FEMA Cancels $50M Grant for Replacement of Aging GP Water Treatment Plant

The City of Grants Pass has been dealt a significant financial blow to its plans for a replacement water treatment plant, which was scheduled to break ground in May. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has cancelled the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program for fiscal years 2020-2024, which means Grants Pass will not receive the $50 million grant that had been awarded to the city in summer 2023. The loss of these funds will require the Grants Pass City Council to consider borrowing additional funds and possibly raising rates to pay for the loan. How much the rates will increase and when the increase will go into effect are still to be determined. Grants Pass officials said inflation and current tariffs have also negatively impacted this project, though the city would have been able to proceed next month without borrowing money and raising rates. The risk of flooding is the main reason Grants Pass was awarded the BRIC grant. While it has been a while since the city has seen a significant flood, Public Works Director Jason Canady said that serious flooding would impact the current water treatment plant, which was built in the 1930s. ...Read more

GP Police Officers & Firefighters Logged Busy Week of Protecting Community

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters stayed busy protecting the community over the past week. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 534 calls for service along with 312 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 34 arrests, 31 citations, 107 warnings and seven highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 112 traffic stops in the city and they made 22 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 17 potential troublemakers while arresting five people, citing nine more and warning seven others. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 105 calls last week including 40 for emergency medical service, two reports of fire or smoke, 21 lift assists, four rescue situations, five assists to other agencies and four false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,002 emergency calls last week. ...Read more

Law Enforcement Agencies Provided Strong Presence at Pear Blossom Festival

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office provided a strong law enforcement presence at the Pear Blossom Festival in Medford -- and they were not alone. During Saturday's Pear Blossom Parade, the local Sheriff's Office was joined by agencies from throughout the state. The combined color guard from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and Medford Police Department marched in the annual parade. Motorcades from as far away as Hillsboro and Eugene joined local law agencies for the parade and to help provide safety and security for festival attendees. Other agencies assisting included the Central Point and Grants Pass Police Departments.The Sheriff's Office thanked all those who organized the Pear Blossom event. ...Read more