Local News

A weekend fire in blackberry briars in the New Hope area prompted an emergency response from Rural Metro Fire Department's Williams Highway Station. On Saturday at 3:31 p.m., Rural Metro and a Grants Pass Fire & Rescue engine responded to the reported fire at the entrance to the Ponderosa Ridge community off New Hope Road. Rural Metro officials reported the fire consumed about 1/4-acre of vegetation along a creek bed before it was contained by firefighters. They said the cause of the fire was related to burning yard debris left over from winter storm damage that spread to nearby flammable vegetation. Officials said it is important for anyone burning debris to realize the current warm and dry weather can lead to debris fires escaping control. Rural Metro recommends to avoid burning on breezy days, keep burn piles small in size, build burn piles in open spaces away from flammable vegetation, stay in attendance of the burn, have a charged garden hose within reach of the pile, and carry a shovel and charged cell phone to react quickly.

 

Multiple agencies battled a small weekend wildfire in the southern Illinois Valley. On Saturday at 4:37 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, Oregon Department of Forestry and US Forest Service responded to a vegetation fire in the 1900-block of Rough and Ready Creek Road. IVFD officials said fire lines were established quickly to corral the one-acre blaze and some resources were released while all the hot spots were extinguished by the remaining crews. Officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

The Josephine County Fair Board meets this evening for a meeting that was postponed from last week. Following General Public Input when citizens are given three minutes to address the Fair Board, it will be time for Committee Reports. Jen McGowan will present the Auction Committee Report while Dean Saxon will provide reports for Facilities and Friends of the Fairgrounds. Recreation Director Tamra Martin's report will include a general update for the 2025 Josephine County Fair, a job description review for Fair Superintendent, new superintendent appointments and the Horticulture Department. Under new business, the Fair Board will discuss the Midway Restroom. Tonight's meeting starts at 6 in the Floral Building at the Fairgrounds in Grants Pass. The next meeting is scheduled for May 20th.

 

The Josephine Community Library District Board of Directors will hold a special meeting today to hold an executive session regarding real property transactions and records that are exempt from public disclosure. The preliminary agenda includes the executive session that is closed to the public followed by discussion about the stalled Grants Pass Library Lease negotiations. Today's special meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Grants Pass branch library, located at 200 NW C Street.

 

Now that the Grants Pass City Council has approved a resolution adding two resting sites for unhoused individuals, the plan will be implemented this week. Last Wednesday night, the City Council voted 6-2 to approve the plan to meet Josephine County Circuit Judge Sarah McGloughlin's requirements for the preliminary injunction to be lifted -- space must be provided for 150 resting sites and at least some of the sites must demonstrate ADA compliance. The current resting sites at 704 NW 6th Street and 712 NE 7th Street will remain in place. They accommodate a total of approximately 99 resting sites. Additional locations for resting will be 714 NW 6th Street and 711 NW 5th Street. They will provide room for more than 50 resting sites to reach the mandated total of 150. The 6th and 5th street sites are adjacent to each other, but they will be separated by fencing. Beginning Wednesday, the employee parking lot at 711 NW 5th Street will officially transition into a designated resting site. To alleviate some of the impact on the neighborhood around Grants Pass City Hall due to increased street parking, the City is renting approximately 40 spaces at a nearby church for its employees.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters worked diligently to protect citizens and structures last week. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 564 calls for service along with 305 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 33 arrests, 35 citations, 77 warnings and eight highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 97 traffic stops in the city and they made 21 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) made contact with 13 potential troublemakers while arresting three people, citing five more and warning five others. The CRT unit also trespassed three individuals from homes and businesses. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 86 calls last week including 29 for emergency medical service, three for reports of fire or smoke, eight lift assists, four rescue situations, five assists to other agencies and six false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,056 emergency calls last week.

 

The Rogue Community College chapter of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges is bringing its popular $1 clothing sale to RCC's Redwood and Riverside campuses this week. The event is open to the public, with proceeds benefiting student scholarships through the RCC Foundation. Most items will be priced at just $1, and all clothing and accessories have been donated by community members. The fundraiser will take place in the RCC Student Center at the Redwood Campus in Grants Pass on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.. The event will take place in the Higher Education Center at the Riverside Campus in Medford on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.. Held in honor of Earth Day, the biannual fundraiser promotes sustainability while supporting education. The American Association of Women in Community Colleges has contributed to student scholarships and RCC programs since 2006.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners this morning failed to approve a small funding request from Friends of Country Living, even though the money would have come from the state and not county coffers. No motion was made to approve the funding request by the group that strives to improve and protect the livability of the small community of Sunny Valley. For the second straight week, Commissioner Chris Barnett was absent and "excused." Friends of Country Living made the request to erect a kiosk near the Sunny Valley Covered Bridge to explain its history and weight-load limitations to passersby. Public Works Director Rob Brandes spoke on behalf of the group and told Board Chair Andreas Blech and Commissioner Ron Smith that he fully supported their request for $2,000, which he explained would come from the Oregon Department of Transportation with no funding taken from the General Fund. The public comment period developed into a "Good Friday" religious debate with a woman presenting Easter-themed cupcakes to the Board followed immediately by a man who made his regular objection to what he called "religious dogma that is promoted by the Commissioners." A Grants Pass City Council member followed that up with praise for the Board reinstating prayer at the start of their meetings. Other speakers included a man who supports the Friends of Country Living group and a woman who supports the Josephine Community Library District.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a well-known criminal offender for multiple crimes after he threatened officers with a hammer when they tried to arrest him for violating a court order. The Police Department reports officers eventually arrested 30-year-old Kraig Dean Toothman for the incident at and near the NE 7th Street "resting" site on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.. Police said they contacted Toothman at the temporary campsite and told him he was under arrest for two counts of Contempt of Court. They said he fled on foot and they chased him down at the corner of NE A Street and Dean Drive near the high school. GPHS was placed in a "secure" status during the incident. Toothman reportedly pulled out a hammer and threatened officers with it before he was Tased and placed into custody. He was found to be in possession of a glass pipe containing methamphetamine residue. The hammer was seized as evidence and the pipe was seized for destruction. Toothman was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing, Resisting Arrest, Escape, Meth Possession and two counts of Contempt of Court. He was being held without bail pending his court arraignment.