Local News

A recall election aimed at removing John West from the Josephine County Board of Commissioners has been scheduled for December 17th. The Josephine County Clerk's Office on Friday confirmed that 6,476 signatures on a petition to recall Commissioner John West had been verified. A total of 7,538 signatures were submitted and 6,445 were necessary to force the recall vote. By Oregon Statute, West has five days to step down or provide justification for his actions that allegedly led to the recall petition. Reached by the Daily Courier late Friday, West said he has no intention of resigning. He added that he wants the voters to decide whether he should stay in office, not the petitioners. Josephine County Clerk Rhiannon Henkels has set the date for the recall election to be December 17th. She estimated the election will cost the county around $60,000. Chief Petitioner Lily Morgan -- a former Commissioner who currently serves as the City Manager for Gold Hill -- said the signature verification marks a crucial step forward in their mission to ensure accountability and transparency in local government. She said it validates the "overwhelming" support from community members who have voiced their concerns over Commissioner West's behavior, which she called "cruel and corrupt."

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters kept the heat on criminal offenders and off local structures as cool, wet fall weather set in. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 585 calls for service along with 244 officer-initiated calls last week, which resulted in 53 arrests, 19 citations, 48 warnings and seven highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 66 traffic stops in the city and they made 20 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. For the second straight week, there was no report available for the GP Community Response Team. Grants Pass firefighters responded to a total of 94 calls last week including 42 for emergency medical service, one reported fire, 19 lift assists, three rescue situations, seven assists to other agencies and seven false alarms. Firefighters also performed 11 business inspections, led two public education-prevention programs and assisted the public four times. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded well over 1,000 emergency calls.

 

The City of Grants Pass website looks different. City officials said they reviewed several hundred websites from municipalities around the country and worked with their website host CivicPlus to incorporate the best elements they saw and eliminate those they found annoying. The new design is more pleasing to look at and easier to navigate, but everything works the same as it did before. The slideshow displays beautiful photos of Grants Pass and can be used periodically to highlight important information. The graphic links reflect the features used most often when people visit the site, based on analytics from the past several years. The Newsflash icons have been expanded to allow more information in the headline. The calendar now has tabs for various types of meetings and events, and it allows users to scroll to the following months. The drop-down menus use icons and colors to make it easier to see which menu option is being chosen. Please take time to visit the new and improved "grantspassoregon.gov." You'll be happy you did.

 

Grants Pass Police located a missing woman and then arrested her on a local felony warrant and for drug possession in a strange incident at a local motel late last night. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident involving 65-year-old Shelley Irene West at the Sunset Inn on NW 6th Street on Thursday at 11 p.m.. Police said West called 9-1-1 and requested an ambulance because she was dying from what she called "criminal sabotage." She called back immediately and stated that she no longer needed an ambulance. Officers arrived on scene, contacted West and learned that she had been reported as a missing person by the Medford Police Department. They also discovered that she was wanted on a Jackson County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Attempt to Elude Police. She refused to leave her room and said she was "not going back to jail." She was placed into custody and found to be in possession of a container containing methamphetamine. It was seized for destruction. West was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the outstanding warrant and a new charge of Meth Possession. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a local corrections client on a statewide felony warrant yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers were informed that 42-year-old Charles Jason Howard was at the Josephine County Community Corrections Office on Thursday around 1:45 p.m.. Police said a corrections officer notified them that Howard was wanted on an Oregon Department of Corrections warrant for Parole Violation stemming from convictions for Felony 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief and Probation Violation related to that criminal offense. Howard reportedly was unaware that he was about to be arrested. Howard was placed into custody without incident and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman early today for breaking a window during a confrontation with her ex-boyfriend. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to the incident at a home in the 600-block of SE Grandview Avenue at 3:34 this morning. Police said 32-year-old Ashlee K. Berry admitted to being there and getting into a confrontation with her ex-boyfriend. She told officers she picked up a flower pot that must have slipped out of her hand and broke the window. According to the report, Berry was contacted at her residence in the 200-block of SW Rogue River Avenue about 15 minutes after the vandalism incident occurred. Berry was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. She was also trespassed from her ex-boyfriend's home.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested three people for trespassing on railroad property inside the city limits yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a report of three people laying near the railroad tracks in the 100-block of SE Mill Street on Thursday at 2:06 p.m.. The caller was concerned they might get hit by a passing train. Police arrived on scene and found 48-year-old Demetrius Hughes, 38-year-old Steven Juergensen and 24-year-old Braylynn McElmurry sitting on the ground. All three had previously been trespassed from the railroad property. Hughes, Juergensen and McElmurry were arrested and lodged in jail for Criminal Trespass in the 1st Degree. Hughes was also charged with Methamphetamine Possession. Juergensen was charged with probable cause of 2nd-Degree Theft, Possession of a Schedule 5 Controlled Substance and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass related to other criminal cases. All three were being held without bail and their trespass warnings were updated.

 

Grants Pass Police cited a young motorist for multiple violations after she crashed her vehicle into a power pole and shut down a section of NE 7th Street last night. The Police Department reports officers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle wreck near the corner of NE 7th Street and Evelyn Avenue at 6:11 p.m. Thursday. Police said a motorist they identified as 20-year-old Unique Spencer was driving a pickup north on 7th when she failed to negotiate a curve near Evelyn and went off the roadway, destroying two trees and striking a power pole, shearing it off about four feet up. Electrical service was cut off for surrounding properties and Pacific Power crews responded to repair the pole and restore service to affected customers. According to the report, Spencer was clearly speeding at the time of the accident which closed that stretch of 7th Street for several hours. Spencer was not hurt, but she was cited for Violating the Basic Rule, Driving While Suspended and No Insurance. It was unclear whether she will be held financially responsible for the damages. Her wrecked pickup was towed away.

 

The Oregon State Police responded to at least three weather-related crashes in Josephine County on Thursday. According to OSP, troopers first responded to a single-vehicle rollover wreck near milepost 55 of northbound Interstate 5 at 9:58 a.m. yesterday. Troopers said the 30-year-old male driver of a Chevrolet Colorado was traveling too fast for the wet road conditions. He denied medical attention and his damaged pickup was towed. The second incident occurred at 11:45 a.m. yesterday when troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on southbound I-5 near milepost 70. Troopers said an 18-year-old male driver of a Subaru Outback spun out on the wet freeway and struck the concrete divider. He was cited for No Insurance and his damaged car was towed. The third incident happened at 3:38 p.m. yesterday when troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash on southbound I-5 near milepost 58. Troopers said a 17-year-old male driver of a Dodge Magnum failed to maintain his travel lane, lost control and hit a Lexus RX4 driven by a 70-year-old man. No injuries were reported, but the Lexus was towed. The young driver was cited for Failure to Maintain Lane, No Operator's License and No Insurance.