Local News

As Oregon heads into the first major heatwave of the season this weekend, Pacific Power is urging customers to prepare for those high temperatures. Curt Mansfield, Pacific Power senior vice president of power delivery, said more electricity is used by their customers during the summer season than at any other time of the year. Pacific Power relies on a diverse mix of available energy resources to meet peak hour needs during the summer and the company is well-positioned to meet seasonal customer demand. During hot weather, the utility also takes steps each day to keep electric service reliable for its customers by monitoring daily which substations and circuits have the highest use and addressing any issues quickly. Mansfield said the demand for electricity typically reaches its highest point on a hot summer weekday afternoon, generally from about 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. when power is needed to operate summertime irrigation and air conditioners. Coincidentally, northeast city residents were without electricity during those hours yesterday. Customers can help decrease strain on the electrical grid and save on power bills by limiting energy usage between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. whenever possible.

 

The City of Grants Pass will hold a listening session next week related to the US Supreme Court ruling that allows restrictions on homeless camping in city parks. The listening session is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street. The session will include information about time, place and manner regulations related to resting in public spaces. City staff will present an overview of the issue while addressing the legal landscape and potential future actions. People in attendance will have an opportunity to provide brief verbal comments to the Grants Pass City Council that will help them determine a solution to the issue. Public comment will be limited to 90 seconds per person. The City Council will not be responding to public comment at the session nor will it be making any policy decisions during the meeting. The session will be streamed "live" on Rogue Valley TV and on the City of Grants Pass YouTube channel.

 

The Josephine County Public Works Department has announced that a summer project on Upper River Road will begin next week. Starting Monday, July 8th, and continuing through August 23rd, Upper River Road will be receiving a pavement overlay and guardrail replacements. Traffic may be restricted to one-lane closures. Vehicles will be allowed through the area, but they may be delayed for up to 20 minutes. Flaggers and traffic control will be in place. The travelling public is advised to find alternate routes around the work zone. Josephine County Public Works understands this is a significant inconvenience for residents and the traveling public. They appreciate your patience and cooperation during the project. For more information, contact the Public Works Department at (541)-474-5460.

 

Grants Pass Police incarcerated two women on outstanding warrants following a trespassing complaint at a north-city motel this week. The Police Department reports the 28-year-old and 41-year-old female subjects were arrested at the Super 8 Motel on NE 7th Street on Tuesday morning. Police said the women arrived in the back parking lot of the motel in a four-door sedan at about 3:15 a.m. and motel workers kept seeing lights flashing inside. A call was made to the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center regarding suspicious activity, which brought officers to the scene. Officers contacted the women and discovered that the 28-year-old was wanted on four warrants out of Grants Pass, Medford and Jackson County. Charges contained in the warrants included Burglary, Theft, Methamphetamine Possession and Heroin Possession. The 41-year-old woman was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Petty Theft. The younger woman was also found to be in possession of a criminal amount of fentanyl and a violation amount of meth. The drugs were seized as evidence. Both women were lodged at the Josephine County Jail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a nursing home patient yesterday after he allegedly got physical with a staff member. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident at Highland House in the 2200-block of NW Highland Avenue on Wednesday at 3:54 p.m.. Police said a female worker told them she was entering the room of a 50-year-old male patient when she accidentally struck him with the door. The patient became upset, started yelling at the woman and then pushed her with one hand. According to the report, the victim told officers she was not injured in the incident -- but she wished to press charges against the patient due to the aggressive nature of the physical contact. Officers detained the suspect and charged him with Physical Harassment. The man was cited to appear in court because of several medical issues that prevented him from being lodged in jail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man last night for vandalizing city-owned sprinklers along Rogue River Highway. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident in the 1500-block of Highway 99 on Wednesday around 8:25 p.m.. Police said a woman called 3 Boys Towing to notify employees that she observed a male subject breaking sprinklers in front of the business. The company manager then called the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center to alert law enforcement to the vandalism. The 43-year-old suspect was hostile to the manager when he confronted him. The manager followed the suspect to the Fruitdale Trailer Park. That's where officers contacted him and placed him into custody. He was said to be vulgar, admitted to being intoxicated and denied breaking anything. The evidence proved otherwise. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree and he was being held without bail. GPPD left a message with the City Streets Division regarding the damaged sprinklers.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorist for impaired driving yesterday after he fled from the scene of an accident. The Sheriff's Office did not disclose any details about the crash, but deputies said they arrested the 73-year-old man around midday Wednesday. The suspect motorist was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving, Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage, and Failure to Carry or Display an Operator's License. There were no injuries in the crash. The suspect was booked into the Josephine County Jail without bail. However, he was released from custody this morning.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for a moving violation while investigating death threats made to a certified public accountant this week. According to the Police Department, the incident occurred at the business in the 200-block of Rogue River Highway on Tuesday. Police said a 55-year-old male subject was contacted after employees requested he be trespassed because of death threats that were made. A records check revealed that his driver's license had been suspended and he was the only occupant in the van. He admitted to driving, but he had no emergency reason to be doing so. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving While Suspended. He was also warned for Telephonic Harassment and trespassed from the premises.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man this week for causing a traffic disruption on the Parkway. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the incident involving the 47-year-old male subject on Tuesday night. Police said the man had generated several service calls due to his intentional acts of running across a public highway while obstructing vehicular traffic. At least one of the callers reported the subject was displaying violent behavior by screaming at passing vehicles. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Officers arrived on scene, contacted the suspect and placed him into custody. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and he was being held without bail.