Local News

A Josephine County Sheriff's deputy arrested a sex offender out of compliance during a traffic stop Saturday.

An unplated Polaris ATV was observed and stopped on the highway in the 200 block of Sunny Valley Loop around 12:55 p.m. The driver, identified as James Bell, was detained and found to be out of compliance with his sex offender registry.

He was taken into custody for Failure to Register, and cited for operating an off-road vehicle on a public highway. He was lodged in the Josephine County Jail, and later released on his own recognizance. Bell's passenger was trespassed from the incident location.

 

Beginning this month, about 600,000 Oregon Health Plan members will begin receiving notices about upcoming changes to the Oregon Health Plan.

According to a release, these updates are required under new federal mandates outlined in House Resolution 1, also known as HR1 or the Big Beautiful Bill, which states must follow to maintain federal funding.

One of the first changes will take effect January 1st, 2027, when new work or activity rules begin for certain OHP members ages 19 to 64. While most adults with OHP who can work already do, some will need to provide documentation when they apply for or renew coverage once the rules are in place.

The notices going out this month are informational only and no action is required yet. However, OHA is urging members to keep their contact information up to date, so they don’t miss these notices or future updates. Members can do that by going to benefits.oregon.gov, calling 1-800-699-9075, downloading the ONE mobile app, or visiting a local Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) office.

 

Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District crews are tackling the Anderson Butte Road Fire, last estimated at 60 acres and 20% wetlined. According to ODF, night shift resources engaged in overnight suppression efforts on the fire. Resources ordered for the night included eight 20-person crews, four Type 6 engines, and four water tenders. Firefighters continued building on progress made throughout the afternoon, despite high temperatures. Strong relative humidity recoveries were expected overnight, providing potentially favorable conditions for suppression efforts as crews continued working to strengthen containment lines. The official cause of the fire remains under investigation.

 

Emergency crews responded to a vehicle fire Sunday morning in Sunny Valley.

Firefighters with Rural Metro Fire and the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District responded around 4:36 a.m. and quickly contained a fully-involved vehicle on Interstate 5 near Smith Hill at milepost 74. There was no spread to adjacent vegetation.

The driver, who escaped without injury, reported flames erupted after experiencing a mechanical issue.

 

Dispatch was notified of a man spitting on M Street Market customers and causing a disturbance, leading to his arrest.

The report came in Thursday at 7:10 a.m. An employee of the 1024 SE M Street business requested the suspect, who was grabbing himself and spitting on customers, be trespassed. Another caller told dispatch the suspect kept coming towards her, despite her telling him to get away.

Cars in the parking lot reportedly had to drive around the suspect, who was yelling and pacing on the premises. Despite warnings from staff, the suspect remained. Grants Pass Police arrived and detained Isaih Belote at 7:35 a.m.

He was taken to jail where he was lodged for Second Degree Trespass and a detainer per his parole officer.

 

Following a traffic stop, a Josephine County Sheriff's deputy apprehended the driver for a warrant and drug charges.

The suspect was pulled over for improper display in the alley behind Carlos Restaurante in Cave Junction Thursday at 2:39 p.m. Upon stopping, he exited the vehicle with a bag of marijuana in his hand. The deputy instructed him to drop it in the car, which he did, but two more bags of processed marijuana were observed in the passenger seat.

The suspect, later identified as Francisco Ramos-Orpena, was instructed to put his hands behind his back. When the deputy attempted to handcuff him, Ramos-Orpena resisted, pulling away and attempting to break free.

He was taken into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail. A clear zip lock bag with a powdery substance was then located under the rear seat. Ramos-Orpena admitted the bag was removed from his pants and that the substance would test positive for cocaine.

The items were processed, and he was charged with Possession of Cocaine and Marijuana, and Resisting Arrest. He was also wanted on a warrant out of the Josephine County Sheriff's Office for Misdemeanor Fleeing or Attempting to Elude.

His belongings had been passed off to his brother inside the restaurant before being lodged, and his vehicle was towed from the scene.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies arrested a woman refusing to leave a property where she had been served a restraining order.

Deputies advised Michelle Pindar that she had 20 minutes to remove her items from the property in the 1900 block of Meadow Glen and leave. She refused, however, and remained on the front porch around 2:15 p.m. Thursday.

She was warned multiple times to vacate the premises prior to the end of her 20 minutes, but she insisted she would not go to jail. After the timer was over, deputies again warned Pindar to leave, or she would be placed into custody.

Upon her refusal, deputies placed Pindar in hand restraints. She pushed and pulled deputies during detainment, so she was charged with Resisting Arrest, as well as a Restraining Order Violation. She was lodged in the Adult Jail Facility.

 

An officer with the Grants Pass Police Department lodged a bicyclist wanted on an out-of-county DUII warrant Thursday.

The suspect was observed riding his bike westbound on Fruitdale Drive at 9:44 p.m. He wasn't wearing required lighting equipment, so the officer initiated a stop, identifying the suspect as Jordan Downham.

He had an active warrant out of the Jackson County Sheriff's Office charging him with DUII, and upon confirmation of his identity, Downham was taken into custody.

He was subsequently transported to the Josephine County Jail for lodging. His belongings were logged for safekeeping.

 

Grants Pass Police lodged a man dancing in the In-N-Out Parking lot after he was detained by an off-duty Josephine County Sheriff's deputy.

Thursday at 9:01 p.m., the suspect, Jordan Haas, was observed by the deputy dancing in the parking lot of the 124 NE Morgan Lane restaurant. He proceeded inside the building before being detained around 9:10 p.m.

According to the police report, Haas was known to have a warrant out of the Sheriff's Office for a charge of Forgery in the First Degree. He was transported to jail by officers and a search of his person was conducted, locating a small baggie of presumptive fentanyl.

Haas was lodged for his warrant, and a Possession of a Controlled Substance charge was referred to the District Attorney's Office.