Local News

Multiple agencies halted a roadside fire above Hellgate Canyon early yesterday. On Sunday at 5:56 a.m., Rural Metro Fire Department, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and the Oregon Department of Forestry responded to the reported fire on Galice Road between Hog Creek Boat Landing and Hellgate Overlook. Rural Metro officials said there was no threat to nearby structures. By 8:40 a.m., crews were nearing completion of mop-up efforts. The final size of the blaze was 1.3 acres and ODF was handling the investigation. Assisting Rural Metro, GP Fire & Rescue and ODF on scene were Jackson County Fire District #1, the Oregon State Police, Josephine County Sheriff's Office and Josephine County Emergency Management. Agencies called in to cover additional calls were the Illinois Valley Fire District, Applegate Valley Fire District and Williams Rural Fire Protection District.

 

Crews knocked down a small fire near Interstate 5 in the Sunny Valley area yesterday. Rural Metro Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Forestry were dispatched to the reported blaze near milepost 71 of I-5 on Sunday at 12:21 p.m.. Rural Metro officials reported arriving firefighters mounted an aggressive attack and had a wet line around the fire by 12:50 p.m.. They said growth of the fire was stopped at about one-quarter acre. Officials said there was no structural threat and freeway traffic was not affected. ODF was investigating the cause of the fire.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District received assistance from several agencies in knocking down a large weekend vehicle fire on Redwood Highway near O'Brien. On Friday at 6:33 p.m., crews from IVFD, the US Forest Service, Gasquet Fire and the Oregon Department of Forestry were dispatched to the incident at US Highway 199 and Green Gate Road. IVFD officials said arriving units found a trailer on fire that had spread into the nearby wildland. Firefighters attacked the blaze, fully extinguishing the trailer and stopping further spread into the forest. Officials said the cause of the trailer fire was unknown. It was towed to Cave Junction for further investigation.

 

Authorities were looking for the driver of a vehicle that crashed off Happy Camp Road early yesterday. On Sunday at 1:38 a.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response rushed to the single-vehicle rollover wreck at the top of Happy Camp Road near the Bolan Lake turnout. IVFD officials said units arrived on scene to find the vehicle over the side of a steep embankment. They said a search for occupants was completed in the area and crews were unable to locate anyone. The wrecked vehicle was hauled up the embankment and towed to Cave Junction.

 

Jackson County is continuing work on the northern sections of Foothill Road near Medford. Starting today, an additional closure will be put in place just south of Corey Road. Emergency service providers have been notified and residents will still be able to access their properties at all times. The new temporary closure is to facilitate the widening of three culvert crossings in the area to allow for the future widening of this section of Foothill Road in the future. The newest closure will be approximately 1/2 mile south of Corey Road and it will be in place start Monday through early November. The existing closure between Dry Creek Road and Coker Butte Road will remain in place until early September. Additional project information can be found at "oregondepartmentoftransportation-project-details-projects.stateoforegon."

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters maintained a steady and strong pace of community protection last week. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 663 calls for service along with 288 officer-initiated calls that resulted in 56 arrests, 28 citations, 29 warnings and three highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 50 traffic stops and made 22 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) made contact with 184 potential troublemakers while arrested two people, citing 26 more and warning 28 others. The CRT unit also trespassed 18 individuals, posted 66 transient camps and removed trash from two campsites in city parks. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 97 calls last week including 33 for emergency medical service, 10 reports of fire or smoke, 12 lift assists, one rescue situation, nine assists to other agencies and 10 false alarms. Firefighters also performed 74 business inspections, assisted the public eight times and properly installed two child car seats. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,394 emergency calls in addition to 806 calls for non-emergency service.

 

Having enough food to eat is crucial for good health and well-being. Yet hunger is a persistent problem across the country and here in Oregon. Feeding America reports that 1 in 6 children in Oregon face hunger. To help children get the food they need to thrive, the Oregon State Legislature approved the Oregon Department of Human Services and the Oregon Department of Education to offer Summer EBT this year. With support from the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, Summer EBT provides eligible families $120 per child for groceries when school is out and children lose access to food programs offered at schools. Help Oregon spread the word -- thousands of families may be eligible for this new benefit and not know it. So far, 322,500 Oregon children have received Summer EBT. This adds up to $38.7 million in federal funds that families are spending at grocery stores and farmers markets in their communities. DHS estimates another 30,000 children in Oregon may be eligible for Summer EBT if they apply. To be eligible, children must attend a school participating in the national school lunch or breakfast programs, and reside in households with incomes at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level.

 

Mercy Flights has announced a partnership with Phoenix High School and Rogue Community College on a new pilot project tailored to provide college credit in a high school setting for students interested in a career in emergency services (EMS). The first class is set to launch this fall. Over the last decade, opportunities for high school students to earn college credit have steadily increased. The ability to offer early career and technical education in a high school setting provides a better foundation for students to choose what career field will best suit their passion and learning style. Over the last 12 months, Mercy Flights, Phoenix High School and RCC have joined forces to build a curriculum that will provide insight and education surrounding a career in healthcare. Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive their Basic Life Support (BLS) certificate while also earning their CPR and First Aid certifications. The classroom setting will consist of a Phoenix High School health educator and a Mercy Flights instructor who will co-teach the Introduction to EMS curriculum approved by RCC.

 

Josephine County Deputies had probable cause to stop a white 2016 Dodge Journey in the 3200 block of Camp Joy Road late Friday morning and found a wanted felon. Deputies were alerted to theft of tools at 10:25 Friday morning from the Medford Police Department with photos of the suspect. The tools were recovered and the suspect was discovered to be wanted by the Oregon State parole board on a post-prison sanction plus two warrants out of Douglas County for a myriad of charges including resisting, drugs, being armed and concealed, escape, interfering providing false information and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.