Local News

The Oregon State Police located a missing elderly man who drove a vehicle to the Josephine County Sportsman Park yesterday. According to OSP, troopers were alerted to a 77-year-old man arriving in a vehicle at the private park in the 7400-block of Highland Avenue on Tuesday at 3:11 p.m.. Troopers contacted the man who was confused and showed signs of dementia. The man's family was contacted and responded to retrieve the subject. They confirmed that he had dementia and lived in a local adult care facility. No information was disclosed on how the man was able to leave the facility or how he was able to gain access to a vehicle.

 

The Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) raided an illegal cannabis growing operation near Cave Junction yesterday and broke up a suspected human trafficking ring. On Tuesday, JMET -- with assistance from Josephine County Public Health & Building Safety -- served a search warrant on June Drive. During execution of the warrant, more than 6,200 marijuana plants and around 1,000 pounds of processed marijuana were seized and destroyed. The grow site also had multiple electrical, water and solid waste code violations that could result in criminal forfeiture of the property. Eleven people were contacted on the property at the time of the search. Based off information gathered during the investigation, these individuals were suspected to be victims of human trafficking for exploited labor. All 11 individuals were referred to the UNETE Center for Farm Worker and Immigrant Advocacy, which provided them with resources and guidance to aid them in their situation. JMET reports the primary suspect was not at the location during the time of the search. If located, they will be charged with Unlawful Manufacture and Possession of Marijuana as well as Unlawful Appropriation of Water. Detectives said the investigation is ongoing and no further details were being released at this time.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for a bizarre series of events that happened on Rogue River Highway this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested a 38-year-old man they identified as "Jimmy Dean Couch" near the Bottle Drop Center at the corner of Highway 99 and Parkdale Drive on Monday afternoon. Police said Couch was the subject of three separate calls for service. First, he was reported shouting at passing vehicles. Second, he entered private property and was cutting branches off a tree. Third, he was screaming at customers at U-Save Gas & Tackle while pretending to shoot people with his hand shaped like a gun. Officers located Couch at the Bottle Drop Center and told him he was under arrest. He began to walk away, so one officer grabbed his left arm and another officer grabbed his right arm. He actively resisted by tightening his muscles and pulling his arms upward. He was then taken in a controlled manner to the ground where he continued to resist and kicked an officer, causing minor pain but no serious injury. Couch was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Assault on a Public Safety Officer, Resisting Arrest, Escape and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail. Upon booking, it was discovered that Couch was reported as a missing person in Jackson County. GPPD contacted the Jackson County Sheriff's Office to let them know he had been located.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a young man for impaired driving this week after receiving numerous traffic complaints near the downtown area. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a red Jeep Cherokee driven by a 19-year-old male subject in the 1300-block of SW Foundry Street on Monday night. Police said the driver was first called in as a complaint at NW B and Fry streets where he was reportedly doing burnouts and traveling at a high rate of speed. He almost hit some pedestrians, was fish-tailing and allegedly pulled a gun on one witness. Officers pulled him over after observing several moving violations. Upon contact, officers said the young man displayed indicators of impairment. He asked for legal counsel, so a search warrant was obtained and he was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented impairment. The young suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. It was unclear if his vehicle was impounded. Police said there was a Remington shotgun located inside the SUV.

 

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is launching a new community air monitoring pilot program supported by a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant. The program is designed to empower communities to assess their local air quality and identify potential strategies to reduce their exposure to pollution. DEQ selected four communities from 200 applicants to participate in the Community Air Action Planning pilot program or CAAP. The communities are Medford, Chiloquin, McMinnville and two neighborhoods in Gresham. Locally, the program will be launched in downtown Medford and north Medford. DEQ selected the four communities using environmental justice principles and criteria identified by a team of program co-designers representing advocacy, nonprofit and environmental groups. Through the CAAP program, DEQ will work with these communities to collect local air quality data using monitoring equipment in each of the locations.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners is expected to approve the final reading of an ordinance that will pave the way for a new development in the North Valley area during its weekly business session this morning. Following a public hearing, the Board will decide whether to adopt an ordinance amending the Josephine County Comprehensive Plan from Forest to Residential and amending the Zoning Map from Woodlot Resource to Rural Residential with a five-acre minimum lot size for a property bordering Interstate 5 near South Schoolhouse Creek Road. The property owner is KND Development, LLC. Also on the agenda is a proclamation of September 17th-23rd as "US Constitution Week" and the monthly recognition of county employees. As always, there will be Requests and Comments from citizens when participants are given three minutes to address the Board on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Today's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

Another lawsuit has been filed against Medford's Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in the case involving a former nurse accused of giving patients non-sterile tap water instead of intravenous fentanyl. In a September 6th filing in Jackson County Circuit Court, an attorney for 63-year-old Candi Kay Palomares says former Asante nurse Dani Marie Schofield diverted fentanyl prescribed to Palomares for the severe respiratory distress that brought her to Asante's intensive care unit on March 26, 2023. The suit seeks $116 million for Palomare's pain and suffering, future medical expenses and lost wages. By March 31, 2023, blood tests showed infections in Palomares, then a mobile home park manager in Brookings. By April 3, 2023, Palomares suffered from sepsis-induced brain dysfunction, the suit claims. On April 14, 2023, a patient safety representative for Asante posted a notice online about what the hospital termed "water quality rumors." The Oregonian reports a spokesperson for Asante declined to comment on the suit. Schofield was also named as a defendant in the suit. In June, a grand jury indicted her on accusations of harming 44 patients.

 

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is accepting final applications for the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) program, which has limited funds remaining. HAF offers federal temporary COVID-19 emergency mortgage relief, designed to help homeowners who have experienced severe financial hardship due to the pandemic. Homeowners are eligible if they are facing foreclosure, involved in a court case that threatens their home, in property tax foreclosure, or in other high-risk situations identified by a housing counselor. Homeowners should explore all other options with their servicer or a housing counselor before applying for HAF. Scheduling and completing foreclosure avoidance takes time and documentation. While the agency is accepting new applications, they cannot guarantee assistance to everyone who applies due to limited funding. Homeowners wanting to apply for assistance must work with an HAF intake partner to submit an application on their behalf. A list of intake partners can be found at "oregon.gov/ohcs/homeownership/Pages/Homeownership-Assistance-Fund.aspx."

 

The Rogue Community College Military Resource Center is hosting the "Scholars and Stripes" golf tournament at the Resort at Eagle Point on Sunday, October 20th. RCC's Military Services Department and Military Resource Center present this fundraising golf tournament in support of a scholarship fund for student veterans, their spouses and their families. While military students receive education benefits through the GI Bill, there are often unforeseen expenses that can disrupt their academic journey. The scholarship fund created by the Military Services Department and RCC Foundation seeks to bridge this gap by providing assistance for various needs. From housing and utility bills to childcare, auto repairs and emergency funds, this program is designed to alleviate financial stressors and empower students to focus on their studies. The Player Sign-Up Deadline is October 6th. The form can be found at "roguecc.edu/webforms/Veterans/golf.asp."