KRRM - Local News

Jackson County Task Force Arrest 2 in Cannabis Raid

A Jackson County Task Force arrest two suspects during a Thursday morning raid in Rural Phoenix.
The Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) detectives served a search warrant at a black-market cannabis grow in the 4400 block of Colver Road. Detectives seized approximately 850 illegal marijuana plants, 40 lbs. of processed cannabis, and an assortment of THC and psilocybin mushroom products.There was no licensing for any type of cannabis growing, handling, or processing at this location. Two suspects were arrested on the property and charges are being referred to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. The suspects are Steven Robert Mialocq, 47, and Alyssa Monique Valverde, 34, both of Phoenix. The two are charged with three felony counts each including unlawful possession, distribution, and manufacture of a marijuana item. The Oregon Water Resources Department Enforcement section will issue a Notice of Violation (NOV) to the responsible party for unauthorized use of a well to water the cannabis crop. This type of water violation is subject to both civil and criminal penalties. During the search warrant, Jackson County Code Enforcement responded to the scene and issued a total of $44,000 in fines to the responsible party. Fines were for building code violations, non-permitted electrical installations, and failure to obtain land use approval for marijuana production. Investigations are open and ongoing with detectives working additional leads. No further information is currently available for release. IMET was assisted by Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies, and Oregon State Police (OSP) detectives.

Posted on 8/31/24 5:41AM by Chuck Benson

GP Police Arrested Man for Beating Up Girlfriend in Downtown Neighborhood

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for allegedly beating up his girlfriend in a downtown neighborhood this week. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in the 700-block of SE Riverside Avenue on Thursday. Police said the Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center received multiple calls about a man and woman physically fighting at that address. Some callers advised the man was going after the woman with a hatchet, but that was not confirmed. Responding officers contacted the female victim who stated her boyfriend had struck her several times that morning and threatened her. She denied medical treatment for minor injuries, but photos were taken for evidence. A short time later, the 40-year-old male suspect was contacted. He stated the fight had been verbal and that he did not touch his girlfriend. Crimes scene photos of the woman's injuries refuted that claim and he was placed into custody

Posted on 8/31/24 5:08AM by Chuck Benson

Authorities Located Missing/Endangered Jacksonville Man after 4-Hour Search

Authorities located a missing and endangered man in the Jacksonville area this week after searching for more than four hours. A Search & Rescue team from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and officers from the Jacksonville Police Department responded to the incident on Thursday. The 71-year-old man had been reported missing around noon near Cottage Street and he was located at 4:34 p.m. in the area of North 5th Street. Jacksonville PD took the original call and requested Search & Rescue personnel to assist. SAR responded with three K9 teams, three bicycle response riders and five ground personnel in hasty vehicles. The K9 trailing team obtained a scent article and followed a possible trail toward the Jacksonville Cemetery. The bicycle team searched the trail system west of the Britt Festival grounds and along Highway 238 while ground personnel searched streets and roads around the missing man's home.

Posted on 8/31/24 5:07AM by Chuck Benson

Sheriff Announces Rogue River Closures Associated with Don Burnison Cup Race

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office has announced closures on the Rogue River associated with the Don Burnison Cup Hydroplane Race this weekend. During today's practice and tomorrow's race, the Rogue River will be closed in designated areas and during designated times. All spectators will remain off the water until the race is over. All spectators will remain 50 feet from the waterway at all times. Today from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Rogue will be closed from Griffin Park to Finley Bend.

Posted on 8/31/24 5:05AM by Chuck Benson

ODOT RR Highway Seismic Bridge Retrofit to Shut Down Birdseye Creek Bridge

The Oregon Department of Transportation is continuing work on the bridge retrofit project on Rogue River Highway next week and beyond. Starting on Tuesday, Birdseye Creek Bridge on Highway 99 will be closed for approximately 30 days. Please use an alternate route and watch for workers. The contractor has provided a pedestrian transport vehicle that can accommodate at least two ADA passengers, a maximum of 10 able-bodied pedestrians and up to three bicycles with a secured rack during the closure. The ODOT project is replacing bridge structures and Birdseye Creek, Foots Creek and Millers Gulch for earthquake resilience. The estimated project completion date is June 2

Posted on 8/31/24 5:04AM by Chuck Benson

GPPD Recognizes Recent Graduation of New Officer from Basic Police Academy

The Grants Pass Police Department is proud to recognize the recent graduation of Alex Skopinich from the Basic Police Academy in Salem. Skopinich distinguished himself as a squad leader and earned the prestigious Victor G. Atiyeh Award, which is given to the top student in each class as recognition for their outstanding performance and leadership. The Basic Police Academy is 16 weeks long and it provides hands-on training on topics such as community policing, firearms, de-escalation and ethics plus more. It is an achievement to graduate, let alone be judged as the top performer. Officer Skopinich has returned to Grants Pass to begin several months of on-the-job training with seasoned officers.

Posted on 8/31/24 5:02AM by Chuck Benson

Timber Sale Auction Date Extended on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

A timber sale that was scheduled for auction this week was recently extended until September 19th. The timber sale is named "Secret" and it's located on the Wild Rivers Ranger District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. New Forest Supervisor Molly Juillerat said she decided to extend the auction in order to have additional time for an internal review. She said that will help her make a more informed decision, ensuring the project aligns with forest management goals. The Secret Timber Sale was authorized under the Upper Briggs Final Decision Notice, which was signed in August 2019. It is the fourth timber sale to be implemented under the Upper Briggs Environmental Analysis. The timber sale footprint in approximately 4,017 acres with 329 acres of treatment units that will generate 4.3 million board feet of timber. The sale is in the vicinity of Secret Creek and Secret Valley. The project's primary purpose is to create forest resiliency to fire and other natural disturbances as well as achieving long-term climate change objectives.

Posted on 8/31/24 5:01AM by Chuck Benson

6th Annual Rogue River Pikeminnow Roundup Launches Sunday with Contest

The 6th Annual Rogue River Pikeminnow Roundup begins Sunday and it runs through September 21st. Umpqua pikeminnow are not native to the Rogue Basin and are affecting the area's native salmon. In 2019, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife held the first Rogue Pikeminnow Roundup to increase awareness of introduced species and the harm that introduced fish, aquatic invertebrates and vegetation can cause of native species. Anglers compete for prizes including fishing rods, gear and apparel, gift cards and more. Only pikeminnow caught in the Rogue are eligible for the contest. The contest has four entry options for Youth (under 12), Teen (12-17) and Adult (18+). Prizes will be awarded for a Random Raffle, Largest Pikeminnow, Largest Five-Fish Bag, and Most Pounds of Pikeminnow. Participants can check their harvest in from noon to 4 p.m. on September 21st at Griffin Park in Josephine County or Wildlife Images Rehabilitation & Education Center near Merlin. Participants can also drop off their harvests starting Tuesday at the ODFW Office on East Gregory Road in Central Point.

Posted on 8/31/24 4:59AM by Chuck Benson

Senators Announce Federal Investment to Help Medford Clean Energy Transition

US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have announced a federal investment of $143,430 for the City of Medford to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower overall energy use.The federal investment is from the US Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and conservation Block Grant Program. The City of Medford will use this funding to establish a plan baseline for energy use, identify how to reduce consumption and emissions, and develop an equity framework for prioritizing actions and investments while engaging and educating community members.Medford Mayor Randy Sparacino said the funding will help them continue to implement sustainable strategies to improve energy efficiency in the community. He thanked Senators Wyden and Merkley for their "unwavering" support.Wyden and Merkley have worked to allocate more resources to help transition to a clean energy economic. Earlier this month, the federal lawmakers from Oregon announced over $5 million for clean energy projects across the state.

Posted on 8/31/24 4:58AM by Chuck Benson

GP 911 Communications Center Fielded 1,154 Emergency Calls Last Week

The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center continues to dispatch local agencies to a large number of emergency situations every week. According to the agency's weekly post on Facebook, the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center received a total of 1,154 emergency calls from August 22nd-August 28th. The Grants Pass Police Department received the vast majority of the calls with 1,124. GPPD was followed by American Medical Response with 300 and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue with 100. Rural Metro Fire Department was dispatched to 62 calls while both the Illinois Valley Fire Department and Oregon Department of Forestry were sent to 17 calls. The Williams Rural Fire Protection District received 10 calls while the Wolf Creek Rural Fire Protection District got 3. Dispatchers also received 529 internal calls and they made 599 outbound calls.

Posted on 8/31/24 4:57AM by Chuck Benson

GP Police Arrested Man for Beating Up Girlfriend in Downtown Neighborhood

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for allegedly beating up his girlfriend in a downtown neighborhood early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in the 700-block of SE Riverside Avenue on Thursday around 11 a.m.. Police said the Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center received multiple calls about a man and woman physically fighting at that address. Some callers advised the man was going after the woman with a hatchet, but that was not confirmed. Responding officers contacted the female victim who stated her boyfriend had struck her several times that morning and threatened her. She denied medical treatment for minor injuries, but photos were taken for evidence. A short time later, the 40-year-old male suspect was contacted. He stated the fight had been verbal and that he did not touch his girlfriend. Crimes scene photos of the woman's injuries refuted that claim and he was placed into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Domestic Assault and he was being held without bail.

Posted on 8/30/24 11:12AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Snared GP Felon on Warrant and for Violation after 7th Street Traffic Stop

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass felon on a local warrant and for a moving violation during a traffic stop in the north part of the city late yesterday. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a blue Chevrolet Silverado pickup driven by a 44-year-old male subject near the corner of NE 7th Street and Manzanita Avenue on Thursday at 4:26 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation and discovered the driver's license was felony suspended. They also learned that he was wanted on a local felony warrant for Parole Violation. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Felony Driving While Revoked. His pickup was parked and secured.

Posted on 8/30/24 11:10AM by Sam Marsh