Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a woman for unlawfully entering a Cave Junction residence and threatening the occupants late last week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 51-year-old Shannon Leeann Petersen for the incident in the 2700-block of Caves Highway near Chapman Road on Friday at 6:30 a.m.. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 around 4:45 a.m. to report a female subject had entered the house and yelled that she wanted her dog back. The woman's husband confronted the subject and told her to leave, but she refused to do so and continued screaming. Dispatchers were able to hear the incident over the phone. According to the report, Petersen was holding a knife, but the husband was able to disarm her, pin her down and hold her in a "wrestling hold" until deputies arrived on scene. No one was seriously hurt. Petersen was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Burglary, Felony Criminal Mischief and Menacing. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for roughing up his girlfriend at a southeast city apartment complex at the beginning of the weekend. The Police Department reports officers arrested 27-year-old Tanner Phillip Aldrich for the incident in the 1600-block of SE N Street on Friday shortly after 8 p.m.. Police said Aldrich caused physical injury to his girlfriend by forcing her back over a toilet and puncturing her with an unspecified object three times. They said the female victim never fought back even though the suspect punched and slapped her. Upon arrival, officers interviewed witnesses and the victim. However, Aldrich refused to exit the apartment. He changed his mind and surrendered after a K-9 officer was deployed. He was placed into custody without further incident. Aldrich was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 4th-Degree Domestic Assault and he was being held without bail. It was unclear in the report whether his girlfriend sought medical treatment.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for using physical force against supermarket employees when they caught her shoplifting late last week. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a theft complaint at WinCo Foods on NE Terry Lane on Friday around 3:30 p.m.. Police said 25-year-old Aria Alizay Echavarria fought with loss prevention and the store manager to prevent them from detaining her after she stole items from the store. She was in possession of the stolen items when she resisted their efforts and she was eventually detained. Officers arrived on scene and placed Echavarria into custody. She was found to be in possession of a white crystal substance that tested positive as methamphetamine. Echavarria was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 3rd-Degree Robbery and Meth Possession. She was being held without bail.

 

A weekend fire in blackberry briars in the New Hope area prompted an emergency response from Rural Metro Fire Department's Williams Highway Station. On Saturday at 3:31 p.m., Rural Metro and a Grants Pass Fire & Rescue engine responded to the reported fire at the entrance to the Ponderosa Ridge community off New Hope Road. Rural Metro officials reported the fire consumed about 1/4-acre of vegetation along a creek bed before it was contained by firefighters. They said the cause of the fire was related to burning yard debris left over from winter storm damage that spread to nearby flammable vegetation. Officials said it is important for anyone burning debris to realize the current warm and dry weather can lead to debris fires escaping control. Rural Metro recommends to avoid burning on breezy days, keep burn piles small in size, build burn piles in open spaces away from flammable vegetation, stay in attendance of the burn, have a charged garden hose within reach of the pile, and carry a shovel and charged cell phone to react quickly.

 

Multiple agencies battled a small weekend wildfire in the southern Illinois Valley. On Saturday at 4:37 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, Oregon Department of Forestry and US Forest Service responded to a vegetation fire in the 1900-block of Rough and Ready Creek Road. IVFD officials said fire lines were established quickly to corral the one-acre blaze and some resources were released while all the hot spots were extinguished by the remaining crews. Officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

The Josephine County Fair Board meets this evening for a meeting that was postponed from last week. Following General Public Input when citizens are given three minutes to address the Fair Board, it will be time for Committee Reports. Jen McGowan will present the Auction Committee Report while Dean Saxon will provide reports for Facilities and Friends of the Fairgrounds. Recreation Director Tamra Martin's report will include a general update for the 2025 Josephine County Fair, a job description review for Fair Superintendent, new superintendent appointments and the Horticulture Department. Under new business, the Fair Board will discuss the Midway Restroom. Tonight's meeting starts at 6 in the Floral Building at the Fairgrounds in Grants Pass. The next meeting is scheduled for May 20th.

 

The Josephine Community Library District Board of Directors will hold a special meeting today to hold an executive session regarding real property transactions and records that are exempt from public disclosure. The preliminary agenda includes the executive session that is closed to the public followed by discussion about the stalled Grants Pass Library Lease negotiations. Today's special meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Grants Pass branch library, located at 200 NW C Street.

 

Now that the Grants Pass City Council has approved a resolution adding two resting sites for unhoused individuals, the plan will be implemented this week. Last Wednesday night, the City Council voted 6-2 to approve the plan to meet Josephine County Circuit Judge Sarah McGloughlin's requirements for the preliminary injunction to be lifted -- space must be provided for 150 resting sites and at least some of the sites must demonstrate ADA compliance. The current resting sites at 704 NW 6th Street and 712 NE 7th Street will remain in place. They accommodate a total of approximately 99 resting sites. Additional locations for resting will be 714 NW 6th Street and 711 NW 5th Street. They will provide room for more than 50 resting sites to reach the mandated total of 150. The 6th and 5th street sites are adjacent to each other, but they will be separated by fencing. Beginning Wednesday, the employee parking lot at 711 NW 5th Street will officially transition into a designated resting site. To alleviate some of the impact on the neighborhood around Grants Pass City Hall due to increased street parking, the City is renting approximately 40 spaces at a nearby church for its employees.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters worked diligently to protect citizens and structures last week. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 564 calls for service along with 305 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 33 arrests, 35 citations, 77 warnings and eight highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 97 traffic stops in the city and they made 21 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) made contact with 13 potential troublemakers while arresting three people, citing five more and warning five others. The CRT unit also trespassed three individuals from homes and businesses. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 86 calls last week including 29 for emergency medical service, three for reports of fire or smoke, eight lift assists, four rescue situations, five assists to other agencies and six false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,056 emergency calls last week.