Local News

A popular campground located on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is closed for at least the next two weeks and possibly for the rest of the summer. Farewell Bend is a popular and picturesque campground in the midst of old-growth forest adjacent to the Rogue River. This campground is close to Crater Lake National Park, with groceries close by at Prospect and the Union Creek Resort. With outstanding fishing locations and many hiking trails, the campground facilities include 61 campsites with picnic tables and fire rings. Farewell Bend Campground currently has no water or bathroom facilities due to the water system being nonfunctional. The issue is due to the pump/booster station. It cannot be easily repaired and requires continued diagnostics to determine the full extent of the damage. Water pressure is below the minimum 20 psi required. For those who have reservations at Farewell Bend, those reservations will be maintained until the day after your arrival date at the campground was set to occur in "Recreation.gov." If the campground is still closed at that time, reservation fees will be automatically returned to you. You may also elect to request a refund earlier by accessing your "Recreation.gov" account.

 

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued eight penalties totaling more than $154,000 in June for various violations -- including one fine in Jackson County. DEQ said fines ranged from $5,200 to $57,348 for environmental violations last month. Locally, DEQ issued a $6,400 civil penalty to Federal Express Corporation of Medford for a stormwater violation. The state agency alleges the local company failed to monitor stormwater discharge, which can harm fish and aquatic life. GTE Wireless LLC, was levied a statewide penalty of $31,800 for not following air pollution regulations. Recipients of DEQ civil penalties must either pay the fines to the state treasury or file an appeal within 20 days of receiving notice. They may be able to offset a portion of a penalty by funding a supplemental environmental project that improves Oregon's environment. DEQ works with thousands of organizations and individuals to help them comply with laws that protect Oregon's air, land and water. The agency uses education, technical assistance, warnings and penalties to change behavior and deter future violations.

 

The City of Grants Pass and Slayden Constructors recently announced that local contractors will be used to the greatest extent possible in the construction of a new Water Treatment Plant. If you want to take part in building the next water treatment facility in Grants Pass, here is your opportunity. It will be the largest municipal project in city history. Slayden Constructors is requesting subcontractor bids for numerous scopes of work. They include -- in alphabetical order -- coatings, commercial building contractor, control room console, concrete finishing, concrete flatwork, concrete pumping, dewatering, electrical, fencing, fire suppression, hoisting, HVAC, joint sealant, landscaping and irrigation, paving, pipe insulation, pipeline subcontractor, lagoon liner, pre-engineered building, pre-stressed concrete tank, rebar, sawcutting, site services, street sweeping, surveying, trucking, vactor truck and welding. All bids are due by Tuesday, August 20th, at 2 p.m.. E-mailed copies of the bids shall be submitted before the deadline to "slayden.bids@mwhconstructors.com."

 

Oregon Community Trees (OCT) has honored a certified arborist from Talent with the organization's President's Award. The award recognizes Michael Oxendine's exceptional contributions to urban and community forestry including his work as president of the nonprofit OCT in 2022-23. This accolade follows closely on the heels of Oxendine's recognition in April when he received the Oregon Heritage Tree Program's 2024 "Tree Hero Award" during Oregon's Arbor Month celebrations. Both awards are in addition to his work with the City of Talent to restore tree canopy after the devastating Almeda Fire, which led to the Oregon Department of Forestry naming Talent as Oregon's "Tree City of the Year" in 2023. Oxendine is the first person in Oregon to receive both the President's Award and Tree Hero Award in the same year. His work with Our Community Forestry -- the nonprofit organization he founded last year -- is transforming Southern Oregon and positioning the region as a leader in equitable urban forestry.

 

A shop and several outbuildings were destroyed and a home was heavily damaged in a three-alarm structure fire in west Grants Pass last night. On Wednesday at 6:25 p.m., Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and the Grants Pass Police Department were dispatched to a reported structure fire in the 1200-block of SW Jordan Street. Initially, the fire was thought to be on SW Hall Street just off G. The first unit arrived within five minutes to find a fully-involved structure and flames spreading to a second structure, with other nearby buildings imminently threatened. A third alarm was sounded to bring additional resources from Josephine and Jackson counties to the scene. Eleven fire engines with more than 30 firefighters battled the wind-driven fire, bringing it under control in just over an hour. Grants Pass police officers provided critical road closures and patrolled the area, looking for spot fires. Several were detected and extinguished without further damage. American Medical Response evaluated two firefighters for heat exposure. None required transport to the hospital. There were no injuries reported. The Oregon State Fire Marshal was investigating the cause and origin of the fire.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a young woman for slapping and kicking her elderly grandmother yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 900-block of NE Savage Street on Wednesday around 11:10 a.m.. Police said the 18-year-old female subject was upset because she was unable to find her drugs, so she began tearing up the house she shares with her mother and grandmother. When her grandmother confronted the girl and told her to stop, she slapped her with a wooden spoon and repeatedly kicked the elderly woman. According to the report, the grandmother refused medical treatment -- but she wanted to pursue charges against her granddaughter whom she accused of being a frequent user of methamphetamine, marijuana, mushrooms and "whip-its." Upon arrival, officers interviewed both parties before placing the suspect into custody. She was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Criminal Mistreatment and Physical Harassment. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on a statewide felony warrant following a display of strange behavior outside a Redwood area retailer early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing call at the Dollar General store on Redwood Avenue on Wednesday shortly after 7 a.m.. Police said a store worker called 9-1-1 to report a male subject dancing around and talking to himself with his pants almost down to his knees directly in front of the business. The caller said they believed the man was under the influence of drugs. Upon arrival, officers contacted the 28-year-old man and discovered that he was wanted on an Oregon State Parole Board warrant for Felony Parole Violation stemming from past burglary and theft convictions. A consent search found him to be in possession of two Dodge vehicle key fobs, which he claimed to have found the night before at Tussing Park. They were seized for safekeeping. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and he was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass woman for felony impaired driving late yesterday following a traffic complaint on Rogue River Highway. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Toyota Tacoma driven by a 30-year-old female subject near milepost 2 of Highway 99 on Wednesday at 4:54 p.m.. Troopers said they were dispatched to a traffic complaint, the suspect vehicle was located and a traffic stop was initiated. Upon contact with the driver, they said she showed several signs of impairment and was found to have felony revoked driving privileges. She was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw. Based on the results of the blood draw, the suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Felony Driving While Suspended and Reckless Driving. She was being held without bail and her vehicle was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested an Illinois Valley woman on a local felony warrant this week following a brief pursuit in Cave Junction. Sheriff's deputies eventually placed the 33-year-old female subject into custody at Taylor's Country Store on South Redwood Highway on Tuesday afternoon. Deputies said they spotted the woman who was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief in the downtown area and she took off running toward Taylor's. The suspect was located hiding in the restroom of the business and she was placed into custody without further incident. She was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail in lieu of posting $30,000. Jail records noted she was not to be released due to overcrowding.