Local News

The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) joint interagency task force served a search warrant in Ashland this week after discovering images of child pornography were downloaded from a residence. SOCET served the warrant at a home in the 10-block of Pine Street on Tuesday. Detectives interviewed possible witnesses and involved parties, but no arrests were made. They said investigations are ongoing. SOCET began its investigation after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which led to subpoenas followed by the search warrant at the residence in Ashland. The Ashland Police Department and Jackson County District Attorney's Office assisted with the warrant service. SOCET was also assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force. Investigators seized digital devices that will be forensically examined for further evidence of child exploitation. SOCET is a joint interagency task force that was launched in June 2020 to combat child exploitation. The team consists of investigators from the Sheriff's Office and US Homeland Security Investigations as well as prosecutors from local, state and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson and Josephine counties.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man this week for allegedly beating up his girlfriend at a home in the northeast part of the city. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance on NE Foothill Boulevard on Tuesday morning. Police said a 31-year-old male subject and his girlfriend got into a physical fight in the early morning hours when he reportedly shoulder-checked the woman, choked her and threw her around. The frightened victim fled to her mother's residence and called 9-1-1. The victim was not seriously injured and declined medical attention. Upon arrival, officers contacted the suspect and placed him into custody based on the victim's statements and visible injuries. The victim refused services from the Women's Crisis Support Team. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Domestic 4th-Degree Assault and Felony Domestic Strangulation. He was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Central Point woman for a felony-level drug crime this week following a Redwood Highway traffic stop near Selma. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Toyota Corolla driven by the 31-year-old woman near milepost 18 of US Highway 199 late Tuesday night. Troopers said they stopped the car for traffic violations and the woman admitted to driving with a suspended license and no insurance. They said a plastic bag with a white crystal substance consistent with methamphetamine was clearly visible in an outside pocket of the driver's purse. She admitted the substance was meth. According to OSP, the substance was seized, tested, weighed and submitted to the crime lab which determined it was a criminal amount of narcotics. The suspect was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance. She was being held without bail and her car was impounded for the moving violations.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for trespassing on railroad property in the city early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing complaint on the railroad property in an unspecified location on Wednesday at 4:15 a.m.. Police said they contacted a 35-year-old male subject who was hiding in the bushes next to the railroad tracks and confirmed that he had a previous trespass warning for the property owned by Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad issued on Monday. The subject admitted to knowing he was on railroad property and he was placed into custody without incident. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office is looking for volunteers who can help the understaffed law enforcement agency with some of its day-to-day operations. Sheriff Dave Daniel said volunteers are an important part of the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. Volunteers are needed for manning the Merlin and Cave Junction substations, vacation home checks, abandoned vehicle tows and court security. Anyone who is interested in volunteering is requested to fill out an application that can be found at "josephinecounty.gov/sheriff/volunteers." For more information, contact the Josephine County Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123.

 

Applications are being accepted for an open position on the Grants Pass Urban Tree Advisory Committee due to a vacancy. The position will expire next April. The purpose of the Urban Tree Advisory Committee is to review, develop and implement programs and activities that promote, protect and enhance the urban forest as part of the Arbor Day Foundation's "Tree City USA" program. The special qualification for this position is an interest in the promotion and enhancement of the urban forest in Grants Pass. Applications are available at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or online at "grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application." Completed applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, October 4th. Applications will be reviewed by the committee on Monday, October 14th. The Grants Pass City Council will make the appointment on November 6th.

 

The Grants Pass City Council has taken steps to move homeless people out of city parks and onto four designated city-owned locations. The City Council last night unanimously repealed parts of the Municipal Code while amending others dealing with camping in parks, criminal trespass on city property, prohibited camping, removal of campsites on public property and other sections pertaining to the unhoused population camping in city parks. The Council then passed a resolution adopting allowable locations for camping on public property. The four sites that were approved include the southwest corner of Riverside Park away from the Rogue River, East Park Street property behind the Parkway Fire Station, the vacant lot at NW 6th and A streets and land next to the new water treatment plant. Five sites were initially identified that included a lot next to the Grants Pass Police Department off NE 7th Street and the grassy area at the Hillcrest Fire Station. The Hillcrest Fire Station area was determined to be important to training, so it was eliminated. The 6th and A location is temporary pending the demolition of a building on the lot next to the police station. Upon the completion of the demolition, that location would replace the 6th and A site. The City's insurance will cover the camping locations at a premium of $5,000 annually per site. The addition of porta-potties, handwashing stations, dumpsters, fencing and two security trailer cameras bring the annual cost to $250,698. The ordinance and the resolution will both go in effect as soon as Mayor Sara Bristol signs the paperwork. However, they won't be enforced until the restraining order from the 9th Circuit Court is lifted.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners was convinced on Wednesday by a packed house of military veterans and supporters to refer a ballot measure that would fund the Veterans Services Office to the November General Election. After nearly 90 minutes of public testimony, the Board voted 2-0 to approve a resolution to refer a five-year local option tax to voters on November 5th. Board Vice-Chair Herman Baertschiger was absent. If approved, property owners will pay 5 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value each year -- or $15 annually for a property valued at $300,000. Numerous local veterans testified in support of moving the levy forward as opposed to placing an advisory question on the ballot and then postponing the levy until next May. Veterans Services Director Lisa Pickart said the funding will help stabilize the approximately 9,000 military veterans in Josephine County and remove the need to take money from the general fund that could be better spent on law enforcement. In other business, the Board approved an order that repeals policy and procedures for Commissioner liaisons for individual departments and advisory boards. The Commissioners tabled another order dealing with the allocation of general fund dollars to county departments until next week. The Board also approved an order authorizing a Sheriff's Sale of county-owned properties for September 10th. Property Manager Helene Lulich said 11 properties that did not sell in the July sale can be acquired through sealed bids.

 

Day 2 of the Josephine County Fair will be "Rockin' the 90s" at the Fairgrounds in Grants Pass where the gates will be open between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. today. The featured entertainer at the Grandstand this evening will be legendary country music band Sawyer Brown. The 8 p.m. concert -- which is brought to you in part by KRRM Radio -- will be preceded by Cloverdayle at 6:30. The Evergreen Federal Pavilion Stage features Ventriloquist Vicki, Big Red Chicken Book Reading, Jim Lesher & The Western Express, and Twain Tribute. In addition to strolling acts on the Midway, today's entertainment includes exhibit halls, a Selfie Fair, Rockin' Rentals, Sea Lion Exhibit, Butterfly Encounter, Kidz Alley and Sea Lion Splash. The carnival is open from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.. In the barns, you'll find lots of local kids with their swine, sheep, goats, market beef and poultry. Of course, there's always fantastic fair food vendors. Admission to the Fair is free and -- while paid parking on the grounds is limited -- there is free parking and a shuttle at Rogue Community College. For more information, visit "josephinecountyfairgrounds.com."