Local News

A call to dispatch reported a restraining order violation Sunday afternoon, to which Grants Pass Police responded.

The caller reported from his apartment in the 500 block of NE 7th Street that the respondent of his restraining order, Tracey Benet, had been outside yelling at him for 10 minutes. At the time of the call around 12:44 p.m., Benet was reportedly inside her apartment.

The caller said he had video evidence of the incident, and requested a response from law enforcement. Grants Pass Police arrived and contacted Benet. The order was confirmed, and officers took her into custody for Contempt of Court.

She was subsequently transported and lodged in the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility. Due to a lack of resources, however, she was later released.

 

A single vehicle roll-over crash occurred, prompting the response of Oregon State Police Saturday morning.

On Interstate 5 at milepost 73 southbound, troopers responded around 9:08 a.m. to the crash. Evidence at the scene and statements from the driver indicated a gray Honda Fit was traveling too fast on the wet roadway with cruise control on.

The driver lost control of the vehicle and proceeded to roll into the dirt embankment. She sustained suspected minor injuries from the incident and was transported to a hospital. Her vehicle was towed from the scene, and she was given a copy of the crash report by troopers.

 

Grants Pass Police were notified of a stolen backpack at River City Grill Sunday evening.

The owner of the backpack called 911 from the coast, saying there were airpods inside allowing it to be tracked. The caller said there were about $1000 worth of items in the backpack, including needed medication.

She reported to dispatch she didn't realize the backpack was missing until shortly before calling around 6:50 p.m., but that she would return should the backpack be located. She was tracking the backpack at several locations downtown, but officers were unable to locate it.

During the search, officers contacted the suspect of a separate call for service, Jason Grimm. He was found to have an active warrant out of the Myrtle Creek Police Department that charged him with a probation violation for a traffic offense. After his identity was confirmed, Grimm was taken into custody, and lodged in jail for his warrant.

 

The Board of County Commissioners will consider Legal Counsel Business regarding the clear bag policy and a Memorandum of Understanding for property at 1798 SE N Street during Tuesday's workshop.

Beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the BCC Conference Room, the board will also consider the adoption of a policy for an exclusion from county owned property and Telephonic Contract Prohibition, and an order for News Media Meeting Attendance.

Also on the agenda under Legal Counsel Business is an offer to purchase property at 210 Tacoma, the potential purchase and sale agreement of Dimmick Campus, an Oregon Board of Pharmacy case, and public comment on the BLM Western Oregon Timber Plan.

The board will then consider Airport and Human Resources requests, followed by Josephine County Director Job Descriptions, and Records Retention. Pending any other matters, the workshop will adjourn.

The public is welcome to attend Tuesday's County Administration Workshop, or stream it live at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream.

 

The Interstate 5 southbound off-ramp at Exit 58 in Grants Pass will close nightly from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. beginning today.

According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, the ramp closure will allow crews to work on a project to widen the roadway, upgrade the guardrail and clear overgrown vegetation. Work is scheduled to be completed by Friday, March 20th.

Signs are posted in the area to notify travelers of the off-ramp closure. Southbound drivers can reach Grants Pass by following the designated detour or using an alternate route.

This work is part of the I-5: Monument Drive North Grants Pass project. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2026. For the latest information on highway conditions and closures, visit TripCheck.com.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire Department and other emergency crews were alerted to two vehicle incidents early in the weekend.

On Friday around at 2:17 p.m., a traffic accident occurred at the intersection of South Redwood Highway and Caves Highway in Cave Junction.

I.V. Fire, AMR, and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the scene of a two-vehicle collision. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the occupants. Vehicle recovery operations were conducted, and deputies from the Sheriff's Office investigated.

Then on Saturday, a single-vehicle rollover incident occurred around 4:40 p.m.

I.V. Fire, AMR, and the Sheriff's Office responded to a scene in the 2000 block of Holland Loop Road in Cave Junction. A critically injured individual necessitated the deployment of Reach Air Ambulance, with assistance from Rural Metro Fire in securing the landing zone. There are no further details at this time.

 

Grants Pass Police were alerted to a shooting in the 2400 block of Leonard Road on March 4th around 5:44 p.m. An elderly woman reported to dispatch that a man had fired a gun in her home, striking his own leg. Police officers responded to the residence. Due to limited information, one of the officers called the home, learning there was another elderly person inside being held hostage by the suspected shooter. Officers notified the Grants Pass Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) and Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) to put them on standby. Law enforcement helped the elderly woman exit the home, then continued to gather more intelligence on the situation, wanting to see a safe outcome for both the hostage and the suspect. During this planning stage, patrol officers then heard shots from within the residence and immediately feared for the safety of the hostage. Officers forced entry into the home to rescue the hostage. Once inside the home, they discovered the suspect had shot himself in the chest, and lifesaving measures were provided. The elderly male hostage was helped out of the home.

 

The Grants Pass City Council will cover budget topics and discuss the Lands and Buildings project during their Monday workshop.

On the agenda are budget development FTE staffing requests, and the topic of reaffirming budget policy and future financial outlook. After the Lands and Buildings project discussion, the council will appoint the Rogue Valley Council of Governments representative.

After an agenda review, the council will adjourn the workshop, then convene for executive session. Three topics will be considered, including information or records that are exempt by law from public inspection, consulting the counsel concerning the legal rights and duties with regard to current litigation or litigation likely to be filed, and real property transactions and negotiations.

Monday's workshop will begin at 11:45 a.m. in Council Chambers, 101 NW A Street. The public may attend, and the workshop will be streamed at www.grantspassoregon.gov.

 

The Caretaker’s Cottage, or Reed Building, in Riverside Park is a recognized historic building.

Based on a 2024 survey, there is broad community support for preserving and restoring this historic structure.

According to a release, the City Council has preliminarily selected a proposal to use the cottage as paid overnight lodging, including an area adjacent to the building to construct six yurts within a small, fenced area east of the building.

Before the City Council proceeds with any final decision, they are seeking input on this proposal to convert the Reed Building to an overnight accommodation and add yurts.

The survey closes at 5 p.m. on March 27th, and can be found at www.grantspassoregon.gov/formcenter.