Local News

The Cave Junction City Council will be considering contracts, three resolutions and three ordinances during its regular meeting tonight. Following a Public Works Update, the Consent Agenda and Public Comment, the City Council will consider a contract for Josephine County Sheriff's Office services at $199,000 for the next year -- a 1.4% increase over the current contract. Another contract for the rental of the Cave Junction Substation to the Josephine County Sheriff's Office is $446.33 per month including utilities. There are three resolutions on the agenda: one declaring a property on Laurel Road a public nuisance, one authorizing the receipt of grant funds for shading at Jubilee Park's spray pad, and another setting system development and storm water charges. Three ordinances pertain to sidewalk construction and repairs, increasing balances for payment agreements, and amending the system development and storm water fees. Tonight's meeting starts at 7 at Cave Junction City Hall, 222 Lister Street.

 

The City of Grants Pass has been dealt a significant financial blow to its plans for a replacement water treatment plant, which was scheduled to break ground in May. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has cancelled the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program for fiscal years 2020-2024, which means Grants Pass will not receive the $50 million grant that had been awarded to the city in summer 2023. The loss of these funds will require the Grants Pass City Council to consider borrowing additional funds and possibly raising rates to pay for the loan. How much the rates will increase and when the increase will go into effect are still to be determined. Grants Pass officials said inflation and current tariffs have also negatively impacted this project, though the city would have been able to proceed next month without borrowing money and raising rates. The risk of flooding is the main reason Grants Pass was awarded the BRIC grant. While it has been a while since the city has seen a significant flood, Public Works Director Jason Canady said that serious flooding would impact the current water treatment plant, which was built in the 1930s.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters stayed busy protecting the community over the past week. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 534 calls for service along with 312 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 34 arrests, 31 citations, 107 warnings and seven highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 112 traffic stops in the city and they made 22 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 17 potential troublemakers while arresting five people, citing nine more and warning seven others. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 105 calls last week including 40 for emergency medical service, two reports of fire or smoke, 21 lift assists, four rescue situations, five assists to other agencies and four false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,002 emergency calls last week.

 

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office provided a strong law enforcement presence at the Pear Blossom Festival in Medford -- and they were not alone. During Saturday's Pear Blossom Parade, the local Sheriff's Office was joined by agencies from throughout the state. The combined color guard from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and Medford Police Department marched in the annual parade. Motorcades from as far away as Hillsboro and Eugene joined local law agencies for the parade and to help provide safety and security for festival attendees. Other agencies assisting included the Central Point and Grants Pass Police Departments.The Sheriff's Office thanked all those who organized the Pear Blossom event.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners this morning made appointments to the Airport Advisory Board and Budget Committee -- but the most interesting developments in the meeting came during the public comment period. The Board started off the session with the approval of a resolution that continues Josephine County's participation in the County Assessment Function Funding Assistance (CAFFA) Grant program. It's the 36th annual renewal of a grant from the state that helps offset the costs of assessing local properties for taxation. The Commissioners also approved plat maps for two new housing developments in Josephine County -- Eden View and Lesisz Estates. The Board then approved a resolution making seven appointments to the Josephine County Airports Advisory Board. Sean McGillivary, Ryan Marshall, Brett Hopper and Jason Emonds were appointed to four terms while Lena Traeger, Jamie Jones and Cameron Camp were appointed to two-year terms. Three people were appointed to one-year terms on the Josephine County Budget Committee. They are Chad Hanson, Nathan Seable and Marc Kirby. During Public Comment, four people chastised absent Commissioner Chris Barnett for making false claims about people being bused in to last Saturday's successful protest against the Trump administration. One man spoke in opposition to what he called "religious dogma espoused by the Board of Commissioners" while another man spoke in favor of the religious invocations at the start of weekly meetings. There was also citizen comment supporting the Josephine Community Library District as well as a Williams man who asked the Board to "unbundle the Pipe Fork property from the Thompson Creek parcel and sell Pipe Fork to us."

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man last night for beating up his girlfriend in front of a child and then fleeing the scene in a vehicle while impaired. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a Williams Highway residence on Thursday around 10 p.m.. Police were alerted to the incident when a neighbor called 9-1-1 to report that a man and woman were fighting, the man left the scene in a dark-gray Chrysler sedan and he was intoxicated. The caller added that the altercation took place in front of the woman's 4-year-old son. The female victim told officers her boyfriend -- 28-year-old Taylor Marvin Woodward -- kicked her and punched her twice during an argument, which caused noticeable swelling and bruising. However, the woman refused medical attention. Woodward's car was located a short time later at Donutland on Fruitdale Drive. He exited the vehicle, made pre-assault indicators and showed violent behavior toward law enforcement before he was placed into custody at the point of a Taser. Officers described the arrest of the intoxicated suspect as "tense." Woodward was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 4th-Degree Assault, Disorderly Conduct and Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was being held without bail and his car was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for causing a disturbance and then scuffling with deputies in Cave Junction last night. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies eventually arrested 64-year-old David Leo Alexander for the incident in the 200-block of West River Street on Thursday at 8:20 p.m.. Police said a citizen called 9-1-1 to report that Alexander was at their home trying to pick a fight. They found the man lying on their car and when they asked him to leave, he became belligerent. The caller further stated the man kept coming onto their property and that he fell onto and broke their fence. According to the report, the caller's husband punched Alexander when Alexander tried to punch him. The suspect was lying in the roadway when deputies arrived on scene. He was placed into custody and hobbled because he was attempting to kick deputies as well as the door of the patrol vehicle. Alexander was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Attempt to Assault a Peace Officer and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for harassing her now-former apartment manager yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a disturbance at an apartment complex in the 400-block of NE Anderson Street on Thursday around 12:45 p.m.. Police said the apartment manager called 9-1-1 to report that 49-year-old Kathleen Frances Kirven was harassing her and other staff members. The caller said Kirven made a statement that caused her emotional distress and made her afraid to leave her office. According to the report, Kirven was being evicted from her apartment and she was placed into custody upon the arrival of law enforcement. Kirven was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Harassment and she was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two women who got into a physical altercation at a downtown homeless campground yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident at the "resting" site at 6th and A streets on Thursday at 12:35 p.m.. Police said 54-year-old Laurie Yvette Momney and 35-year-old Samantha Jean Brown were physically fighting, rolling on the ground and kicking each other. They said both combatants ran off before they arrived on scene, but both were eventually tracked down and placed into custody about 25 minutes later. Momney was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and she was being held without bail. Brown was also charged with Disorderly Conduct, but she was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for injuries sustained in the fight. She was cited to appear in court and released to hospital staff for protracted treatment.