Local News

Protesters gathered at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Medford Tuesday to voice their opposition to recent ICE actions across various locations, including Portland and Minnesota.

According to KDRV, demonstrators staged a die-in, lying on the ground to symbolize the multiple individuals who lost their lives due to ICE custody or actions in 2025.

While many participants chanted and sang, others engaged in a silent counter protest by driving by showing a vulgar hand gesture.

Two participants expressed their belief that ICE's recent actions contradict the core principles upon which the country was founded.

Leaders of the chants and songs emphasized their commitment to families, asserting that children deserve to remain with their families.

The protest and demonstration lasted about an hour.

 

A traffic stop at the corner of Redwood Avenue and Dowell Road lead to the arrest of two suspects on Controlled Substance charges.

Grants Pass Police stopped the suspect vehicle after observing traffic violations late Tuesday night. The driver and passenger, Antonio Sandoval and Hailey Berger respectively, were contacted.

A short straw with a white residue was observed in the passenger side door pocket. The residue field tested positive for the presumptive presence of cocaine. Further searching of the vehicle located a pipe with a white residue in the center console. A field test showed a presumptive positive result for methamphetamine.

Sandoval claimed ownership of the meth, and both he and Berger were taken into custody. He was charged with Possession of Meth, Berger was charged with Cocaine Possession. Law enforcement transported and lodged them in the Josephine County Jail. The vehicle was impounded.

 

While conducting an area check at River City Grill, Grants Pass Police contacted and arrested three suspects.

A maroon SUV was observed Tuesday night near the 150 SE K Street restaurant. The officer knew the vehicle was associated with Heather Dixon, a woman wanted on a warrant for Possession of Meth.

Upon contact with the vehicle, other suspects ducked into the back seat. While a man was exiting the vehicle, he dropped a tooter on the ground. Law enforcement identified him as Trevor Bowen. He was detained and found to also have a warrant charging him with Meth Possession.

Dixon was observed inside the vehicle and detained, as was Aria Echavarria. She was wanted on two warrants, one for Meth Possession and the other for Robbery in the Third Degree.

All three suspects were taken into custody and lodged in the Josephine County Jail on their warrants.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a woman wanted on a Meth Possession warrant.

On Tuesday around 1:22 p.m., officers, while on a patrol check, contacted and detained Jennifer Fulmer in the 400 block of SW I Street.

She was found to have a warrant out for her arrest from the Police Department. After Fulmer's warrant was confirmed, she was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail.

 

The Oregon State Fire Marshal is reminding Oregonians about the importance of fire safety.

Since January 1, the agency has investigated 10 home fires across the state from various causes.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal offers these tips: Keep things that burn, like paper, curtains, bedding, or furniture, at least three feet away from all heating equipment, including fireplaces, wood stoves, and pellet stoves. Always plug space and portable heaters directly into a wall outlet and never into an extension cord or power strip.

Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional. Keep space heaters out of the way of foot traffic. Never block an exit. Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed, and test smoke alarms at least once a month.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly half of heating equipment fires (46%) occurred in the three-month period from December through February.

 

No quorum was present for today's Appointment for Josephine County Commissioner Position 1 meeting.

The meeting convened at 10 a.m. Commissioner Ron Smith was absent. Due to a lack of quorum, no business or formal action could be conducted.

Meetings with Interviews and an Appointment for the vacant position on the agenda are scheduled for January 15th and 16th at 10 a.m. in the BCC Conference Room.

The board of County Commissioners is scheduled to meet this evening for a Weekly Business Session. A Public Hearing for Library Annexations will start the meeting, followed by requests and comments from citizens, and an overview of the consent calendar.

Pending other matters, the meeting will adjourn. Today's Weekly Business Session will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium, and will be streamed at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream. Those attending in person must comply with the clear bag policy.

 

This morning at 05:26 a.m., a traffic accident occurred on Redwood Hwy and Mile Marker 25 in Selma.

The Illinois Valley Fire District, AMR-Josephine County, and Oregon State Police were dispatched to the single-vehicle rollover incident.

The individual involved received medical assessment on-site and did not require transportation to a medical facility.

The southbound lane of Highway 199 was temporarily closed, and traffic control measures were implemented to facilitate traffic flow.

The vehicle was towed from the scene.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies arrested a suspect on an out-of-county warrant Tuesday morning.

At 6:41 a.m., deputies identified a blue Chevy Blazer and a black Chevy truck with no license plates in an undisclosed location. The driver of the Blazer was seen the day prior, and it was believed the suspect was camping in the area.

Deputies contacted the suspect, Christopher Myers, and told him overnight camping wasn't permitted. Myers admitted to staying overnight, and that one of the vehicles was having trouble starting. A woman he was with was given the keys so she could move it.

Myers was found to have a Douglas County Felony warrant out for his arrest charging him with Underlying Unlawful Use of a Vehicle. Deputies took him into custody and lodged him in the Josephine County Jail.

 

During today's County Administration Workshop, the board disagreed on the Vacant Position Appointing process. Before adjourning the meeting, Commissioner Chris Barnett said, because of a quorum, both Commissioners had the right to appoint to the position. Commissioner Ron Smith said Legal Counsel has already advised that the two of them aren't a part of the process anymore. Barnett disagreed. Appointment meetings for the vacancy are scheduled for 10 a.m. on January 14th and 15th. During other matters, Barnett asked if Smith would be interested in discussing the 32 applicants for the vacant board seat, but Smith declined. When Barnett asked if Smith has secured an attorney, Smith said, "No comment." At the beginning of the meeting, the board moved to approve the renewal of a Grant Agreement for the Boys and Girls Club with dollars passed through their prevention department. The grant will help support Smart Moves, a curriculum program designed to teach local kids valuable skills and to avoid risky behaviors via targeted programs and interactive learning.