Local News

Three men were contacted following calls for service, with two of them being arrested by Grants Pass Police for methamphetamine charges Wednesday.

Dispatch was alerted to a man camping outside the Pregnancy Care Center at 714 SE 8th Street around 8:25 p.m. He was reported to have a cart full of belongings with him, and it was requested he be trespassed from the property.

Arriving officers contacted two men at the scene. One of them, Bobby Joe Swearingen, was wanted by his parole officer and taken into custody. He was also found to be in possession of a small foil bindle of meth.

Law enforcement lodged Swearingen in jail, and both men were trespassed from the business.

That afternoon around 2:36 p.m., park watch called 911, reporting two suspects nodding off with drug paraphernalia around them at Riverside Park. They were located under the lower gazebo by the playground, and it was requested officers respond.

One of the reported suspects, Justis Cory, was contacted at the scene. He was taken into custody after being found with methamphetamine, and transported to the Adult Jail Facility. Officers lodged him for two counts of Meth Possession, and issued him a 30 day exclusion order for the park.

 

A screaming man was reported to dispatch, leading to a response from Grants Pass Police and the man's arrest for Methamphetamine Possession.

Wednesday afternoon, a call to 911 reported the suspect heading southbound on 7th Street at 11:09 a.m. He was reported to be screaming, wearing a black sweatshirt, carrying a bag with him, and the caller believed he was going to jump into traffic.

Officers located the suspect based on the description provided at the Beaver Lot. He was identified as James Hall, and was on Post-Prison Supervision. His parole officer had placed a detainer on him, and during a consent search, law enforcement located a glass pipe with a white crystallized substance.

Hall admitted the substance was meth after being read his rights. A field test confirmed his admission, so he was taken into custody. He was transported to the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility and lodged for his detainer and a charge of Meth Possession.

 

Officers with Grants Pass Police arrested a man found staying at the Redwood Hyperion Suites unlawfully Wednesday morning.

An employee of the 815 NE 6th Street hotel called 911 to report the suspect had broken into a room the night before, and was climbing the fence to get away around 8:48 a.m. It was reported the suspect had been trespassed before, and had left some of his belongings behind.

He was identified as Matthew Barnett, and he was described to dispatch as wearing black pants, a black backpack, and no shirt. Staff had found him in the room when unlocking it this morning.

Officers contacted Barnett at the corner of NE 8th Street and NE Josephine Street. It was determined he had stayed two nights in two separate rooms, used amenities, and left drug paraphernalia and a beer in one of the rooms.

A detainer was placed on Barnett per his Parole Officer. Law enforcement then proceeded to charge him with two counts of both Second Degree Burglary, and Theft of Services. Barnett was lodged in the Josephine County Jail on his charges and detainer.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District was alerted to a traffic accident in Selma that occurred at 11:01 p.m.

Yesterday, the IVFD, as well as American Medical Response and Oregon State Police were dispatched to the incident on U.S. Highway 199 at milepost 20 in the Illinois River Road vicinity.

No individuals were located with the involved vehicle, and it was flagged for Oregon State Police attention.

 

Michelle Shaw has been terminated from her position as Human Resources Director following a motion from the Board of Commissioners. After Wednesday's 3:30 p.m. Executive Session, Commissioner Gary Richardson said that there was no harmful intent or bad behavior on the part of Shaw, but that the decision was based on needing a higher skill level in the position. Commissioner Colene Martin was in agreement, and the motion passed 2-0 with Commissioner Ron Smith abstaining. The board then reconvened in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium for their 5:30 p.m. Weekly Business Session. First on the agenda was a public hearing regarding the second reading of an ordinance amending the County Code in relation to meetings of the board. A motion to adopt the ordinance passed 3-0. Following the second public hearing for annexations to the Josephine Community Library District, both landowner petitions were approved unanimously. The public brought topics to the board including alleged harassment, defamation, and the potential to bring the issue to the Supreme Court, comments about the mining ordinance, an idea for Sheriff's Department revenue, and an update on the upcoming Josephine County Fair.

 

The City of Grants Pass is encouraging the public to be a part of the ribbon-cutting and debut concert at the Rogue Credit Union Half Shell in Riverside Park.

According to the City's Facebook post, the ceremony begins tomorrow at 5 p.m. Following opening remarks and the ribbon cutting, the Rogue Gold Jazz Band will play an array of big band and jazz classics to christen the stage.

The Rogue Credit Union Half Shell is on the east side of Riverside Park, between the softball field and Rogue River, just off Vista Drive. The new stage will be host to concerts, theater performances, and community events.

 

The Josephine County Commissioners are scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. for their evening Weekly Business Session.

The board will meet in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium and hold two public hearings during the Session. One hearing is for an ordinance amending the County Code relating to the meetings of the board, while the second will consider annexations to the Josephine Community Library District by petition of landowner.

The board will consider approval of the consent calendar, and the meeting will adjourn pending any other matters. The public is welcome to attend these meetings in person or online at www.josephinecounty.gov/livestream.

 

Farmers and food artisans in Southern Oregon are receiving a much needed boost in business development support thanks to the launch of a new, remote Regional Food and Agriculture Business Center.

According to the Rogue Valley Food System Network, the new Southern Oregon Regional Food and Agriculture Business (RFAB) Center is one of three pilot centers being launched by the Oregon Department of Agriculture across Oregon. Centers are also being launched in the Mid-Willamette Valley and in Eastern Oregon.

Needs identified by farmers and food businesses include one-on-one assistance to help navigate the complex world of certifications, food safety requirements, capital investment and grant opportunities.

The Southern Oregon Regional Food and Agriculture Business Center begins offering services this month For the first six months, most of the services will be free of charge, thanks to support from the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Fundraising efforts are underway, with the goal to keep the majority of services free in the future.

Learn more about the center at www.oregon.gov/oda.

 

Emergency crews were dispatched to a reported traffic accident on U.S. Highway 199 this morning.

The incident, reported around 6:10 a.m., occurred at milepost 36 on the California side. The Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response, and the California Highway Patrol responded to the single-vehicle incident.

Upon arrival, the involved vehicle was found to have entered a ditch. No injuries were reported, and a tow truck was dispatched to facilitate vehicle removal.