KRRM - Local News

BLM Seeks Public Comments on Proposed Timber Sales in the Applegate Valley

The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comment on proposed timber sales to reduce wildfire risk from dead and dying trees across about 5,300 acres in the Applegate Valley near Jacksonville. Sales would remove dead and dying trees in strategic locations. The work would be along roadways, near homes and in locations where BLM managers could best stop fires while they are small. BLM Ashland Field Manager Lauren Brown said removing dead and dying trees is critical for firefighter safety and the people who use these lands. She added that harvesting timber while it still has value provides revenue for American taxpayers. The BLM will host a field trip to the area from 5 to 7 p.m. on June 11th. During the field trip, BLM foresters will discuss the agency's plans and show project sites where dead tree removal has already happened. The US Treasury and 18 western Oregon counties would split sale proceeds. BLM officials said preliminary estimates show the harvest could produce at least 14 million board feet of timber -- enough to build more than 850 homes and support nearly 200 local jobs. Additional information is available at the BLM National NEPA Register, where comments can be submitted through the "Participate Now" options. The comment period will close on June 23rd.

Posted on 5/27/25 6:13AM by Sam Marsh

Nebraska Trail Apartments will Provide 51 Low-Income Housing Units in SW Grants Pass

The promise of more affordable housing in Grants Pass took a significant step forward this month with a groundbreaking ceremony for the 51-unit Nebraska Trail Apartments at 1801 SW Nebraska Avenue. During the ceremony, Grants Pass Mayor Clint Scherf spoke about the project's genesis in 2018 when the City Council formed a citizen and staff task force to strategically assess the potential of surplus city properties in tackling the growing housing crisis. The 1.9-acre lot -- with high-density zoning at an advantageous location near Three Rivers Medical Center and the Allen Creek Shopping Center -- quickly emerged as a prime opportunity to expand the city's apartment inventory. Chrisman Development of Enterprise, Oregon, was founded in 2000. It has an impressive track record, having constructed over 3,000 residential units across 24 counties in the state. The Nebraska Trail Apartments represent their first new construction venture in Southern Oregon. The Nebraska Trail Apartments will introduce much-needed one-, two- and three-bedroom units specifically set aside for families earning 60% or less of Josephine County's Area Median Income -- around $50,880 annually for a family of four. The contractor expects the project to complete construction in mid-2026.

Posted on 5/27/25 6:11AM by Sam Marsh

AllCare Health Awards $25K Grant to Talent Maker City to Expand STEAM Education

AllCare Health has awarded a $25,000 grant to Talent Maker City, a Southern Oregon-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing hands-on creative learning and STEM education for people of all ages and backgrounds. The funding will support a wide range of community programs designed to enhance mental health, reduce social isolation, and build personal and professional growth skills. Talent Maker City offers culturally-specific and trauma-informed learning opportunities developed collaboratively with underserved populations including youth, older adults, people with disabilities and low-income residents. Programs span Jackson and Josephine counties and emphasize community well-being, youth workforce development and belonging, all of which play critical roles in addressing the long-term impacts of trauma. To learn more information, visit "talentmakercity.org." Talent Maker City's mission aligns with AllCare Health's commitment to addressing social determinants of health and investing in innovative strategies that promote equity across the region.

Posted on 5/27/25 6:10AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man for Felony Robbery after Shoplifting Incident at WinCo

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for felony robbery after he pushed a loss prevention officer while shoplifting at WinCo Foods this past weekend. The Police Department reports officers responded to a theft complaint involving 60-year-old Gregory Albert Metzger at the supermarket on NE Terry Lane on Saturday shortly after 6 p.m.. Police said Metzger concealed stolen merchandise inside his backpack and left the store by passing all points of sale without paying. When confronted outside the store exit by security, the suspect used physical force by pushing a loss prevention worker in an attempt to retain the stolen merchandise. He was eventually detained. Upon the arrival of law enforcement, Metzger was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 3rd-Degree Robbery, 2nd-Degree Theft and the resulting Probation Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 5/26/25 10:10AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Man on Local Warrants after He Tried to Steal from Walmart

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on three local warrants after he tried to steal merchandise from Walmart. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a shoplifting call at the big box retailer on NE Terry Lane on Saturday around 10:15 a.m.. Police said 38-year-old Bradley Andrew Peckham ran out of Walmart with four items and headed across the parking lot to Big 5 Sporting Goods. Loss prevention tried to stop him, but he got away with two Red Bulls and two cases of sandwich items. He recently had been trespassed from the store. Officers later located Peckham at NE Beacon and A streets. He did not listen to commands after being told he was under arrest, but was placed into custody at Taser point. Peckham was wanted on three Grants Pass warrants containing charges of Theft, Disorderly Conduct and Escape. He was lodged in jail on the warrants plus an additional charge of Petty Theft. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 5/26/25 10:08AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Nabbed Man for Car Clouting after He Entered Vehicle at OLCC Store

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for car clouting after he was found sitting inside a parked vehicle at the downtown liquor store early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a reported vehicle break-in at the OLCC store located in the 200-block of SE 8th Street on Sunday at 2:10 a.m.. Police said the owner of a Toyota Corolla observed 22-year-old Xander Arthur Michael Strow sitting in the driver's seat of their car and called 9-1-1. They said Strow displayed multiple indicators of impairment by a narcotic stimulant, which made him difficult to interview. According to the report, Strow admitted to unlawful entering the vehicle in an attempt to steal a nicotine vape. Strow was placed into custody and lodged in jail for Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle and Attempted 3rd-Degree Theft. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 5/26/25 10:07AM by Sam Marsh

Multiple Agencies Responded to Crash in Cave Junction & Found No Occupants

Multiple agencies responded to a weekend motor vehicle accident in Cave Junction and there was no one there. The Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response and Josephine County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a single-vehicle crash in the 200-block of South Redwood Highway on Saturday at 1:35 a.m.. First responders found no occupants in or near the vehicle. Deputies searched the area, but were unsuccessful in locating anyone associated with the incident. The wrecked vehicle was hauled away by Jerry's Towing.

Posted on 5/26/25 10:05AM by Sam Marsh

Josephine County Sheriff Seeks Help Finding Woman Reported Missing in Selma

UPDATE: DAWN BAILEY HAS BEEN LOCATED SAFELY

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office is seeking public assistance in finding a woman who was reported missing over the weekend. Sheriff's officials report 69-year-old Dawn Ida Bailey left her family's vacation home in the 400-block of McMullen Creek Road in Selma on Saturday around 4:20 p.m.. Bailey left in the family's blue 1998 Chevrolet pickup with Oregon license plate "272 ETU". Her direction of travel was unknown. Josephine County Search and Rescue has been activated. Bailey was last seen wearing a teal tank top and white Mickey Mouse sweatpants. She is described as a white female adult, 5-feet-6-inches tall and 102 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Dawn Bailey is urged to contact the Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123.

Posted on 5/26/25 6:38AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Woman for Hitting another Woman with Her Car on NE D Street

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman for using her vehicle to injure another woman over the weekend. The Police Department reports officers located the suspect vehicle and arrested 38-year-old Jessica Faith Sessions at a residence in the 700-block of SE 8th Street on Saturday around 2:30 a.m.. Police said Sessions struck a woman with her vehicle during an altercation in a parking lot in the 800-block of NE D Street. They said the suspect fled the scene while failing to performing duties as the driver involved in an accident. The victim -- identified by GPPD as "Alexis Demarco" -- was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment of unspecified injuries. During the post-arrest interview, Sessions admitted to "unintentionally" striking Demarco with the rear of the Nissan Altima she was driving. She advised she was in fear of the other woman when she left the parking lot. She also said she did not notify law enforcement because her cell phone was dead and that she did not call later because she was in shock. Following the investigation, Sessions was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 2nd-Degree Assault, Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Felony Hit-and-Run and Reckless Endangering. She was being held without bail.

Posted on 5/26/25 6:29AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Arrested Young Man for Pointing Airsoft Gun at Motorists near Merlin

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for causing a traffic alert in the Merlin area late last week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to the incident in the 3500-block of Merlin Road on Friday at about 1 p.m.. Deputies said multiple callers reported a male subject on a skateboard pointing a gun at passing vehicles while yelling at them. The subject was reportedly heading toward Ray's Food Place and that's where he was detained by law enforcement. According to the report, 19-year-old Evan Andrew Gibbs-Bernard told them he was pointing an airsoft gun at the vehicles, but he did not indicate why he was doing so. The airsoft gun was seized as evidence and he was placed into custody. Gibbs-Bernard was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Menacing and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 5/26/25 6:28AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Motorist for DUII after He Caused Head-On Crash in SE City

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving after he caused a head-on collision with another vehicle in the southeast corner of the city. According to the Police Department, officers and emergency personnel responded to the two-vehicle crash on Cloverlawn Drive near SE Joel Drive at 6:27 p.m. on Friday. The involved vehicles were reported to be a Toyota Tacoma and a Honda CRV. Police said an investigation determined 32-year-old Robert Henry Pina, III, drove his vehicle into the oncoming lane at a high rate of speed and caused a collision with the other vehicle driven by a female motorist. The driver and passenger of the victim vehicle had to be extricated from the wreckage and they were treated at the scene for minor injuries. Both vehicles were heavily damaged and towed away. Pina displayed signs of impairment at the scene and performed poorly in field sobriety tests, so he was placed into custody. Pina was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 5/26/25 6:20AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Frequent Flyer for Drug Possession after He Set Small Fire

Grants Pass Police arrested a well-known offender for drug possession after he started a small fire along the railroad tracks in the downtown area late last week. According to the Police Department, officers and firefighters responded to the trash fire near the tracks off 6th Street on Friday shortly before the noon hour. Police said witnesses reported that they saw 45-year-old Nicholas John Knox Knowles adding cardboard to the fire he started and watching it grow. They located and detained him, finding him to be in possession of a glass pipe that contained methamphetamine. It was seized for destruction. Knowles advised the arresting officers that the fire was his "love bubble" and that it makes him "feel good and relaxed." The blaze was quickly extinguished. Knowles was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 5/26/25 6:18AM by Sam Marsh