Colleen Martin and Gary Richardson Appointed to BCC

The Temporary Board of Other Elective Administrative Officers have chosen who will fill the Commissioner vacancies. After tabulating the scores of all nine interviews, Josephine County Commissioner Position Two will be filled by Colleen Martin, and Position One will be held by Gary Richardson. A motion to accept the tallied results passed unanimously. Pending background checks, both will be sworn in to the positions Monday the 23rd. A new chair of the board will be elected at a later date. ...Read more

JCSO Search and Rescue Recovered Deceased Man on Wagner Butte Trail

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies responded to a report of a deceased man near the summit of the Wagner Butte Trail outside Talent. On Sunday at approximately 3:30 p.m., the individual was located at an elevation of approximately 7,000 feet in steep, mountainous terrain. The decedent is identified as Michael James Beagle, 63, of Central Point. Detectives investigated and determined the death was the result of a medical event. No suspicious circumstances were observed and there is no further investigation. The recovery required JCSO Search and Rescue (SAR) deputies and volunteers to respond in challenging conditions, including snow, ice, high elevation, and an approaching winter storm. Teams worked until after sundown to help ensure other hikers in the area exited safely as weather conditions deteriorated. ...Read more

Temporary Board Conducting Interviews for Two Commissioner Vacancies

The Temporary Board of Other Elective Administrative Officers are interviewing applicants for the two vacant Commissioner seats. The initial four interviewees for the vacant Commissioner positions include Colleen Martin, Lorna Jessee, Gary Richardson, and Simon Hare. According to the Daily Courier, Jonathan Knapp, Matthew Moser, Russell McAlmond, Darius Englen, and Michael Burdge round out the remaining candidates. Each applicant is presented with the same questions, including how do their past experiences position them to be a good candidate? They are then being asked to give two specific examples of successes and failures in this county within the last two years, and what they would have done differently to mitigate the failures. Other questions include asking them to describe a policy initiative they've directed that led to positive and negative outcomes, and how they would have handled it differently. The board is also asking how they would maintain and strengthen public confidence in county government, as well as what the top issues are in our county and how they would address them. ...Read more