Local News

Shortly after 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Medford Fire Department crews were dispatched to a confirmed structure fire in the 300 block of Haven Street.

Upon arrival, a working fire was located in a detached garage converted into an apartment. The fire, believed to have started along an exterior wall and extended into the attic, was quickly knocked down. Jackson County Fire District 3 assisted at the scene.

Firefighters helped the occupants out of the building to safety. One occupant and her pets have been displaced, and the American Red Cross is assisting. A Deputy Fire Marshal is investigating the cause. No injuries were reported.

 

A man scaring people by the Bethany Presbyterian Church was taken to jail Thursday afternoon on one warrant, and cited for the other.

The Grants Pass Police Department responded following a 2:03 p.m. report of the suspect frightening others and throwing shoes outside the 741 NW 4th Street church. The caller said they saw the man walking towards the church before the incident began 10 minutes prior.

A welfare check was requested, and officers arrived to detain the suspect, Brandon Stradford. He was found to have two warrants: One out of the police department for Unlawful Use of Methamphetamine, and the other out of Klamath Falls for Disorderly Conduct.

Stradford was cited for his Klamath Falls warrant, but lodged in the Josephine County Jail for his Grants Pass Warrant. He was later released because of a lack of resources at the jail facility.

 

A man sleeping outside The Armory was apprehended for failing to register as a sex offender.

Grants Pass Police were alerted to the suspect in a sleeping bag outside the 215 Redwood Highway location. The man, Michael Higgs, was contacted and run through dispatch where he was found to be out of compliance with his sex offender registration.

He had been released from jail in February and since had time to register. Higgs then admitted to officers to not living his registered address since January after a hospital stay. He was lodged in jail for Failure to Report, but was released due to a lack of resources.

 

Alleged search for sister sends parolee back to jail following his arrest by Josephine County Sheriff’s Deputies just after midnight Friday morning. The incident with a 10:58 p.m. phone call to dispatch saying two people he did not know came to the reporter’s door in the 4,000 block of Redwood Avenue looking for his sister. Caller told them to leave but the instruction was ignored. Deputies arrived and contacted two people Elizabeth Patricia Marino, 37, and Michael Tognoni, 47. Ms. Marino was advised of her trespass and consented to leave on request. Mr. Tognoni however was found to be in violation of his parole and was taken into custody on a detainer imposed by his parole officer. It was his fourth parole violation this year, and he remained in custody this morning.

 

A Chevron employee alerted Grants Pass Police to an intoxicated man at the 650 Redwood Highway gas station.

Early Friday morning, the employee called 911, saying the suspect was sitting by the slushie machine unable to remember his name. The employee was requesting the man be escorted out and trespassed.

Officers arrived at the scene. While trying to identify the suspect, the man didn't listen to lawful orders, raising his arm and swinging towards one of the officer's faces, knocking off their glasses. He was not cooperative while officers placed him into custody.

The suspect, later identified as Matthew Welty, was stood up and looked like he was about to spit on the officer he swung at. A spit hood was requested and applied, and Welty was flagged for assault.

While Welty was being transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for medical clearance, he unrestrained his seatbelt and moved to the driver side of the compartment. Officers later lodged him at the Adult Jail Facility on charges for Resisting Arrest and Attempted Assault on a Peace Officer.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop Thursday and arrested the driver for Elude and Reckless Driving.

The suspect, Trevor Jones, was stopped and taken into custody at the corner of SE J Street and SE 11th Street around 9:50 p.m. After running him through dispatch, deputies found there was probable cause to arrest Jones for felony Elude and Reckless driving if contacted.

He was also found to have an Oregon Parole Board warrant charging him with Second Degree Sex Abuse. Deputies transported and lodged Jones in the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility on his warrant and charges.

 

The Grants Pass City Council will discuss Beacon Hill Park and non-bargaining compensation and classification Monday morning.

The workshop will begin at 11:45 a.m. with the Budget Committee orientation. Following the park and compensation discussions, the council will then discuss removing City Manager Aaron Cubic from the non-bargaining compensation salary schedule.

An agenda review will follow, then the workshop will adjourn. The City Council's workshop will be held in City Council Chambers, 101 NW A Street. The public can stream the meeting at www.grantspassoregon.gov.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office was alerted to an $800 theft in the reporting party's home.

At 12:09 p.m. Thursday, the woman called 911 to report the theft that had happened the night before. She said the suspect, David Handley, who lived on the same property in the 3000 block of Camp Joy Road, had stolen an envelope containing the $800 out of her and her husband's bedroom dresser.

She continued, saying Handley was possibly drunk at the time, and that him stealing was an ongoing issue. Dispatch learned from the woman that Handley knew where the money was kept because he had watched her get it and asked her for it in the past.

Deputies contacted Handley at the property and transported him to the county jail. He was lodged for Second Degree Theft, but later released.

 

The Animal Control and Animal Shelter Local Option Tax is headed to the May 19th ballot. The Josephine County Board of Commissioner's 10 a.m. Weekly Business Session began with a presentation regarding the role of Animal Control and the Shelter in the community, their need for support, and their levy proposal for the next election. Citizens present were both for and against the levy. The board voted 2-0, with Commissioner Gary Richardson not casting a vote, to move the measure for the Local Option Tax in support of the two departments to the May 19th ballot. Richardson proposed a one cent decrease on the levy with senior fees reduced, but after the vote, wanted the public to know he was in support of the levy passing. During the public comment period, topics included support of the board, an idea to pair shelter animals with inmates, questions about recently hired positions, the homeless population, county monies, the SRS Fund, and the airport. The board approved the consent calendar, then adjourned the meeting at 11:01 a.m.