Local News

Southern Oregon law enforcement agencies continue to pull drugs off Interstate-5 A recent traffic stop on Interstate 5 near Roseburg led to the seizure of large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl headed for the streets of Portland. On April 1st, just after 9 a.m. an Oregon State Trooper stopped a black Chevrolet sedan near milepost 149 on I-5 north for a traffic violation. The trooper suspected criminal activity and received consent to search the vehicle. During the search, the trooper located 62 pounds of methamphetamine and 22,000 suspected fentanyl laced pills inside the vehicle. The suspect acknowledged the illegal substances were headed to Portland. Due to the large quantify of substances seized, the suspect, 21-year-old Oliver Raul Alvarez Beltran of Phoenix, Arizona was arrested and federally charged with attempted delivery of a controlled substance.

 

The Three Rivers School District is excited to announce that it has received a $2.5 million grant for the seismic upgrade of Evergreen Elementary in Cave Junction. The funding from Oregon's Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program (SRGP) will support a comprehensive seismic upgrade of Evergreen's gymnasium and cafeteria including the installation of new roofing. The seismic upgrade project at Evergreen is slated to kick off this summer and wrap up before commencement ceremonies in 2025. The SRGP is a competitive grant program that funds the seismic rehabilitation of critical public buildings, with a focus on schools and emergency response centers. Fleming Middle School also benefited recently from an SRGP grant. About 12,000 square feet -- including the gymnasium, administration building, cafeteria and library -- underwent a comprehensive seismic upgrade. Three Rivers Schools Superintendent Dave Valenzuela said the most recent grant represents a significant milestone for the district and underscores its commitment to safety. He called it "a major investment in the resilience of school facilities."

 

This year's tax deadline is just over a week away as both state and federal income taxes need to be filed by April 15th. Nearly 1.3 million Oregonians have already filed their state personal income tax returns. The state is expecting to receive 2.2 million returns this year, leaving more than 900,000 Oregonians who still have to filed their taxes before the deadline. E-filing is the fastest way for taxpayers to get their tax refund. On average, those who e-file their returns and request their refunds via direct deposit receive their refund sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks. The Oregon Department of Revenue provides several options for taxpayers to e-file their returns for free. Oregon Free Fillable Forms performs basic calculations and is ideal for taxpayers who don't need help preparing their returns and want the convenience of filing electronically. IRS offers a similar option for federal taxes. New this year, the department is also offering Direct File Oregon, which allows taxpayers to file their form OR-40 through Revenue Online. Direct File Oregon is not currently linked with the IRS Direct File. Taxpayers will need to file a separate federal return with the IRS before filing an Oregon return with Direct File Oregon through Revenue Online

 

All Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest offices in Southern Oregon will be closed the next two Wednesdays -- April 10th and April 17th. US Forest Service officials said the closures are to allow their front desk personnel an opportunity for training and to attend an annual meeting. The Grants Pass and Medford Interagency offices will remain open on those days to provide Medford District Bureau of Land Management information.

 

The Eagle Point Police Department has announced it will be taking part in "RED Fridays" to support the military. Members of EPD will be wearing red shirts on Fridays in support of RED, which stands for "Remember Everyone Deployed." RED Friday was first observed in the early 2000s as a way for people to show their support of the military following the September 11th attacks on the United States, shortly after military operations started in Afghanistan and Iraq. EPD Chief Jim Hamilton said his police officers and staff will be approved to wear red shirts on Fridays in support of the men and women who are deployed in other countries to ensure the freedoms we enjoy every day in the US.

 

The Eagle Point Police Department has announced it will be taking part in "RED Fridays" to support the military. Members of EPD will be wearing red shirts on Fridays in support of RED, which stands for "Remember Everyone Deployed." RED Friday was first observed in the early 2000s as a way for people to show their support of the military following the September 11th attacks on the United States, shortly after military operations started in Afghanistan and Iraq. EPD Chief Jim Hamilton said his police officers and staff will be approved to wear red shirts on Fridays in support of the men and women who are deployed in other countries to ensure the freedoms we enjoy every day in the US.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a young man for seriously injuring his father with a knife during an altercation in Wolf Creek this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested an 18-year-old man for the incident in the 1600-block of Old Highway 99 on Thursday morning. Deputies said they received a 9:35 a.m. call from a woman who reported her son was out of control and her husband had been cut. The caller said her husband and son got into a fight over the son being late for a community work crew. She said her son is on probation with Josephine County Community Corrections. According to the report, the husband was upset over his son's continued drug use and showing up under the influence for his community service. The mother told dispatchers her son has been using cocaine and methamphetamine. During the fight, the teenager grabbed a knife, threatened both his parents with it, and sliced his father in the shoulder and down his arm before locking himself in a trailer. The father was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center where he received stitches for multiple slice woun

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for trying to steal gloves from the Grange Co-op and then attacking an employee who attempted to stop him this week. The Police Department reports officers responded to a disturbance at the store on West Schutzwohl Lane near Redwood Highway late Thursday afternoon. Police said an investigation determined the 48-year-old male suspect passed all points of sale with a pair of gloves valued at $35. While being confronted by loss prevention in the store parking lot, the man tossed the gloves away and then struck an employee several times while trying to cause physical injury to the worker. Grange Co-op employees managed to get the suspect to the ground and detained him until officers arrived on scene. The man's girlfriend reportedly started taking photos of the incident and yelling at security, inciting other customers to join in.

 

The Oregon State Police believes it knows the name of a motorist who eluded troopers in south Grants Pass this week. State troopers initiated a traffic stop on a Toyota SR5 for a traffic violation at the intersection of Redwood Highway and Redwood Avenue at 12:48 p.m. Thursday. Troopers said the male driver failed to yield and then picked up speed in an attempt to elude. Officers turned off their overhead lights and sirens, refusing to pursue the suspect due to public safety concerns. OSP has reasonable suspicion to believe that the driver is the registered owner of the vehicle due to a follow-up investigation and statements made by the driver's grandparents. The agency identified the driver as 27-year-old Hunter Allan Kearns of Grants Pass.