Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorist for impaired driving during a weekend traffic stop near Merlin. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies pulled over a pickup driven by a 40-year-old male subject near the corner of Galice and Crow roads on Sunday at 1:40 a.m.. Deputies said they stopped the vehicle for speeding and the driver displayed signs of impairment. After performing poorly in field sobriety tests, the subject was taken into custody for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. A Smith & Wesson handgun found in the subject's truck was taken for safekeeping as his vehicle was impounded. The suspect was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he was cited to appear in court.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a woman for causing a weekend disturbance in the Merlin area. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 50-year-old Christina Marie Zamora on Saturday shortly after 8 p.m. for the incident that occurred at a home in the 200-block of Kira Lane. Deputies said Zamora's female roommate called 9-1-1 twice on Saturday to report the female subject was intoxicated, high on marijuana and being confrontational. The caller told dispatchers she would secure several firearms in the house and try to stay away from the subject while deputies responded. According to the report, the victim locked herself in her bedroom and Zamora was trying to unlock the door. The subject was also said to be pinching her own neck to cause injury so she could report an assault to law enforcement. Upon arrival, officers interviewed both parties and placed Zamora into custody. She was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Harassment and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. She was being held without bail.

 

Two people were injured when their vehicle struck a tree along Redwood Highway in Kerby. On Saturday at 11:36 a.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response were dispatched to the single-vehicle crash on US Highway 199 near Holton Creek Road. IVFD officials said arriving units found a vehicle had collided with a tree, with five people in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Two people were transported to Three Rivers Medical Center with minor injuries. No one else was hurt. Jerry's Towing responded to remove the vehicle and haul it into Cave Junction. The Oregon State Police was investigating the cause of the crash.

 

Firefighters extinguished a large vehicle fire in a remote area of the Illinois Valley over the weekend. On Saturday at 7:46 a.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, Oregon Department of Forestry and Grayback Forestry responded for a possible open burn on a Forest Service Road near Cave Junction. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center quickly upgraded the assignment to a large vehicle fire. Arriving units found a travel trailer that had been burning for some time and they quickly knocked down the blaze. ODF crews extinguished a minimal spread of flames to the surrounding wildland.

 

Two adults in custody at the Josephine County Jail are facing additional charges after outstanding warrants were served on them late last week. The Sheriff Office reports deputies served a Jackson County misdemeanor warrant on 37-year-old DeShawn Winzer on Friday for failing to appear in court for 4th-Degree Assault, Reckless Driving and Reckless Endangering. Winzer was already lodged in jail for Felony Parole Violation stemming from a previous conviction for an unspecified crime and he was being held without bail. Also on Friday, jail deputies served a Jackson County felony warrant on 44-year-old Brian Moerhing for failing to appear in court for Possession of Heroin and Possession of Methamphetamine. Moehring was already being held behind bars as a Material Witness in an unrelated criminal investigation. He remains in custody with no scheduled bail.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters were "locked in" on active community protection during the final days of summer. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 668 calls for service as well as 309 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 51 arrests, 23 citations, 53 warnings and two highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 79 traffic stops in the city and they made 21 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 150 potential troublemakers while arresting two people, citing 27 more and warning 58 others. The CRT unit also trespassed 12 individuals from city homes and businesses. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 98 calls last week including 45 for emergency medical service, four for reports of fire or smoke, 18 lift assists, seven rescue situations, four assists to other agencies and four false alarms. Fire crews also performed 11 business inspections and assisted the public four times. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,155 emergency calls along with 765 calls for non-emergency service.

 

The Cave Junction City Council meeting this evening features discussion regarding a potential ordinance regulating water wells in the city. Grants Pass well contractor Kevin Gill will be attending the meeting and he will present information to start a discussion that could change the ordinance. No action is expected from the panel tonight. Also on the agenda is a resolution to adopt an Equal Employment Policy. Cave Junction residents will also have the opportunity to address Mayor Meadow Martell and the Council during the public comment period. Tonight's meeting starts at 7 in the City Council Chambers at Cave Junction City Hall, 222 Lister Street.

 

The Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management has reopened public lands within and near the two largest wildfires in southwest Oregon this year. The Upper Applegate Fire near Ruch started on June 20th and it was finally contained at 1,143 acres while the Salt Creek Fire between Eagle Point and Butte Falls started on July 7th and it was contained at 4,102 acres. The Oregon Department of Forestry said the cause of the Upper Applegate Fire was illegal mowing of dry grass and the cause of the Salt Creek Fire remains under investigation but it was likely caused by human activity. Before venturing out to public lands near these two wildfire areas, BLM officials warn citizens to be aware that safety concerns still exist. Ash and dust from the fires may contain toxic and cancer-causing chemicals. Watch out for fire-weakened trees and limbs that can fall without warning. If the wind picks up, leave the area immediately. In wet weather, water or mud may build up quickly and cause a landslide. Stump holes can remain hot long after a fire is out and footing can be unstable if roots have burned out underground.

 

The Grants Pass Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management is excited to announce that repair work has finished on the Rainie Falls Trail nearly three months ahead of schedule. BLM officials said the barriers were removed Friday and the public is once again allowed to use the trail on the south side of the Rogue River near Grave Creek. The area has been closed since the Rum Creek Fire in 2022. Officials said there is still the potential for hazards in the burned area including falling trees and limbs, debris flows, falling rocks and other safety concerns. The Rum Creek Fire caused rock, trees and other debris to fall on the tread of the trail. Retaining wall features built out of wood, railroad ties and metal stakes were burnt and damaged to the point of failure. The trail posed extreme fall hazards. The BLM contracted with Work Horse, Inc., out of Enterprise, Oregon, to repair the trail at a cost of approximately $230,000. Grants Pass BLM Field Manager Heidi Lowery cautions the public to "please hike carefully on the re-opened trail and keep an eye out for hazards."