GP City Council Delays Decision on Public Humanitarian Event Regulations
The Grants Pass City Council last night delayed voting on an ordinance on the regulation of Humanitarian Service Events on publicly-owned property. The ordinance would create a registration process for individuals, non-profits or other charitable organizations to use city parks and public places for such events, while prohibiting individuals, non-profits and charitable organizations from engaging in the dissemination of drug paraphernalia or combustible materials. Mayor Clint Scherf stated more work needs to be done on the ordinance before final consideration. The Council approved the vacation of property lines between three tax lots with frontage on the Rogue River Highway and Fruitdale Drive to create one parcel. The property owner plans to further develop the parcel and the vacation is needed to meet minimum setbacks. The property is the former Herb's La Casita location. Tax-exempt status was granted to the Southern Oregon Horse Racing Association on a 7-1 vote. Susan Tokarz-Krauss was appointed to the Public Safety Advisory Committee and Tim Waters was appointed to the Bikeways & Walkways Committee.
...Read more
Josephine County Employment Changed Little in February and Over the Past Year
Total payroll employment in Josephine County was little changed in February. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 32,440 people working in Josephine County in February for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 7.3%, which was down slightly from 7.4% in the first month of 2025. Industries losing jobs in February were private education & health services and financial activities. Both manufacturing and professional & business services added 20 jobs over the month. Other industries showed little change. Over the past year, payroll employment in Josephine County declined slightly, down by 100 jobs -- a loss of .04%. Industries adding jobs since February 2024 included leisure & hospitality (+260), transportation, warehousing & utilities (+60) and other industries (+40). Those losing jobs over the year were retail trade (-160), manufacturing (-90), financial activities (-90), professional & business services (-50), wholesale trade (-30) and construction (-30). Government employment rose by 80 jobs over the year.
...Read more
Grants Pass Panel Selects "The Wings" Mural as April's Public Art of the Month
The Grants Pass Committee on Public Art has chosen "The Wings" mural as April's Public Art of the Month. The mural is painted on the side of Oregon Pizza and Pour Authority facing SE H Street near the corner of 7th Street. The mural was commissioned by the Committee on Public Art in 2024 and painted by Crystal Pyren. Five local high school students helped design and paint it. The students collaborated in brainstorming the theme and elements that were included in the design. Their ideas were combined into a final pencil sketch. Pyren then took the sketch and created the final design in color. Two committee members -- Deanne Morse and Robyn Lofing -- also helped paint. The mural was finished last July. It consists of native plants, birds and dragonflies including one damselfly. The students who participated in The Wings project are from Grants Pass, Hidden Valley and Illinois Valley high schools. They are August Dewey, Makayla Dean, Apollo Taylor, Skyylar Pyren and Isabelle Fain.
...Read more
