Local News

For the first time since two new campsites were designated in Grants Pass, police officers moved in to post trespass warnings on Wednesday. According to rules approved by the Grants Pass City Council, campers are allowed to stay seven days at the campsites on SE J Street and 6th & A streets, with a three-day warning before they are cited. During a check of the J Street Camp yesterday, officers posted 60 campsites with a 72-hour warning. Those campers must move to the 6th & A Camp by this weekend or they will be cited. City Council members have expressed concerns that the 6th & A site might not be large enough to accommodate that many campers. Meanwhile at the J Street Camp, one man was cited for violating campsite rules which led to a 30-day exclusion. A man and three women were cited for Improper Utilization of Space. A woman was cited for Scattering Rubbish.

 

Due to an extended weather forecast that anticipates above-normal precipitation and below-normal temperatures, federal and state agencies have elected to decrease campfire restrictions on the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue River. The Wild Section of the Rogue flows from Grave Creek to the mouth of Watson Creek. Effective immediately, building, maintaining or using a fire, campfire or stove fire is prohibited, with the exception of commercially-produced pressurized liquid gas stoves. Charcoal briquettes are allowed within a raised fire pan below the high-water mark from Marial downstream to the mouth of Watson Creek. All ashes must be carried out. Smoking is only permitted while on watercraft on waterways or in areas that are on vegetation-free sand and gravel bars located between the river and ordinary high-water mark. These restrictions will be in place through November 30th unless rescinded sooner. In addition, the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has moved to "moderate" fire danger, with a reduction to Stage 2 Public Use Restrictions and a move to Industrial Fire Precaution Level 1. Stage 2 restrictions prohibit campfires with solid fuels except in fire rings or fireplaces of certain recreation sites. Portable lanterns, stoves or campfires solely fueled by gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel are allowed.

 

Firefighters battled a structure fire that heavily damaged a local motor sports building on Rogue River Highway early this morning. Shortly after midnight today, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and Rural Metro Fire Department were dispatched to the fire at LMS Motorsports in the 800-block of Highway 99. Grants Pass Engine 7308 was returning to the station after clearing another call and was on scene within 60 seconds with three personnel. Due to the amount of fire on arrival, a second alarm was sounded to bring in additional resources. A hose line that flows 260 gallons of water per minute was deployed for an aggressive attack. Grants Pass Battalion 4 was able to gain entry into the main shop through the rollup doors with a circular saw, deploying additional hose lines. The fire was knocked down and under control in 50 minutes and contained to the building of origin. Crews remained on scene for overhaul for several more hours. During the height of the fire, both Rogue River Highway and Fruitdale Drive were closed to through traffic. Officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have announced that $9.4 million is coming to Oregon to reduce wildfire threats in high-risk areas across the state. The US Department of Agriculture is directly investing $9,422,722 in three of Oregon's national forests to treat areas of high wildfire risk where forests meet homes and communities. The funding is part of the US Forest Service's Collaborative Wildfire Risk Reduction Program, which enables national forests to reduce wildfire risks for communities, critical infrastructure and natural resources. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is receiving $4.4 million for its Grayback Creek Watershed Ecological Restoration and Wildfire Risk Reduction Project. This investment will support strategic planning and forest restoration efforts, community engagement and collaboration, and workforce development in a critically important landscape of the local forest with conifer trees that have mostly not experienced wildfire in at least 125 years. The Umpqua National Forest is getting $4.89 million for its Elk Tribal and Community Healthy Forest Restoration Project. This project will restore forest health using prescribed fire and by constructing strategic fuel breaks in the Elk Creek Watershed. It will build on existing collaboration between the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and the Forest Service.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed an Illinois Valley man for allegedly roughing up his mother this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested a 42-year-old male subject at a home in the 2100-block of Caves Highway on Tuesday night. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her son punched her in the face and forced her to the ground. The woman said she was in pain, but she denied medical attention. According to the report, the victim said her son had been taking his medications and he had no access to any weapons. Upon arrival, deputies documented the victim's injuries before placing the suspect into custody. He was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a nationwide fugitive early yesterday during a traffic stop in the downtown area. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a vehicle driven by 40-year-old Raven Crystal Clifton in the 100-block of SW J Street at 12:51 a.m. Wednesday. Police said they stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation and discovered that Clifton was wanted on a US Marshal's Service felony warrant for Possession of Dangerous Drugs. She was placed into custody without incident. Clifton was lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail. Temporary custody of the vehicle was given to her male passenger.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for stealing merchandise from a local sporting goods store this week and found her to be in possession of packaged narcotics ready for distribution. The Police Department reports officers responded to a shoplifting complaint involving a 38-year-old female subject at Big 5 Sporting Goods on NE Agness Avenue on Tuesday night. Police said the store manager reported a woman grabbed a pop-up cabana valued at $40, walked out of the store and rode away on a bicycle. Surveillance video showed the suspect heading toward Applebees on a dark-colored mountain bike. Officers searched the area and eventually located the suspect they identified as "Amanda Marie McCoy" at the designated campground on SE J Street. Upon contact, she admitted to taking the cabana without paying for it. She was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 3rd-Degree Theft. Upon booking, jail deputies found approximately 5.6 grams of methamphetamine hidden in McCoy's undergarments. It was packaged in separate baggies and she admitted to the intent of selling the meth. Charges of Possession and Delivery of a Controlled Substance were referred to the District Attorney for consideration.

 

Multiple agencies extinguished a vehicle fire in a rural area near Cave Junction early yesterday. The Illinois Valley Fire District and Oregon Department of Forestry were dispatched to a reported structure fire in the 1100-block of White Schoolhouse Road on Wednesday around 12:30 a.m.. Arriving units discovered that a vehicle -- not a structure -- was on fire. IVFD officials said crews knocked down the vehicle fire while ODF put out a small extension of the blaze in the nearby wildland. No injuries were reported. Jerry's Towing was called in to remove the burned vehicle from the roadway.

 

The Jackson County Roads and Parks Department is hosting this year's Oregon Association of County Engineers and Surveyors (OACES) Skills Demonstration and Safety Conference at the Jackson County Expo Park in Central Point. The event convenes Road Maintenance and Engineering professionals from counties and cities across Oregon with nearly 100 participants. This year's event has speakers focusing on workplace safety, emergency response, pavement maintenance and traffic management. Participants also have the chance to demonstrate their skills in operating heavy equipment that is used in road maintenance. Jackson County Roads and Parks Department Director Steve Lambert said their team members are very skilled professionals who are dedicated to the work they do. He said training at this week's event allows for networking with peers, focused on improving skills to best serve the traveling public while ensuring worker safety. Brian Worley with OACES said county road departments are being asked to do more with less on a daily basis. He said it's important to OACES that they continue to assist these public works professionals with training such as this week's events to provide opportunities for continued growth.