Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested two men on outstanding warrants during weekend patrol checks on railroad property in the city. According to the Police Department, the first incident occurred on Saturday at 11:21 a.m. when officers contacted 32-year-old Kyle Flury Palomino walking along the railroad tracks. He was immediately recognized by law enforcement. Palomino was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Methamphetamine Possession. He was lodged in jail. He and some other unidentified subjects were also trespassed from the railroad property. The second incident occurred on Saturday at 2:37 p.m. when officers contacted 39-year-old Travis Randal Davenport and two women walking along the tracks near SE 9th Street. He also was immediately recognized by law enforcement. Davenport was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Disorderly Conduct. He was found to be in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine which was seized for destruction. He was lodged in jail on the warrant. He and his female companions were trespassed from the railroad property.

 

A weekend welfare check resulted in the apprehension of a man wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant. The Police Department reports officers arrested 39-year-old Zachary Michael Gatten near the corner of NE Manzanita Avenue and 6th Street on Saturday at 3:06 p.m.. Police said they were alerted to a male subject lying on the ground who would only "twitch" when citizens called out to him. Officers contacted the man, identified him as Gatten and placed him into custody on an outstanding felony warrant for failing to appear in court for 1st-Degree Theft. During a consent search, Gatten was found to be in possession of a cylindrical glass pipe with burnt residue. He admitted to smoking methamphetamine from the pipe which was seized for destruction. Gatten was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Meth Possession. He was being held in lieu of posting $25,000 bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for drug possession during a weekend patrol check at one of the two designated campgrounds in the city. According to the Police Department, officers contacted and then arrested 36-year-old Jack David Spurgeon at the SE J Street campground around 10 a.m. Saturday. Police said they were patrolling the campground when they spotted Spurgeon in his tent with drug paraphernalia. They said he had an open container with a baggy containing a white crystal substance that tested positive as methamphetamine. Spurgeon was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession. His tent and belongings were logged into evidence for safekeeping. He was also trespassed from the campsite for 30 days.

 

A Cave Junction residential kitchen fire last night displaced two adults and a dog. On Sunday at 9:30 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District responded to a reported fire in the 200-block of South Caves Avenue. IVFD officials said the fire was reported to have been put out as crews were arriving on scene. They checked the entire residence for any extension of the flames, but found none. There were no injuries reported, but the American Red Cross was called in to assist the two adult occupants and their dog. Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to the incident, but they were canceled when the fire was declared out.

 

An Illinois Valley property owner was cited for an illegal open burn over the weekend. On Saturday at 6:05 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District and Oregon Department of Forestry were dispatched to the open burn in the 5900-block of West Side Road. IVFD and ODF officials acknowledged that the local fire danger is now "low," but there is still no burning allowed. They said the burn pile was extinguished and a citation was issued to the responsible party. Officials urged people not to burn until ODF declares the 2024 fire season over.

 

Rural Metro Fire Department wants you to help put a "freeze" on fall and winter fires. Rural Metro officials said heating is the second-leading cause of home fires. If you heat with wood, oil or gas, install a carbon monoxide alarm and test it at least once a month. Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney each year. Store cooled ashes from the fire box in a tightly-covered metal container and keep it outside at least 10 feet away from your home or other combustible materials. Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from any heat source like fireplaces, woodstoves, radiator or space heaters. Plug only one heat-producing device into an electrical outlet at a time. Turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed. Remember, working smoke alarms save lives. For more information, call Rural Metro at (541)-474-1218.

 

The Oregon Department of Transportation is continuing work on the bridge retrofit project on Rogue River Highway. Beginning today, the Foots Creek Bridge will be closed for approximately one week. Motorists are encouraged to use an alternate route to avoid the work zone and to please watch for workers in the bridge area. ODOT officials said the contractor has provided a pedestrian transport vehicle that can accommodate at least two ADA passengers, a maximum of 10 able-bodied pedestrians and up to three bicycles with a secured rack during the closure. The project is replacing the bridge structures at Foots Creek, Birdseye Creek and Millers Gulch for earthquake resilience. The project is expected to be completed by June 2025. The estimated completion dates are subject to change.

 

The City of Grants Pass is accepting applications for two positions on the Urban Tree Advisory Committee due to a vacancy and an expiring term. The vacancy position will expire on April 5, 2025, and the expiring position is for two years. The Urban Tree Advisory Committee's purpose is to review, develop and implement programs and activities that promote, protect and enhance the urban forest as part of the Tree City USA program. Special qualification for these positions is an interest in the promotion and enhancement of the urban forest in Grants Pass. Applications are available at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or online at "grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application." Completed applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, November 29th. Applications will be reviewed by the committee on Monday, December 9th. The City Council will make the appointments at their regular meeting on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

 

The FBI Portland Division has seen an increase in reports of scammers falsely representing themselves as FBI agents or a representative of another government agency and sending couriers to pick up cash or gold payments. Be advised, federal agencies do not call or e-mail individuals threatening arrest or demanding money. Scammers often spoof caller ID information and these calls are fraudulent even if they appear to be coming from an agency's legitimate phone number. Recipients should hang up immediately and report the call. There are many versions of the government impersonation scam and they all exploit intimidation tactics. Typically, scammers will use an urgent and aggressive tone, refusing to speak to or leave a message with anyone other than their targeted victim. They will also urge victims not to tell anyone else including family, friends or financial institutions about what is occurring. Payment is demanded in various forms. In this newest version of the scam, victims are ordered to withdraw money as either cash or gold and give it to a courier who arrives at their home. Other tactics include prepaid cards, wire transfers, and cash sent by mail or inserted into cryptocurrency ATMs. Victims are asked to read prepaid card numbers over the phone or text a picture of the card. If you think you are a victim of this or any other online scam, file a report with your local law enforcement agency and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at "ic3.gov."