the Upper Applegate Fire was illegal mowing of dry grass and the cause of the Salt Creek Fire remains under investigation but it was likely caused by human activity. Before venturing out to public lands near these two wildfire areas, BLM officials warn citizens to be aware that safety concerns still exit. Ash and dust from the fires may contain toxic and cancer-causing chemicals. Watch out for fire¬-weakened trees and limbs that can fall without warning. If the wind picks up, leave the area immediately. In wet weather, water or mud may build up quickly and cause a landslide. Stump holes can remain hot long after a fire is out and footing can be unstable if roots have burned out underground.

 

The Grants Pass Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management is excited to announce that repair work has finished on the Rainie Falls Trail nearly three months ahead of schedule. BLM officials said the barriers were removed Friday and the public is once again allowed to use the trail on the south side of the Rogue River near Grave Creek. The area has been closed since the Rum Creek Fire in 2022. Officials said there is still the potential for hazards in the burned area including falling trees and limbs, debris flows, falling rocks and other safety concerns. The Rum Creek Fire caused rock, trees and other debris to fall on the tread of the trail. Retaining wall features built out of wood, railroad ties and metal stakes were burnt and damaged to the point of failure. The trail posed extreme fall hazards. The BLM contracted with Work Horse, Inc., out of Enterprise, Oregon, to repair the trail at a cost of approximately $230,000.

 

Three Oregon men were sentenced to federal prison yesterday for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a Medford teenager. According to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon, 22-year-old Napoleon Gomez of Medford was sentenced to 87 months in prison and six years of supervised release, 27-year-old Conner Lee Francis of Portland was sentenced to 73 months in prison and four years of supervised release, and 23-year-old Hunter Fenstermaker of Medford was sentenced to 60 months in prison and six years of supervised release. All three were also ordered to pay restitution to the victim's family. On September 7, 2021, the Medford Police Department responded to a report of an overdose death of a 17-year-old high school student. Investigators learned the teen had taken a counterfeit Percocet pill containing fentanyl and -- within days -- identified Fenstermaker, Gomez and Francis as the teen's first-, second- and third-level drug suppliers. On February 3, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a five-count indictment charging Fenstermaker and Gomez with Distributing Fentanyl, and Francis with Possessing Fentanyl with the Intent to Distribute and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Fenstermaker, Gomez and Francis all pleaded guilty on April 9th, June 17th and June 24th of this year. On May 14th of this year, a fourth person -- 31-year-old John Rocha of Medford -- was sentenced to 70 months in prison for his role in the Medford teen's death. He was the teen's fourth-level drug supplier. The case was investigated by the FBI, Medford Police Department and Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement (MADGE).

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a young woman early today for assaulting her boyfriend at a home in the Redwood area of Grants Pass. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested a 19-year-old female subject at 1:45 this morning for the incident that occurred in the 900-block of Darneille Lane. Deputies said the male victim advised his girlfriend of eight months physically attacked him at the residence and he was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center to seek medical attention as he felt dizzy and dazed after the incident that occurred late last night. He was not seriously injured, but wanted to press charges. After searching the area, deputies located the young woman and placed her into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on an out-of-county warrant while investigating a shoplifting incident at Southern Oregon Goodwill last night. The Police Department reports officers arrested 57-year-old Charles Joe Mussman, Jr., at the store in the Grants Pass Shopping Center on Thursday at 7:16 p.m.. Police said Mussman had been detained by Goodwill loss prevention for trying to steal under $100 worth of store merchandise. He was described as "cooperative." Upon arrival, officers placed the suspect into custody and discovered that he was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage. Mussman was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a new charge of 3rd-Degree Theft. Goodwill recovered the stolen items.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a woman for attempting to steal items from a Cave Junction supermarket yesterday. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a shoplifting complaint at Shop Smart on West Watkins Street on Thursday around 2:25 p.m.. Deputies said the store manager reported 39-year-old Kristle Lynne Smart stole flowers, beer and other items from the deli. The manager advised the suspect had been previously trespassed from the business. Upon arrival, deputies placed the suspect into custody without incident. Smart was transported to Grants Pass and booked into the Josephine County Jail for 3rd-Degree Theft and 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. Her corrections officer was notified and she was trespassed from Shop Smart for one year.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a young man for disrupting traffic in the downtown area early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the incident at the corner of NE 6th and E streets on Thursday at 7:08 a.m.. Police said a 19-year-old male subject was dancing in the street, causing at least 12 cars to come to a stop and preventing traffic from flowing. They said he was taken into custody and started to complain about several health concerns. The young man was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center and cited to appear in court for Disorderly Conduct at the hospital where he then sought medical treatment. At the request of Safeway staff, the suspect was trespassed from the store due to a previous incident. At the request of Three Rivers Medical Center security, he was also trespassed from the hospital -- he is only allowed to be at the facility for emergency treatment.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for suspended driving yesterday after a citizen called 9-1-1 to report suspicious activity at Redwood Park. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident at the city park on Dowell Road on Thursday at about 2:30 p.m.. Police said a 52-year-old male subject drove into Redwood Park around noon and consumed multiple alcoholic beverages. A citizen observed the incident and called for help, worried that the man might try to drive. Upon arrival, officers found the subject sitting in the driver's seat of a burgundy-colored Ford sport utility vehicle and consuming an adult beverage. He admitted to driving to the park with a suspended license, so he was placed into custody. The suspect was lodged in jail for Driving While Suspended and his SUV was impounded. He was also issued a 30-day exclusion from Redwood Park.