Local News

A suspect is in jail and a victim is in the hospital after a hit-and-run crash on a Wimer area roadway. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports deputies and emergency personnel responded to the incident in the 700-block of Queens Branch Road on Sunday evening. Deputies said a vehicle struck a woman on the road as she was attempting to gain control of her horse. The vehicle never stopped and fled the scene at a high rate of speed. The woman was transported by ambulance to an area hospital with serious injuries, but she is in stable condition. The horse was not hurt. Multiple witnesses provided information to responding deputies and Rogue River police officers. Later Sunday night, deputies received a report of a stolen vehicle in the same area. Evidence at the scene led deputies to connect the reported stolen vehicle to the crash. Further investigation determined the vehicle was not stolen. On Tuesday evening, deputies arrested 40-year-old Jason Allan Baker of Rogue River and charged him with Felony 2nd-Degree Assault, Felony Hit-and-Run, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering, Tampering with Evidence, Aggravated Driving While Suspended and Initiating a False Police Report. Baker was transported to Medford and lodged at the Jackson County Jail.

 

Following an extensive investigation involving numerous victims, the Grants Pass Police Department has arrested two teenage boys for a lengthy list of crimes. GPPD detectives -- assisted by patrol officers -- served a search warrant in the northwest part of the city on Thursday morning, which resulted in the arrests of two juvenile males -- ages 14 and 15. The suspects' identities are confidential at this time based on their juvenile status. The two boys were arrested for several felony and misdemeanor crimes including 1st-Degree Kidnapping, 2nd- and 3rd-Degree Assault, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Strangulation, Menacing and Criminal Conspiracy. One of the juveniles was also charged with 1st-Degree Theft. Both suspects were lodged at the Josephine County Juvenile Justice Center. No further details can be released at this time as the investigation is ongoing.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office captured a fugitive out of northern California this week during a patrol check in downtown Cave Junction. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies contacted and arrested 59-year-old Scott Seaman in the 500-block of East River Street early Wednesday. Deputies said they spotted Seaman sitting in a vehicle at that location. During a routine records check, they discovered he was wanted on two Siskiyou County felony warrants for failing to appear in court for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and for failing to appear in court for narcotics possession. Seaman had also been listed as a missing person by the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office. After the warrants were confirmed, Seaman was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. He was being held without bail pending extradition proceedings that will send him back to Siskiyou County.

 

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office -- along with other local law enforcement agencies -- are conducting a high-visibility seat belt and child restraint enforcement campaign from now until February 9th. The campaign aims to encourage drivers and passengers to wear seat belts and use proper child restraints. Federally-funded overtime will increase police presence on city and county roads throughout the Rogue Valley. This effort is made possible by grant funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The latest research from the NHTSA shows motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children and that 46% of child car seats are misused. Common issues include children being in the wrong type of car seat for their age and size, and car seats being installed improperly -- both of which leave children vulnerable to injury or death in a crash. Every day in 2022, three children ages 14 and younger were killed in traffic crashes while another 429 were injured. For more information, visit "nhtsa.gov/vehicle/car-seats-and-booster-seats."

 

The Grants Pass & Josephine County Chamber of Commerce continues to be a leading voice for local businesses both here and in Salem. Chamber President and CEO Terry Hopkins was one of only six individuals from across the state selected to testify before the Oregon House Committee on Economic Development, Small Business and Trade. Hopkins testimony took place on Thursday in Salem, marking a significant opportunity to advocate for the business community in Josephine County and beyond. During the testimony, Hopkins spoke candidly about the difficulties facing businesses in Josephine County and Southern Oregon, particularly in maintaining profitability amid increasing regulatory and tax burdens. The Chamber CEO advocated for much-needed relief including raising the threshold for the Corporate Activities Tax to $5 million, which would ease financial strain on small businesses. Additional concerns included the cumulative impact of OregonSaves, Paid Leave Oregon and other state mandates that have made it harder for small businesses to remain competitive. Tourism was another critical issue addressed in Salem. The local Chamber strongly advocated for maintaining the current allocation of lodging tax dollars as outlined in Oregon law, ensuring those funds continue to be reinvested in tourism promotion.

 

Citizens can receive help completing their federal and state taxes at no cost with assistance from Josephine County Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) volunteers at the Grants Pass branch of Josephine Community Library. VITA volunteers will be available from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. from Monday, February 4th, through April 11th at the library branch located at 200 NW C Street. On Fridays with an appointment, VITA will assist participants who wish to file their own taxes by setting up a profile with free TaxSlayer filing software -- some computer skills are required. Appointments can also be scheduled on Tuesdays with an in-person tax preparer to file on your behalf. No computer skills are necessary for this option. Participants' tax returns should be simple -- such as job compensation, social security and retirement 1099s. The maximum annual income without social security must be less than $86,000 to participate in this program. Walk-ins seeking forms and answers to tax questions will be accommodated as time allows. To make an appointment, citizens should call VITA at (541)-223-9597 or visit "joco-freetaxes.com."

 

US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley of Oregon announced they have joined 47 of their Senate colleagues to introduce a resolution condemning the pardons of individuals found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police Officers on January 6, 2021. The resolution follows the move by President Donald Trump -- on the first day of his second term -- to grant full and unconditional pardons to more than 1,500 people charged with committing crimes in the January 6th attack on the US Capitol, and to commute the sentences of 14 others -- including leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers -- along with other far-right militia groups. Among those pardoned by Trump were 169 people who pled guilty to assaulting police officers on January 6th. During the siege of the Capital that day, more than 80 US Capitol Police Officers were assaulted along with 60 officers from the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department. Wyden said "Trump encouraged that assault four years ago and last week acted shamelessly to rewrite this bloody history by throwing open the prison gates and letting these violent criminals walk free out on the street." He said "Congress cannot let this unprecedented attack go unchecked." Merkley added that "these shameful pardons disrespect the rule of law, our democracy itself, and the brave men and women serving in law enforcement across America."

 

A disability rights advocacy group has filed a new lawsuit to halt the city of Grants Pass from closing one of two sanctioned homeless camps and restricting the hours of the other. The Oregonian reports the suit is the first major case following last summer's US Supreme Court ruling that found public camping restrictions in Grants Pass did not constitute "cruel and unusual punishment." Disability Rights Oregon and the Oregon Law Center joined to represent five people, ages 47 to 66, who live with disabilities, ranging from arthritis to vertigo. Since August, the Grants Pass City Council had required all homeless people to stay at one of two sites in the city. But on January 7th, the Council decided to restrict camping further, voting to close the larger of the two sites, known as the J Street site. City staff estimated that roughly 120 tents were at the location. At the same time, the council restricted the hours at the much smaller remaining camp on 7th Street to overnight camping only. The site holds roughly 30 tents and often is full, according to the suit. Disability Rights Oregon contends that the closure of one of two acceptable camping sites violates state law and is not "objectively reasonable as to time, place and manner."

 

The Oregon State Marine Board approved new rules for boat operations on the Upper Rogue River during its quarterly meeting last week and the new rules go into effect tomorrow, February 1st. The rules approved January 23rd state that motorized boats over 15 horsepower cannot be used above Dodge Bridge County Park on the main stem of the Rogue between Fishers Ferry County Park and Lost Creek Dam. Charter boats cannot operate upstream of the Table Rock Road Bridge and they may only operate between Table Rock Road Bridge and Fishers Ferry County Park between May 8th and September 10th. The rules include a recommendation from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to restrict a motor over 15 horsepower during low water flows to protect spring Chinook salmon. Temporary signs are being installed today at several boating access sites. The Marine Board will ramp up education and outreach efforts during the first year of rule implementation. The board will review the new rules after one year.