GP to Permanently Close J Street Homeless Campground on Thursday at Midnight

The City of Grants Pass has announced that the homeless encampment at 755 SE J Street will close permanently on Thursday at midnight. The campsite was originally scheduled to close on January 10th, but city officials decided to delay the closure until the interim City Attorney could research whether any laws were being violated. A sign has been posted at the campsite that reads: "Unlawful entry into the closed area (after January 23rd) is prohibited and punishable by citation or arrest for criminal trespass." Meanwhile, the hours for camping at 712 NE 7th Street are now 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. The J Street campsite closure and the new regulations for the 7th Street campsite were approved by the Grants Pass City Council during a special meeting held on January 7th. The Council voted to close and regulate the temporary campgrounds despite the advice of the interim City Attorney and overwhelming opposition of people who spoke during the public comment period. ...Read more

Josephine County Sheriff's Office Outlines Rules for Unclaimed Personal Property

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office has in its possession a large amount of unclaimed personal property and there are some rules by which to claim it. Unclaimed items include antiques, tools, sporting goods, electronics, firearms, jewelry, vehicles, bicycles, clothing, household goods, backpacks, knives, swords, and miscellaneous amounts of US and foreign currency. If you have ownership interest in any of the unclaimed property, you must file a claim with the Sheriff's Office by February 14th or you will lose your interest in the property. You must have made a report with law enforcement prior to this publicized notice regarding your property. Unclaimed property claim forms are available at the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, which is located at 1901 NE F Street in Grants Pass. Questions about this notice should be directed to the Property Control Specialist at (541)-474-5128. ...Read more

OAC's "Arts Build Communities" Grants Awarded to Three Southern Oregon Groups

Fifty-two organizations will receive $5,000 Arts Build Communities grants this year, totaling $260,000 for projects that address community issues or needs through the arts. The Oregon Arts Commission's "Arts Build Communities" program is committed to promoting arts access for underserved audiences and targets broad geographic impact throughout the state. In recent years, the program has generated more than $600,000 in additional community investment, much of it representing salaries paid as well as products and services purchased in the funded communities. These grants are made possible through a funding partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. Local grant recipients include Ashland High Arts Advocates, Ashland New Plays Festival and the Cave Junction Farmers Market. ...Read more