Local News

Fire restrictions are now in effect on all Bureau of Land Management public lands throughout Oregon and Washington. BLM leaders encourage all visitors to be aware of active restrictions as warmer, drier weather sets in around the Pacific Northwest. Officials said these fire restrictions help reduce the risk of human-caused fires. The use of fireworks, exploding targets or metallic targets, steel component core or jacket ammunition, tracer or incendiary devices, and sky lanterns is prohibited. Anita Bilbao, BLM Oregon/Washington Associate State Director said although we had a wet winter, we must still be careful with activities that can cause a spark. Wet weather supports the growth of invasive grasses, which then dry out quickly in the summer months. Bilbao said everyone can help keep first responders, local communities and public lands safe by following fire restrictions and practicing fire safety while out on public lands. Those who violate the prohibitions may be fined up to $100,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 12 months. In addition, those found responsible for starting wildland fires on federal lands can be billed for the cost of suppression. For the complete order and more information on seasonal fire restrictions and fire closures, please visit "blm.gov/orwafire."

 

Business Oregon is pleased to announce recent Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program awards to emergency service and school projects -- including two in Jackson County. The Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program (SRGP) is a competitive grant program that provides funding for the seismic rehabilitation of critical public buildings, particularly public schools and emergency services facilities in Oregon. This year, Business Oregon received more than 100 applications requesting almost $240 million in funding. Nearly $82 million was awarded in 2024. According to the state agency, $2.5 million was awarded to the Ashland School District for upgrades to the Ashland High School Science Building and nearly $2.5 million went to the Central Point School District to upgrade the old gymnasium at Crater High School. Public K-12 school districts, community colleges and education service districts are eligible for the grant program. For emergency services facilities, the emphasis is on first responder buildings. Eligible activities for a SRGP grant award include structural and non-structural improvements, architecture and engineering, and project management.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department has arrested three suspects in the armed robberies of two local bars this week. On Tuesday at 12:11 a.m., Grants Pass police officers responded to an armed robbery at the Lucky Duck on Redwood Avenue. The male suspect brandished a firearm while demanding money from an employee. The suspect fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money in a vehicle driven by another person. On Thursday at 11:24 p.m., a second armed robbery occurred at the Lucky Duck on NW 6th Street. The same suspect entered the business and demanded money from an employee at gunpoint. This time, a second male suspect stood at the doorway during the heist. Both males fled in a black GMC Yukon driven by a third person. Early Friday morning, a Grants Pass Police K-9 officer located the suspect vehicle in the area of West Park Street. With the vehicle in custody, further investigation into the suspects continued. The investigation led to the service of a search warrant in the 1400-block of SW David Drive last night. The warrant was served by the GPPD SWAT team due to the nature of the crimes. Three suspects were arrested. According to GPPD, 45-year-old Stephen Newell and 28-year-old Michael Smith were lodged at the Josephine County Jail. Newell was charged with two counts each of 1st-Degree Robbery, 1st-Degree Theft, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing. Smith was charged with 1st-Degree Robbery. The third suspect -- 24-year-old Seryne Martin -- was charged with Tampering with Evidence. Additional charges may follow. GPPD Lieutenant Mike Miner said they appreciate the assistance from their law enforcement partners and citizens who helped resolve this case in a safe manner. He said anyone with information on these incidents should call (541)-450-6260.

 

A Wolf Creek man is in custody for intentionally setting a fire near Sunny Valley, firing a gunshot near responding firefighters and threatening a highway worker. The Oregon State Police reports troopers arrested 42-year-old Chancey Scott Standlee in the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 64 on Thursday. The incident started shortly after 1 p.m. when Rural Metro Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Forestry were dispatched to a reported fire on Lower Grave Creek Road. Responding units were flagged down prior to their arrival by a man on a motorcycle who advised them law enforcement was needed due to "suspicious activity." Rural Metro officials said the motorcyclist discharged a firearm into the ground before fleeing toward I-5. This prompted a response from OSP and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office to assist firefighters with safe access to the scene. Upon arrival, crews found two burning outbuildings and flames spreading up a hillside. The fire was fully-contained and extinguished at 1/3 of an acre. No one was there. A short time later, OSP received a call about a man wearing a bullet-proof vest with a rifle on his back pushing a red dirt bike on the freeway shoulder. Troopers responded and investigated, discovering that it was the same man who fired a shot near firefighters in Sunny Valley. They also learned that Standlee pointed his rifle at an ODOT worker who showed up to assist him with his disabled dirt bike. Standlee was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Arson, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing. He was being held without bail. The rifle, dirt bike and other items were seized and logged into evidence.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a woman this week who was wanted for drug trafficking crimes committed in the Salem area. According to the Police Department, officers arrested the 53-year-old female subject at Elmer's Restaurant on NE Agness Avenue on Thursday at midnight. Police said they received an anonymous tip that the woman was at Elmer's. She was wanted on a Marion County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Delivery of Heroin within 1,000 Feet of a School, Delivery of Methamphetamine within 1,000 Feet of a School, Unlawful Possession of Heroin, Unlawful Possession of Meth and 3rd-Degree Theft. According to the report, the fugitive was cooperative with officers so she was placed into constructive custody. The suspect was cited to appear in Marion County Circuit Court on June 7th.

 

The Oregon State Fire Marshal was investigating a vegetation fire that erupted in the Illinois Valley late yesterday. On Friday at 4:20 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District responded to the blaze in the 200-block of Lurline Road in Cave Junction. IVFD officials said the fire was contained to a slash pile and nearby trees. The Oregon Department of Forestry was dispatched to assist with the burn and crews helped extinguish the fire. Officials said there were no injuries reported and no structures were damaged. The State Fire Marshal was called in to conduct the investigation.

 

The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center received nearly 1,200 emergency calls over the past week. According to the Communication Center's weekly post on Facebook, dispatchers received a total of 1,193 9-1-1 calls between May 16th and May 22nd. As usual, the vast majority of the calls -- 937 -- were directed to the Grants Pass Police Department. American Medical Response was next with 304 calls followed by Grants Pass Fire & Rescue with 102. Rural Metro Fire Department received 48 calls for service while the Illinois Valley Fire District received 27, Williams Fire-Rescue received 8, Oregon Department of Forestry received 6 and the Wolf Creek Fire Department got one. The local dispatch center also reported receiving a total of 489 internal phone calls and making a total of 623. As the weather gets nicer, officials said the 9-1-1 center as well as their partner agencies are becoming more and more busy.

 

The Oregon State Fire Marshal announced the opening of its Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant earlier this week. According to OSFM, this funding is designed to enhance wildfire defensible space across the state while supporting wildfire mitigation projects led by structural fire protection agencies, counties and cities. The $3 million grant will significantly reduce wildfire risk by funding projects to create and maintain defensible space around buildings and critical infrastructure. Individual grant awards will range between $50,000 and $75,000. The grant focuses on two project types: Defensive Space Projects -- where the goal is to protect the first 100 feet around buildings, constituting about 70% of grant funds -- and Community Protection Projects that extend beyond 100 feet to create fire breaks or lessen wildfire risks community-wide. Applications will be prioritized based on fire risk, social vulnerability and project clarity. Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said this grant works in concert with their other wildfire programs to move us closer the goal of keeping fires small and away from communities. More information -- including the application and a grant manual -- can be found on the OSFM's grants webpage at "oregon.gov/osfm."

 

The Grants Pass Active Club has announced a couple of schedule changes on Monday. The Boatnik Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. to accommodate the 173rd Fighter Wing's F-15 flyover at 11:45 a.m.. In previous years, the ceremony has always started at noon. Team Kingsley will conduct Memorial Day flyovers for ceremonies at locations through Southern Oregon on Monday. The F-15s are scheduled to fly over Eagle Point National Cemetery at 11 a.m., Hillcrest Memorial Park in Medford at 11:05 a.m., Roseburg National Cemetery at 11:15 a.m., Roseburg Memorial Gardens at 11:20 a.m. and Riverside Park in Grants Pass at 11:45. All passes will be approximately 1,000 feet above ground level and at around 400 miles per hour air speed. Flights could be cancelled or times changed due to inclement weather or operational contingencies. The Active Club plans an extended Memorial Day Service this year, so the start of the Tom Rice Memorial Whitewater Hydroplane Race on the Rogue River has been bumped to 1:15 p.m..