Local News

The Oregon Department of Transportation is continuing work on the bridge retrofit project on Rogue River Highway between the cities of Rogue River and Gold Hill. ODOT reminds motorists that Millers Gulch Bridge is closed for approximately 30 days beginning this week. Please use an alternate route and watch for workers. The contractor has provided a pedestrian transport vehicle that can accommodate at least two ADA passengers, a maximum of 10 able-bodied pedestrians and up to three bicycles with a secured rack during the bridge closure. The multi-million-dollar project is replacing bridge structures at Millers Gulch, Birdseye Creek and Foots Creek for earthquake resilience. The estimated date for completion of the project is June 2025.

 

Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic began the City Council listening session with an outline of the legal situation the city still faces following the Supreme Court Decisions that overturned the 9th Circuit Court ruling forcing the city to allow camping in all city parks save one. He announced the Council would be taking no action during the meeting and the first revelation was that the city is still subject to the 9th Circuit’s injunction until it is lifted, likely within 90 days. The city remains under federal, state and local law that basically defines time place and manner regulations affecting homelessness. Oregon House Bill 3115 stipulates cities regulate resting in places and on public property and campers may be moved only with 72 hours’ notice. Oregon House Bill 3124 states designated campgrounds must be safe and sanitary with proper rest room facilities and public safety. The city asked attendees to electronically vote their preference for which parks should be designated as campgrounds. The four, in order of preference were Baker park, Tussing Park, Redwood Park and Eckstein park. Then attendees were asked which parks camping should not be allowed. Those four, in order of preference, were Reinhart Volunteer Park, Riverside, Lawnridge and Morrison Park.

 

It appears a years-long effort to sell the Pipe Fork property near Williams to a nature conservancy ended today when two of the three members of the Board of Commissioners refused to approve it. During its weekly business session this morning, Commissioner Dan DeYoung made a motion to approve a purchase and sale agreement with The Conservation Fund along with a contribution agreement with the Williams Community Forest Project for a total of $2.32 million for the 320-acre forested property. Commissioners Herman Baertschiger and John West refused to second DeYoung's motion so it died and no second motion was made. Baertschiger said he could not support the sale without deed restrictions that prohibit logging the property and guarantee that the land would remain open to public access. West claimed that Port Orford Cedar Root Rot Disease has already infected trees on the property. The Board was facing a July 15th deadline to approve the sale as funding to pay for the property will no longer be available after that date. During the public comment period, the Board heard from several supporters of the Pipe Fork sale as a large contingent of Williams residents was present in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium. Two members of The Conservation Fund were standing by via Zoom, but they were not consulted by the Commissioners. In other business, the Commission unanimously approved three annexations to the Josephine Community Library District. One property in Wolf Creek and two in Murphy were added by petition of the landowners, increasing the size of the library district by a total of 44.84 acres.

 

A Josephine County man was killed in a motor vehicle accident in the Sunny Valley-Wolf Creek area late yesterday. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports deputies and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle crash in the 4,000-block of Lower Grave Creek Road on Tuesday at 4:07 p.m.. Prior to law enforcement arrival, the driver -- 60-year-old Joseph John Tracey -- was pronounced deceased by medical personnel. Next of kin have been notified. Sergeant Craig Ricker said evidence at the scene indicated that Tracey was driving a 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee north on Lower Grave Creek when he failed to negotiate a curve. The Sheriff's Office was assisted at the fatal crash scene by Rural Metro Fire Department, American Medical Response, Oregon State Police and 3 Boys Towing.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended an out-of-state fugitive while investigating a shoplifting case yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested a 44-year-old male subject for the incident at Bi-Mart on Redwood Highway on Tuesday at 10:58 a.m.. Police said they responded to Bi-Mart after loss prevention reported the subject passed all points of sale while pushing a shopping cart of stolen merchandise. They searched the area and located the man in the parking lot of Duo Gym on West Park Street. A stolen Styrofoam cooler and clothing valued at $83.49 were recovered. Further investigation revealed that the man was wanted on a California Department of Corrections fugitive warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a past assault conviction. It took three officers to handcuff the suspect and he was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for evaluation. After being cleared by hospital staff, the suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a charge of 3rd-Degree Theft. He was being held without bail pending extradition proceedings to send him back to California.

 

The Oregon State Police captured a local fugitive during a traffic stop in Grants Pass last night. OSP reports state troopers pulled over a Dodge Dart driven by a 44-year-old Cave Junction man at NE 7th and Savage streets on Tuesday at 9:51 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation and quickly learned that the driver was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Felon in Possession of a Weapon. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. He was being held without bail. His car was towed to impound.

 

Police arrested a man for lewd and lascivious behavior at the Grants Pass Shopping Center last night. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident at the shopping center located off NE D Street on Tuesday shortly after 7 p.m.. Police said the 46-year-old male subject refused to leave Rite Aid when asked by employees and he remained in the store for several minutes until some customers helped escort him out. They said he became angry, exposed his buttocks and genitals and walked with his pants down while yelling provocative statements with the intent to alarm and harass people in the shopping center. Officers said the man was the subject of at least three citizen calls to dispatch for his unruly and sexually-charged behavior. He was immediately taken into custody. The suspect was lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Trespass. He was also trespassed from Rite Aid and other businesses in the shopping center.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested for impaired driving and more after he crashed his vehicle into some mailboxes in the north part of the city and fled last night. The Police Department reports officers located the 63-year-old man involved in the incident on NW Morgan Lane and placed him into custody at 7:21 p.m. Tuesday. Police said the man was driving a black Ford pickup when he struck several mailboxes at businesses on Morgan Lane and kept going. They said he was pulled over, showed several signs of impairment, performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was deemed to be too inebriated to be driving a motor vehicle. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving, Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage and Criminal Mischief. He was being held without bail and his pickup was impounded.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Cave Junction man for impaired driving last night after responding to a wreck on Redwood Highway in the Illinois Valley. According to OSP, troopers were alerted to the single-vehicle crash on US Highway 199 near Frontage Street in Cave Junction on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.. Upon contact with the 33-year-old driver of a GMC Sierra pickup, troopers said he showed several signs of impairment. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was transported to the Cave Junction Substation where he provided a breath sample that was well over three times the legal driving limit. The suspect was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. He was cited to appear in court before being transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center. His wrecked pickup was parked and secured.