Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a woman on outstanding warrants yesterday after she tried to steal beer from a Selma area market. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a theft complaint at the store in the 18,300-block of Redwood Highway on Wednesday at 1:24 p.m.. Deputies said a store manager reported that 41-year-old Amber Al-Sarf came inside and tried to buy beer, but she didn't have enough money. The caller said she opened the beer and took it anyway. They wanted her trespassed from the store. Upon arrival, deputies located Al-Sarf and discovered that she was wanted on three Grants Pass warrants for failing to appear in court for Petty Theft, 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass and Methamphetamine Possession. Al-Sarf was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged in jail on the warrants. She was also trespassed for one year from Ray's Food Place and Speedy Mart.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a well-known offender on local warrants and evicted at least four people from a downtown resting site last night. According to the Police Department, officers were on special detail watching the surveillance cameras at the NW 5th Street resting site on Wednesday evening. Police said they immediately spotted 32-year-old Whitney Ann Word who was wanted on two Grants Pass warrants for failing to appear in court for Disorderly Conduct, Resisting Arrest and Escape. She was lodged in jail on $25,000 bail. Officers said they also observed three vacant tents near the center of the homeless site that had trash strewn about along with bicycle parts and rotting food. They also saw oversized tents at the resting site and moved in. David Rodriguez, Samantha Crutcher, Joseph Wilder and Krystal Wilder were all cited for Scattering Rubbish. All four were trespassed from the site for 30 days and given until 9 a.m. today to vacate the premises.

 

An open burn west of Sunny Valley got out of control yesterday when flames moved beyond reach of a garden hose. On Wednesday at 2:37 p.m.. Rural Metro Fire Department and the Wolf Creek Rural Fire Protection District responded to the reported fire in the 5600-block of Lower Grave Creek Road. Rural Metro officials said crews converged on the fire and quickly contained it to just under 1/10th of an acre. The Oregon Department of Forestry announced this morning that the 2025 fire season in Josephine and Jackson counties will begin on June 1st. Anyone opting to continue using fire as a tool to reduce combustible hazards around their property is urged to follow all basic requirements for safe burning. Construct a vegetation-free ring down to the dirt around any burn piles. Have a reliable water source on site. Have a shovel or other tools on site. Carry a charged cell phone to call 9-1-1 quickly in case of spread. Stay in attendance with the burn. Fully extinguish remaining ash with water and then check for heat using bare hands to prevent the chance of rekindling and escape.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Wolf Creek man while investigating a rolling domestic assault call in south Grants Pass this week. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Mazda MZ3 driven by 40-year-old Sonny Hurt, II, near the intersection of Redwood and Rogue River highways late Tuesday afternoon. Troopers said they stopped Hurt to investigate possible domestic violence that occurred between the male driver and 31-year-old female passenger. They said they also observed some traffic violations. Upon looking into the matter, troopers developed probable cause to arrest Hurt for 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. Upon being notified that he was under arrest, Hurt resisted being placed into custody and had to be overpowered by law enforcement. Hurt was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Resisting Arrest, Contempt of Court and the assault charge. He was being held without bail. The vehicle was impounded and two cats were taken to the Josephine County Animal Shelter.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving while investigating a possible domestic violence incident at the Williams Highway Plaza this week. The Police Department reports officers responded to several calls regarding a male and female who appeared to be fighting in a Dodge sedan parked near Safeway on Tuesday evening. Police said callers reported that the male driver -- later identified as 60-year-old Clint Edward Robertson -- appeared to be intoxicated and his female passenger -- identified as "Melody Hefner" -- was yelling for others to call 9-1-1. According to the report, Hefner did not want to call 9-1-1 herself because she knew Robertson would be arrested. Officers said Robertson was still in the driver's seat when they contacted him and he displayed obvious signs of impairment. They said was unable to safely perform field sobriety tests as he could barely stand up. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. GPPD was aware of a history of domestic violence between Robertson and Hefner, so they contacted the Women's Crisis Support Team to assist her.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for vandalism at a mental health treatment facility near Three Rivers Medical Center this week. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident at Options Crisis Resolution Center in the 300-block of SW Ramsey Avenue on Tuesday. Police said they contacted 49-year-old Kara Lynn Rupf at Options after she refused to leave the facility when asked to do so by staff. They said she screamed at staff to have her arrested and then threw plants all over the ground, causing well over $100 in damage. According to the report, Rupf was unable to formulate any type of productive conversation and seemed to be suffering from some type of mental health crisis. She was placed into custody after Options wished to pursue charges. Rupf was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief and she was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a California woman for impaired driving after she crashed her vehicle into a Rogue River Highway ditch near Grants Pass. According to OSP, troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle wreck on Highway 99 near Peckerwood Lane late Tuesday night. Police said an investigation indicated that 34-year-old Kelsey Ann Kenshalo of Arroyo Grande was driving a Nissan Sentra when she lost control of the car. They said she showed strong signs of impairment and performed poorly in field sobriety tests, so she was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where she provided a breath sample that was more than three times the legal driving limit. Kenshalo was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. She was cited and released, but her vehicle was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners should make quick work out of a very light agenda for its weekly business session this morning. The only Administrative Action item is consideration of an invoice from the O&C Counties, with Josephine County charged $68,642.40 for annual membership dues. The Association of O&C Counties represents 18 counties in western Oregon that host 2.1 million acres of timberlands once privately owned as part of a grant in exchange for construction of a railroad in the late 1800s, but that were returned to federal ownership in 1916. The association is committed to the economic and social well-being of local communities as well as the health and productivity of federal Oregon & California Railroad lands. It advocates for sustained yield management of the O&C forests, as required by federal law, to protect and support jobs and local economies, essential public services and healthy, resilient forests. As always, there will be Requests and Comments from Citizens in which people are given three minutes to address the Board on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Today's public meeting begins at 10 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

The Rogue River City Council will consider several resolutions and one ordinance during its regular meeting tonight. The City Council will open the meeting with Committee Reports, Public Input and by administering the Oath of Office to Rogue River Patrol Officer Chad Mathews. The first resolution under consideration is to recertify reserve funds for the next fiscal year. The second resolution would certify municipal services provided by the City of Rogue River for the next fiscal year. The third would declare the City's election to receive state revenue sharing funds for the next fiscal year. Next up are resolutions that would authorize funds used in financial management; to adopt the budget, make appropriations and levy taxes for the next fiscal year; update job descriptions for the Rogue River Police Department; and increase business license fees to generate revenue for continued law enforcement services. The lone ordinance would change the business license term from a fiscal year to a rolling calendar year. In other business, the panel will consider a six-year contract for records systems software for the Police Department. Tonight's meeting starts at 6 at Rogue River City Hall, 133 Broadway Street.