Local News

Grants Pass Police lodged a woman causing a disturbance outside a Taco Bell for disorderly conduct.

The suspect was reported to be outside the 195 NE Terry Lane drive-thru yelling, screaming, and throwing sticks at cars around 9:26 a.m. The caller described her as wearing a black hat, blue jacket, and black pants, and that she began grabbing rocks and throwing things at cars on the Parkway.

Dispatch was told the suspect went into the nearby Walmart parking lot, and was circling someone's SUV. Law enforcement soon contacted and detained the woman, identified as Natasha Taylor, outside the Taco Bell. She was making nonsensical statements to the officer, and was taken into custody for Second Degree Disorderly Conduct.

Taylor was then transported to the Josephine County Jail where she was lodged and later released due to a lack of jail resources.

 

A man wanted on three out-of-county warrants was apprehended by Grants Pass Police following a trespass report at Parker's Place Village.

Three individuals were reported to dispatch Sunday at 8:06 a.m. The caller requested they be trespassed from the property, and that a vehicle parked at the scene be removed.

Officers arrived and contacted Michael Chezem. He was found to be wanted on three valid and serviceable warrants out of both the Clackamas and Multnomah County Circuit Courts. He was wanted for Assault on a Police Officer, Interfering with Public Transportation, Harassment, and Third Degree Theft.

The warrants were confirmed, and Chezem was taken into custody. He was lodged in the Adult Jail Facility and given a trespass warning. The other two individuals at the scene were also trespassed.

 

Oregon Community Foundation is investing more than $5.3 million in 259 organizations through its Community Grants program. The funding supports nonprofits serving all 36 counties of Oregon.

The Fall 2026 Community Grants support a wide range of causes in Oregon: arts and culture, economic vitality, a healthy environment, housing, education and culturally responsive work. Community Grants is Oregon Community Foundation's broadest competitive grant program and often serves as an entry point to philanthropy for nonprofits seeking support from foundations.

This cycle, 67 volunteer community reviewers from across the state worked alongside Oregon Community Foundation staff to evaluate applications and help inform recommendations. In Southern Oregon, funding is going towards the Maslow Project in Medford, the Ashland Family YMCA, and the Illinois Valley Family Coalition in Cave Junction

For nearly three decades, Community Grants have supported nonprofit organizations serving communities in all 36 counties of Oregon. The program continues to prioritize organizations serving people and communities that have historically experienced significant bias, discrimination or underinvestment.  
  
On top of the funding from this specific program, Oregon Community Foundation donors are helping expand the impact by recommending more than $1 million in additional grants to organizations that applied during this year's Fall Community Grants cycle, helping more local solutions take root in communities across Oregon.

Applications for the 2027 Spring Cycle of OCF's Community Grants Program will be accepted November 17 through December 15, 2026.

 

Deputies with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man trespassing at a residential property Sunday afternoon.

According to the deputy report, Dip Dagget Mulch had been trespassed through the courts from a property in the 100 block of Forest Creek Road. Per neighbors in the area, Mulch was actively moving property onto the premises.

Deputies detained him around 2:22 p.m., and took him into custody for Second Degree Criminal Trespass, and Criminal Mischief in the First Degree. He was transported to and lodged in the Josephine County Jail.

 

Josephine County Sheriff’s deputies responded November 6th around 7:50 p.m. to a fatal motor vehicle crash in the 1900 block of Robertson Bridge Road. Assisted by Rural Metro Fire, American Medical Response, and the Oregon State Police, deputies conducted a preliminary investigation that indicated a single vehicle traveling westbound crossed into the eastbound lane and left the roadway, rolling into the eastbound ditch. The vehicle’s sole occupant was ejected during the crash and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The occupant was identified as Dawn Burton, 71. Next of kin have been notified. At the time of this press release, no additional information is being released.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District and partner agencies responded to an open burn and two single-vehicle accidents over the weekend.

Early Saturday around 3:11 a.m., the IVFD responded to a report of smoke in the 400 block of Deer Creek Road in Selma. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered an illegal open burn. The fire was extinguished, and the responsible party was cited.

That night, a single-vehicle rollover accident was reported around 7:35 p.m. in the 2200 block of Holland Loop Road in Cave Junction. Along with American Medical Response and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, IVFD crews arrived to find a vehicle in a ditch, resting on its roof.

The vehicle was towed from the scene, and its occupants were evaluated by emergency medical personnel. No transportation to the hospital was necessary. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office conducted the investigation into the accident.

Lastly, at 1:04 Sunday afternoon, another single-vehicle traffic accident was reported in the 3200 block of Lakeshore Drive in Selma. IVFD and AMR responded and determined the involved individual did not need transport to the hospital. Sheriff's deputies arrived to conduct the investigation.

 

Members of the Ashland Police Department, the Oregon Department of Justice, the Oregon State Police, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Grants Pass Police Department, and the Oregon Board of Massage, executed a search warrant on the 99 China massage parlor at 290 N Main Street in Ashland on November 6th.

An additional search warrant was executed at the residence immediately next door at 254 N. Main Street. The investigation began in August 2026 after the APD received complaints of possible illicit activity taking place at the location as well as possible human trafficking.

Members of the department’s Criminal Investigations Division have been working over the last three months to move this case forward, resulting in search warrants being executed.

Two female employees of the business were arrested and lodged upon execution of these warrants for crimes associated with operating a massage parlor without proper licenses. The identities of the arrested subjects has not been established as of this release.

The APD say investigation is ongoing, with evidence being collected.

 

Dispatch was alerted to an incident at the Cave Junction Dollar General Thursday, leading to a man's arrest by Josephine County Sheriff's deputies.

The manager of the Redwood Highway business reported the suspect, later identified as Rell Baty, was potentially shoplifting around 3:41 p.m. He had been caught at the business before, and had a large bag of what appeared to be marijuana with him.

Dispatch learned Baty began walking towards town on the highway against traffic. Deputies responded and contacted him around 4:04 p.m. in front of the 76 gas station.

Baty was wanted on three Sheriff's Office warrants, and two Grants Pass Police Department warrants. Charges against him included three counts of Second Degree Criminal Trespass, Second Degree Theft, Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree, and DUI.

He was taken into custody, trespassed from the Dollar General and both Verizon stores on Terry Lane and Union Avenue, and then lodged in jail.

 

Two suspects were lodged in jail by Grants Pass Police, one for a detainer, and the other for a serviceable warrant.

Officers contacted Braylyn McElmurry and Robert Marrs at an undisclosed location Thursday at 9:44 p.m. The two were warned for trespassing, and officers contacted McElmurry's parole officer.

A detainer was issued for McElmurry, and officers found Marrs was wanted out of the Josephine County Sheriff's Office for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Both were taken into custody at the scene, and transported to jail for lodging.