Local News

The Oregon State Police arrested three motorists for impaired driving following weekend traffic stops in Josephine County. According to OSP, the first incident occurred on Friday at 11:19 p.m. when state troopers pulled over a Honda Fit driven by a 28-year-old Medford woman near milepost 1 of Williams Highway in south Grants Pass. Troopers said they stopped her for multiple traffic violations and she displayed signs of impairment. The second incident happened on Sunday at 12:18 a.m. when troopers pulled over a Toyota Corolla driven by a 34-year-old Williams man on Redwood Highway at Fairgrounds Road in Grants Pass. He was stopped for multiple traffic violations and showed signs of impairment. The third incident took place on Sunday at 10:22 p.m. when troopers pulled over a Buick Lacrosse driven by a 25-year-old man from Phoenix, Arizona, in the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 66. He was stopped for several traffic violations and exhibited signs of impairment.

 

The Grants Pass City Parks maintenance team accomplished a variety of key projects last week. City parks crews applied herbicides to manage invasive vegetation, pruned shrubs and detailed landscaped beds to improve plant health and aesthetics. Fresh bark was added to several bed areas while leaves were cleared from lower-priority zones to maintain a clean and well-kept appearance. In ongoing efforts to build the Dollar Mountain Trail System, crews planted 100 native pine tree plugs to restore areas damaged by motorized vehicles that have encroached on the trails, contributing to habitat restoration and environmental health. Staff also added river rock along the path at Riverside Park to improve the visual appeal and drainage of the pathway.

 

A Josephine County judge on Monday ordered the city of Grants Pass to stop taking any enforcement against homeless campers for two weeks, pending a deeper review of a new legal challenge. Disability Rights Oregon filed a lawsuit last Thursday to halt the City of Grants Pass from closing one of two sanctioned homeless camps and restricting the hours of the other. Josephine County Circuit Judge Brandon S. Thueson signed a temporary restraining order that prohibits the City of Grants Pass from citing, arresting, detaining, fining or otherwise prosecuting any person for camping anywhere in the city for the next 14 days. The order will temporarily allow camping in city parks. The judge signed the order after hearing argument for about one hour. Tom Swenson, deputy legal director of Disability Rights Oregon, praised his decision. Disability Rights Oregon, joined by the Oregon Law Center, filed a suit on behalf of five people ages 47 to 66 who live with disabilities. There are an estimated 300 to 400 people camping in Grants Pass, according to Disability Rights Oregon. The lawsuit alleged that the closure of one of two acceptable camping sites in the city violated state law and is not "objectively reasonable as to time, place and manner." Stenson said his advocacy group had approached the city many times to caution against closure of one of two remaining camping sites without providing an alternative.

 

Pacific Power responded to widespread storm-related outages across its Southern Oregon service area on Monday. Close to 11,000 customers in Oregon have been impacted by these snow-related outages. Crews are actively working to make repairs and restore power in areas impacted by the storm. Snow accumulation and continued winter weather has resulted in hazardous conditions impacting repair and restoration times. The National Weather Service underestimated Monday's storm by posting a Winter Weather Advisory that was upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning late yesterday. By then, record snowfall had already blanketed the region, forcing school closures and early releases. All local school districts remain closed today for safety. Grants Pass received a record snowfall of 5 inches yesterday, easily breaking the old record of a half-inch in 1949. The Medford Airport measured 6.3 inches. The National Weather Service has posted another Winter Weather Advisory for today from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.. More snow is expected, with up to an inch from the Illinois Valley to Grants Pass, but up to 5 inches across southeast Josephine County, most of Jackson County east of Rogue River and also eastern Douglas County near Toketee Falls.

 

Rogue Community College's dental assistant and dental hygiene students are offering full-mouth sets of X-rays free of charge during winter term. This hands-on opportunity is available through March 18th and is part of the RCC radiology lab training, preparing students for clinical examinations. Qualifying patients must have at least 24 teeth visible and present in the mouth, be at least 18 years old, and be eligible for a full-mouth X-ray -- meaning they have not had a full-mouth X-ray within the last three years. A full mouth set of X-rays typically includes 18 individual films and can cost up to $250 at a dental office. By participating, patients will assist students in honing their skills while receiving X-rays at no cost. Upon request, the X-rays can be sent to your dental provider. For more information on RCC's free dental X-rays, to find out if you qualify and to schedule your appointment, call Mons at (541)-956-7370. To learn more about RCC's dental assistant and dental hygiene programs, visit "roguecc.edu/dental."

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office incarcerated a suspect for alleged local drug trafficking late last week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 62-year-old Santiago Rivera in an unspecified location last Thursday afternoon. There was no entry for the incident in the Sheriff's Log, but Rivera was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for suspicion of Delivery of Methamphetamine, Delivery of Cocaine and Delivery of Heroin -- all felonies. Jail records show Rivera was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for violating a court order by contacting the protected party in the Wilderville-Wonder area late last week. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 12,400-block of Redwood Highway on Friday morning. Deputies said a female caller reported that 42-year-old David Brian Rich had been in contact with her and she has a valid restraining order in place to protect her. She advised that they had gotten into a verbal confrontation, but no one was hurt. Rich was reported to be homeless, but he was staying in a shack at that location. He had been flagged by law enforcement as being known to carry knives and making threats to kill deputies. Fortunately, he was placed into custody peacefully. Rich was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for indecent exposure at a north-city laundromat late last week. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident involving 29-year-old Jake Robert Thompson at Steamboat Laundry on NW Vine Street on Friday afternoon. Police said they received multiple calls reporting a male subject who was naked and fondling himself inside the laundromat during business hours. Officers arrived on scene, identified the subject as Thompson and placed him into custody. Thompson was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Public Indecency plus the resulting Probation Violation related to previous arrests for Criminal Mischief and Initiating a False Police Report. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for her boorish behavior at a local fast food restaurant over the weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a report of disorderly conduct involving 41-year-old Dellani Amber Decker at the McDonald's on NE 6th Street on Saturday around 9:30 a.m.. Police said the McDonald's manager called 9-1-1 to report a female subject outside the business who was yelling at and being hostile to customers. Officers arrived on scene, identified the subject as Decker and discovered that she had been trespassed before from the restaurant. Decker was placed into custody and lodged in jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. She was being held without bail.