Local News

A Chevron employee alerted Grants Pass Police to an intoxicated man at the 650 Redwood Highway gas station.

Early Friday morning, the employee called 911, saying the suspect was sitting by the slushie machine unable to remember his name. The employee was requesting the man be escorted out and trespassed.

Officers arrived at the scene. While trying to identify the suspect, the man didn't listen to lawful orders, raising his arm and swinging towards one of the officer's faces, knocking off their glasses. He was not cooperative while officers placed him into custody.

The suspect, later identified as Matthew Welty, was stood up and looked like he was about to spit on the officer he swung at. A spit hood was requested and applied, and Welty was flagged for assault.

While Welty was being transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for medical clearance, he unrestrained his seatbelt and moved to the driver side of the compartment. Officers later lodged him at the Adult Jail Facility on charges for Resisting Arrest and Attempted Assault on a Peace Officer.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop Thursday and arrested the driver for Elude and Reckless Driving.

The suspect, Trevor Jones, was stopped and taken into custody at the corner of SE J Street and SE 11th Street around 9:50 p.m. After running him through dispatch, deputies found there was probable cause to arrest Jones for felony Elude and Reckless driving if contacted.

He was also found to have an Oregon Parole Board warrant charging him with Second Degree Sex Abuse. Deputies transported and lodged Jones in the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility on his warrant and charges.

 

The Grants Pass City Council will discuss Beacon Hill Park and non-bargaining compensation and classification Monday morning.

The workshop will begin at 11:45 a.m. with the Budget Committee orientation. Following the park and compensation discussions, the council will then discuss removing City Manager Aaron Cubic from the non-bargaining compensation salary schedule.

An agenda review will follow, then the workshop will adjourn. The City Council's workshop will be held in City Council Chambers, 101 NW A Street. The public can stream the meeting at www.grantspassoregon.gov.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office was alerted to an $800 theft in the reporting party's home.

At 12:09 p.m. Thursday, the woman called 911 to report the theft that had happened the night before. She said the suspect, David Handley, who lived on the same property in the 3000 block of Camp Joy Road, had stolen an envelope containing the $800 out of her and her husband's bedroom dresser.

She continued, saying Handley was possibly drunk at the time, and that him stealing was an ongoing issue. Dispatch learned from the woman that Handley knew where the money was kept because he had watched her get it and asked her for it in the past.

Deputies contacted Handley at the property and transported him to the county jail. He was lodged for Second Degree Theft, but later released.

 

The Animal Control and Animal Shelter Local Option Tax is headed to the May 19th ballot. The Josephine County Board of Commissioner's 10 a.m. Weekly Business Session began with a presentation regarding the role of Animal Control and the Shelter in the community, their need for support, and their levy proposal for the next election. Citizens present were both for and against the levy. The board voted 2-0, with Commissioner Gary Richardson not casting a vote, to move the measure for the Local Option Tax in support of the two departments to the May 19th ballot. Richardson proposed a one cent decrease on the levy with senior fees reduced, but after the vote, wanted the public to know he was in support of the levy passing. During the public comment period, topics included support of the board, an idea to pair shelter animals with inmates, questions about recently hired positions, the homeless population, county monies, the SRS Fund, and the airport. The board approved the consent calendar, then adjourned the meeting at 11:01 a.m.

 

A licensed real estate broker pleaded guilty Monday after avoiding reporting requirements and drafting fake property leases when her client’s illegal marijuana grow was raided.

In a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Tyra Foxx, 46, pleaded guilty to and was charged on February 23rd with avoiding reporting requirements and obstruction of justice. She will be sentenced May 11th.

According to court documents, from January 2020 through November 2020, Foxx was a real estate broker for Jose Orozco and assisted with his purchase of agricultural properties to grow hemp and marijuana.

When Orozco purchased these properties, Foxx made large cash payments to the property owners outside of escrow, and knowing RE/MAX did not accept cash payments, converted $100,000 into money orders and used a third-party broker’s trust account to transfer over $2 million dollars into escrow accounts.

On October 13, 2020, Foxx received $175,000 from Orozco to purchase agricultural property in Josephine County, Oregon. Foxx did not file a Form 8300 upon receipt of the funds as required, but instead, transferred the money to a client trust account at another real estate office.

This caused a Currency Transaction Report to be filed in that real estate office’s name rather than Orozco’s name. After learning that law enforcement had raided one of Orozco’s illegal marijuana grows, Foxx drafted fake property leases for Orozco and suggested he place phony construction liens to be levied on the property to prevent it being forfeited by the IRS and Homeland Security.

In total, Foxx faces 30 years in prison, a $750,000 fine, and six years of supervised release. Orozco previously pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced April 6th.

 

The new Josephine County Board of Commissioners held their first official workshop in the BCC Conference Room. The board commenced by appointing Commissioner Ron Smith as Chair of the Board, and Colene Martin as the Vice Chair. Next on the agenda was a presentation of Animal Control and the Animal Shelter regarding a measure potentially moving to the May 19th ballot. Services have been reduced due to lack of funding, and the Levy Proposal would provide 16 cents per $1000 assessed property value; about $3.20 a month. The board will vote on if the measure goes to the May Election at their Weekly Business Session. The board approved the upcoming Finance and Budget Calendar, then moved to support Community Justice's travel request for training and NatCon 2026 in Colorado. A previous amendment to a Treatment Court Foundation Agreement was corrected and approved, and the board moved in favor of two intergovernmental agreements for the Oregon Health Authority Agreement and Tort Liability Coverage, both covered via pass through dollars.

 

The Medford Police Thursday arrested and lodged former CEO the Builder’s Association of Southern Oregon, Bradly Bennington and lodged him in the Jackson County Jail. In October of 2025, The Association contacted the Medford Police Department regarding a potential employee theft. Representatives reported Bennington was believed to have embezzled a significant sum of money from the organization over a period of years. MPD detectives were provided the findings of a financial forensic audit conducted on behalf of the Builder’s Association. Detectives reviewed the audit and conducted an independent investigation, which included serving numerous subpoenas at multiple banking institutions.Through the course of the investigation, detectives determined that approximately $100,000 had been embezzled. Based on the evidence gathered, detectives determined that criminal activity had occurred. The case was subsequently briefed with the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

 

A 35-year-old man was arrested and jailed by Josephine County Sheriff’s Deputies investigating a restraining order violation Wednesday night at 11:26. The reporting party notified authorities of the alleged violation in the 9,000 block of Takilma Road. Deputies, aware the suspect was flagged as being hostile to law enforcement, opted for a two-officer contact and arrested Brady Chilson and transported the suspect to the county jail. Chilson was lodged on contempt of court charges stemming from the restraining order violation. The Sheriff’s narrative outlined active warrants out of Vermont on a history of drug sales and use. The warrants were such that the Deputies would not pick up on those out of state warrants. Chilson remained in custody Thursday morning.