Local News

The Illinois Valley Soil and Water Conservation District is nearing completion of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board-funded Upper Illinois River Watershed Restoration Project. This initiative encompasses 74 acres of site preparation and replanting on private lands affected by the 2020 Slater Fire. The project also features volunteer-led riparian replanting efforts and willow giveaways organized by the local district. In June 2023, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) awarded just over $330,000 to the IV Soil and Water Conservation District for the project. Grayback Forestry finished site preparation for the project in late 2024 and implemented a replanting strategy spanning 74 acres across three properties. The OWEB post-fire recovery funds were primarily sourced from general funds allocated by the Oregon Legislature. To celebrate the project's achievements, the Illinois Valley Fire Resiliency Oversight Group (IVFROG) will host a special event.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested an Illinois Valley felon for violating his post-prison supervision during a weekend traffic stop on Redwood Highway. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Cadillac Escalade driven by 31-year-old Kennedy Sennett and containing 34-year-old Jonathan Javier Montes -- both of O'Brien -- on US Highway 199 near Rockydale Road on Sunday at 11:56 a.m.. Troopers said they stopped the Cadillac for traffic violations and the passenger intentionally provided a false name and birth date. However, Montes' true identity was revealed and he was found to be on parole related to a hit-and-run conviction. Montes' corrections officer was contacted and a detainer was issued due to him not complying with conditions of his supervised release. He was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man wanted on two local warrants during a weekend patrol check near the 7th Street homeless campground. The Police Department reports officers spotted 30-year-old Kraig Dean Toothman near the corner of NE 7th and A streets on Saturday around 9:15 p.m.. Police said they knew Toothman from previous law enforcement contacts and they were aware that he was wanted on two Grants Pass warrants -- both for failing to appear in court for Methamphetamine Possession. Toothman was placed into custody at lodged at the Josephine County Jail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Willamette Valley motorist for impaired driving late yesterday following a traffic stop on Interstate 5 in Grants Pass. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Nissan Altima driven by a 48-year-old male subject from Wilsonville in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 56 on Sunday at 6:34 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the Nissan for traffic violations and the driver showed signs of impairment. He performed poorly in field sobriety tests, so he was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was nearly three times the legal driving limit. The suspect was lodged at the Sobering Center for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. His vehicle was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed an Illinois Valley woman late last week for a bizarre incident that culminated with her ramming a deputy's patrol vehicle. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to perform a welfare check on 33-year-old Kathryn Jennifer Jafarzadeh in the 9600-block of Takilma Road on Friday around 2:45 p.m.. Deputies said a female subject later identified as Jarfarzadeh called 9-1-1 to report that she broke into a house, wounded a dog with a shotgun and stole two other dogs before fleeing in a light-colored hatchback vehicle. The woman stated that she loves her dogs, needed to drink some water and wanted to go home. She also said she lived in the backyard of the residence. Jafarzadeh reportedly repeated this to responding deputies before she accelerated her car at a high rate of speed toward a patrol vehicle and crashed head-on with it, causing well over $1,000 in damage. She had also crashed through a gate on her way into the property. No one was hurt and she was taken into custody at gunpoint. Jafarzadeh was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Attempted 2nd-Degree Assault, Attempted Assault on a Peace Officer, two counts of 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief and 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. She was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a woman late last week for multiple crimes involving a controlled substance, a victim and multiple children. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 26-year-old Brianna Irene Dickie at a home on Camp Joy Road last Thursday afternoon. Deputies said Dickie allegedly spiked someone's coffee with methamphetamine. They said another woman reported Dickie made a cup of coffee for her and she experienced dizziness, numbness and chest pains shortly after taking a drink. Dickie denied spiking the coffee, but forensic testing by the Oregon State Police crime lab in Ashland showed the contents of the cup contained meth. Deputies said there were six juveniles in the home at the time of the incident. Dickie was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a total of eight charges including one felony count of Causing a Person to Ingest a Controlled Substance and seven misdemeanor counts of Reckless Endangering a Minor. She remained in custody on Friday following her Circuit Court arraignment.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a Josephine Community Corrections client with a history of threatening behavior for fighting with his mother's boyfriend at a local motel last week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 23-year-old Raymond Robert Lee Amos for the incident at Hawks Inn Motel on NW 6th Street early Friday morning. Police said a man called 9-1-1 to report that he was assaulted by his girlfriend's son whom he identified as "Raymond Amos." Upon arrival, officers determined that Amos was the aggressor as he threw a lighter at the man for making fun of him, which started a scuffle between the two. They said nothing rose to the level of physical injury and the man did not wish to pursue charges. However, Amos was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for two counts of failing to appear in court for Menacing and his corrections officer requested his client be detained due to the incident. Amos was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus the resulting Probation Violation related to a past arrest for Menacing.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a woman on an outstanding warrant for suspected drug trafficking at a Williams Highway residence. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 28-year-old Maria Alicia Sanchez at a home in the 2800-block of Highway 238 on Friday at 11:39 p.m.. Police said they contacted Sanchez because she was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for Delivery of Cocaine. No other information about the arrest was disclosed, but she was placed into custody without incident. Sanchez was booked into the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and her bail was set at $50,000.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorist for impaired driving after a weekend traffic stop on Williams Highway. The Sheriff's Office reports the Oregon State Police pulled over a Ford F-150 pickup driven by a 27-year-old male subject near the corner of Highway 238 and New Hope Road on Saturday at 12:18 a.m.. Deputies said state troopers requested their assistance after they stopped the man for a traffic violation and he displayed signs of impairment. The man performed poorly in field sobriety tests before he was placed into custody and charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. The suspect was transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center and cited to appear in court on March 31st at 9 a.m.. His pickup was impounded.