Local News

The Board of Commissioners will consider the County Economic Development Grant Advisory Committee establishment during Tuesday's 1:30 p.m. workshop.

The agenda begins with business presented by the Assessor in the matter of participation in the County Assessment Function Funding Assistance (CAFFA) Grant. The Clerk's office will present the board with invoices from Ryder Election Services, LLC, and Clear Ballot Group, Inc.

Finance will present the Grant Advisory Committee establishment order, with airports requesting an FAA Grant Application.

Human Resources has two requisitions and one action regarding a new Probation Officer hire. Pending other board business, the workshop will adjourn.

The Commissioners will hold the workshop in the BCC Conference Room. Those wishing to attend may do so in person or online at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream.

 

Officers with the Grants Pass Police Department arrested a man under a bridge Sunday afternoon.

Two suspects were contacted under the bridge around 1:37 p.m. They were both asked by officers to leave the unspecified Oregon Department of Transportation property. The suspects complied, but one, Nick Trautman, was found to be wanted on three warrants.

He was arrested on his warrants: two from the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, and one from the Oregon Parole Board. Trautman's charges included Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Third Degree Escape, Felony and Misdemeanor charges of Elude, and a Weapon Offense.

Officers transported Trautman to the Josephine County Jail where he was lodged on his warrants.

 

The Josephine Community Library issued a press release regarding the future Grants Pass Library site following an article from Southern Oregon News' Facebook page.

The original article, posted April 15th at 11:23 a.m., reported there were public concerns for the $26 million project, with county residents expressing homelessness concerns, and questions regarding leadership compensation and a physical library's necessity.

A response from the library, in a release, said the project's price was determined through eight public listening sessions and survey input, helping to inform "cost, safety, and long-term sustainability" of the project.

Public transparency was brought up in the Facebook article, to which the library responded saying no taxes are being used for the Library Foundation-led project, and that it is still in the fundraising phase. The library tax rate will reportedly not increase, with that revenue only supporting library operations.

Southern Oregon News posted April 18th in response to the Library's release, reporting "growing scrutiny" following the release, and asking further financial questions.

 

Oregon work zone crashes hit a five-year high in 2024, 621 crashes, according to the latest data from the Oregon Department of Transportation.

All of the serious injuries and deaths in work zones in 2024 were to drivers or their passengers.

To encourage safe driving through work zones, ODOT announced April 20th through the 24th is National Work Zone Awareness Week. It highlights the workers who risk their lives to keep our roads safe, clear and flowing smoothly.

Work zones are a shared space between drivers and road workers. Your decisions behind the wheel matter. Pay attention, slow down, move over, and plan ahead. As summer nears, drivers will see more work zones statewide. But work zones aren’t just orange barrels and lane closures. If you see someone working along the road, that’s a work zone; slow down and move over.

Work zones are still active even if you don’t see anyone working when you drive through it. Fines double for speeding and other unsafe, unlawful behaviors in work zones.

 

This is the final week to contribute to the 20th Annual Community Baby Shower.

Soroptimist International River Valley is hosting the shower Saturday, April 25th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Fred Meyer, 1101 NE Grants Pass Parkway. Before the event takes place, the public can donate new or handmade gifts to contribute to the shower.

The deadline to donate is April 24th. Suggested items to donate include disposable diapers, baby wipes, bottles, toys, blankets, quilts, shampoo, lotion, and new clothes from sizes infant to five years.

There are five collection centers around the community where items can be dropped off. Stop by the Grants Pass Museum of Art, 229 SW G Street, Plaza Sewing, Quilting and Vacuum Center, 311 SE 6th Street, both Evergreen Federal Bank locations, 969 SE 6th Street and 1329 NE 6th Street, and Grants Pass Broadcasting at 888 Rogue River Highway.

Donate now for the 20th Annual Soroptimist Community Baby Shower. For more information, call 541-218-3564, or visit soroptimistsirv.org.

 

A deputy with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office pulled over and subsequently arrested a man for driving while suspended Saturday.

The suspect, driving a white Chevy S10, was stopped by law enforcement outside the Los Taquitos at 304 NE Agness Avenue around 9:46 p.m. The deputy observed the driver, identified as Chad Bauer, make an improper turn.

Bauer was contacted and it was learned he was driving while felony revoked. He consented to a search of his vehicle, which located a scooter. The deputy took Bauer into custody and transported to the Adult Jail Facility.

He was lodged for Felony Driving While Suspended, and his vehicle was towed from the scene to be impounded.

 

A man was arrested by Grants Pass Police after he violated a restraining order between him and his neighbor Saturday night.

Dispatch was alerted to the incident in the 500 block of NW E Street around 7:26 p.m. 20 minutes prior, Glen Eldred reportedly walked into a shared backyard between himself and his neighbor, the petitioner of the order. He was sitting in a folded camp chair when his neighbor walked out into the backyard.

The neighbor began watering the grass with a garden hose before the two started exchanging insults. Eldred then intentionally used the hose to spray his neighbor several times.

Dispatch learned the neighbor had recorded the incident on his phone. Officers arrived and contacted both individuals. Eldred admitted to the offense, and officers uploaded the video evidence.

Eldred was taken into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail. He was lodged for the Restraining Order Violation.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies apprehended a man following a standoff in the 1900 block of Thompson Creek Road.

The suspect, identified as Lester Monk, was refusing to leave the premises during an eviction action by deputies Thursday morning. Law enforcement communicated with Monk to come out, and soon deployed less lethal munitions.

He was detained around 11:22 a.m. and taken into custody. Deputies cleared trailers while on the scene, trespassing Monk and four others from the property.

Deputies transported Monk to the Josephine County Jail for a Medford Police Department warrant for Unlawful Delivery of Methamphetamine. He was then transported to and lodged in the Jackson County Jail for charges including the Unlawful Manufacture and Possession of Meth, Felon in Possession of a Fire Arm, and Altering or Obliterating Firearm Identification Numbers.

 

Dispatch was alerted to a man trespassing on someone's property, leading to the suspect's arrest by Grants Pass Police.

A call to 911 around 11:41 a.m. reported there was a suspicious person prowling around the yard of a home in the 200 block of NE School Street. The caller told dispatch the man was walking towards the front door and looking in windows of both the incident location and the neighbor's house.

It was requested the man, wearing a green t-shirt, blue jeans, and a blanket, be trespassed from the property. Officers arrived, checked the area, and soon contacted Matthew Barnett. His parole officer was contacted, who then placed a detainer on him after learning of the incident, and finding out Barnett failed to show up for work crew.

Officers took Barnett into custody. He was transported to and lodged in the Josephine County Jail, and trespassed from the property.