Local News

A local Sheriff's deputy located and cited a man wanted on an out-of-county warrant.

According to the deputy report, a blue dodge pickup was located on Buckhorn Mountain, and the driver was constructively detained. He was found to have a warrant out of the Curry County Sheriff's Office for Criminal Driving While Suspended.

The deputy gave the suspect a citation to appear in the Curry County Courthouse in December, confirmed he had a wood cutting permit, and released him.

 

Two suspects were cited Tuesday by Grants Pass Police following theft attempts at Walmart.

The first suspect was detained by loss prevention at the 135 NE Terry Lane store at 10:32 a.m. He was cooperative, and had reportedly passed all points of sale with about $85 worth of merchandise before being stopped by staff.

Officers arrived and placed him into constructive custody, but then released him with a citation to appear for Third Degree Theft.

That same afternoon, at 2:34 p.m., another suspect was stopped by loss prevention after she bypassed all points of sale with about $172 worth of stolen items. Walmart staff wished to only pursue for theft, and arriving officers took her into custody.

She was then cited for Theft in the Second Degree, and released from custody.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies lodged a man wanted out of the Grants Pass Police Department late Tuesday.

Anthony Horton was contacted by law enforcement in the 3500 block of Merlin Road at 11:17 p.m. He was positively identified, and taken into custody for an active Police Department warrant.

Charges against Horton included First Degree Theft, two counts of Second Degree Theft, and Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle. He was transported to and lodged in the Adult Jail Facility for his warrant.

 

The City of Grants Pass invites K-12, amateur, and professional photographers to enter the 2026 Water Quality Report Photo Contest.

Per the City website, winning photos will be featured in the 2026 Water Quality Report. The first-place winner will receive $200, and the second-place winner will receive $100.

Submit an original photo that demonstrates your perspective on the water that connects our community. Photos must be submitted in a digital format suitable for reproduction.

Entries will be judged based on creativity, originality, and theme relevance. Winners will be notified via email by January 15th. The full list of rules can be found at www.grantspassoregon.gov.

The entry deadline is 5 p.m. December 31, 2026. Submit entries to smorgan@grantspassoregon.gov.

 

Deputies with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene of a trespassing involving a single gunshot.

The suspect, Sean Gunn, was reported to be at a property and laying on the ground in the 500 block of Woody Acres Drive Tuesday around 7:07 a.m. The caller's boyfriend had Gunn at gunpoint, and was ordering him to stay down. One round was fired at Gunn at 7:35 a.m.

Deputies arrived, determined there were no active warrants related to the firearm usage, and took Gunn into custody. He was lodged in the Josephine County Jail for First Degree Trespass. There was no indication in the police report that Gunn was hit by the single round.

 

The Fall 2026 Open Burn Window will be from Saturday, October 31st, through Sunday, November 8th. Starting today, Grants Pass residents will be able to apply for their burn permits online or in person.

This year, burn permits are offered through Grants Pass Fire Community Connect (https://sizeup.firstduesizeup.com/cc/grants/auth/signin). Just sign up and receive your permit online, or get them in person at 800 E Park Street. Office hours are 8 a.m. to Noon, and 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. For questions, please call our Fire Prevention Division at 541-450-6200.

Burning is only allowed if the DEQ ventilation index for the airshed is 400 or greater. It is the responsibility of each person to check the airshed before burning. For the most up-to-date airshed information, call the Burn Line at 541-476-9663 after 7 a.m.

 

The closeout of the 2024 Community Development Block Grant Program was approved by the County Commissioners at today's Weekly Business Session.

During a public hearing at the 9 a.m. meeting, a presentation was given showing 21 homes and 9 mobile homes have been rehabilitated through the County Home Repair and Rehabilitation program, all funded by the Oregon Business Development Department.

When asked if other businesses could participate, being a sub-grantee was mentioned as a possibility. Mobile home parks inside the city limits reportedly can't be worked on due to other City Grant Funds meant for city limit projects. Commissioner Gary Richardson recommended the two school districts be contacted for potential service projects.

Airport concerns, meeting occupancy, and voting in the upcoming election were brought up during public comment, and firefighters were thanked for their work during the now concluded fire season.

An order to cancel the November 25th Weekly Business Session was approved, as was the consent calendar. Juvenile Justice Program data and information was highlighted on the County website, and the meeting adjourned.

 

Applications are being accepted for two positions on the Tourism Advisory Committee due to term resignations.

According to the City website, one position is for a 2-year term. One position is for a 3-year term. The goal of the Committee is to encourage visitors and residents to engage in community activities while enhancing the positive image of our City through marketing, promotions, and destination management.

The purpose of the Tourism Advisory Committee is to review and advise the work of the City’s Tourism Contractor. This includes reporting findings and recommendations to City Council as needed.

Special qualifications for this position include an interest and/or experience in tourism promotion. Appointees will represent river guides, area attractions, realtors, restaurants, the media, marketing, and citizens-at-large.

Applications are available at the City Administration Office, 101 N.W. A Street, or online at www.grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application. Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. November 27th for review by the committee December 1st. Appointments will be made by the Council at their January 6th meeting.

 

The Board of County Commissioners discussed a 90-Day Airport Lease Modernization Program, and will proceed with pursuing an Airport Relief Grant Program.

After re-appointing Jean Ann Miles and Mark Jones to the Josephine Housing and Community Development Council, the board considered a Critical Oregon Airport Relief Grant Program in the amount of $150,000. An application is due by Friday the 30th, and pursuit of the grant was approved without objection.

The board's review for Fiscal Year 2026-27 will be refined, then presented next week. The goal for these department reviews is to provide consistency across departments and help the budget process.

Lastly, a request that the board direct the Department of Airports to implement the 90-Day Airport Lease Modernization Program was discussed. No decision was made on the program, but an adjusted lease plan will be brought back to the board in two weeks.