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Application Window Now Open to Apply for Permits for Downtown GP Dining Parklets

The City of Grants Pass has announced that the window for applying for a permit to operate dining parklets in the Central Business District is now open. The Grants Pass City Council has placed a high priority on encouraging economic opportunities for restaurants in the downtown core to enhance and expand their operating areas by creating attractive outdoor parklets. Dining parklets can be placed as early as May 2nd and they must be removed before November 4th. Last year, Catalyst Pizza, House of Glory, the Laughing Clam and the Wonder Bur provided parklets for summer dining. This year, businesses shall choose and build an approved parklet. The City will approve the application and design. Logos, advertising or branding on parklets is prohibited. No smoking signs must be installed. A City of Grants Pass Sidewalk Cafe/Parklet addendum permit must be obtained through the Community Development Department, 101 NW A Street, Grants Pass, OR 97526 or by calling (541)-450-6060. The permits are free.

Posted on 3/14/25 5:13AM by Sam Marsh

National Weather Service Posts Winter Advisory in SW Oregon for Early Friday

The National Weather Service has posted a Winter Weather Advisory for Friday morning in southwest Oregon. The Winter Weather Advisory for Josephine, Jackson, Douglas and eastern Curry counties runs from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m. tomorrow. Snow is expected above 1,500 feet, with total accumulations of between one-half and two inches. Winds could gust as high as 35 miles per hour. This includes the passes on Interstate 5 between Grants Pass and Roseburg, Hayes Hill and portions of Redwood Highway, and Highway 42 at Camas Mountain Pass. Roads will mainly be wet, but they could be briefly snow-covered or slushy and slippery. The hazardous conditions could impact the Friday morning commute. Motorists are encouraged to slow down and use caution when traveling in southwest Oregon early Friday. For updated road conditions, visit "tripcheck.com."

Posted on 3/13/25 12:11PM by Sam Marsh

BCC & Library District Trade Dueling Press Releases as Lease Discussions Stall

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners and Josephine Community Library District have traded dueling press releases as an impasse over lease negotiations for the Grants Pass branch continues. On Wednesday, the local library district issued a press release stating that it did not cancel a lease negotiation meeting scheduled for this morning. It said it would attend the 10:30 a.m. meeting and if the Board did not show up, a press conference would be held outside the Anne G. Basker Auditorium Later in the day, the Board of Commissioners issued a press release stating that it needed "to clear the record on a few items." It said it initially agreed to meet with the district today, but library leaders requested the meeting be held in executive session in the Commissioners conference room. The Board said it received correspondence from the library board's legal counsel on Monday stating that he did not think today's scheduled meeting would "bear any fruit" or "be very efficient." After the library district publicly noticed today's meeting, the Commissioners said they would be unable to meet this morning. The Board said it had planned to schedule a meeting with the JCLD Board this afternoon, but it appears that this will have to be done at a later date. Commissioner Chris Barnett called it "a bummer" and said they just wanted to keep the conversation on the lease moving forward. He said he hopes they can have good and productive discussions in the future.

Posted on 3/13/25 9:45AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Man for Threatening to Kill Wife at Local Apartment Complex

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for allegedly threatening his wife at a downtown area apartment complex early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at apartments located on NW E Street on Wednesday around 7:15 a.m.. Police said a neighbor overheard 45-year-old Ely Benjamin Smith threatening to kill his wife while he was holding her in the confined space of their kitchen. The caller said Smith swung at her and pushed her, and no one answered when he knocked on the door to check on her. He immediately called 9-1-1. Responding officers interviewed both Smith and his wife before placing Smith into custody. During a consent search, he was found to be in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine. Before Smith was placed into custody, he requested an ambulance for a medical issue. He was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for an evaluation and was cleared. Smith was then lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Domestic Menacing and Meth Possession. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 3/13/25 9:44AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Apprehended Man on State Felony Warrant after Redwood Area Stop

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a statewide felony warrant and for drug possession after spotting him in the downtown area yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers observed 40-year-old Bobby Joe Swearingen in the 400-block of SE H Street on Wednesday at 1:13 p.m.. Police said they were familiar with Swearingen from past criminal contacts and they knew he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation related to a previous conviction for an unspecified weapon offense. Swearingen drove away from the H Street storage business and officers pulled him over for expired tags on Dowell Road. He exited his vehicle on command and was cooperative. He also admitted to being in possession of methamphetamine. Swearingen was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and for Meth Possession. His corrections officer was contacted and he was being held on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 3/13/25 9:42AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man on Local Warrant and Added New Charges to His Bill

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local felony warrant yesterday and added new charges to his criminal bill after he tried to flee from officers. The Police Department reports officers were on a patrol check at WinCo Foods on NE Terry Lane when they spotted 36-year-old Bryan William Suthann at about 1:20 p.m. on Wednesday. Police said they were familiar with Suthann and knew that he was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for drug possession. When they tried to contact him, he ran across the Grants Pass Parkway and then scuffled with officers at Taco Bell. After being placed into custody, Suthann was found to be in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine. It was seized for destruction. Suthann was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus new charges of Resisting Arrest, Escape and Meth Possession. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 3/13/25 9:41AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Arrested Man on Outstanding Warrants after South GP Traffic Stop

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man on two outstanding warrants following a traffic stop in south Grants Pass early yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies pulled over a 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by 60-year-old Douglas Eugene Hayes near the intersection of Skycrest Drive and Sky Way on Wednesday around 7:15 a.m.. Deputies said they stopped Hayes for a traffic violation and he was uncooperative with them, stating that his door handle didn't work. He eventually exited the pickup and was found to be wanted on a Jackson County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Unlawful Use of a Weapon and four counts of Menacing. Hayes was also wanted on a Medford warrant for failing to appear in court for Possession of Methamphetamine. During a consent search, he was found to be in possession of more of the narcotic stimulant. Hayes was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants plus a new charge of Meth Possession. He was being held without bail pending transfer to the Jackson County Jail in Medford.

Posted on 3/13/25 9:39AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Arrested IV Man on Local Warrant While Serving Restraining Order

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested an Illinois Valley man on a local warrant and served him with a restraining order yesterday. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies contacted 46-year-old Robert Lee Stephens at a home in the 4600-block of Takilma Road at 2:20 p.m. Wednesday. Deputies said they were planning to serve Stephens with a restraining order when they discovered that he was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. No information was disclosed about the restraining order, but it was related to a case that was investigated by the Sheriff's Office earlier this year. Stephens was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged in jail on the warrant. His bail was set at $25,000.

Posted on 3/13/25 9:38AM by Sam Marsh

Motorcyclist Killed in Monday Morning Crash on Granite Hill Road North of GP

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office has released information about a fatal motorcycle crash that occurred earlier this week just north of Grants Pass. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle wreck in the 2500-block of Granite Hill Road at 6:03 a.m. Monday. Deputies said arriving units found 22-year-old Jesse Louis Tillett and his 2003 Suzuki Sport Bike off the roadway. They said Tillett was already deceased when he was located. According to the Sheriff's Office, the initial investigation indicated Tillett failed to negotiate a curve, left the roadway and struck several trees. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Next of kin has been notified.

Posted on 3/13/25 5:37AM by Sam Marsh

Driver Seriously Injured in High-Speed Rollover Crash on Leonard Road in GP

A motorist was seriously injured in a high-speed rollover crash that occurred in the Redwood area of Grants Pass last night. On Wednesday at 9:27 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and American Medical Response were dispatched to the single-vehicle wreck on Leonard Road near Jenkins Avenue. Rural Metro officials said the vehicle landed in a field after going through a fence. The passenger was not injured, but the driver had to be extricated by firefighters. The patient was transported by ambulance to a Medford trauma hospital with serious injuries. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office was investigating the cause of the crash.

Posted on 3/13/25 5:36AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Trio for Drug-Related Offenses at 6th Street Homeless Camp

Grants Pass Police arrested three men for drug-related offenses this week during patrol checks at the homeless campsite at 6th and A streets. The Police Department reports officers initially responded to the camp for reports of two men fighting on Tuesday and they observed multiple subjects using drugs. Police said they arrested 36-year-old Caleb Michael Bintz for Resisting Arrest, Methamphetamine Possession and the resulting Probation Violation. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Also arrested for Meth Possession were 38-year-old Mark Andrew Huff and 46-year-old Floyd Terry Rose. Both men were lodged in jail and trespassed from the camp for 30 days. Several other people who were not identified in the report were arrested for drug offenses -- but instead of going to jail, they elected to go through the deflection process and were taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center. A woman identified as "Amanda McCoy" was cited for Scattering Rubbish and Utilization of Space violations. She was issued a 30-day exclusion order.

Posted on 3/13/25 5:35AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared "Jane Doe" for Trespassing on RR Property & Resisting Arrest

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman this week for trespassing on railroad property and becoming argumentative with law enforcement. According to the Police Department, officers were performing a patrol check when they contacted the female subject on railroad property off NE Mill Street near the Home Depot store late Tuesday afternoon. Police said the woman was walking along the railroad tracks when they contacted her and she immediately became argumentative with them. They said she showed obvious signs of impairment and provided numerous names so they were unable to identify her. She also stated that she was in a coma for nine years and had no clue where she was born or what state she was in. After advising the woman she was under arrest, she actively resisted by placing her arms underneath her body and using her legs to push off and kick at officers. Joint manipulation was used to place her hands behind her back and apply handcuffs. "Jane Doe" was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Resisting Arrest and 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. She was fingerprinted and there were no results on her identity in all 50 states.

Posted on 3/13/25 5:29AM by Sam Marsh

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