Local News

Grants Pass area firefighters knocked down an appliance fire at a local business yesterday. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and Rural Metro Fire Department were dispatched to the incident at Zipline Gear in the 900-block of NW F Street on Thursday. Thanks to the quick response of their crews, officials said the fire was contained swiftly and prevented from spreading to the rest of the business. All employees were safely evacuated from the building and no injuries were reported. The Rural Metro engine just happened to be in the area and assisted as part of a mutual aid agreement. Officials said rapid response and strong teamwork made a big difference. They thanked everyone involved.

 

The Oregon Health Authority has issued a recreational use advisory for Emigrant Lake in Jackson County due to the presence of a cyanobacteria bloom. OHA officials said people should avoid swimming and high-speed water activities such as water-skiing or power-boating in areas of the lake where blooms are present as the major route of exposure is ingestion of water. Toxins are not absorbed through the skin, but those with skin sensitivities may get a puffy red rash. OHA encourages people to visit Emigrant Lake and enjoy activities such as fishing, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking, bird watching, canoeing and kayaking. Boating is safe as long as speeds do not create excessive spray, which could lead to the risk of inhaling cyanotoxins. Drinking water directly from areas of the lake affected by a bloom is especially dangerous. Toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters. Contact campground management or the local health department with questions about water availability at nearby campgrounds or day-use areas. Children and pets are at increased risk for exposure because of their size and level of activity. Dogs can get extremely ill and even die within minutes of exposure to cyanotoxins by drinking the water, fetching objects from the water, licking their fur or eating the toxins from floating mats or dried crust along the shore. Exposure to cyanotoxins can be serious and cause a range of symptoms that may be similar to food poisoning such as stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Serious symptoms may require medical attention. Fish caught from areas where cyanobacteria blooms are present may pose unknown health risks, so OHA recommends not eating fish from those areas.

 

A Romanian national residing in California has been sentenced to federal prison for stealing nearly $177,000 by installing Automated Teller Machine (ATM) skimming devices throughout Oregon and Maine including the Rogue Valley. The US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon announced 45-year-old Florin George Ionita was recently sentenced to 54 months in prison and five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $176,922 in restitution to victims. Court documents show that between June and August 2023, Ionita installed skimming devices on ATMs and used the devices to steal account information and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) from customers who conducted business at the ATMs. He used the stolen information to produce counterfeit debit cards and withdraw cash from victims' accounts. He accessed hundreds of bank accounts. On August 22, 2023, the Medford Police Department received a report of a masked individual installing a skimming device. Investigators received photos of the man and distributed a law enforcement bulletin to identify the unknown individual. The following day, investigators from the Kennebunk Police Department in Maine identified Ionita and informed MPD of their investigation of Ionita installing skimming devices there. Investigators learned that due to his immigration status, Ionita was required to wear a Global Positioning System (GPS) monitor which confirmed his location at several banks where the ATM skimming devices were installed. In November 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a 9-count indictment charging Ionita with Bank Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft. A federal grand jury in Main returned a 15-count indictment for the same crimes.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving in the Redwood area this week after he punched another motorist in the face. The Police Department reports officers responded to the reported assault at the intersection of East Park and 7th streets on Wednesday night. Police said the victim called 9-1-1 to report a motorist later identified as 48-year-old Thomas Daniel Negrette, Sr., exited his vehicle at the stop light and punched him twice before he could roll up the window. The victim was not seriously hurt and followed the suspect whom he believed was under the influence of alcohol. Negrette reportedly drove west while swerving all over Redwood Highway before he turned onto Redwood Avenue and entered the Redwood Center. The victim followed him while maintaining contact with dispatchers. He observed the suspect enter the Redwood Market and exit the store with a beer in his hand. Officers swooped in and contacted Negrette who displayed signs of impairment, but refused to answer questions or participate in field sobriety tests. A search warrant was obtained and he was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented his impairment. Negrette was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Physical Harassment. His Chrysler 300 was towed.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local warrant after finding him hiding at his grandmother's house this week. According to the Police Department, officers located 25-year-old Alex Ushaiah Tallman at a home in the 700-block of NE 10th Street late Wednesday night. Police said they were looking for Tallman because he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Domestic Menacing. They saw the suspect enter the driveway of the residence and moved in for the arrest. Tallman's grandmother answered the door and claimed her grandson had escaped out a window. She consented to a search of her home and officers found Tallman hiding inside a closet. Tallman was placed into custody and lodged in jail on the outstanding warrant.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on two outstanding warrants this week after they found her hiding inside a vehicle at a city park. According to the Police Department, officers located 20-year-old Kassandrea Faith Electra Caryn Sinks slumped down in the rear seat of a vehicle at Baker Park on Wednesday. Police said Sinks was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Identity Theft and 2nd-Degree Theft as well as a Medford Police Department warrant for Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. Once Sinks was located, she was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants.

 

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is reporting an increase in motor vehicle break-ins and thefts at local recreation area parking lots. Deputies are investigating multiple Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle cases that occurred recently at the Table Rock Hiking Trail parking lots near Central Point and the Rogue River Ti'Lomikh Falls day use parking lot near Gold Hill. The Sheriff's Office has increased patrols in these areas, but encourages the public to be cautious. Please be aware of the potential for vehicle break-ins when visiting recreation areas around Jackson County. Sheriff's officials warn people not to leave valuables in their vehicles -- leave them at home or take them with you. If you must leave valuables or belongings in your vehicle, keep them out of sight. If your belongings are visible from outside your vehicle, it increases the likelihood that a thief will target your vehicle. If you are a victim of a vehicle break-in at a Jackson County recreation area, call Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon at 9-1-1. The Sheriff's Office non-emergency number is (541)-776-7206.

 

A project to replace two deteriorating bridge decks will close two ramps at Interstate 5 Exit 71 in Sunny Valley for about one week. Starting Sunday, the Oregon Department of Transportation said the northbound off-ramp and southbound off-ramp at I-5 Exit 71 will be closed at all hours for several days. ODOT officials said the closures will not affect the entire freeway interchange, but detours will cause delays for some travelers. Travelers should budget extra time for their commutes. During the closure, northbound traffic will access Sunny Valley by continuing north to Exit 76 in Wolf Creek and then returning south on I-5 to Exit 71. Drivers planning to travel south on I-5 from Sunny Valley will detour by traveling north to Exit 76 and then taking southbound I-5. Both detours are approximately 10 miles. Travelers are cautioned to avoid using local roads as a detour during the ramp closures. Secondary roads are not suitable for heavy traffic and commercial vehicles. Once the exit ramps have reopened, watch for workers remaining in the area to complete the bridge deck project. Please drive with caution and watch your speed in the work zone. The work is estimated to be completed by June 6th.

 

The newly appointed director of Josephine County's newest department played a large role in yesterday's weekly business session of the Board of Commissioners. Josephine County Community Justice Director Scott Hyde testified on three Administrative Action items on the meeting agenda. Hyde has been the head of Community Corrections and he recently assumed the Juvenile Justice directorship. Hyde presented a Community Justice Vehicle Purchase request for four new Ford Explorers totaling $162,066. He testified that budget adjustments were made to help pay for the new vehicles that will replace three Jeep Cherokees and one Ford Crown Victoria that are 6 years old. The Board unanimously approved the request. Hyde also presented a five-year contract with the Oregon Department of Human Services worth $884,406 for a juvenile justice residential treatment program along with a two-year contract renewal with the Oregon Youth Authority that will bring more than $400,000 to the County for an extended detention program. The Board also unanimously approved the intergovernmental agreements. Drug Prevention Coordinator Shawn Martinez also presented three Administrative Action items to the Commissioners, but she was not as fortunate. The Board failed to make any motions on grant agreements with the Mobile Integrative Navigation Team (MINT), Max's Mission and the HIV Alliance. All three organizations had made funding requests for disbursed opioid settlement money totaling $1.3 million.