Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving and more after he crashed into two parked vehicles and then a ditch last weekend. The Police Department reports officers responded to two reports of a Dodge Ram pickup striking parked vehicles and fleeing on Friday around 10:35 p.m.. Police said an investigation determined that 47-year-old Stephen Matthew Maives first hit a Toyota RAV4 and fled south on 6th Street. A few minutes later, another witness reported seeing the large truck crash into a Ford Ranger pickup in the 600-block of Larch Road. The Ranger was pushed into the corner of the garage at the residence and caused substantial damage. According to the report, Maives fled west on Lower River Road until he crashed into a ditch and became stuck. Officers contacted him, he showed strong signs of impairment and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. Maives was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving, two counts of Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage, 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief and 3rd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was being held without bail and his truck was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a well-known criminal offender for her alcohol-fueled behavior at the Gospel Rescue Mission at the beginning of the weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident involving 34-year-old Morgan Delin Weber at the Mission in the 500-block of SW Foundry Street on Friday around 5:40 p.m.. Police said Weber was highly-intoxicated when she arrived at the facility and tried to start fights with staff members. They said she also spit all over the doors and windows. Prior to that incident, she reportedly hit a parked car near Debo Park and may have caused damage to the vehicle. Officers tracked down Weber on G Street between 5th and 6th streets where they placed her into custody. She was booked into the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Mischief. Weber was also trespassed from all mission facilities as well as properties on SE 6th Street, NW A Street and Booth Street.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a Josephine County Community Corrections client for dangerous behavior near the adult jail facility late last week. According to the Police Department, 39-year-old Josiah Shuvi Butler's corrections officer called 9-1-1 after observing his client jumping in front of traffic on NE F Street in front of the Josephine County Jail on Friday around 3:30 p.m.. The corrections officer reported Butler was actively in the roadway and obstructing traffic while doing squats and other exercises. Upon contact, he admitted to police that he was jumping in front of traffic because he was "playing a game." Butler was placed into custody and escorted the short distance to the jail where he was lodged for Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass staffers continuing working to prepare the city and its parks for the busy spring and summer recreation season. Last week, staff replaced nearly a dozen lights on the softball fields at Reinhart Volunteer Park, improving visibility and safety for evening games. Downtown staff also replaced a broken light globe in the Grasshopper Parking Lot to maintain consistent lighting and enhance safety. Tree planting efforts continued throughout the park system including delivery of the first two of 40 trees for the Grants Pass School District. These plantings are part of an Oregon Department of Forestry Urban and Community Forest grant awarded to the City this year to support citywide tree canopy growth and expand green spaces in underserved areas. Staff also replaced a damaged surface drain at the Grants Pass Skate Park to improve safety and functionality.

 

The Oregon Library Association (OLA) has honored Josephine Community Library Director Kate Lasky as its "2025 Librarian of the Year." Lasky received the award on Friday at the state library conference in Eugene. Helping to present the award to Lasky was Curry County Public Library Director Jeremy Skinner, who was instrumental in Lasky's honor and has served with Lasky on OLA state committees. He said: "For many librarians in Oregon, Kate Lasky is a caring friend, a cheerleader and an inspiration." He called her "a role model." Also helping to present the award and representing the local community were Josephine Community Library Foundation Director Rebecca Stoltz and Grants Pass Friends of the Library Co-chair Jennifer Roberts. Stoltz said: "Whether she's standing up to the Josephine County Board of Commissioners, defending the freedom to read or helping a teen advisory board brainstorm their next big idea, Kate's north star is always the same: equitable access to knowledge, opportunity and community." The state library banquet also featured the "Intellectual Freedom Champion" award, which was presented to Eva Pieper of the Grants Pass School District.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters logged an impressive week of citizen and structure protection. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 600 calls for service along with 238 officer-initiated calls that resulted in 38 arrests, 47 citations, 47 warnings and eight highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 57 traffic stops in the city and they made 24 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). They also responded to four drug overdoses and made seven drug deflection referrals. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of six potential troublemakers while arresting three people and citing eight others. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 96 calls last week including 35 for emergency medical service, seven for reports of fire or smoke, 15 lift assists, eight rescue situations, 10 assists to other agencies and six false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,037 emergency calls last week.

 

Each Spring and Fall, the City of Grants Pass opens nine-day periods for open burning on properties within the city limits. The dates of the 2025 Spring Open Burn Window are May 3rd through May 11th. Burn permits are available online through Grants Pass Community Connect at "sizeup.firstduesizeup.com/cc/grants/auth/signin." Apply for a permit online starting April 30th. Permits are also available in person starting April 30th. Office hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. at the Parkway Public Safety Station. For more information, call the Grants Pass Fire Prevention Bureau at (541)-450-6200. The City of Grants Pass recognizes that residents utilize the open burn window to dispose of woody vegetation that has accumulated throughout the winter months. In lieu of burning, the City encourages its residents to compost, chip or take their yard debris to a recycling center. You can also contact your sanitation service for a green waste container. For residents of Josephine County living outside the City of Grants Pass, contact your fire department to check if a burn permit is required.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners opened today's business session by approving the annexation of two properties into the Josephine Community Library District. Both properties are located in Cave Junction and they increase the physical size of the library district by nearly six acres. The requests for annexation came from the landowners. Following a public hearing, the Board approved the first reading of an ordinance related to Commissioners meetings. Legal Counsel Wally Hicks said the ordinance is an amendment to the County Code that broadens the Board's discretion on the time and location of meetings with a 24-hour notice as required by Oregon law. Commissioner Ron Smith made a motion to approve the first reading and amended it to state all business sessions will be held in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium. The vote was 2-1, with Commissioner Chris Barnett voting no. The second reading of the ordinance is scheduled for May 15th. The Board also voted 2-1 to renew Josephine County's annual dues to the Special Districts Association of Oregon. Board Chair Andreas Blech said he believes the $500 dues are "not a good value" and he voted no. The Commissioners voted unanimously to reschedule the Board's weekly sessions to Thursdays at 10 a.m. from May 1st through August 14th. They also voted 3-0 to send a letter of support to the Oregon Department of Transportation to put a banner up advertising the Chamber of Commerce's Lemonade Day event on August 9th. During the public comment period, several citizens called on the Commissioners to resign and Josephine County Republican Party Chairman Holli Morton was the lone person who spoke in support of the Board. Commissioner Barnett read a letter to the public in which he denounced recent attacks and asked for patience with the current Board who have been in office for only 3-1/2 months.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for attacking his father with a practice sword following an argument at a Merlin area home early yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 28-year-old River Lucas Timm for the incident in the 900-block of Pleasant Valley Road on Thursday at 10:32 a.m.. Deputies said Timm intentionally stuck his father in the chest with the point of a hard plastic practice sword after a verbal argument concerning chores. They said the father sustained soreness and discomfort to the middle of his chest, but he declined medical treatment. According to the report, Timm's violent behavior has been escalating lately and he may have been under the influence of marijuana. After the altercation, he took the weapon into his bedroom and was unaware that his father called law enforcement. During the arrest portion of the investigation, deputies said Timm physically resisted being placed into custody by pulling away and trying to prevent handcuffs from being applied. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Domestic Harassment and Resisting Arrest. He was being held without bail.