Local News

The Board of County Commissioners will meet for their second workshop of the week and the evening Weekly Business Session Wednesday.

At 10 a.m. in the BCC Conference Room, the board will hear presentations and requests from departments including Finance, Public Works, and Recreation. The Commissioners will then consider a resolution in the matter of reappointing the Josephine County Law Enforcement Service District Advisory Committee.

The meeting will adjourn afterwards, then the board will convene at 5:30 p.m. for their Weekly Business Session in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

At the start of the meeting, there will be a public hearing in the matter of two petitioner's annexations to the Josephine Community Library District. Afterwards, the board will consider a rate increase for Southern Oregon Sanitation's Kerby Transfer Station.

Other board business includes orders regarding the sale of county land on Winona Road, left unsold following a Sheriff's auction, and the procedure for setting county charged fees and public hearings for Community Development.

The public may speak during Requests and Comments from citizens, and the board will consider approval of the consent calendar before adjourning the meeting. The public may attend in person or stream both Wednesday meetings at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream.

 

Grants Pass Police officers, along with the help of a 911 caller, apprehended a man trespassing at New Song Christian Fellowship early this morning.

The owner of the property at 111 NE Evelyn Avenue reported to law enforcement around 12:40 a.m. that the suspect was observed via security cameras entering the building. Nothing was seen in the suspect's hands, and the owner wanted to pursue charges.

Officers were permitted to enter the building as the owner continued using cameras to keep track of the suspect's whereabouts. K-9 Units were announced as law enforcement created a perimeter. An entry team formed on the east side of the building.

The suspect ultimately exited the building on the west side where perimeter units took him into custody without incident. The owner requested the building be cleared of any other possible intruders. No other suspects were located.

The suspect, Michael Hood, advised officers that a man in a black truck, whom he reportedly did not know, told him Monday to break into the church and "boost" items, leaving them outside for the man to take later.

Hood didn't have any church items on his person, and officers learned he entered the building through an open bathroom window. Hood was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a charge of Burglary in the Second Degree.

 

A man with a wheelchair was trespassed from and arrested at Abby's Legendary Pizza after refusing to leave the premises.

Grants Pass Police were notified by the associate manager of the 205 NE Beacon Drive restaurant that the suspect had been asked to leave numerous times. Officers arrived and located the suspect outside the building actively smoking from a glass pipe.

The pipe had a white crystallized substance inside, which field tested positive for methamphetamine. The suspect, identified as Donn Fincher, was taken into custody, and officers attempted to contact his parole officer. A voicemail was left instead, and Fincher was trespassed from Abby's.

Officers took Fincher to jail where he was lodged on a charge of Meth Possession, as well as a probation violation. His wheelchair and black backpack were logged for safekeeping.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman outside Walmart after she gave them a false name.

Dispatch was notified of a verbal dispute between a man and the woman in the 135 NE Terry Lane store's parking lot. Upon arrival, officers contacted both individuals, with the woman identifying herself as Deana Burton.

Her true name, confirmed by the man and jail booking photos, was revealed to be Felicia Burton. Officers learned she had a serviceable, out-of-county warrant for her arrest. After confirming the warrant, law enforcement took Burton into custody.

She was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility for her warrant.

 

The Josephine Community Library Foundation is inviting the community to the Teen Library Design Showcase.

Saturday, March 14th from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Josephine Community Library, this exhibit will highlight Girls Rock youth designs facilitated by ZCS Lead Architect Jessi Russell. The artwork is on display now through the end of the month.

The showcase is an extension of Girls Rock’s “Design Your World” workshop, where youth explored careers in architecture and reimagined what a teen-focused library could include. During the March 14th showcase, youth designers will share what shaped their choices and how their ideas reflect the needs of teens in library spaces.

Russell is a registered architect in Oregon and California with more than 13 years of experience and will share how architects turn big ideas into real places by solving practical design puzzles while encouraging youth to see architecture as a possible career path.

Food and refreshments will be provided. A library card is not required to attend the meet-and-greet or view the exhibit.

 

Medford Police officers responded to the report of a vehicle that drove into a building near the intersection of Beatty Street and Manzanita Street.

The incident occurred Monday around 11 a.m. It was determined that the 26-year-old driver of a green Toyota sedan had been driving recklessly northbound on Manzanita Street, failed to negotiate the intersection, and collided with a residence.

The driver then fled the scene on foot, but was soon captured by responding officers. The driver and a resident from inside the structure both suffered minor injuries.

Officers lodged the driver in the Jackson County Jail on charges of Assault in the Third Degree, Felony Hit and Run, First Degree Criminal Mischief, Reckless Driving, and Recklessly Endangering another Person.

 

Rural Metro firefighters were alerted by a walk-in report of a flue fire Monday at 8:53 p.m. in South Grants Pass.

The fire occurred in the 2600 block of Williams Hwy. Firefighters arrived and were able to initiate a cooling process of the rapid heat buildup inside the flue. It was confirmed no fire had extended into the structure.

The crew identified that excessive creosote buildup inside the flue contributed to the flare-up. Firefighters were prompted to give a safety reminder to those using wood heating devices, saying it's important to schedule regular flue maintenance and cleaning by licensed professionals.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two suspects over two days, one for Meth and Assault warrants, and the other for a charge of Meth Possession.

A report came in to dispatch Saturday around 1:37 p.m. about a woman looking to be passed out in her vehicle at the Walgreens Pharmacy Drive-Thru. The bluish-green sedan wasn't running at the time and there was no front license plate, and welfare check was requested.

An officer arrived and contacted Alyssa Bradbury. There was no visible paraphernalia but Mark Mislon was observed sleeping in the passenger seat. The officer found Mislon to have four active and serviceable warrants out for his arrest, so he was taken into custody without incident.

He was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail on his Police Department warrants, three charging him with Meth Possession, and one for Fourth Degree Assault.

The next day, around 1:44 a.m., officers contacted the same bluish-green sedan for a possible overdose. A call to 911 reported the vehicle in the parking lot of Asante Three Rivers Medical Center, with the driver leaning out the window being unresponsive.

Tin foil was seen, and a welfare check was requested by the caller. Upon arrival, officers contacted Bradbury, who advised she was sleeping rather than overdosing. While she denied using any drugs, there was burnt aluminum foil with residue within her arms reach.

A glass pipe with white residue was located under a blanket that was on her person. After a positive field test, Bradbury was taken into custody. She was transported to the Josephine County Jail. Law enforcement believed she may have been hiding paraphernalia on her person, and she was lodged for Possession of Methamphetamine.

 

The Medford Police Department is installing photo enforcement traffic safety equipment at the intersection of Barnett Road and Highland Drive following an increase in crashes at the location.

According to crash data, the Barnett and Highland intersection has had a high number of reported collisions in recent years. The photo enforcement system is expected to become operational this month, pending final testing and calibration. March 16th is the tentative go-live date, but this is subject to change.

As with all new photo enforcement sites, a warning period will occur before citations are issued. The warning period is intended to give motorists time to adjust to the new equipment and encourage voluntary compliance with traffic laws.

When the Barnett and Highland system becomes operational, photo enforcement at Stewart Avenue and Barnett Road will be turned off. Traffic safety research and local experience show that photo enforcement often creates a “halo effect,” where improved driver behavior extends beyond the monitored intersection and contributes to safer conditions along nearby corridors.

While enforcement operations will be discontinued at Stewart and Barnett when Highland and Barnett become operational, the equipment will remain in place until completion of an anticipated Oregon Department of Transportation construction project at Barnett and Highland.

The program is intended to improve roadway safety and encourage drivers to follow traffic laws, helping make Medford’s streets safer for everyone.