Local News

Grants Pass Police cited a motorcyclist and warned a bicyclist during a traffic stop near the J Street Campground early today. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over one man identified as "Carney" and another man identified as "Palomino" in the 700-block of SE J Street at 4:15 this morning. Police said Carney was operating a motorcycle without a helmet and Palomino was riding a bike with no lights. Carney was cited for Driving While Suspended, No Motorcycle Endorsement, No Insurance and No Helmet. The motorcycle was impounded. Palomino was warned for the nighttime bicycle violation. While on scene, officers spotted an abandoned bicycle on the side of the road. Its owner retrieved the bike a short time later.

 

An Illinois Valley motorist escaped injury early yesterday when he wrecked his vehicle on Caves Highway in Cave Junction. The Oregon State Police reports troopers, the Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response were dispatched to the single-vehicle crash on State Route 46 near Laurel Road on Wednesday at 9:33 a.m.. Upon arrival, emergency units found a Dodge Ram 3500 pickup on the side of the highway with the 37-year-old male occupant outside and unharmed. Troopers said the driver stated that he was momentarily blinded by the sun and thought he saw something run across the road, which caused him to swerve off the road, hit a utility pole and wind up in a ditch. The damaged pickup was hauled into town by Jerry's Towing. No citations were issued.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Grants Pass woman this week for threatening to kill her two roommates with a knife. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 39-year-old Brittney Faith Hageman for the incident at a home in the 2100-block of Rogue River Highway on Tuesday morning. Grants Pass police officers and Oregon state troopers assisted. Deputies said Hageman had a large knife and was threatening to kill her two roommates with it. They said she swung the knife at one of her roommates who is wheelchair-bound. The victim was able to block the knife and move out of the way before the suspect began stabbing holes in the bedroom door and screaming. Law enforcement arrived on scene and ordered Hageman to drop the knife, but she did not comply and was Tased multiple times. While being placed in handcuffs, the subject resisted by pulling her hands away and tucking them under her body. The knife was located and seized as evidence. Fortunately, no one was injured. Hageman was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Felony Attempted 1st-Degree Assault, two counts of Menacing and one count of Resisting Arrest. She was being held without bail.

 

UPDATE: MISSING WOMAN HAS BEEN FOUND.

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office was seeking public assistance in locating a missing Merlin woman. The Sheriff's Office reports 34-year-old Megan Yvonne Wells was reported missing on Tuesday. She was last seen at her Merlin area residence on Monday morning. Wells is driving a red 2004 Jeep Cherokee with Oregon license plate 743BBH. Wells is described as a white female adult, 5-feet-10-inches tall and 140 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Megan Wells is encouraged to contact the Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123. Please reference Case #24-26358.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Cave Junction man for impaired driving this week during a traffic stop on Redwood Highway in the southern Illinois Valley. OSP reports troopers pulled over a black Dodge Ram 1500 pickup driven by the 45-year-old male subject near milepost 29 of US Highway 199 late Tuesday night. Troopers said they stopped the truck for speeding and the driver appeared to be impaired. They said the driver refused to perform field sobriety tests, so a search warrant was obtained and he was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented a high level of impairment. The suspect was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and lodged at the Josephine County Jail. His pickup was impounded.

 

The City of Grants Pass is still soliciting applications to identify providers to host and operate one or more severe weather shelters for 2024-2026, but time is running out. Respondents to this open call and grant should determine the most realistic and feasible use for funding while recognizing the objective to maximize the sustainability of funds to address the city's ongoing need for a temporary shelter. Multiple groups can apply together in partnership to operate a shelter. For example, if one group has a space but no staff, they can partner with a group that might not have a space but could staff the partner's space. Partners must apply together on one application. Responses to this call should provide a detailed explanation of the funding amount requested and how it is to be spent. Further, the respondents shall demonstrate any history in operating similar shelters or programs. The total available funding for this grant is $52,580 and the cost-free loan of one air scrubber machine for the duration of the grant period. Grants may be awarded to multiple applicants and the city reserves the right to not release all available funding and resources during this grant period. The deadline for sealed submissions in response to this open call and grant is Friday, November 8th by 3 p.m. local time. For more information, contact Grants Pass Housing & Neighborhood Specialist Amber Neeck at (541)-450-6068 or email "aneeck@grantspassoregon.gov."

 

The City of Grants Pass will host an Urban Renewal Agency (URA) community forum on Tuesday, November 12th, at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. During the forum, city staff expects to briefly present the URA plan and purpose, tax increment financing, and an overview of the projects and timeline proposed for the five-year implementation strategy. Members of the public in attendance will be able to provide feedback to the City Council. A mailer has been sent to all properties in the urban renewal area. For more information, contact Grants Pass Economic Development Manager Dana Pearce at (541)-450-6014 or email "dpearce@grantspassoregon.gov."

 

After the third release of unofficial election results Wednesday night, it appears both the Josephine County Board of Commissioners and Grants Pass City Council will look dramatically different in 2025. Chris Barnett was still holding a big lead over Colene Martin in the race for Position 2 on the Board of Commissioners while Ron Smith was still well ahead of Pat Fahey in the race for Position 3. Incumbent Treasurer Eve Arce was trailing challenger Mark DeYoung by more than 10 percentage points. Former City Councilor Clint Scherf was maintaining a nearly 10-point lead over incumbent Grants Pass Mayor Sara Bristol. Indra Nicholas was defeating Ward 1 City Councilor Brian DeLaGrange, Victoria Marshall was beating Jay Meredith in Ward 2, and Kathleen Krohn was still leading Ward 4 Councilor Vanessa Ogier and fellow challenger Mark Kelsey. In Cave Junction, it appears Jesse Dugas has defeated fellow Council member Jean Ann Miles for the position of Mayor and incumbent Councilor Tina Casey Jones has held off a challenge by Steven Strauss. Ballot measures supporting Rogue Community College bonds, Three Rivers School District bonds, Veterans Services and a Cave Junction Transient Lodging Tax were all routed by approximately 3-to-1 margins. Josephine County Clerk Rhiannon Henkels reported voter turnout last night to be 71.08%. Final certification of the ballots will occur no later than December 2nd.

 

The Grants Pass City Council last night approved an ordinance that will help pave the way for a new RV park along with an appeal of system development charges for an existing RV park. Following a public hearing, the City Council unanimously agreed to vacate a common line that divides a 5.3-acre property at the corner of NE Agness Avenue and F Street that is slated for development of a 68-space RV park. The Council also approved an appeal of Sewer System Development Charges (SDCs) for the Hidden Valley RV Park at 1935 Rogue River Highway. The panel recently okayed a lower SDC rate for individual RV spaces, so the city will refund $16,377.77 to the developer who had already paid the fee at the higher rate. In other business, the City Council approved a resolution to revise an agreement between the City of Grants Pass, Josephine Housing and Community Development Council and Jackson County Housing Authority for the 68-unit Allen Creek Crossing housing development at 1191 West Harbeck Road. More than $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were allocated for the project and the agreement was extended from December 2024 to September 2026.