Local News

Emergency first responders rushed to the scene of a structure fire that broke out this morning in the Selma area. At 7:58 a.m. today, the Illinois Valley Fire District, Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to the structure fire in the 300-block of Clear Creek Road. IVFD Chief John Holmes said arriving units observed flames emanating from the home's patio and roofline. He said the fire was subsequently extinguished and the scene was secured. There were no injuries reported. Holmes said the cause of the fire is under investigation and the American Red Cross was notified to assist the occupants of the heavily-damaged residence.

 

Grants Pass Police assisted the Medford Police Department yesterday by locating and apprehending a man wanted for weapons crimes committed in that city. The Police Department reports officers placed Trevor Allred into custody in the 1100-block of SW G Street on Thursday at 12:12 p.m.. MPD had requested GPPD attempt to locate Allred due to probable cause of three counts of Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He had been observed driving a Honda sedan in that area. Police said Allred was found to be in possession of a loaded 9-millimeter Shield Arms magazine in a holster on his left hip and another firearm was retrieved from his female passenger's purse. The guns were seized as evidence. Following an interview, Allred was transported by GPPD to Valley of the Rogue Park and transferred to the custody of MPD. He was then driven to Medford and lodged at the Jackson County Jail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a felon for two crimes after he was caught prowling inside a fenced area of Rogue Truss Systems late last night. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 46-year-old Jon Michael Wigelsworth on the property in the 1700-block of Dowell Road on Thursday at 11:50 p.m.. The suspect had entered the property and set off an alarm. Police said Wigelsworth accessed Rogue Truss Systems via an unfenced portion of the property, helped himself to hand tools valued at more than $100 and filled his pockets with the stolen items. After being detained by officers, Wigelsworth was found to be in possession of brass knuckles. He is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing any weapons. Wigelsworth was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon and 2nd-Degree Theft. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a felon on two outstanding warrants during a traffic stop near the 7th Street Bridge late yesterday. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a vehicle driven by 62-year-old Jessie Allen Culpepper near the corner of SE 7th Street and Voorhies Way at 5:36 p.m. Thursday. Police said they stopped Culpepper because there were no license plates on the vehicle. They quickly discovered that he was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for failing to appear in court for three counts of Felon in Possession of a Weapon plus one count each of Methamphetamine and Cocaine Possession. Culpepper was also wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Meth Possession. Culpepper was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on $80,000 bail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass woman on a local felony warrant last night during a traffic stop in the north part of the city. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Datsun 720 driven by 32-year-old Kayanna Racheal Snyder near the corner of 7th Street and Midland Avenue on Thursday at 6:20 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Snyder because they recognized her and knew that she was wanted on a felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for an unspecified crime in 2020. She was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Snyder has been arrested four times for violating her post-prison supervision since May of last year.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Josephine County man for allegedly causing a disturbance at the Wolf Creek Inn last night. According to OSP, troopers responded to the incident at the historic lodge in the 100-block of Front Street in Wolf Creek on Thursday around 7:50 p.m.. Troopers said a motel employee called 9-1-1 to report a male subject who was later identified as 47-year-old Travis Lee Blondell was harassing a guest. The caller said the subject confronted him when he went outside to check on his whereabouts. Blondell reportedly approached the employee in an aggressive manner, resulting in the employee striking the suspect with an ASP baton in self-defense. The suspect fled the scene and was located across the street, uninjured and highly intoxicated. Blondell was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for violating his post-prison supervision by unlawful entering a building in downtown Cave Junction yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a disturbance in the 100-block of South Kerby Avenue on Thursday around 3:45 p.m.. Deputies said the business manager texted 9-1-1 and advised a male subject was in their building. The caller sent surveillance images of the man there yesterday and outside the back door on December 20th. While deputies responded, the subject ran out of the building and headed toward the post office. That's where deputies located 35-year-old Luey Magic Ocean Music Glenn hiding behind a dumpster. He was placed into custody at Taser point. Glenn was transported to Grants Pass and lodged in jail for two counts of Criminal Trespass and the resulting Felony Parole Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Josephine Community Library District has announced that it will not be attending the Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for Monday, citing inadequate notice and the unavailability of legal counsel to represent the district. The proposed meeting is part of ongoing discussions initiated by Commissioner John West during the December 19th administration meeting where he suggested charging market rent for the Grants Pass library building, a matter of significant legal and financial complexity. The local library district cites inadequate notice, the unavailability of its legal counsel and the need for all stakeholders to be present to ensure a constructive and well-prepared discussion. JCL Director Kate Lasky said it would be irresponsible for the library's leadership to attend this meeting without proper preparation and representation. The district has communicated these concerns to the Board of Commissioners, requesting that the meeting be rescheduled to mid-January to accommodate the schedules of all involved parties. However, Commissioner West declined to move the meeting and plans to hold the discussion on Monday, despite the absence of key stakeholders. The district's position is underscored by the fact that the County Charter, specifically Section 14.5, which explicitly requires the Board of Commissioners to "provide for the support and maintenance of the main library and library branches."

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outside felony warrant and for drug possession while performing a New Year's Day patrol check on railroad property. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 64-year-old William Ward Fleming on the downtown railroad property on Wednesday afternoon. Police said they discovered that Ward was wanted on a Jackson County felony warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Failure to Report as a Sex Offender. During a consent search, they found him to be in possession of glass pipe with a white residue that field-tested positive as methamphetamine. Ward was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Meth Possession. He was being held on a no-bail detainer and his dog was left in the care of an acquaintance at the SE J Street campground.