Local News

Grants Pass Fire & Rescue wants everyone to enjoy their Independence Day celebrations safely -- especially in the current Excessive Heat Warning. Only Oregon-safe fireworks are allowed within the city limits of Grants Pass today between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. only. Fireworks are not allowed in the area west of NW Highland Avenue and Dimmick Street, the area north of Interstate 5, all city parks and all public schools. Firefighters will be patrolling and issuing citations. Grants Pass Fire Marshal Joe Hyatt said the use of any fireworks is prohibited in the city when the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Fire Weather Zone 620. To safely enjoy fireworks in Grants Pass, you can attend the public display at Reinhart Volunteer Park tonight. If you choose to set off fireworks at home, please follow some important safety steps. Never give fireworks to small children and never throw or point a firework toward people, animals, vehicles, structures or flammable vegetation. Always follow the instructions on the packaging. Keep a supply of water close by. Ensure the person lighting the fireworks always wears eye protection. Light only one firework at a time and never attempt to relight a "dud." Keep pets indoors this evening as exposure to fireworks can potentially result in severe burns or trauma. Many pets are fearful of loud noises and can become lost, scared or disoriented.

 

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is increasing the fire danger level to "high" on all five of its ranger districts on Friday. Starting at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, the local forest is also raising the Industrial Fire Precaution Level to "2." Acting Fire & Aviation Staff Officer Jeremy Delack said the current heatwave associated with critical fire weather conditions over the holiday weekend and beyond requires extreme caution on everyone's part to prevent wildland fires. The Forest currently has nine engines, five hand crews, two heavy helicopters, one bulldozer and the Medford Air Tanker Base where both the large air tanker and the very large air tanker ramps are operational. In addition, the Dutchman, Halls Points and Rustler lookouts are staffed. Industrial Fire Precaution Level 2 is also known as "partial hoot owl," which allows power saws, cable yarding and blasting, welding or cutting of metal between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. local time. Public use restrictions are already in place along the Wild and Scenic Rogue River and Stage 1 Public Use Restrictions are in place across the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners once again delayed the sale of the Pipe Fork property near Williams during its weekly business session yesterday. The Board was scheduled to approve a purchase and sale agreement with The Conservation Fund and a contribution agreement with the Williams Community Forest Project valued at just over $2.3 million for the 320-acre forested property. Commissioner Herman Baertschiger made a motion to table consideration of the agreements because the Board recently received some new information from the Bureau of Land Management and he wanted more time to review it. The motion passed unanimously. County Legal Counsel Wally Hicks said the Board is facing a deadline to sign the sale agreement because funding won't be available after July 15th. He said the final contract must be signed by August 15th. In the public comment period, the Board heard complaints from two Williams residents about the Pipe Fork sale delays that may ultimately jeopardize the transaction which has been years in the making.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners once again delayed the sale of the Pipe Fork property near Williams during its weekly business session this morning. The Board was scheduled to approve a purchase and sale agreement with The Conservation Fund and a contribution agreement with the Williams Community Forest Project valued at just over $2.3 million for the 320-acre forested property. Commissioner Herman Baertschiger made a motion to table consideration of the agreements because the Board recently received some new information from the Bureau of Land Management and he wanted more time to review it. The motion passed unanimously. County Legal Counsel Wally Hicks said the Board is facing a deadline to sign the sale agreement because funding won't be available after July 15th. He said the final contract must be signed by August 15th. In the public comment period, the Board heard complaints from two Williams residents about the Pipe Fork sale delays that may jeopardize the transaction, which has been years in the making. Other public comments included a complaint against an unnamed Board member for his conduct at a recent meeting and promotion of the Independence Day Celebration at the Courthouse tomorrow. The meeting opened with a presentation from the Illinois Valley Soil & Water Conservation District regarding its Agricultural Water Quality Monitoring Program.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a Glendale man yesterday for twice violating a court order by harassing his estranged wife. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance in the 1800-block of Rogue River Highway on Tuesday around 9:45 a.m.. Police said the 21-year-old male subject is the respondent in an active restraining order where his spouse is the protected party. They said the subject violated the court order by contacting the woman at her residence twice on Saturday in order to harass and intimidate her. According to the report, the man threw eggs and watermelon on a friend's vehicle in one of the incidents. The victim showed police pictures of the vandalism. Officers contacted the suspect via phone and he agreed to meet them at the police station where he was placed into custody. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two counts of Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation and he was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for violating a court order by contacting his grandmother at a home located south of Grants Pass this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a domestic disturbance in the 6100-block of Cloverlawn Drive on Tuesday at about 9 a.m.. Deputies said they had responded to a similar call regarding the 27-year-old male subject the day before, but there were unable to find him. Turns out he had hidden himself in a small room in the house that serves as his grandmother's bedroom. According to the report, the grandmother let the man inside the house without her husband's permission. She is protected from her grandson by a court order. When deputies returned yesterday, they searched the residence and located the suspect hiding in the same room. He was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation. He was being held without bail.

 

A Grants Pass woman was seriously injured last night when she was struck by two vehicles on Rogue River Highway near Morrison Centennial Park. Grants Pass Police and emergency personnel were dispatched to the vehicle versus pedestrian accident in the 1,000-block of Highway 99 on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.. Police said the female victim unlawfully entered the south side of the highway and ran across the travel lanes where she was struck by one vehicle and then grazed by a second vehicle while she was down. They said she was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center where the trauma system was activated. An investigation determined the woman was at fault and she was issued a citation for Pedestrian with Improper Position on a State Highway at the hospital. No word on her medical condition today. One of the drivers who struck the woman was cited for Driving While Suspended.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Wilderville man for impaired driving last night after he crashed his vehicle on Redwood Highway near Wonder. According to OSP, troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle wreck on US Highway 199 at Elliott Creek Road on Tuesday at 6:24 p.m.. Troopers said the 69-year-old man was not hurt when he lost control of the Jeep Wrangler he was driving. They said he displayed signs of impairment, performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit. The suspect was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. He was cited to appear in court and lodged at the Sobering Center while his damaged vehicle was impounded.

 

A large vehicle fire in the Illinois Valley last night prompted the response of three local agencies. On Tuesday at 10:31 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, Oregon Department of Forestry and Josephine County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the fire at the Mine Trail Campfire Lookout which is located at a dead end off Oregon and West 6th streets in Cave Junction. IVFD officials said the vehicle fire jumped the road and spread into blackberries and nearby brush. They said the blaze was quickly extinguished and mopped up. The cause of the fire was under investigation. Due to the Wildland Up-Staffing Grant from the Oregon State Fire Marshal, officials said they are able to have more personnel on scene during fire season.