Local News

The Toys for Tots collection deadline in Josephine County is December 15th. Rural Metro Fire Department has teamed up with Grants Pass Fire & Rescue, American Medical Response, Rogue Valley Young Marines and the local Toys for Tots program. The team has announced a last-minute push for voluntary donations of new and unwrapped gifts while encouraging parents to sign up to receive gifts for their children, with the official giveaway event coming soon. Toys can be dropped off at the Rural Metro Fire Stations on Williams Highway, Monument Drive, Redwood Highway and Azalea Drive at Robertson Bridge Road through this coming Saturday. Rural Metro, Grants Pass Fire and AMR will also be accepting toys at their offices in Grants Pass until Saturday. Parents can still sign up for children to receive gifts by registering as soon as possible at "josephinecounty.toysfortots.org." The official Toys for Tots Giveaway will be held December 15th and 16th at the Josephine County Fairgrounds.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will tackle three Administrative Action items during its weekly business session tomorrow. Following the monthly recognition of employees, the Board will first consider an order confirming the Sheriff's Property Sale of November 14th and authorize the distribution of proceeds from the sale. Next, the Commissioners will consider an order authorizing the sale of properties not sold during the November 14th auction. They will also consider a quitclaim deed purchase and sale agreement for 33223 Redwood Highway. Lastly, the Board will consider a resolution establishing the Josephine County Rural Fire Protection District Fund. Commission Vice-Chair Herman Baertschiger secured the start-up funding when he was a member of the Oregon Senate. As always, there will be Requests and Comments from Citizens when participants are given three minutes to address the Board on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for his boorish behavior in the north part of the city yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to an incident involving 47-year-old Ricky Allen Grimmette near Sis-Q Communications on NE 6th Street on Monday around 3:15 p.m.. Police said the Sis-Q store manager called 9-1-1 to report Grimmette was acting in a violent and tumultuous manner that made him fear for his safety and the safety of his customers. The subject was reportedly stopping traffic in the parking lot while screaming, cussing and making threatening gestures at people. Officers arrived on scene and contacted Grimmette while he was sitting on a curb underneath the Wendy's sign. They said it appeared the man may have been under the influence of narcotics. Grimmette was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail. He was also trespassed from Sis-Q as well as the north McDonalds and Jelly Donut for his past transgressions.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for multiple crimes after she tried to steal hundreds of dollars' worth of merchandise from a downtown supermarket. The Police Department reports officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at Safeway on SE 7th Street on Monday shortly before 4 p.m.. Police said 51-year-old Stacey Michelle Shields stole more than $425 worth of grocery items plus a $150 shopping cart from Safeway by pushing the items past all points of sale and exiting without paying. She was located about two blocks from the store, detained and the groceries were returned. Shields admitted to the theft and during a search of her property for more stolen items, several drug-related items were discovered in her handbag. An unused syringe, foil with burnt residue and two melted straws with residue were found. They tested positive for fentanyl and were seized for destruction. Shields was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft and Fentanyl Possession. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for probable cause of charges related to a recent criminal investigation early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 42-year-old Daniel Lokken Hobson at GPPD headquarters on NE 7th Street on Monday at 9:07 a.m.. Police said Hobson showed up in the GPPD lobby to speak with an officer about an ongoing investigation in which he was the primary suspect. He apparently was not aware that he was already wanted for probable cause of Harassment and 3rd-Degree Theft. Hobson was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two people on outstanding warrants yesterday after a law enforcement contact on the south side of the Rogue River. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 42-year-old Jeremy Edward Norris and 35-year-old Shannon Marie Dendy in the 1300-block of Parkdale Drive on Monday at 1:35 p.m.. Police said they observed Norris and Dendy pushing a shopping cart filled with their personal belongings. A routine records check showed that both were wanted on Grants Pass warrants for Probation Violation related to recent arrests for 1st-Degree Theft. Both were placed into custody and their property was logged into evidence for safekeeping. Norris and Dendy were lodged at the Josephine County Jail on their outstanding warrants.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving and more last night after responding to a physical fight between two men from a road rage incident. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to the violent incident in the Williams Highway Plaza on Monday at 6:25 p.m.. Police said 41-year-old Jeremiah Deckert and another man identified only as "Judd" were on the ground fighting when they arrived on scene. Witnesses told officers Judd attacked Deckert by punching him in the face and taking him to the ground. Deckert had confronted Judd for Judd's alleged "poor driving behavior." After breaking up the altercation, police noticed that Deckert was demonstrating strong signs of impairment. Deckert performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented a high level of intoxication. Deckert was subsequently lodged in jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, 4th-Degree Assault and Disorderly Conduct. His GMC was impounded. Judd was released without being charged with any crime.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving late yesterday following a crash on Redwood Highway between Hayes Hill and Selma. According to OSP, troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle wreck near milepost 17 of US Highway 199 on Monday at 5:53 p.m.. Troopers said a 33-year-old male subject lost control of his Subaru Legacy and crashed, but he was not hurt. They said he displayed signs of impairment and refused to perform field sobriety tests, so a search warrant was obtained and he was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for a blood draw that showed his blood-alcohol level was three times the legal driving limit (.24%). The suspect was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving and Driving While Suspended. His vehicle was impounded and towed to Cave Junction.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving last night following a traffic stop in the downtown area. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a white pickup driven by a 35-year-old male subject near the corner of SE 6th and J streets on Monday at 9:25 p.m.. Police said they received a citizen complaint about the pickup driver. Officers located the suspect and followed him, observing several indicators of impairment including swerving, inability to maintain a travel lane, excessive speeds, running red lights and crossing over crosswalks when stopping. Upon contact with the subject, officers said he exhibited additional signs of impairment and there was an open container of alcohol in his vehicle. He refused to participate in field sobriety tests or to provide a breath sample. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged in jail for suspicion of Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was also cited for the Breath Test Refusal and his pickup was impounded.