KRRM - Local News

Crews from Multiple Agencies Extinguished Grass Fire in Jerome Prairie Area

Crews from multiple agencies extinguished a weekend grass fire in the Jerome Prairie area. On Saturday at about 1 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and the Oregon Department of Forestry responded to the blaze at the end of Walnut Avenue. Rural Metro officials said Engine 7504 from the Wilderville Station stopped the fire in tall grass at just under a quarter-acre. They said the fire was also kept from spreading to the main house and a pump shed on the property. Additional engines from ODF and Grants Pass assisted with mop-up and building a containment line around the perimeter. No injuries or damage were reported. ODF Southwest was investigating the cause of the fire.

Posted on 6/10/24 6:17AM by Sam Marsh

CJ City Council to Receive Park Update and Consider OLCC Request Tonight

The Cave Junction City Council will hear from the Public Works Director and consider a liquor license request during its monthly meeting this evening. Mayor Meadow Martell and Councilors Ethan Lane, Tina Casey Jones, Jean Ann Miles and Jesse Dugas will hear an update from Public Works Director Alex Ponder on improvements at Jubilee Park. Construction of a new splash pad is underway at the city park and the playground will be closed on June 18th, 19th and 20th. The Council will consider making an OLCC Recommendation for Ubhill One Concessions of Eagle Point to obtain a liquor license for the Labor Day Festival. The public comment period allows citizens three minutes to address the Council on topics pertaining to Cave Junction. Tonight's meeting starts at 7 at Cave Junction City Hall, 222 Lister Street.

Posted on 6/10/24 6:16AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police and Firefighters Busy Protecting Citizens during First Full Week of June

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters were busy protecting the community during the first full week of June. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 682 calls for service along with 245 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 37 arrests, one citation, 25 warnings and seven highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 33 traffic stops in the city and made 17 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 182 potential trouble-makers while citing 41 people and warning 39 others. The CRT unit also trespassed 26 individuals, posted 96 transient camps and removed trash from two campsites. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 103 calls last week including 39 for emergency medical service, seven reports of fire or smoke, 11 lift assists, three rescue situations, 14 assists to other agencies and four false alarms. The 9-1-1 Dispatch Center fielded a total of 1,193 emergency calls in addition to 777 calls for non-emergency service.

Posted on 6/10/24 6:14AM by Sam Marsh

Josephine County Budget Committee to Hold Hearing on Future of 4-H Extension District

The Josephine County Budget Committee is holding a public hearing on financial support of the 4-H Extension Service District tomorrow afternoon. The purpose of the meeting is to provide a thorough public review of the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget for the service district and allow public comment. Two members of the committee -- Commissioners Herman Baertschiger and John West -- have indicated their desire to defund the service district that was approved by voters. The OSU Extension Service provides many services to the community including the Master Gardeners program. Those services may be in jeopardy. The Board of Commissioners also serves as the Board of the 4-H Extension. Also on the agenda are the election of a New Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Budget Committee. The Budget Officer will present the Budget Message and proposed spending plan for the next fiscal year. Tuesday's meeting is set for 4 p.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

Posted on 6/10/24 6:12AM by Sam Marsh

Three Rivers School District Offering Free Summer Meals Program to All Local Kids

The Three Rivers School District is offering a free summer meals program that is open to all children ages 1-18 -- not just Three Rivers' students. Children 18 & under will be served nutritious meals Monday through Friday, with start dates varying by location. All meal sites will be closed June 19th, July 4th and July 5th. From today through August 16th, summer meals will be served at Harbeck Village, 1760 Harbeck Road Suite 2, in Grants Pass between 11:30 a.m. and noon. Running on the same dates, meals will be served at Jubilee Park in Cave Junction between 10:30 and 11 a.m.. From June 17th-August 16th, free meals will be served to kids at Wildlife Images at 11845 Lower River Road between 11:30 a.m. and noon. From July 1st-August 16th, two meals will be served daily at Fruitdale Elementary School in Grants Pass. There will be a cold breakfast between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m., followed by lunch between 10:30 and 11 a.m.. These meals must be consumed on-site.

Posted on 6/10/24 6:10AM by Sam Marsh

Josephine County Budget Committee Approves New Deputies for Sheriff's Office

The Josephine County Budget Committee this week approved sending $675,000 to the Sheriff's Office to hire five new patrol deputies. Sheriff Dave Daniel had asked the committee for 10 new deputies, which would have allowed the Sheriff's Office to provide 24/7 patrols for the first time since 2012. The new hires will allow the agency to provide 20 hours of service daily. The new hires will be paid for with federal timber tax revenues and the new law enforcement district approved by voters last November. The permanent tax rate for the new district is 99 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value.
Sheriff Daniel thanked the Budget Committee who he said had a tremendous task before them this year. He said he's pleased to announce that he will be hiring five deputies so that the Sheriff's Office can better serve Josephine County citizens.

Posted on 6/8/24 5:08AM by Chuck Benson

Josephine County Budget Committee Approves New Deputies for Sheriff's Office

Posted on 6/8/24 5:08AM by Chuck Benson

Seven Suspects Arrested in Recent Medford Retail Theft Enforcement Operation

The Medford Police Department recently partnered with local retailers' loss prevention employees and the Oregon Department of Justice for a focused enforcement targeting retail theft. The May 30th operation was conducted over an eight-hour period at Burlington Coat Factory and TJ Maxx at the Medford Center. As a result of this enforcement effort, seven individuals were arrested for theft. MPD is seeing an increase in confrontations between loss prevention workers and suspects. The suspects often arm themselves with weapons such as pepper spray, knives and firearms in the event they are confronted by loss prevention. This has resulted in loss prevention not confronting suspects due to fear of being injured. Because of this, retailers are partnering with law enforcement for focused operations to proactively reduce theft in local stores. By dedicating resources to these areas, law enforcement can apprehend suspects and dismantle organized retail theft rings.

Posted on 6/8/24 5:06AM by Chuck Benson

Grants Pass Police Jailed Local Man for Two Felony-Level Sex Crimes This Week

The Grants Pass Police Department has jailed a local man for two felony-level sex crimes. Grants Pass police detectives arrested the 73-year-old male subject earlier this week. Few details about the investigation that led to the arrest have been disclosed, but the man was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on two counts of 1st-Degree Sex Abuse.

Posted on 6/8/24 5:05AM by Chuck Benson

OSP Assisted RADE with Arrest of Salem Man for Drug Trafficking West of GP

The Oregon State Police assisted federal and local law enforcement officers with arresting a Salem man for drug trafficking on Redwood Highway west of Grants Pass near Wilderville this week. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Chevrolet Avalon driven by the 51-year-old man on US Highway 199 near Riverbanks Road around midday Thursday. Troopers said they stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation and -- upon further investigation -- the driver was found with a felony amount of methamphetamine on his person. A consent search of the car uncovered a firearm, drug paraphernalia and a large amount of US currency. All the items were seized as evidence According to OSP, the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) team assisted with the traffic stop and the driver was a convicted felon. The suspect was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Felony Possession of Meth, Felony Delivery of Meth and other charges. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 6/8/24 5:03AM by Chuck Benson

GP Police Jailed Suspect for Entering Restaurant and Stealing Cash from Register

Grants Pass Police jailed a well-known criminal offender early yesterday for entering a south-city restaurant and stealing more than $1,000 from the cash register. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 35-year-old male subject for the incident at Casablanca Coffee & Grill on Union Avenue Friday at 12:13 a.m.. Police said an employee of the restaurant called 9-1-1 to report that he left the till and doors unlocked while he went to the back office. When he returned, he saw a man inside the stand wearing a flannel shirt and gray sweatpants with a brown paper bag over his head. When asked why he was there, the man said he was looking for some food before he left and headed west toward Cartwrights. The incident was captured on video surveillance, which showed the man taking $1,008 out of the till. Police searched the area and located the suspect at the Fairgrounds. He was wearing the same clothing and the stolen money was found in his wallet. He told officers that he found the money in a paper bag at Casablanca. It was recovered.

Posted on 6/8/24 5:02AM by Chuck Benson

Jackson County SO Phone & Internet Service Down Due to System Maintenance

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office phone system will be down intermittently between 8 a.m. and noon today due to system maintenance. If Jackson County residents need to speak to a patrol deputy during this time, they can call the non-emergency number at Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon (ECSO) during this time at (541)-776-7206. While the phone system is down, Jackson County Jail staff can be reached by calling (541)-727-1711. Due to this system maintenance, Sheriff's Office e-mails and certain areas of its website will remain down until 5 p.m. Sunday. Affected website areas include jail visitation scheduling, inmate roster and concealed handgun license applications.

Posted on 6/8/24 5:00AM by Chuck Benson