Local News

The Oregon State Police recently arrested and charged a Grants Pass man with child sex abuse offenses and the agency is asking additional victims to come forward. Last week, 30-year-old Justin Lee Concha was arrested and charged with multiple sex offense crimes and detectives believe additional victims are likely. Concha is suspected of attempting to meet underage juveniles for the purpose of sex. He has been charged with five counts of 1st-Degree Encouraging Child Sex Abuse, five counts of 2nd-Degree Encouraging Child Sex Abuse and one count of Sexual Assault of an Animal. According to OSP, Concha sometimes uses an alias of "Jay Leslie Frost." Anyone with information on Justin Concha pertaining to this case is encouraged to contact OSP's Southern Command Center at 1-(800)-442-2068.

 

A Southern Oregon traffic stop by an Oregon State Police K-9 unit this week netted 60 pounds of fentanyl-laced pills destined for Portland. On Monday at 8 a.m., an OSP K-9 trooper stopped a commercial motor vehicle on Interstate 5 in Jackson County for a traffic violation. During a consent search of the vehicle's cab, the trooper located two five-gallon buckets with blue pills suspected of being laced with the deadly narcotic fentanyl. Two suspects -- 42-year-old Daniel Pena Gragoso and 28-year-old Josue Itzel Gomez, both of Mexico -- were arrested and charged with Possession and Delivery of Fentanyl and lodged at the Jackson County Jail. According to OSP, the seized narcotics were in the form of approximately 276,000 individual pills.

 

Two people were injured in a motor vehicle accident on Redwood Highway in Cave Junction last night. The Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response, Josephine County Sheriff's Office and Oregon Department of Transportation were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash in the 25,600-block of US Highway 199 on Wednesday at 7:11 p.m.. Arriving units found two vehicles off the side of the highway, with one on its side, one on its wheels and both with major damage. Bystanders assisted in the removal of several occupants before emergency first responders arrived on scene. They also found a dog that had gone missing. IVFD officials said a total of seven people were evaluated by medics and two were transported by AMR to Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass. Jerry's Towing arrived and removed the vehicles from the crash scene. The Sheriff's Office was investigating.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for assaulting a co-worker at a local manufacturing plant this week. The Police Department reports officers responded to a reported incident at Rogue Valley Door on NE Beacon Drive on Tuesday morning. Police said a female employee called 9-1-1 to report an incident between two workers. The caller advised one of the workers head-butted the other, and she requested both law enforcement and medical response. An investigation determined that a 29-year-old male subject bumped into the other man while walking down a hall and the subject grabbed the man by his upper shoulder, pulled him forward and head-butted him. Some type of verbal dispute had escalated into a physical altercation. The workers were separated by others. Upon arrival, officers interviewed both parties and witnesses before placing the male subject into custody. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Assault plus a Felony Parole Violation. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for intentionally setting a fire inside a building at a local church this week. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing complaint at Parkway Christian Center on NE Beacon Drive on Tuesday morning. Police said they received a call regarding a male transient who threw a piece of cardboard that was on fire into a bucket inside the building, which was being used to distribute food to the needy. They said he knew people were inside the building. After the 38-year-old man set the fire, he attempted to lock the door as he left and fled the area. He was located at WinCo Foods and placed into custody a short time later. The suspect did not explain why he set the fire. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Arson and 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was being held without bail.

 

Reports of a rafter in trouble on the Rogue River near Grants Pass prompted a large response of rescue crews from multiple agencies late yesterday. Rural Metro Fire Department reports they were alerted that a subject had gotten stranded in the rapids above Chinook Park on Wednesday at 4:34 p.m.. As units were converging on both sides of the river, the subject was able to swim to shore. After a medical evaluation, it was determined no injuries were sustained. Rural Metro officials said the areas above and below Chinook Park are a frequent site of water rescue incidents. They said the proper use of a life jacket is the best way to be prepared in case you fall out of a boat or raft. Officials said the large response of emergency crews is common for this type of incident. They said it's literally an "all-hands-on-deck" situation.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners approved the use of limited power of attorney for land use and development of a county-owned property in Cave Junction during its weekly business session on Wednesday. The Board voted 2-0 to approve the power of attorney for a real property at 232 West Stevenson Street in Cave Junction. Commissioner Herman Baertschiger was absent. Before approving the Consent Calendar item, both Commissioner John West and Commissioner Andreas Blech declared potential conflicts of interest because both buy and sell real estate in Josephine County. The West Stevenson Street property includes a 1,290 square foot home built in 1973 with three bedrooms and two bathrooms on .29 of an acre. Josephine County residents were reminded that public comments on the Oregon Department of Forestry's draft fire hazard map are due on Sunday. Commissioner West announced that a Zoom meeting has been scheduled for August 26th from 1 to 3 p.m. for residents to ask questions to state officials about the map. He urged participants to turn in their questions prior to the meeting.

 

US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley recently announced a $7.8 million investment in rural Oregon school districts to support energy improvement projects and renewable energy technologies. The Renew America's Schools Prize and Grant investment, funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will improve 11 facilities identified by the Oregon Department of Education. The Three Rivers School District in Josephine County is among the recipients of the federal grant to improve heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems as well as upgrade lighting on three of its campuses. Three Rivers School District Superintendent Dave Valenzuela said they are thrilled that Evergreen Elementary, Fort Vannoy Elementary and Illinois Valley High will be recipients of the Renew America's Schools Grant. He thanked Senators Wyden and Merkley for their support. Valenzuela said Three Rivers' schools are in critical need of improvements -- especially with the increasing challenges of heat and smoke during fire season.

 

AllCare Health has announced a $50,000 grant award to the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market in Jackson County for funding the 2024 Farmer's Market Protein Match Program. This grant facilitates an additional $20 for SNAP recipients to purchase protein foods at the Farmer's Markets in Ashland and Medford. AllCare Health is a proud supporter of the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market. This grant provides funds to address food insecurity for low-income individuals and families, and it supports ranchers, farmers and food producers. The grant is part of AllCare's pledge of $1.8 million this year for improving the health and well-being of all Southern Oregon communities. The Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market represents about 150 local food producers, crafts creators, artisans and vendors. In settings chosen as among America's Top 10 Farmer's Markets by USA Today, the local markets are open Tuesdays and Saturdays in Ashland, and Thursdays in Medford.