Local News

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to hold a public hearing, finish a public hearing and conduct a public consideration during its weekly business session on Thursday. The Board will first hold a public hearing for three requested annexations to the Josephine Community Library District. Under Administrative Actions, the Commissioners will consider re-appointments to the Josephine County Dog Board. After the meeting, the Board is set to continue a hearing on a lease agreement for the Grants Pass branch library that was abruptly halted last week before a decision could be rendered. Under public consideration is an American Mining Research lease application for the St. Peter Mine Property located east of Wolf Creek. Tomorrow's public meeting starts at 10 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

An abandoned two-story home near Schroeder Park burned early this morning, drawing a response from Rural Metro Fire Department and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue. At 2:03 a.m. today, Rural Metro and Grants Pass crews were dispatched to the fire in the 800-block of Schroeder Lane. A Grants Pass engine from the nearby Redwood Station arrived quickly and knocked down the flames, preventing spread to adjacent structures, a recreational vehicle and vegetation. Rural Metro officials reported a subject known to frequent the location was seen leaving the area by responding firefighters. The unidentified man was picked up by law enforcement and was being questioned about the fire. Officials said the Oregon State Fire Marshal has been notified about the incident.

 

The Oregon Department of Forestry and its partners extinguished two grass fires that broke out in western Jackson County yesterday. On Tuesday afternoon, ODF and Jackson County Fire District #3 responded to a grass fire near the intersection of Lane Creek and Old Stage roads between Gold Hill and Central Point. Crews engaged in an initial aggressive attack that included two helicopters and an air attack platform. Firefighters had the majority of the fire knocked down by 3:40 p.m.. By 4:05 p.m., crews had knocked down all the flames and were working on mop-up operations. The cause of the two-acre fire was under investigation. Late Tuesday afternoon, ODF and Jackson County Fire District #1 responded to a grass fire in the 4,000-block of West Evans Creek Road north of the City of Rogue River. Numerous resources were deployed including a Type 2 helicopter out of Grants Pass. Due to fast progress on the incident, the helicopter was canceled. The blaze was knocked down at 1/10th of an acre and the cause was under investigation.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended two men wanted on statewide felony warrants during separate incidents yesterday. The Police Department reports the first incident occurred on Tuesday at 2:04 a.m. when officers arrested 40-year-old Glen Everett Porter during a traffic stop at SE M and 8th streets. Police said Porter was riding a bicycle with no light. They placed him into custody when it was discovered that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for 4th-Degree Assault. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. The second incident occurred on Tuesday at 11:53 a.m. when officers contacted 38-year-old Christopher Michael Anthony at Morrison Centennial Park on Rogue River Highway. Police said Anthony was working on his truck in the park and a routine records check showed that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation related to a 2023 conviction for Larceny. He was placed into custody and also lodged in jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local felony warrant late yesterday during a patrol check at a city park. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 38-year-old Jordan Ellis Haas at Morrison Centennial Park on Tuesday around 4:20 p.m.. Police said they spotted Haas and knew that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation related to a 2024 conviction for Forgery. He was placed into custody without incident. Haas was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man on local warrants yesterday after a traffic stop in the north part of the city. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Buick Regal driven by 60-year-old Clint Edward Robertson near the intersection of NE 7th Street and Morgan Lane on Tuesday at 12:38 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Robertson for traffic violations and learned that he was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was also wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for an unspecified criminal allegation. Robertson was lodged at the Josephine County jail on the warrants. His 62-year-old female passenger was forced to find another ride when his car was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested two men on outstanding warrants in Cave Junction yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports the first incident occurred when deputies responded to a disturbance at a home in the 800-block of Ridge Vista Drive on Tuesday around 7:15 a.m.. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her brother -- 41-year-old Gabriel Alexander Sandlin -- was acting aggressively and talking about "demons" while visiting their parents. It was discovered that Sandlin was wanted on a Sutherlin Police Department warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was arrested, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail. The second incident happened when deputies contacted 47-year-old Joseph David Ainsworth in the 200-block of South Redwood Highway on Tuesday at 7:38 p.m.. Deputies said they were on patrol when they spotted Ainsworth and knew that he was wanted on two Josephine County warrants. One was for failing to appear in court for Theft, Criminal Trespass and Methamphetamine Possession while the other was for failing to appear in court for Theft and Criminal Trespass. He was arrested, transported to Grants Pass and lodged in jail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on a local warrant while performing a welfare check in the downtown area early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident near the corner of NE C and 7th streets on Tuesday at about 2 a.m.. Police said they were alerted to a female subject slumped over at that location. They contacted 25-year-old Braylyn Marie McElmurry who was "on the nod" in the middle of the roadway. She was found to be wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Disorderly Conduct, Attempted Escape and Fentanyl Possession. McElmurry was placed into custody and lodged in jail on the outstanding warrant.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a California man for stealing a vehicle from a Los Angeles rental company at a north-city motel early today. According to OSP, troopers located an unoccupied Dodge Caravan in the Motel 6 parking lot off NE 7th Street at 1:18 this morning. Troopers had been alerted that 34-year-old Andrew Charles Lake of Long Beach, California, had failed to return the minivan to Travelers Autobarn Campervan Rentals in LA. They tracked him down in a motel room and detained him. Lake was cited to appear in a Los Angeles County courtroom on felony charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. The rental company was notified and the stolen van was towed away.