Local News

Jackson County Public Health has issued an alert for accidental overdoses or poisoning related to illicit opioids -- specifically fentanyl. Health officials said this alert has been issued based on an increase in law enforcement and emergency medical service responses as well as emergency department admissions related to opioids from March 24th-March 29th. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl started to become more common in the Rogue Valley beginning in 2018. In early 2021, fentanyl became the predominant illicit opioid sold and used in Jackson County. Fentanyl can be sold as counterfeit pills such as oxycontin or in a powder form which can look like other drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine. It can be mixed with other opioids such as heroin. The increased presence of fentanyl in the local drug supply increases the risk of poisoning or overdosing for people who are experimenting with drugs, who use recreationally and are not intentionally using it. Jackson County Public Health is encouraging the medical community, community partners, parents, family and friends, people who occasionally use recreational drugs and people with an active substance abuse disorder to be aware of the increase in overdoses associated with illicit opioids.

 

Total payroll employment in Josephine County rose by 30 jobs in February, with little change over the month in most industries. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 33,895 people working in Josephine County in February for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 5.3%, up from 5.1% in January and down from 6.4% in February 2023. Construction added 20 jobs over the month, but had virtually no change over the year. Retail trade was the only other published industry to show change, down by 20 jobs in February. Government employment was flat over the month as well. Over the past year, payroll employment in Josephine County slipped by 100 jobs, a decrease of 0.4%. Local employment is now 670 jobs below the February 2020 total prior to the pandemic. Industries adding jobs since February 2023 included private education & health services, and transportation, warehousing & utilities. Industries with estimated losses were retail trade, leisure & hospitality, professional & business services, other services, manufacturing and wholesale trade.

 

April is here, so it's once again time for the Mount Ashland Season Pass Sale. Take advantage of the year's lowest prices for Mount Ashland season passes. Buy now and save up to $200 per person. As usual, the local ski resort is offering a five-month, interest-free payment plan to give people all summer to pay off their pass. The resort's ski area partners in eight states offer pass-holders free tickets and discounts. Season pass prices during the month of April are $499 for adults age 20-69, $374 for teenagers, $249 for youth age 7-12, $50 for kids through age 6, and $50 for seniors age 70 and up. Invest in next winter today! Mount Ashland is your local mountain playground, dedicated to family winter fun along with quality skiing and snowboarding for everybody. For more information, visit "mtashland.com."

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on statewide and out-of-county warrants after investigating a domestic disturbance in the downtown area yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 37-year-old man near the corner of NW 4th and F streets on Wednesday at 1 p.m.. Police said they responded to a report of a domestic dispute between the man and woman in a parking lot. The caller said the pair were yelling at each other and pushing each other in front of three young children who were crying. Responding officers contacted the man in the driver seat of a parked vehicle with drug paraphernalia in plain view. They placed him into custody after discovering that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation related to a larceny conviction and a Coos Bay warrant for failing to appear in court for a traffic offense. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants plus the narcotics violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a "frequent flyer" yesterday for violating her post-prison supervision by scuffling with officers who arrested her for trespassing. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident at the north Safeway supermarket on SE 7th Street on Wednesday around 11:20 a.m.. Police said the 33-year-old woman returned to Safeway after previously being trespassed from the store. Callers reported she appeared to be under the influence while pushing an empty baby stroller and intentionally stopping traffic in the parking lot. Officers contacted the woman at the corner of 6th and G streets, advising her she was under arrest. She physically resisted officers placing her into custody and continued to be hostile toward law enforcement while banging her head in the patrol vehicle. She was not seriously hurt. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Resisting Arrest, Criminal Trespass and the resulting Parole Violation stemming from previous convictions for Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct and Offensive Littering. She was being held on a no-bail detainer. Her property was logged into evidence for safekeeping.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man last night who was harassing female workers at a downtown restaurant. The Police Department reports officers responded to a trespassing complaint at Thai BBQ in the 400-block of SW 6th Street on Wednesday around 9:30 p.m.. Police said the man had returned to the restaurant after being issued a trespass warning earlier in the evening. The manager advised officers that he was having to walk his waitresses out to their vehicles because they were afraid of the intruder. Officers searched the area and spotted the 24-year-old man in a nearby alley. He took off running, but was placed into custody in short order. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass and he was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man for causing a multi-vehicle pileup on Interstate 5 in the north part of the city late yesterday. OSP reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the three-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 58 on Wednesday at 5:35 p.m.. Troopers said the 59-year-old Grants Pass motorist was driving a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup near the north city exit with another pickup and two semi-trucks pulling trailers following behind him. Witnesses stated the man appeared to be upset by not being able to make it over to take the exit, so he stopped the pickup in the middle of the freeway. This caused another Dodge Ram pickup driven by another Grants Pass man to abruptly stop, which caused a Freightliner semi to rear-end the Dodge and a Kenworth semi to rear-end the Freightliner. No one was hurt and only one of the vehicles sustained enough damage to require towing. According to OSP, the suspect vehicle took the exit into downtown Grants Pass without stopping. The at-fault driver was later identified, contacted and issued a criminal citation for Reckless Driving.

 

A Rogue River woman escaped injury -- but not citations -- after she crashed a vehicle into a tree on Highway 99 east of Grants Pass yesterday. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle wreck on Rogue River Highway near Gordon Way on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.. Troopers said the 25-year-old woman was driving a Hyundai Santa Fe when she lost control of the vehicle, went down an embankment and struck a tree. They said the driver was not hurt, but the heavily damaged vehicle was towed to Grants Pass. Following an investigation, the driver was issued unspecified citations and a warning. According to OSP, the registered owner of the vehicle is a 29-year-old Medford man.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man on outstanding warrants after he fabricated a medical emergency in order to get a ride last night. According to OSP, troopers responded to a report of a man complaining of having a medical emergency in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 71 in Sunny Valley on Wednesday at 6:50 p.m.. Troopers and emergency crews rushed to the scene and contacted the 64-year-old man who admitted to making it up because he wanted a ride to safety. Instead, he got a ride to the Josephine County Jail. The man was booked on two failure to appear in court bench warrants -- one of them for Probation Violation related to a previous arrest for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants.