Local News

An elderly Grants Pass man was arrested last night for trying to fight with police officers who responded to an incident at the man's northwest-city residence. The Police Department reports officers were on patrol on Wednesday at about 6:45 p.m. when they observed the 83-year-old man striking a male transient while trying to kick him off his property in the 1300-block of NW Hawthorne Avenue. Police said the elderly man was intoxicated while trying to physically evict the transient who had established a campsite on his property. No one was seriously hurt. While trying to separate the combatants, officers said the older man came at them in an aggressive manner and attempted to strike them with a closed fist. After being placed into custody, he then tried to "mule kick" the officers. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Attempted Assault on a Police Officer. He was being held without bail. The unidentified transient was advised to leave and he was trespassed from the property.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a young man for stealing food items from a Redwood area store yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at Dollar General in the 1200-block of Redwood Avenue on Wednesday during the noon hour. Police said an investigation determined that a 19-year-old man was caught by store workers selecting food items valued at $11.50 and putting them in his pants. They said the suspect admitted to stealing the food because he was hungry. A records check showed the young man had already been trespassed from Dollar General for similar crimes. He was placed into custody without incident. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 3rd-Degree Theft and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. Due to several recent run-ins with law enforcement, he was being held without bail.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department was very active in patrolling city parks on Wednesday -- evicting nine campers and posting a total of 70 illegal campsites. At Fruitdale Park, officers cited a man for Scattering Rubbish. A total of 16 campsites were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network (UCAN). At Morrison Centennial Park, one woman was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Misuse of Open Spaces while another woman was cited for Misuse of Open Spaces and Staking a Tent. Both were trespassed from the park for 30 days. Seven camps were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to UCAN. At Baker Park, one man was cited for Scattering Rubbish while another man was cited for Misuse of Open Spaces and Staking a Tent. Both were issued 30-day exclusions from the park. A total of 14 campsites were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to UCAN. At Riverside Park, a woman was cited for Smoking Cigarettes in the Park and a man was cited for Smoking Methamphetamine in the Park. Both were trespassed from the park for 30 days. A total of 24 campsites were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to UCAN. Patrols were also performed at Lawnridge, Kesterson and Ogle parks.

 

Firefighters extinguished a Wednesday afternoon grass fire near Cave Junction. The Illinois Valley Fire District and Oregon Department of Forestry responded to the reported fire in the 6,000-block of Holland Loop Road at 3:47 p.m. yesterday. IVFD officials said arriving units quickly located and snuffed out the half-acre vegetation fire. After the blaze was declared out, mop-up work was completed. ODF was investigating the cause of the fire.

 

Rules to address the Grants Pass City Council during regular business meetings were changed by a unanimous vote last night. The primary change was reducing the amount of time citizens may speak during the public comment period from three minutes to two minutes. In the current rules, citizens must submit a public comment card prior to the public comment section of the meeting. The cards are available at the city administration office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Cards will be received up to the time of public comment. The Council may ask two questions during public comment with citizens being given one minute to respond. The public comment period will be limited to a total of no more than 30 minutes. In special circumstances, the City Council has the discretion to extend the period. City councilors also adjusted their own rules of attendance. Current rules state that Council members can only attend electronically six times per year. The vote was to expand that to 10 times annually. The current rule was only two councilors could attend electronically, but that rule was dropped. All executive sessions must be attended physically.

 

Following a month-long investigation, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office Special Victims Unit (SVU) has arrested a 20-year-old Medford man for multiple counts of sex abuse of an underage victim. According to the Sheriff's Office, detectives arrested 20-year-old Brayden Cyrus Edelman on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. in Medford. He was charged with one count of 1st-Degree Sex Abuse and two counts 2nd-Degree Sex Abuse before being lodged at the Jackson County Jail. Jackson County Public Information Officer Aaron Lewis said the investigation into Edelman started in mid-May. Although Edelman lives in Medford, he said the crimes occurred in White City. SVU detectives believe Edelman may have other victims who have yet to come forward. They said the case remains under investigation and it will be prosecuted by the Jackson County District Attorney's Office. Anyone with information on Brayden Edelman is asked to call SVU Detective Jill Wenzel at (541)-770-8928.

 

For the second time this week, Grants Pass Police arrested a man for violating a court order by returning to his estranged mother's residence. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 1400-block of SW Bridge Street on Wednesday shortly after 3 a.m.. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her son came back to her home, was inside the house and he was not supposed to be there. The caller stated that "one of the kids" may have let her son inside, but he walked out the front door and left on foot. According to the report, the 34-year-old man had been arrested for violating a restraining order at the residence on Monday afternoon. The order clearly states that he is not allowed to enter or remain on the premises. Responding officers observed the man on the property and placed him into custody in the backyard -- the same place he was arrested on Monday. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation. He was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHA) has fined a Grants Pass roofing company more than $86,000 for workplace safety violations such as repeatedly failing to safeguard workers from fall hazards. OSHA cited GB Roofing, LLC, following an inspection of a job site in Eugene where work was being done to replace the roof on a retirement home. The check was conducted under OSHA's prevention-based emphasis program addressing workers exposed to fall hazards that could seriously injure or kill them. According to the inspection, employees were working on the roof without fall protection. They were exposed to a potential fall of about 20 feet to the ground. The company had violated a rule requiring employers to ensure that fall protection systems are provided, installed and implemented where employees are exposed to a hazard of falling six feet or more to a lower level. It was the third time since May 2022 that GB Roofing violated fall protection requirements. GB Roofing was also cited for failing to provide eye protection to employees who were exposed to flying particles from the use of pneumatic staplers. It was a serious violation carrying a penalty of $1,153. During the inspection, the company corrected the violations identified by Oregon OSHA.

 

May was a busy month for Grants Pass Fire & Rescue. With its normal fare of emergency medical service, motor vehicle accidents and fires, the agency saw a 1.5% increase of activity in May of this year compared to May 2023. According to information provided by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, Grants Pass firefighters and paramedics responded to 27 motor vehicle accidents, 16 fires and 10 drug overdoses last month. There was a total of 461 calls answered by Grants Pass & Rescue in May. They also included 149 for emergency medical service, 73 for lift assists, 30 for assists to the public, 29 for rescue situations and six for assists to other agencies. Events of note last month included the Wildland Readiness Exercise in Merlin where over 50 firefighters participated in wildland fire drills over three days. There was a three-alarm fire in Josephine County that required a recall of off-duty crews. During Boatnik, firefighters staffed as fireworks standby, bicycle medic teams and parade operations. The total number of calls for service through May of this year was 2,114.