Local News

Update: This meeting has been canceled.

The Board of County Commissioners will discuss supplemental outside Legal Counsel Representation as well as a board order regarding Weekly Business Session rescheduling for 2026 during Tuesday's workshop.

Other board business includes an update on the Oregon State University Extension, and discussion of board orders.

The board will hear from the Treasurer, Community Justice, Public Works, and Human Resources, then, pending other business matters, the workshop will adjourn.

Tuesday's County Administration Workshop will be held in the BCC Conference Room at 1:30 p.m., and will be streamed at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream. Those wishing to attend in person must abide by the clear bag policy.

 

Grants Pass Police responded to a hostile suspect on the corner of SW 6th Street and SW G Street Saturday morning.

The man was heading southbound on 6th Street. He had no weapons, but he made verbal threats and attempted to throw a cookie at one of the officers. No contact was made.

The suspect, identified as Zane Hatcher, refused to talk with officers and proceeded to walk eastbound on J Street. The officers had no probable cause of a crime, but Hatcher's Parole Officer was contacted.

A detainer was issued, and officers took Hatcher into custody. He was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail for the Parole Violation detainer.

 

Josephine County issued a press release late Friday afternoon arriving in the Grants Pass Broadcasting news room at 4:31 correcting the previously issued notice regarding a vacancy for County Commissioner. The notice was not posted in a manner that meets statutory public notice requirements. Because the initial posting did not satisfy the required standards, any application submitted under the prior notice cannot be accepted as part of the selection process. A revised and fully compliant notice will be published at a future date. Members of the public who remain interested in being considered for the Commissioner position will need to reapply during the new application window specified in the corrected notice.

 

On Friday night, Medford Police officers responded to the area of Mary Street and Stevens Street after multiple callers reported hearing gunshots. Security footage from a nearby residence also captured the sound of shots being fired. While officers were canvassing the neighborhood, Providence Emergency Department notified law enforcement that an individual had arrived with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Officers contacted the victim at the hospital, where the injury was determined to be non–life threatening. The victim was only partially cooperative with the investigation. Officers located several spent shell casings in the area. The victim’s vehicle, located at Providence, also showed clear evidence consistent with a shooting. Detectives have assumed the investigation. At this time the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation. If you live in the area and have home surveillance or additional information, please call non-emergency at 541-776-7206. Reference Case: 25-20541

 

A call to the Josephine County Commissioners Office confirmed a Grants Pass Tribune report that Commissioner Andreas Blech has officially resigned. According to the report, Blech's resignation letter, dated December 3, and formally received by the county at 11:42 a.m. today, states his resignation becomes effective at 11:59 p.m. December 8. In his letter, Blech thanks colleagues, expresses gratitude for his time in public service, and pledges to continue fulfilling his legal obligations until the moment his resignation takes effect. He framed his departure as part of an orderly transition, noting his willingness to assist in the future if needed. According to the county website, both of Monday's meetings, the 1 p.m. Interviews and Appointment of County Commissioner/Commissioners meeting, and the 3 p.m. General Discussion regarding Outside Legal Counsel Representation for the Board of County Commissioners Office, have been canceled.

 

A Grants Pass Police officer observed a wanted suspect at the corner Rogue River Highway and Parkdale Drive Thursday morning.

At 10:47 a.m., Morgan Botello was contacted and taken into custody on her Grants Pass Police Department warrant for Criminal Trespass in the First Degree.

After positively identifying Botello, the officer transported her to the Josephine County Jail where she was lodged.

 

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is issuing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on its normal monthly schedule in December.

This follows disruptions in November due to the federal government shutdown, the ODHS said in a news release.

SNAP plays a major role in Oregon’s food security and economy. Every $1 in SNAP benefits generates $1.50 to $1.80 in local economic activity, contributing an estimated $1.6 billion to Oregon’s economy each year.

At the same time, with a significant amount of theft by skimming of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards in Oregon and nationwide, ODHS is doing everything it can to protect people.

On Tuesday, ODHS turned off 1,350 EBT cards from the Coos Bay and North Bend areas that were known to be compromised by EBT card skimming due to devices being attached on payment machines. ODHS automatically sent new EBT cards to households whose cards were turned off to prevent fraud.

SNAP is entirely federally funded and helps more than 1 in 6 people in Oregon, about 18 percent of households, including children, working families, older adults and people with disabilities, buy groceries.

 

The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) joint inter-agency task force and Medford Police Department (MPD) arrested a suspect Thursday at the Jackson County Parole and Probation Office in Medford. The suspect, Brennan Alan Humes, 47, of Medford, is charged with 10 counts of second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse, and a parole violation for first-degree possession of materials depicting sexually explicit conduct of a child. He is lodged in the Jackson County Jail. The arrest followed a search warrant served by SOCET after investigators discovered images of child exploitation had been uploaded from a residence in Medford. Detectives learned from witness statements that the suspect moved to Oregon due to the sex offender laws. SOCET, MPD, and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) detectives served the search warrant Thursday, May 8, at a residence in the 300 block of Golf View Drive. SOCET and MPD began the investigation after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which led to subpoenas, followed by the search warrant at the residence. While investigators served the search warrant, Jackson County Parole and Probation assisted with the suspect interview.

 

Dispatch was notified of a burglary attempt, and Grants Pass Police officers arrested one of the suspects Thursday.

A call from a CPM Real Estate employee reported a neighbor to an empty rental property in the 400 block of SE K Street saw two male transients in the backyard trying to break into the back door.

The employee was on the way to check on the property but requested law enforcement as well. Upon arrival, officers contacted the suspects, James Bendickson and Travis Davenport.

Both were warned for trespassing on the property, and, after contacting Bendickson's parole officer, law enforcement took Bendickson into custody for a requested parole violation detainer. He was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail.