Local News

A heavy law enforcement presence in the Murphy area forced a "lock-in" at Hidden Valley High and Woodland Charter schools on Wednesday. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reported deputies were looking for a fugitive in the area. Sheriff's officials said there was no known threat to the schools, but deputies requested staff keep students inside the buildings during the search as a safety precaution. They also temporarily shut down roads in the area. The Sheriff's Office posted a 4:15 p.m. update that students had been released from the schools and all roads were back open. It said the unidentified subject was still at large, but he was not believed to be a danger to the public.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a well-known criminal offender on an outstanding warrant this week during a patrol check in the north part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 36-year-old Ian Siewell Hogue at the Dollar Tree on NW 6th Street on Tuesday night. Police said they spotted Hogue and knew that he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for Probation Violation related to a past arrest for Methamphetamine Possession. He did not want to speak with law enforcement and walked away. Officers caught up to Hogue at the corner of Conklin and Midland avenues where they placed him into custody. After the warrant was confirmed, Hogue was lodged at the Josephine County Jail. He was being held in lieu of posting $10,000 bail.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District extinguished a vegetation fire near Cave Junction this week. Late Tuesday night, IVFD crews responded to the fire at milepost 6 of West Side Road near Finch Road and BLM Road 11. Arriving units found a quarter-acre fire burning in roadside vegetation. Crews successfully put out the flames and completed mop-up operations in short order. The incident was turned over to the Oregon Department of Forestry for a follow-up investigation.

 

The Rogue River City Council will convene for its monthly meeting this evening. Following Committee Reports and Public Input, the City Council will move on to three items of New Business. The Council is expected to approve a request to reserve Palmerton Park and an OLCC permit for a temporary event license for Rooster Crow Weekend in June. There is also an ordinance on the agenda that would adopt Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standards in the Rogue River Development Code. Tonight's meeting starts at 6 at Rogue River City Hall, 133 Broadway Street.

 

The Grants Pass City Council last night approved four allowable camping sites in an effort to end a preliminary court injunction that prevents law enforcement from restricting camping in most city parks. The vote was 6-2. The approved "resting" sites include existing sites at 712 NE 7th Street and 704 NW 6th Street plus new sites at 711 NW 5th Street and 714 NW 6th Street. The new sites include the paved employee parking area across A Street from City Hall. The City Council also approved the annexation of nine tax lots on Allen Creek Road between West Harbeck Road and Denton Trail. This area is to be improved by the City with the addition of curbs, gutters, sidewalks and a new stormwater facility. The zoning for the annexed properties was changed to City Residential-2 and Residential-3 districts. A resolution was passed approving the Affordable Housing System Development Charge waiver for Nebraska Trail Apartments, LLC. A new limited-term task force was created to review the Grants Pass Development Code for the purpose of simplifying and streamlining it to reduce barriers to new construction investment. The task force will be made up of eight individuals with a working knowledge of the code.

 

The Josephine County Fair Board is thanking Saxon Painting Company and PPG Paint for their donations to complete the project of painting the bleachers inside the Covered Horse Arena at the Fairgrounds. The Covered Arena was built in the early 1950s through efforts and guidance by the Josephine County Sheriff's Mounted Posse whose group still uses the facility to train. It's open year-round and used by community members and youth equestrian clubs as well as for special events like rodeos and circuses. The arena has seen several upgrades over the last six years including a new roof, exterior renovations, foundation improvements, lighting upgrades and restroom improvements. Josephine County Recreation Director Tamra Martin said the covered arena is at the heart of the Fairgrounds and it's used daily by the community. She said they're grateful for the support of Saxon Painting and PPG Paint Company who worked so hard to make this happen before last weekend's McCaslin Rodeo. Several thousand people attended the rodeo, which is the largest event for the arena outside the Josephine County Fair. It's amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do!

 

The Grants Pass School District is thanking a company for its generous donation of a truck for use by the award-winning GPHS Marching Band and Color Guard. Old Dominion recently donated a 2016 Freightliner to the Grants Pass High School band program. The band's longtime volunteer driver -- Jim Martin -- has been driving the GPHS Band for 15 years, continuing even after his son graduated. The old 1994 truck was on its last legs, but Old Dominion stepped up in a big way. Not only did they donate the truck, they also invested additional time and money to make sure it's road-ready for the next 10+ years. The "new" truck is taking its first trip this week as the GPHS Band is performing in the Disneyland Parade.

 

The Grants Pass City Council approved, on a six to two vote, allowable camping sites in accordance with the city ordinance. Approved sites include 712 Northeast 7th Street, 704 Northwest 6th Street, 711 Northwest 5th Street, and 714 Northwest 6th Street. The sites include the paved parking area across ‘A’ Street from City Hall. Earlier Council approved the annexation of nine tax lots on Allen Creek Road between West Harbeck Road and Denton Trail. The annexation is considered to be annexation by request. This is the area to be improved by the City with the addition of curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and a new stormwater facility. Then the zoning for the annexed properties was changed to City Residential R-2 and R-3 districts. A resolution approving the Affordable Housing System Development Charge waiver to Nebraska Trail Apartments L.LC. The total of the SDC’s for the development of the 51 unit development is $316,294.22. The fund to reimburse the SDC’s has a balance of $874,540.93. A new limited-term task force was created to review the Grants Pass Development Code for the purpose of simplifying and streamlining the code to make it more efficient to reduce barriers to new construction investment. The code would be made up of eight individuals with a working knowledge of the code. Areas of expertise envisioned for the task force includes real estate agents, brokers, design professionals, homeowners’ representatives, environmental interests and similar experts in the land development field.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for felony drug possession after an investigation into a trespassing complaint near Ross Dress-4-Less late last night. The Police Department reports officers arrested 69-year-old Steven Donald Carrier for the incident at the Grants Pass Shopping Center on Tuesday at 11:03 p.m.. Police said Concierge Security called the Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center to report that a male subject who had been previously trespassed from Ross had intentionally disabled a motorhome and walked away. A security guard asked GPPD to impound the motorhome, but they were advised law enforcement does not tow vehicles off private property. Officers arrived on scene and contacted Carrier who had been trespassed from the entire shopping center last December. They also found him to be in possession of more than 19 grams of methamphetamine, which was seized for destruction. Carrier was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Possession of Meth and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail.