Local News

Oregon Congressman Cliff Bentz and fellow Republicans in the US House of Representatives are working to restore America's forest health. US Representative Bentz on Tuesday introduced House Resolution 8790, the "Fix Our Forests Act," which revives and prioritizes forest health while safeguarding communities by streamlining environmental studies, minimizing lawsuits and accelerating the implementation of necessary forest restoration projects. Bentz said it's a bipartisan bill that will increase our ability to fight catastrophic wildfires and help protect Oregon communities. For too long, he said our forests have suffered from poorly designed and implemented forest management policies. Bentz said more than 117 million acres of national forests are overgrown, turning into unhealthy and incredibly dangerous tinderboxes. He said the "Fix Our Forests Act" directs the use of best available technology to support active and reasonable management of our federal lands. According to HR 8790, the legislation would allow forest managers to prioritize those forests at highest risk of wildfire. Forest managers will be able to improve powerline safety, and increase federal, state, tribal and local collaboration through the creation of a new Fireshed Center, expanded Good Neighbor Authority and better designed Shared Stewardship initiatives.

 

Total payroll employment in Josephine County fell by 70 jobs in August, but local employment increased over the year. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 34,245 people working in Josephine County last month for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 5.4% -- down slightly from 5.5% in July. Private-sector industries losing jobs over the month were leisure & hospitality, manufacturing, and other services. Private education & health services gained 70 jobs over the month. Government employment lost 50 jobs, with 40 occurring in local government education plus a drop of 10 federal government positions. Over the past year, payroll employment in Josephine County climbed by 180 jobs, an increase of 0.7%. Industries adding jobs since August 2023 included private education & health services (+560), professional & business services (+80), and financial activities (+70). Industries with estimated losses over the past year were leisure & hospitality (-340), manufacturing (-120), retail trade (-50), and wholesale trade (-10). Transportation, warehousing & utilities lost 20 jobs over the year.

 

The Eagle Point Police Department recently updated their patrol vehicles with a new graphic design. While doing the patrol vehicle designs, students from Eagle Point High School were offered a chance to help design the School Resource Officer (SRO) vehicle. Eagle Point Police Chief Jim Hamilton said Emilio Salas-Escalante and Natalie Hill submitted designs that were included in the new graphics. Both students provided different designs that incorporated the EPHS "Eagle" mascot and helped add a creative touch to the SRO patrol vehicle. School Resource Officer Marc Slagle worked with EPHS staff to obtain the designs and Wrap-It-Up Graphics helped to integrate the design onto the vehicle. Chief Hamilton thanks the students and staff who helped create the new design. He said EPPD appreciates its partnership with the Eagle Point School District and working with students on projects like this. Hamilton said the agency thinks this design "knocks it out of the park."

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on a supplemental budget for the current fiscal year during its weekly business session tomorrow. The hearing for the supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2025 will be followed by a resolution that would transfer appropriations within or between funds and make budget adjustments. The Consent Calendar contains orders dissolving three task forces or committees, and a resolution making an appointment to the Mining Advisory Committee. As always, there will be Requests and Comments from Citizens in which residents can address the Board for up three minutes on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

Firefighters extinguished a small fire near the railroad tracks in the Hugo area early today. Rural Metro Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Forestry responded to a reported fire along the railroad tracks in the area of Russell Road and Jess Way. At 7:30 a.m., Rural Metro reported firefighters had accessed the 1/4-acre fire and were establishing water and containment lines. The railroad company was notified as some railroad ties had been damaged by the flames. No structures were threatened and the cause of the fire was under investigation. Many North Valley residents are concerned that someone might be intentionally setting fires in the area. On Monday, firefighters put out six fires along Interstate 5 near the Manzanita Rest Area and two more on Walker Mountain above the Josephine County Sportsman's Park. Officials said all the fires in the North Valley area over the past two days are being actively investigated by ODF, the Oregon State Fire Marshal and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. With no witnesses to the ignition of these fires, all factors must be taken into account. All leads are being pursued and evaluated. Potential factors include vehicles and trains throwing sparks, transient campfires and intentional acts by humans, but they are just a few of the possible contributors.

 

The Oregon State Police has referred charges against a Grants Pass man to the Josephine County District Attorney's Office after he was caught driving a stolen vehicle. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Honda Accord driven by 38-year-old Kurt Kent Krause near the corner of Fruitdale and Canyon Oak drives on Sunday afternoon. Troopers said they spotted the car that had been reported stolen from a 72-year-old woman in Gold Hill that morning. After confirming the license plate number, they pulled the car over and detained three subjects including Krause. According to OSP, Krause was placed into custody on two local warrants for Parole and Probation violations. He was being held on a no-bail detainer. His two female passengers were released. The stolen car was returned to its owner. Charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle against Krause were referred to the District Attorney for consideration.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a female transient on a statewide felony warrant yesterday after a patrol check at a northwest-city park. The Police Department reports officers arrested 47-year-old Rose McLaughlin at Lawnridge Park on NW Hawthorne Avenue on Monday at 2:33 p.m.. Police said McLaughlin was smoking a cigar when they contacted her. She was cited for smoking tobacco and marijuana in the park. Further investigation showed she was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for a weapon offense. She was placed into custody without incident. McLaughlin was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and she was being held on a no-bail detainer. She was also trespassed from the park for 30 days. Jail records show McLaughlin has been arrested for violating her parole 10 times since September 2023.

 

Grants Pass Police incarcerated a "frequent flyer" for violating her post-prison supervision yesterday while investigating a trespassing complaint at bicycle shop in the south part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers contacted and arrested 29-year-old Cierra Shay Powers near Bikekraft on Williams Highway at 10:55 a.m. Monday. Police said an employee at the store reported Powers appeared to be passed out in front of the business. When she was asked to leave, she stood up and dropped what appeared to be a methamphetamine pipe. She admitted to having more drugs on her person and 2.4 grams of meth were found in a baggie in her back pants pocket. Powers was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession plus the resulting Felony Parole Violation. She was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Powers has been arrested for violating her parole five times since September of last year.

 

A weekend patrol check in downtown Cave Junction led to the apprehension of a man wanted on statewide and local felony warrants. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 46-year-old Lukas Kristopher Short at Shop Smart on West Watkins Street on Sunday at 4:19 a.m.. Deputies said they were on patrol when they observed a vehicle with four occupants parked at the downtown supermarket. Among the four was Short, who was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a drug conviction and a Josephine County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Theft of a Vehicle. Short was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. The other occupants of the vehicle were told to move along.