Local News

The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center received 1,214 emergency calls in the past week. According to the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center's "Week in Review" report on Facebook, dispatchers routed 879 of the calls to the Grants Pass Police Department. Following GPPD in the number of calls received between August 1st and August 7th were American Medical Response with 333 and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue with 119. Rural Metro received 64 calls during the seven-day period while the Illinois Valley Fire District received 29, the Oregon Department of Forestry received 24, Williams Fire & Rescue received five calls and Wolf Creek Fire & Rescue got three. Local dispatchers also reported receiving a total of 544 internal calls while making 699 outbound calls.

 

The Oregon Department of Transportation is reminding Grants Pass motorists that a construction project will close the 7th Street off-ramp from Redwood Highway for at least two nights over the next week. ODOT reports the project will repair a girder on a bridge that spans the Highway 199 eastbound exit ramp to 7th Street in downtown Grants Pass after the girder was damaged by an over-height load. On Sunday night, the Redwood Highway exit ramp will be closed for four hours starting at 6 p.m.. On Thursday night, the ramp will be closed for approximately three hours. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes during these closures. Please drive slowly through this area and watch for construction workers.

 

Search and rescue crews from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office this week found the body of a Medford man who has been missing for more than one year. On Tuesday, Jackson County Search and Rescue (SAR) located a crashed vehicle and skeletal remains in steep, forested terrain on the side of Highway 140 outside Eagle Point. On Thursday, the human remains were scientifically identified as Graham Case of Medford who has been missing since June 22, 2023. SAR personnel had responded to an unrelated call and were conducting a drone search of the area when a tip led the team to search a broader area and ultimately find what appeared to be a crashed white Mercedes SUV. Jackson County sheriff's detectives responded to the scene, located the remains and confirmed the vehicle as belonging to Case. A medical examiner from the Central Point Police Department arrived and collected the remains with assistance from the SAR Tactical Rope Rescue Team. The Sheriff's Office sends its condolences to Graham Case's family and friends. It also thanks the responding SAR volunteers, the Medford residents who provided the tip, Dr. Pearson from East Main Dental Center in Medford and everyone who took part in the search over the past year.

 

Jackson County Health & Human Services reports the Animal Shelter in Talent is over capacity and will no longer be able to take in any more animals, effective immediately. Department Director Stacy Brubaker said due to an influx of law enforcement intakes and strays, they are over capacity. She said they do not have additional space to continue to accept or maintain these animals at this rate. According to Brubaker, Animal Shelter staff is doing their best to care for the high number of dogs currently held within the limited space that is available. She said efforts are being made to identify any potential transfers to other shelters or rescues as appropriate. Adoptions are being encouraged with fees waived on any dog that has been in the shelter for more than 100 days. Reduced fees are available for any other adoptable dog that does not meet that time threshold. Brubaker said they would appreciate any support the community can offer to help keep pets safe, secure and in their own homes. She asked citizens to adopt their dogs if they have the resources to do so. For updated information about dogs available for adoption, please visit their website at "jacksoncountyor.gov/pets."

 

Day #4 of the Josephine County Fair will be "Rockin' The Now" at the Fairgrounds in Grants Pass until 11 o'clock tonight. In the barns this morning at 9, it's the "4TheKids Livestock Auction." Support the hard work of our young fair exhibitors by purchasing one or more of their animals. The featured entertainer in the Grandstands this evening is "The Cadillac Three." The concert -- which is co-sponsored by KRRM Radio -- starts at 8 p.m., with "Trevor Hanks & The Blackburn Rebels" kicking things off at 6:30. The Evergreen Federal Pavilion Stage features free entertainment with Twinkle Time, Big Red Chicken Book Reading, Ventriloquist Vicki, Charlie Brown Squares and "RED: A Taylor Swift Tribute" performing at 7 p.m.. Stick around for the KLDR After-Party. Admission to the Fair is free. A limited amount of paid parking is available at the Fairgrounds, but free parking and a shuttle are offered today at Rogue Community College. The shuttle service will not be available on Sunday. For more information, visit "josephinecountyfairgrounds.com."

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a suspect for attempting to burn down a restaurant in downtown Cave Junction yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested a 30-year-old man they identified as "Kale Phillip Luke" for the incident that occurred early Thursday morning at River Valley Restaurant in the 200-block of South Redwood Highway. Deputies said the restaurant owner who rents the location advised them that a dumpster outside the building was lit on fire at about 3:25 a.m.. They said the incident was captured on surveillance which shows the suspect lighting a piece of paper, throwing it in the dumpster and placing other trash over the flames. The suspect walked away as the flames spread from the dumpster and up the support beams of the attached porch, which threatened to destroy the business. The Illinois Valley Fire District responded and extinguished the blaze in which damage to the dumpster was estimated to be several hundred dollars and damage to the porch was estimated to be well over $1,000. Luke was located and placed into custody on Thursday at 1:17 p.m.. He was then transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on felony charges of 1st-Degree Arson and 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man on out-of-state and out-of-county warrants while searching for a stolen vehicle in south Grants Pass early yesterday. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies found and stopped a 45-year-old man who was driving the stolen vehicle near the corner of Independence Drive and SE Grandview Avenue on Thursday around 10:15 a.m.. Deputies said the vehicle -- which had been reported stolen by the Grants Pass Police Department -- had switched license plates, but they had no information on the suspect in that case and there was no video footage of the crime. However, they discovered that the male subject was wanted on a California warrant for Contempt of Court and a Jackson County warrant for Methamphetamine Possession. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrants. He was being held while the vehicle theft investigation was continuing. The stolen license plates were seized as evidence.

 

Grants Pass Police cited a motorist for causing a crash in the north part of the city and not having any insurance late yesterday. The Police Department reports officers and emergency crews responded to the two-vehicle collision under the Interstate 5 overpass on NE 6th Street near Scoville Road on Thursday at 5:47 p.m.. Police said an investigation showed the male driver of a white Mazda sport utility vehicle wrecked into a red Ford Maverick as he exited the northbound I-5 off-ramp onto 6th Street. The driver of the Ford told officers the other driver tried to pay him off and leave. He said the other driver was acting "sketchy." Officers determined that the driver of the Mazda SUV had no insurance. His vehicle sustained heavy damage and was towed away. Following the investigation, the at-fault motorist was charged with Failure to Yield the Right of Way and No Insurance. He was cited to appear in court and released.

 

Grants Pass Police cited a motorist for causing a crash on Williams Highway and not having any insurance last night. According to the Police Department, officers and emergency crews responded to a two-vehicle collision in the 1600-block of Highway 238 on Thursday at 9:48 p.m.. Police said an investigation showed that the female driver of a silver Cadillac CTV entered the highway from the Williams Highway Plaza and struck a black Honda CRV that was traveling south on the highway. The Honda -- which had been purchased just yesterday -- was towed from the crash scene. No one was hurt. Following the investigation, officers charged the driver of the Cadillac with Failure to Yield the Right of Way and No Insurance. She was cited to appear in court and released.