Local News

The 2024 fire season is just around the corner and Rural Metro Fire Department is reminding Josephine County residents to be safe while burning outdoor debris. If you are still planning to use fire to reduce your debris piles, please make sure you do so safely. The current warm and dry conditions can cause a burn pile to escape control if not properly managed. Rural Metro is offering a few basic safety tips that will help reduce the chances of an outdoor burn escaping your control:
• Burn in the early morning hours when surrounding vegetation and air have the highest moisture content and winds are calm or light.
• Build a dirt fire break around the perimeter of the pile that is free of flammable vegetation.
• Keep piles small, manageable and away from structures, vehicles and miscellaneous yard clutter.
• Avoid burn piles in a remote part of your property that has limited access.
• Have a reliable water source on hand such as a charged garden hose.
• Stay in attendance of the burn so you can take action against any spread.
• Keep a shovel and charged cell phone handy at all times.

 

May is Wildfire Awareness Month and the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is encouraging all Oregonians to get prepared for the upcoming wildfire season. Creating defensible space is one of the most important things you can do to protect your home and increase the chances it will survive a wildfire. The State Fire Marshal offers free defensible space assessments to Oregonians who want to start creating defensible space or those who want to optimize their current plan. For a limited time, people living in select areas of the state may be eligible for a $250 payment after receiving an assessment. You can request an assessment and learn more at "oregondefensiblespace.org." A few projects you can consider this month include spacing and pruning trees; removing leaves, needles, wood, bark mulch and other debris from within 100 feet of buildings or to the property line; moving flammable material away from the outside of your home; preventing plants from growing directly under the eaves of your home; and keeping firewood and lumber at least 30 feet from any structure. During Wildfire Awareness Month, the OSFM and its partners are encouraging, empowering and informing Oregonians to help prevent and prepare for wildfire.

 

The Grants Pass Housing Advisory Committee will hold a Home Building Update for local developers next week. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 16th, at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street. The Housing Advisory Committee has released its meeting agenda which includes Introductions and City Housing Development Goals. The next agenda item is Getting the Most Out of the City's Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Module. It includes Useful Information, Finding Topographical Features, Flood Plain, Locating Utilities and Tools to Know About. City staff will share Available Building Incentives and How to Find Them on the federal, state and local levels. There will also be a primer on Recent & Upcoming Development Code Changes for Middle Housing Land Division; Cottage Clusters, Accessory Dwelling Units & Plexes; and Open Space, Landscaping & Parking. Before the meeting is adjourned, City Planner Jason Maki will be available for Questions & Answers.

 

Hidden Valley High School is inviting the community to its popular annual plant sale today and Saturday. The event -- hosted by the Hidden Valley Future Farmers of America (FFA) -- promises an array of offerings to suit every gardening enthusiast. You'll find a wide selection of items including vegetable starts priced at $1 each, bedding plants available for $2 and stunning hanging baskets ideal for Mother's Day gifts, priced at $30 each. The plant sale not only offers an opportunity to enhance your garden, it also supports the Hidden Valley FFA. Your participation directly contributes to the FFA's initiatives and programs, providing leadership, personal growth and career training through agricultural education. Don't miss out on this chance to beautify your garden while supporting a worthy cause. The Hidden Valley plant sale is open both days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Hidden Valley High School is located at 651 Murphy Creek Road in Murphy.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office recovered three stolen vehicles while evicting two squatters from a property near Grants Pass late yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 500-block of Pinecrest Drive on Wednesday at 4:05 p.m.. Deputies said they spoke to the property owner who advised that he had multiple people living on his land that he did not know, and the property was for sale. A woman in a large fifth-wheel trailer told deputies she was invited to live on the property and help clean it up by a 66-year-old man she identified as "Donald Gregg." Gregg arrived on scene, explained he had been interested in buying the property with a VA loan and that he needed to clean it up so the loan would go through. He had the woman and some friends move in with him so they could help. However, the man did not have a realtor and had not yet applied for any loan. During the investigation, deputies located three stolen vehicles -- including a Harley Davidson motorcycle and a Polaris ATV -- on the property. They were towed away and the registered owners were contacted. Gregg was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Possession of Stolen Vehicles, 1st-Degree Theft, Criminal Mischief and Criminal Trespass as well as Probation Violation. The woman was cited to appear in court for Criminal Trespass. All the squatters were trespassed and had until noon today to remove their belongings.

 

Grants Pass Police corralled a Josephine County Community Corrections client on a statewide felony warrant this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 32-year-old female subject at the Corrections Office on NW 4th Street on Tuesday afternoon. Police said they were alerted by staff that the woman was at the office to check in with her corrections officer. They said she was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation stemming from convictions for Felony Attempt to Elude Police and Driving While Suspended. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for stealing food from the south Dollar Tree and then fighting with two female witnesses who tried to stop him. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the incident at the store on NE Agness Avenue on Tuesday afternoon. Police said the 39-year-old male subject ate food inside the Dollar Tree and stole a small amount of merchandise from the store by passing all points of sale without paying. They said the man was confronted by two female witnesses of the crime outside the store and he fought with the women before fleeing the scene on foot. The suspect ran across the Grants Pass Parkway and was located by police a short time later hiding in a field behind WinCo Foods. He was placed into custody and the stolen items were recovered. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and 3rd-Degree Theft. Due to the violent nature of the crime, he was being held with no scheduled bail. His disabled minivan was towed away.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for playing a dangerous game on Redwood Highway in southwest Grants Pass yesterday. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies were alerted to a male subject who kept crossing back and forth while dodging traffic on US Highway 199 near Dowell Road on Wednesday around 3:30 p.m.. Arriving deputies witnessed the incident and contacted the man who stated he crossed the highway only so he could cross the highway again to get back to the other side. One deputy commented that it was almost as if the man was playing the video game "Frogger" with real vehicles. Fortunately, no one got hurt. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested three campers on outstanding warrants during city park patrol checks on Wednesday. The Police Department reports officers contacted a 32-year-old man at Westholm Park and discovered that he was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for impaired driving. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail and has since been transferred to the Jackson County Jail in Medford. Police contacted a 38-year-old man at Kesterson Park and learned that he was wanted on a Douglas County warrant for failing to appear in court for Vehicle Theft. He was cited to appear in court and then handed over to Options for drug treatment assistance. Officers contacted a 37-year-old man at Riverside Park and discovered that he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failure to appear in court for Larceny. He was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine. He was lodged in jail in lieu of posting $20,000 bail.