Local News

Today is World Polio Day. We are so close and yet so far from eradicating this disease. COVID-19, large-scale migrations, multiple refugee situations and political/military unrest are making these final steps extremely difficult. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative began in 1988 as a partnership including the World Health Organization, Rotary International, Center for Disease Control, UNICEF and the Bill & Malinda Gates Foundation. Since its beginning, the initiative has organized the vaccination of more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries. About 370 million children are vaccinated every year. Countries with mobile populations and poor water and sewage systems are particularly at risk. The cost of vaccinating that many children every year is enormous. Not only does it require thousands of field workers and systems to track their progress, but the distribution is extremely difficult. The oral vaccines must be kept at no more than 46 degrees from manufacturer to the time they are administered. This means maintaining a cold chain to some of the most remote villages on the planet. Rotarians are proud of the part they play in this initiative. Every club makes a commitment to donate every year and welcomes donations. Donations can be made through the Rotary International website or by giving a check made to the Rotary Foundation/Polio to any Rotarian. The Rotary Club of Grants Pass is part of Rotary District 5110 which includes 68 clubs in southern and central Oregon as well as the northern edge of California. For more information, contact Ted Risser at (541)-450-5697.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday started the process of forming a rural fire protection district -- and it will continue next week. Following citizen testimony in a public hearing on the first reading of the order, the Board voted 2-0 to continue the hearing until next Wednesday. Commissioner Andreas Blech was absent. The Applegate Valley Fire District requested that the boundaries of the proposed fire district be redrawn due to affected properties that are within seven miles of its station in Applegate. There were also several questions posed by citizens that the Board was not prepared to answer. Commissioner Herman Baertschiger made a motion to continue the hearing until next week so a map of the rural fire district can be finalized and made available to the public. Board Chair John West agreed. In other business, the Board continued its effort to purge unnecessary and outdated chapters of the Josephine County Code. Three brief public hearings were held on ordinances to repeal chapters related to property forfeiture, golf carts and septic tank sludge disposal and then approved by the Commissioners, with the second readings and final approvals scheduled for November 6th.

 

Total payroll employment in Josephine County rose by 440 jobs in September. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 34,411 people working in Josephine County last month for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 5.5%, which was slightly higher than the 5.4% rate reported in August. Government employment gained 530 jobs with a seasonally typical increase of 560 jobs in local government education slightly offset by losses in local government excluding educational services and state government. Private-sector industries losing jobs in September were leisure & hospitality and construction. Private education & health services gained 30 jobs over the month. Over the past year, payroll employment in Josephine County climbed by 150 jobs, an increase of 0.5%. Industries adding jobs since September 2023 included private education & health services (+520), financial activities (+50), and professional & business services (+30). Industries with estimated losses were leisure & hospitality (-190), manufacturing (-80), construction (-70) and retail trade (-40).

 

The Rogue River School District has announced that 100% of its regular staff are now trained in CPR, First Aid and AED usage. It's a dramatic step forward for student and staff safety and wellness. School officials said this accomplishment underscores the district's commitment to protecting its students and staff. Officials said the decision to ensure every staff member is certified in CPR, First Aid and AED usage stems from a proactive approach to health and safety within the school environment. They said having trained personnel ready to respond to unexpected emergencies can make a significant difference in critical situations. This significant milestone was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Rogue River School Board of Directors, the district's Superintendent, Human Resources Assistant and staff leadership. Their shared commitment to fostering a culture of safety and support has been instrumental in implementing this training initiative.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners this morning started the process of forming a rural fire protection district -- and that process will continue next week. Following citizen testimony in a public hearing on the first reading of the order, the Board voted 2-0 to continue the hearing until next Wednesday. Commissioner Andreas Blech was absent. The Applegate Valley Fire District requested that the boundaries of the proposed fire district be redrawn due to affected properties that are within seven miles of its station in Applegate. There were also several questions posed by citizens that the Board was not prepared to answer. Commissioner Herman Baertschiger made a motion to continue the hearing until next week so a map of the rural fire district can be finalized and made available to the public. Board Chair John West agreed. In other business, the Board continued its effort to purge unnecessary and outdated chapters of the Josephine County Code. Three brief public hearings were held on ordinances to repeal chapters related to property forfeiture, golf carts and septic tank sludge disposal and then approved by the Commissioners, with the second readings and final approvals scheduled for November 6th. During the public comment period, numerous supporters of the original Pipe Fork property sale chastised the Board for bundling several Williams area properties for a closed-bid auction. Some accused the Commissioners of being disingenuous with them on the original Pipe Fork sale proposal and stated they believed the Board was punishing them for questioning their reasoning for canceling the transaction. Board Vice-Chair Herman Baertschiger defended the decision, adding that County Forestry Director Dave Streeter came up with the plan to divest all timber parcels in the Williams area and use the money to purchase more suitable forested lands in other locations of Josephine County.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man early yesterday for attacking his fiancee twice over the past week. The Police Department reports officers were alerted on Tuesday around 8 a.m. to a domestic assault that happened at a home on NW B Street. Police said an investigation determined that a 36-year-old male subject and his fiancee became involved in an argument which became physical on Monday night. They said the man grabbed a metal back-scratcher and struck the woman, causing physical injury. The victim waited to call 9-1-1 until Tuesday morning and then drove to the police station to be interviewed. According to the report, the woman said a similar incident occurred last week. Officers contacted the suspect at the couple's residence and he admitted to both incidents, so he was placed into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 2nd-Degree Domestic Assault, Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Domestic Strangulation, Domestic Menacing and Probation Violation related to a previous arrest for 4th-Degree Assault and Resisting Arrest after he allegedly attacked his own mother.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for threatening to kill a woman in a rolling case of domestic violence in the south part of the city late yesterday. According to the Police Department, a female subject walked into a business in the 1500-block of Williams Highway late Tuesday afternoon to report the incident. Police said the hysterical victim called 9-1-1 to report a male subject was trying to kill her. She advised dispatchers that the man had struck her several times. She also said she hadn't eaten or had any water in days. The 29-year-old suspect was sitting in a blue Honda sedan with no plates outside the business. He threw the victim's items out of the car and left prior to law enforcement arrival, but he was stopped and detained a short time later. The suspect was arrested and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Domestic Menacing. He was being held without bail. The Women's Crisis Support Team responded to the business to speak with the victim.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for felony impaired driving following a citizen complaint in the Redwood area last night. The Police Department reports officers contacted and then arrested a 43-year-old man in the 1400-block of Redwood Circle on Tuesday at 7:11 p.m.. Police said a fellow motorist was heading west on Redwood Avenue when a silver Mercury sedan in the center turn lane started to come into the travel lane, causing the motorist to swerve up onto the curb to avoid a collision. The complainant then turned around and followed the suspect vehicle. The driver parked and passed out. Officers arrived on scene to find the suspect passed out behind the wheel of the car with the engine running. They pinched in the car and woke up the driver, who was emanating a strong odor of alcohol. The man refused to identify himself and would not participate in field sobriety tests. He was placed into custody. The suspect refused to provide a breath sample at the Josephine County Jail so a search warrant was obtained and he was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw which indicated a high level of impairment. The suspect was returned to the jail and lodged for Felony Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants because he had two prior DUII convictions in the past 10 years. He was also cited for Driving While Suspended, Failure to Install an Ignition Interlock Device and Refusing to Provide a Breath Sample. His car was towed.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant and then added more charges to his criminal bill after an incident in the south part of the city yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a report of disorderly conduct at the Williams Highway Plaza on Tuesday during the noon hour. Police said witnesses reported that 42-year-old Jason Andrew Williams was yelling outside Rite Aid that he did not have enough money to fill his prescription. He was contacted and found to be wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a sexual assault conviction. He initially gave police a false name. Further investigation revealed that Williams was an out-of-compliance sex offender and he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine. Williams was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrant plus new charges of Felony Failure to Report as a Sex Offender, Meth Possession and Furnishing False Information to Police. Jail records show he has been arrested three times for violating his post-prison supervision since February of this year.