Local News

Medford Police are investigating a false threat after having been contacted by a South Medford High School student reporting their school email had been hacked and compromised.

The report came in to dispatch Sunday, May 10th around 12:15 a.m. The student said their email account had been used to send a message indicating there was a threat to the high school. That email was then shared online, causing alarm among community members and resulting in multiple calls to 911.

Officers have been investigating this incident since the first report and are currently working with Medford School District staff to gather additional information to potentially identify those responsible.

Extra security was deployed at the school, and staff worked with law enforcement to sweep the campus prior to student's arrival Monday morning.

School Resource Officers and additional police will continue to maintain a presence at South Medford High School throughout the week. There is no further information available, and the case remains under investigation. Based on the information currently available, investigators do not believe there is a credible threat to student safety.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will meet for an evening Weekly Business Session today and both a Legal Counsel Update and Workshop Thursday.

Today's session scheduled for 5:30 p.m. will begin consideration of the Supplemental Budget adoption, and making appropriations and adjustments for the Fiscal Year 2025-26. The community will be able to present requests and comments, and after approval of the consent calendar, pending other matters, the session will adjourn.

Thursday's 10 a.m. Legal Counsel Update agenda begins with a Notification regarding McMullen Dam safety, and Authorization for the Sheriff to enter into law enforcement agreements with other agencies, and an Intergovernmental Agreement between the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Sheriff's Office.

The board will then meet in Executive Session for a Confidential Memo regarding Liquidated Damages. The meeting will continue after the session adjourns with a JB Steel Change Order, and any other matters the board may introduce.

The Commissioners will again convene at 1:30 p.m. for their workshop in the BCC Conference Room, covering Department Business from Finance, Public Works, as well as Board Business. All meetings can be attended in person or online at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man after tracking the phone he stole from a North Dakota woman outside Safeway Tuesday night.

According to the police report, the woman and her two kids were waiting for a ride home after missing the bus to Portland. The suspect, Lee Rich, had been sitting next to them, and security footage showed him looking at the woman's phone on the curb behind her.

She later called 911 on one of her children's phones to report that her phone had been stolen. Using the Find My iPhone app, it was shown to be outside the Laughing Clam. She wished to press charges after Rich called her claiming to have found her phone for her.

Officers responded and located the phone at 7-Eleven, where Rich was found also. He was taken into custody for First Degree Theft and transported to the Josephine County Jail. The woman was riding the bus home when the phone was located, and it will be returned to her when she arrives.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for Third Degree Theft and a warrant after he stole a shade shelter from a preschool.

The suspect Robert Lowden, was observed near NE Savage Street and NE Foster Way Tuesday around 2:29 p.m. He was known by law enforcement to be wanted on an Oregon Parole Board Warrant for Parole Violation regarding an Assault Charge.

Lowden was soon contacted in front of the North Dollar Tree and taken into custody. There was probable cause for his arrest for Third Degree Theft, and after being read his rights, he admitted to taking a preschool's shade shelter.

Officers transported Lowden to the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility. He was lodged for his warrant and theft charge, and his property was placed into safekeeping.

 

Applications are being accepted for one position on the Historical Buildings and Sites Commission.

The committee’s purpose is to review proposed alterations to any Historic District or designated structure in the Urban Growth Boundary, to promote the community's historic preservation, advise other interested agencies on matters related to historic preservation, and to identify areas and buildings of historic or archeological significance.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. One representative who is either currently or a retired licensed designer or architect is preferred. If no candidate is available, the Mayor and City Council may appoint a representative with similar credentials, with preference given to those with historic preservation experience and training.

Applications are available at the City Administration Office, 101 N.W. A Street, or online at www.grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application. Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. June 8th.

Applicants will be interviewed by the commission at the Historical Buildings and Sites Commission meeting June 11th, and by the Council at their workshop June 29th. Appointments will be made by the Council July 1st.

 

The Board of Commissioners was unanimous in approving Sheriff Dave Daniel's request to move forward with trying to get an emergency drought declaration signed by the governor. The declaration will only run until December 31st. A motion passed 3-0 for the jail to receive funds through communications for adults in custody that go toward facility improvements, in accordance with federal guidelines. The board continued the 1:30 p.m. workshop by moving in favor of appointing Ed Luke to a vacant Fair Board seat, and Public Work's board order to legalize a portion of Caves Camp Road, with the scheduling of a public hearing to come. Finance's IV Business Hub Economic Development Grant Agreement in the amount of $75,000, with progress reports to be made, passed 3-0. A Central Square Invoice passed 2-1, with Commissioner Colene Martin dissenting.

 

The Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District will officially declare the start of fire season on Friday, May 15, at 12:01 a.m. According to ODF, the fire danger level will be “Low” (green) and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be '1'. Lands affected by this declaration include 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city, and Bureau of Land Management forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties. Snowpack across the state and local landscape is minimal, and drought conditions across both counties are contributing to dry vegetation and an increased risk for fires to start and spread earlier in the year. Fire risk and behavior will naturally increase as conditions continue to trend toward warmer summer-like weather. For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Fire Season regulations, call the Grants Pass ODF unit at 541-474-3152, or the Medford Unit at 541-664-3328.

 

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is looking for a landowner representative to serve on the Access and Habitat Program's Southwest Region Council.

This position is voluntary with a four-year term and an option to be reappointed to a second term.

Interested applicants can find the regional application packet at www.dfw.state.or.us. While there, applicants can also view the current statewide board meetings and project deadlines, project applications, regional board members, as well as overviews of current and past projects.

Applications need to be received by Sunday, May 31st. The Southwest Region covers Douglas, Coos, Curry, Jackson, and Josephine counties and applicants should live or work in these counties.

Council members participate in up to four public meetings yearly in various communities in this region. Landowners with an interest and experience in forestry, agriculture or ranching, and hunting or wildlife conservation are encouraged to apply.

 

A deputy with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended a Dollar General shoplifter following a traffic stop.

A man called 911 at 9:19 a.m. to report the suspect exiting the store in the 25,000 block of Redwood Highway with a stolen phone charger. She reportedly left the scene in a black Hyundai Accent with a temporary tag.

Law enforcement attempted to catch up with and pull over the suspect vehicle. The deputy was soon able to contact the shoplifter, identifying her as Caitlin Suiter. She admitted to stealing items valued at about $20 from the Dollar General.

She was trespassed from the store, and her parole officer was contacted. According to the police report, Suiter was taken into custody for a charge of Third Degree Theft, and an out-of-county hold warrant. Her vehicle was left on the roadside for a friend to pick up, per Suiter's request.