Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Selma man late last week for accosting a Pacific Power contract crew and then assaulting a security guard at Three Rivers Medical Center. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a disturbance at a home in the 200-block of Davis Creek Road on Friday during the noon hour. Deputies said a subcontractor for Pacific Power was switching out power poles at that location when they were confronted by 73-year-old Wilber John Morton. The caller advised the man came out of his home, starting screaming at the workers and struck one of them before they retreated off the property. According to the report, the contractor was doing scheduled work, they had talked with Morton the day before and he was cooperative. The workers tried to leave, but they had power lines down and it was an unsafe area. Upon arrival, deputies arrested Morton and transported him to the hospital due to a cut on his head. While at the hospital, they said the suspect kicked a security guard in the stomach and attempted to assault a nurse. Morton was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Menacing, Aggravated Harassment, Harassment, Attempted 3rd-Degree Assault, Attempted 4th-Degree Assault and Resisting Arrest. He was being held without bail until his scheduled Tuesday arraignment.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for a drug-fueled weekend rampage at a northeast city apartment complex. The Police Department reports officers arrested 33-year-old Shelby Anthony Acosta for the incident in the 1700-block of NE Fairview Avenue on Saturday at 10:09 p.m.. Police said Acosta had been called in because he was creating public alarm by banging on apartment windows and exterior walls while screaming. They said he was found to be under the influence of a narcotic stimulant. During a consent search, he threatened to fight officers so they placed him in ankle restraints. A routine records check showed Acosta was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for Felony 1st-Degree Assault. Acosta was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus new charges of Resisting Arrest, Attempted Assault on a Police Officer, Disorderly Conduct and Methamphetamine Possession. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on four local warrants during a weekend patrol check near the SE J Street campground. According to the Police Department, officers were patrolling the area on Friday evening when they spotted 39-year-old Travis Randal Davenport. Police said Davenport was well-known to them from previous law enforcement contacts. They said they knew that he was wanted on three Grants Pass warrants for failing to appear in court for Methamphetamine Possession and a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Disorderly Conduct. After the warrants were confirmed, Davenport was arrested and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the outstanding warrants. His bail was set at $130,000.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving following a weekend traffic stop on the southeast side of the city. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a white Toyota Tacoma driven by a 51-year-old male subject near the corner of Fruitdale and Parkdale drives on Saturday around 1:30 a.m.. Police said they stopped the vehicle because it was weaving across travel lanes and the driver displayed multiple signs of impairment. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was placed into custody. The suspect was lodged in jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Endangering because he had a passenger. He was also warned for traffic violations including Failure to Drive Within Lane and Open Container. His pickup was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office was investigating a weekend crash that occurred in the Selma area. On Saturday at 6:02 p.m., deputies, the Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response were dispatched to a single-vehicle wreck in the 1900-block of Reeves Creek Road. IVFD officials said arriving units discovered a vehicle that had collided with a tree, landing in the roadway with significant front-end damage. They said on-scene bystanders reported that the driver had departed the scene in a separate vehicle, leaving the heavily-damaged vehicle blocking the road. Sheriff's deputies contacted Jerry's Towing to remove the vehicle and haul it to Cave Junction. They planned to contact the registered owner as part of their investigation.

 

The National Weather Service has extended an Air Stagnation Advisory until at least tomorrow morning -- but most likely through next weekend. The Air Stagnation Advisory remains in effect for Josephine, Jackson, Douglas, Klamath, Lake and eastern Curry counties through 10 a.m. Tuesday. Poor air quality will continue due to a temperature inversion layer and stagnant air conditions near the surface that will continue to trap pollutants. Poor air quality may cause issues for people with respiratory problems. Persons with respiratory illness should follow their physicians' advice for dealing with high levels of air pollution during periods of stagnant air. A similar weather pattern with cold overnight temperatures and poor visibility are expected to continue through at least next weekend, with no precipitation expected in the local forecast.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters continued their strong efforts to protect the community last week. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 483 calls for service along with 307 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 43 arrests, 31 citations, 45 warnings and five highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported officers conducted a total of 70 traffic stops in the city and they made a total of 22 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 58 potential troublemakers while arresting three people and warning 14 others. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 99 calls last week including 49 for emergency medical service, six for reports of fire or smoke, 23 lift assists, eight rescue situations, four assists to other agencies and five false alarms. Firefighters also performed 10 business inspections, led two education/prevention programs, assisted the public seven times and properly installed one child car seat. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 923 emergency calls in addition to 653 calls for non-emergency service.

 

Applications are being accepted for a position on the Grants Pass Historical Buildings & Sites Commission (HBSC) due to a vacancy. This position expires on December 7, 2026. The HBSC's purpose is to review proposed alterations to any historic district or designated structure in the Grants Pass urban growth boundary, to promote the community's historic preservation, to advise other agencies on matters related to historic preservation, and to identify areas of archaeological significance and buildings of historic or archaeological significance. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and residents of the City of Grants Pass. This position is for a representative who is the owner of a business located within the Central Business District of Grants Pass. Applications are available at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or online at "grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application." Completed applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 7th. Applications will be reviewed by the Commission on Thursday, February 13th. An appointment will be made during the City Council meeting on Wednesday, March 5th.

 

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) awarded $1.2 million in "Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine" grant funds to 14 recipients in 11 counties across the state that stood out for their vision, creativity and potential to make a meaningful difference in waste prevention. DEQ received a total of 110 applications from throughout Oregon in which applicants demonstrated innovation, dedication and community impact in their project proposals. DEQ Grants Coordinator Haley Miller said the grant program supports statewide efforts to reduce the environmental and human health impacts of materials at all stages of their lifecycle. She said their team has been hard at work reigniting a program that can more effectively invest in community solutions to the social, environmental and health impacts created by production, consumption, use and disposal of materials. Locally, "Be The Change Rogue" in Ashland was awarded a DEQ grant for the Rogue-to-Go development and expansion of take-out reusable dishware. Just like with health, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.