KRRM - Local News

Eagle Point PD Serve Search Warrant for Animal Abuse, Neglect Case, Arrest One

The Eagle Point Police Department served a search warrant in the 400 block of Crystal Drive following a two-year investigation into allegations of animal neglect and animal abuse at the residence, as well as numerous City Ordinance violations.

On Tuesday, officers attempted to serve the warrant, but the resident was uncooperative. After negotiations, the resident, identified as Jana Tepper, exited the residence and was detained. A second male occupant then refused to leave the residence.

Due to the large number of dogs believed to be inside, officers attempted to remove the occupants without entering the home. When the male occupant continued to refuse to exit, officers entered and safely escorted him outside.

Officers from the Eagle Point Police Department, along with Jackson County Animal Control, Mercy Flights, Jackson County Mental Health, and Rogue Valley Emergency Veterinary Hospital, began processing the scene. Investigators estimated that more than 30 dogs were living inside the residence.

The dogs appeared to have been confined indoors and were not regularly taken outside to urinate or defecate. The floors of the residence were covered in feces, creating an extremely hazardous environment. The dogs were carefully removed from the residence and examined outside by veterinarians. Each dog was secured and transported to area shelters.

Securing the residence and removing all of the dogs took more than nine hours. Tepper was lodged at the Jackson County Jail on Aggravated Animal Abuse charges. Additional charges are expected after the results of the exams have been assessed.

Posted on 1/7/26 10:59AM by Alex Bauer

Fairground Fee Hearing Set, Consent Calendar Not Approved during WBS

The Board of Commissioners approved a request for a hearing to review fees associated with the fair, and did not approve the consent calendar during the Weekly Business Session.

The hearing will take place January 28th, and the fees will not go into effect until March 1st. The matter of Rescheduling the Regular Weekly Business Session Meeting of the Board for 2026 was tabled.

While Commissioner Chris Barnett made a motion to approve the consent calendar, Commissioner Ron Smith said he would make a motion to approve the calendar provided the record was amended to show he wasn't absent, but had recused himself from the appointment meetings. Neither motion was seconded.

A motion to approve the Annexation to the Josephine County Community Library District by Petition of Landowner without Election passed, and comments from the public included 2 Guys 1 Truck, meetings per the county code, fairground fees, consideration of pre-teens, and a writ of certiorari.

Before the session adjourned, Barnett told the audience to remain civil, and acknowledged the importance of public service and community engagement in Josephine County.

An Administration Workshop including a Legal Counsel Update on County Circuit Court Cases, and Board Business in the matter of Interviews and Appointments for the vacant Commissioner Position will begin at 1 p.m. in the BCC Conference Room.

Posted on 1/7/26 10:48AM by Alex Bauer

Budget Committee Requesting Applications for Four Positions

Applications are now being accepted for four positions on the Budget Committee.

The City of Grants Pass Budget Committee receives and reviews the Recommended Budget and approves a Budget for Council’s consideration.

Half of the City of Grants Pass Budget Committee members are elected officials, and half are applicants from the community at large. The committee representation welcomes divergent views of the community.

Applicants must be residents and electors of the City of Grants Pass to qualify for the positions.

Applications are available at the City Administration Office, 101 N.W. A Street, or online at www.grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application. Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. January 23rd.

Candidates will be interviewed by the City Council on February 2nd, who will then make appointments at the City Council meeting on February 4th.

Posted on 1/7/26 5:40AM by Alex Bauer

Barnett Recalled!

Josephine County Commissioner Chris Barnett has been recalled. The results by 10:30 p.m. election night showed 61.86% voted yes for the recall with 38.14% dissenting. The total numbers as of the latest update were yes 13,350 to the no votes 8,230. The total numbers were similar to the recall results last year of John West. More votes from outlying precincts plus mailed ballots with the correct postmark will be tallied with the results updated by 5 p.m. January 14th. Should contested ballots be needed, that count will be released by 5 p.m. January 23rd. Certified results will be released no later than February 2nd, but no sooner than January 28th.

Posted on 1/6/26 8:25PM by Chuck Benson

30-Day Timeline Missed, Chair and Vice-Chair Designated, Update on Airports at Workshop

The Board of Commissioners met for their first workshop of the year at 1:30 p.m. this afternoon. When designating the Chair and Vice-Chair for the New Year, Legal Counsel Wally Hicks said if no agreement is made, the longest serving member shall be chair. If members are tied for longest continued period of service, the member whose surname comes first in the alphabet would become chair. Commissioner Ron Smith claimed Commissioner Chris Barnett and former Commissioner Andreas Blech "blindsided" him and took the chair from him in a previous meeting. There was an impasse, so Barnett said they would designate Smith as Vice-Chair and him as Chair, per the function of the code requirement. Since the 30-day deadline to appoint a new Commissioner was missed, Counsel will have a discussion with the board tomorrow afternoon at the 1 p.m. workshop. During an update from the Airports Department, Smith asked about the $3 million line of credit and its usage. $1.2 million from the credit was used for the first Knife River balance. Knife River also provided fill from their I-5 project for the Taxiway 'A' extension project coming this summer.

Posted on 1/6/26 3:21PM by Alex Bauer

Aggressive Motel 6 Suspect Apprehended by GP Police

Grants Pass Police were alerted to a disturbance at the Motel 6 at 1800 NE 7th Street where a man became aggressive with the manager Sunday afternoon.

According to the police report, the suspect, Trevor Allred, was advised by the manager he could not extend his stay, leading to an employee and bystander coming to her aid in fear of Allred causing the woman physical harm.

Allred got into his vehicle while arguing with the bystander, and then pepper sprayed the man before fleeing the scene. Officers located Allred at a property in the 300 block of SW L Street where they told him he was under arrest.

Allred was uncooperative and attempted to enter the front door of the residence. A family member prevented him from entering however, and Allred was then held at taser point by law enforcement. He became cooperative and was safely taken into custody.

Officers found Allred to be in possession of several pills, which he advised were Oxycodone and Xanax. He was also wanted on valid and serviceable warrants for Felon in Possession of a Weapon and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.

Along with his warrants, Allred was lodged in the Josephine County Jail for Second Degree Disorderly Conduct, Unlawful Use of Mace in the Second Degree, and Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Posted on 1/6/26 12:20PM by Alex Bauer

Grocery Outlet Trespassing Complaint Lead to Detainer Arrest of Different Man

A man refused to leave Grocery Outlet Monday morning, leading to a call to 911.

The suspect was reportedly yelling at customers while employees tried to get him to leave the 350 NE Agness Avenue grocery store. He eventually did leave on foot towards to former Big Lots.

The caller reported the suspect had shoulder length gray hair and a beard. He was wearing a brown sweatshirt, black shirt, and blue jeans. A trespass request was made, and Grants Pass Police located a man fitting the description by the Big Lots.

Officers contacted the man, Jacob Reeder, and contacted his Parole Officer. A detainer was requested, so he was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail.

The manager of Grocery Outlet advised officers that Reeder wasn't the trespasser. Donn Fincher was then identified by officers as the suspect and was warned trespass from the store. Reeder was not trespassed.

Posted on 1/6/26 11:30AM by Alex Bauer

GP Police Responded to Reported Indecent Exposure, Arrested Suspect on Detainer

A call to the 911 Dispatch Center reported an indecent exposure incident at the Grants Pass Pharmacy Monday evening.

The caller advised dispatch at 5:12 p.m. that she was walking by the 414 SW 6th Street pharmacy when she reportedly saw a man in the doorway exposing himself.

Officers arrived to search the area and found the suspect, identified as Jake Thompson, at 420 SW 6th Street. Probable cause was not established for indecent exposure, but officers did contact his Parole Officer, who requested a detainer.

Thompson was taken into custody, transported, and lodged in the Josephine County Jail.

Posted on 1/6/26 10:36AM by Alex Bauer

Weekly Business Session to Cover Library Annexations, Session Rescheduling

The Board of Commissioners will convene for their Weekly Business Session Wednesday morning at 9 a.m.

A public hearing in the matter of Library Annexations will start the meeting, followed by administrative actions in consideration of rescheduling Weekly Business Session Meetings for 2026, and the procedure for setting fees charged by the County and setting public hearings.

The board will hear requests and comments from citizens, approve the consent calendar, then, pending other matters, adjourn the meeting.

Wednesday's 9 a.m. Weekly Business Session in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium, 600 NW 6th Street, will be livestreamed at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream. Those in attendance must comply with the clear bag policy.

At 1 p.m., the board will meet in the BCC Conference Room for an Appointment for Josephine County Commissioner Position 1 meeting.

Posted on 1/6/26 7:32AM by Alex Bauer

Council Workshop Concludes with Playground Motion, Meeting Begins with Ordinances

The Grants Pass City Council concluded their workshop Monday with unanimous approval of a motion for the Parks Department to explore designs for a natural playground at Reinhart Volunteer Park.

A motion failed to increase the number of members on the Committee on Public Art from 9 to 11, and a request was made for a short executive session Wednesday to give the council updates on an HR position.

A Strategic Planning Meeting will convene January 15th and 16th, and a special meeting for the non-bargaining taskforce will meet January 20th at 11:45 a.m.

The Council will next convene Wednesday for their meeting in Council Chambers, beginning with a Public Hearing regarding an ordinance amending Development Code for Zoning Districts.

Council action will follow with an ordinance to municipal code providing clarification to better address public safety risks associated with open flames and flammable materials in parks and exclusion orders.

Appointments will be made to the Committee on Public Art and the Bikeways and Walkways Commission, followed by Public Comment and the Consent Agenda. After comments from the Mayor, Council, and Staff, the meeting will adjourn.

An Urban Renewal Agency Meeting will then convene for a resolution designating the City Manager as the Budget Officer.

Wednesday's meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers, 101 NW A Street.

Posted on 1/6/26 5:30AM by Alex Bauer

Tourism Advisory Committee Requesting Applications for Three Positions

Applications are being accepted for three positions on the Tourism Advisory Committee due to term expirations.

These are three-year positions. The goal of the Committee is to encourage visitors and residents to engage in community activities while enhancing the positive image of our City through marketing, promotions, and destination management.

The purpose of the Tourism Advisory Committee is to review and advise the work of the City’s Tourism Contractor. This includes reporting findings and recommendations to the City Council as needed.

One member will represent lodging properties within the City of Grants Pass, and two members will represent river guides, area attractions, realtors, restaurants, the media, marketing, and citizens-at-large.

Applications are available at the City Administration Office, 101 N.W. A Street, or online at www.grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on February 27th.

Applications will be reviewed by the committee March 3rd. Appointments will be made by the Council during their meeting March 18th.

Posted on 1/6/26 4:42AM by Alex Bauer

Council Moved to Gather Cottage Project Information, Appointed Two to Elk Island Panel

The Grants Pass City Council was unanimous in a motion to move forward with gathering more information on a proposed project for Riverside Park's Caretaker's Cottage at the start of today's workshop. Bradley Clark with Community Development presented in consideration of Requests for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) regarding the cottage. A previous community survey result showed 75% of participants wanted to save the building. Six yurts were proposed to go next to the cottage, with a Riverside Maintenance Yard Expansion. The purpose of the RFEI is to attract an investor to help with the cost. Exterior and foundation work costs would be incurred on the city. Bernie Woodard, representing Elk Island Trading in a yurt proposal for the site providing overnight lodging at the facility, had said staff haven't come to a site layout configuration that would accommodate the needs of both Elk Island and the Parks Division. He has stated lodging only in the cottage without the yurts isn't financially feasible. Council direction was needed on a potential Municipal Code to allow overnight camping in a public park.

Posted on 1/5/26 6:21PM by Alex Bauer