KRRM - Local News

Josephine County Budget Officer Quits and Calls On Board of Commissioners to Resign

Josephine County's recently appointed Budget Officer has abruptly resigned and is calling on the Board of Commissioners to do the same. Former Commissioner Simon Hare tendered his immediate resignation to the Board on Tuesday night, stating that he is quitting "with a profound sense of duty" precipitated by the Commissioners' inaction in what he believes is a potential multi-million-dollar contract with Michael Sellers to become County Operations Manager. Hare said Sellers' name and title are listed in multiple budget documents totaling $388,000 in annual compensation that equates to nearly $1,500 per day. He said the compensation package was negotiated and approved by Board Chair Andreas Blech as a result of closed-door, backroom meetings with Sellers, with the full knowledge and delegated authority of Commissioners Chris Barnett and Ron Smith. Hare contends that "what is happening at Josephine County is the antithesis of transparency, public service, representative government and against the explicit will of the voters." Hare concluded his resignation letter by stating "the Board is woefully unqualified, ill-prepared and apathetic to make positive changes." He said all three must be held to account for breaking public trust, calling on them to be pressured to resign or face recall immediately.

Posted on 4/24/25 6:17AM by Sam Marsh

GP Library Volunteer Files Petition for Redress of Grievances against Commissioners

A library volunteer and member of Grants Pass Friends of the Library has filed a petition for redress of grievances to the Josephine County Board of Commissioners that asserts the Board has violated the County Charter. Matthew Hoff filed the paperwork on Wednesday, stating that "the actions and inactions of the Josephine County Board of Commissioners regarding the lease of the Grants Pass Library facility constitute a significant breach of public trust and governance obligations, and violate the Charter's mandate for library support and public accountability." The Josephine County Charter is a document that delineates the structure and powers of county government. Per Section 29.8 of the Charter, Josephine County officials must respond within five days and provide a resolution within 60 days. Hoff said he conceived the idea to petition the Commissioners during a discussion following a screening of the PBS episode "Us As We Are: Regional Libraries." The documentary featured the local library district's struggle to negotiate with the county after the Commissioners terminated the Grants Pass library's lease with 30 days' notice in January.

Posted on 4/24/25 6:15AM by Sam Marsh

Grants Pass Police Department Holding DEA Drug Take-Back Event on Saturday

The Grants Pass Police Department is holding a Drug Take-Back event this weekend for people who want to get rid of unused prescription medications. The Drug Take-Back event is set for Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the GPPD parking lot at 726 NE 7th Street. GPPD will accept unwanted or unused prescription medications in solid or liquid forms. Participants are encouraged to remove prescription labels before disposal. GPPD will not accept vapes with non-removable batteries, inhalers, intravenous solutions, injectables, syringes, marijuana or other illicit substances. This event is being held nationwide with support from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Posted on 4/24/25 6:14AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Collared Motorist for Driving Stolen Pickup while Impaired on Interstate 5

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for driving a stolen vehicle while he was impaired on Interstate 5 in the Wolf Creek area late yesterday. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Ford F-350 pickup driven by 48-year-old Leonel Cordoba-Chavez in the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 78 on Tuesday at 4:39 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Cordoba-Chavez for traffic violations and discovered the truck had been stolen out of California. They said he admitted to taking the truck from a mutual acquaintance who suspected him of the theft. Additional stolen property was found inside the vehicle. The suspect displayed indicators of impairment and he performed poorly in field sobriety tests. He was placed into custody and transported to Three Rivers Medical Center where a search warrant was granted and executed. Cordoba-Chavez was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. He was being held without bail. The stolen pickup was towed to Grants Pass and the registered owner was notified of its recovery.

Posted on 4/23/25 10:46AM by Sam Marsh

Josephine County Jail Inmate Served with Nationwide Warrant for Child Neglect

A Josephine County Jail inmate was served with a nationwide felony warrant early yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports jail deputies served 46-year-old Jason Paul Lanyon with a Wisconsin Department of Corrections warrant for Parole Violation related to a conviction for Child Neglect on Tuesday at 8:18 a.m.. Jail records show Lanyon was already in custody for being a fugitive from out of state. He was arrested for that crime on Monday night by the Grants Pass Police Department. Lanyon was being held without bail pending extradition proceedings that will send him back to Wisconsin.

Posted on 4/23/25 10:45AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Woman on Two Local Warrants after Suspicious Activity Call

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on two outstanding warrants yesterday after a report of suspicious activity in the north part of the city. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to three people sitting in a Nissan Hatchback parked near The China Hut restaurant on Tuesday at 3:16 p.m.. Police said citizens believed the trio were doing drugs and reported seeing a lot of foot traffic to the vehicle while it was parked along the street. Officers responded and contacted one of the occupants identified as 37-year-old Cynthia Marie Steel. Steel was found to be wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Probation Violation related to an arrest for drug possession. She was also wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear for Furnishing False Information to Police and Failure to Carry and Present a Driver's License. She was lodged in jail on the warrants and was being held on $105,000 bail. According to the report, a man identified as "John Steel" was holding a glass pipe and a piece of burnt foil. He and another person in the car were offered deflections in lieu of arrests for Methamphetamine Possession. The drug paraphernalia was seized as evidence.

Posted on 4/23/25 10:43AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man on Local Felony Warrant while Investigating Prowlers

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local felony warrant while investigating a report of suspicious activity at a north-city business late last night. According to the Police Department, officers responded to reports of two men using flashlights to look into the windows of News & Smokes on NE 6th Street at 10:20 p.m. Tuesday. Officers arrived on scene and discovered two men hiding in the bushes. One of them was identified as 37-year-old Brian P. Stack who was found to be wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Unlawful Use of a Weapon. He was placed into custody without incident. Stack was lodged in jail on the warrant and he was being held on $25,000 bail. The other man -- who was not identified in the report -- was told to move along.

Posted on 4/23/25 10:42AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Nabbed Motorist for Drug Possession after Redwood Traffic Stop

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for drug possession early yesterday during a traffic stop in the Redwood area of the city. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a Volkswagen driven by 36-year-old Laura Lyn Paschal on Redwood Avenue near Sun Glo Drive shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday. Police said they stopped Paschal while she was leaving the Lucky Duck on Redwood Avenue in a VW with expired registration tags. They said she also did not have any insurance and admitted to receiving a recent citation from the Oregon State Police for the same reasons. However, she continued to operate the vehicle. Paschal also admitted there was methamphetamine and syringes in the vehicle. The meth and drug paraphernalia were seized for destruction. The drug deflection program was offered, but she opted not to participate in it. Paschal was cited to appear in court for Meth Possession, Failure to Register Vehicle and No Insurance and then released. Her Volkswagen was impounded.

Posted on 4/23/25 10:40AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Investigating Officer-Involved Shooting of Suspect at O'Brien Country Store

The Oregon State Police is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred yesterday in the southern Illinois Valley. On Tuesday just after noon, a Josephine County sheriff's deputy encountered a wanted suspect with a felony warrant near the O'Brien Country Store. The suspect -- 33-year-old Clinten Anthony Robertson of Grants Pass -- evaded the deputy and used his vehicle to ram the deputy's patrol vehicle, resulting in the officer-involved shooting. Robertson was struck by gunfire during the incident and he was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment. No injuries to bystanders or law enforcement occurred during the incident. Robertson was wanted on two Grants Pass warrants for failing to appear in court for Methamphetamine Possession and one Medford warrant for failing to appear in court for Probation Violation related to an arrest for 4th-Degree Assault. The Josephine County Major Crimes Team was activated. It consists of the Sheriff's Office, Grants Pass Police Department, Oregon State Police and Josephine County District Attorney's Office. OSP is leading the investigation.

Posted on 4/23/25 6:45AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Collared California Fugitive after Responding to Tussey Lane Incident

Grants Pass Police apprehended a California fugitive while investigating a disturbance at a residence in the south part of the city near Bi-Mart this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 45-year-old Martin William Mitchell, Jr., around midday Monday after responding to the incident at a home in the 300-block of Tussey Lane. Police said neighbors reported a female screaming and they contacted Mitchell as part of the investigation into the incident, which was determined to be a mental health crisis. They said he was found to be wanted on a San Luis Obispo Police Department felony warrant for Contempt of Court related to a PRCS Violation. Mitchell was placed into custody and he was found to be in possession of a baggy containing a white crystal substance that tested positive as methamphetamine. It was seized for destruction. Mitchell was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the fugitive warrant. He was being held without bail pending extradition proceedings that will send him back to California.

Posted on 4/23/25 6:44AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Josephine Corrections Client on Statewide & Local Warrants

Grants Pass Police arrested a Josephine County Community Corrections client on statewide and local warrants this week. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the presence of a man identified as 36-year-old Caleb Michael Bintz at the Corrections Office on NW 4th Street on Monday. Police said Bintz was called in by his corrections officer because he was wanted on a statewide felony warrant out of Josephine County for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. He was also wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Contempt of Court and for Methamphetamine Possession. Bintz was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 4/23/25 6:43AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Seeking Public Assistance in Arresting Easter Sunday Bicycle Thief

The Grants Pass Police Department is seeking public assistance in locating a thief who stole a bicycle from a teenager on Easter Sunday. On Sunday around 4 p.m., the male suspect stole a bicycle that a 14-year-old had momentarily left unattended near the intersection of SW 6th and H streets. A video of the thief is available for public viewing on the GPPD Facebook page. Detectives are hoping someone can help them catch the thief and recover the bike before it is parted out or repainted. The Specialized Rock Hopper Expert bicycle is described as charcoal-colored with light-gray lettering. Anyone who knows the suspect or where the bicycle may be can message GPPD through Facebook or call the non-emergency number at (541)-450-6260. Please reference Case #25-12906.

Posted on 4/23/25 6:41AM by Sam Marsh