Local News

An employee of Walmart was on his way to work yesterday when Grants Pass Police detained him for being highly intoxicated. According to the Police Department, officers observed the man crashing his skateboard while entering the Walmart parking lot from the F Street side on Wednesday around 2:15 p.m.. Upon contact with the worker, police said they detected a heavy odor of alcohol coming from his person. They said he also had slurred speech and bloodshot, watery eyes. The man was going to start work at Walmart at 3 p.m., but showed he was not capable of caring for himself and was a danger to others because of it. The man admitted to crashing his longboard twice on his way to work. He also admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana before leaving his home. The now former-Walmart worker was lodged at the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was nearly twice the legal driving limit.

 

A Josephine County Sheriff's Office investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Grants Pass man for felony assault and another crime. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies arrested 40-year-old Richard Michael Espinoza in the 1400-block of SE M Street on Tuesday morning. Deputies released no details about the arrest, but stated Espinoza was wanted for probable cause due to a criminal investigation. Espinoza was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a felony charge of 2nd-Degree Assault and a misdemeanor charge of Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant this week while investigating a transient camp west of Wolf Creek. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 44-year-old Richard Wallace Carlyle, II, at a camp in the 11,000-block of Lower Grave Creek Road on Tuesday. Deputies said Carlyle was contacted at the second of two transient camps in that area and he was found to be wanted on an Oregon State Parole Board warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for Felony Attempt to Elude Police. Carlyle was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on two outstanding warrants this week after he turned himself in at Josephine County Community Corrections. According to the Police Department, officers placed 42-year-old Brandon John Berry into custody at the corrections office on NW 4th Street on Tuesday. Police said Berry's corrections officer called in to report his client was in the lobby and wanted to surrender himself to law enforcement. He was wanted on a Medford Police Department warrant for Probation Violation related to Attempted Felony Assault and a Josephine County warrant for Probation Violation related to 1st-Degree Burglary. After the warrants were confirmed, Berry was lodged at the Josephine County Jail where he was being held on $117,500 bail.

 

Fire destroyed the kitchen of a rural home west of Grants Pass late yesterday. Rural Metro Fire Department and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a reported structure fire in the 2900-block of Lower River Road on Wednesday at 4:21 p.m.. Firefighters got a quick knockdown of the flames, but they had to tear into the ceiling and walls of the home to be sure the fire hadn't entered the attic space. Rural Metro officials said the investigation is continuing, but evidence suggests unattended cooking on the stovetop may have been a factor. Officials said despite a lack of smoke alarms, there were no injuries reported.

 

Did you know one of the most valuable home defense tools to stop a fire is a readily accessible garden hose with attached nozzle? Quick action with a hose has saved many homes in Josephine County -- but with the cold weather right now, it won't do much good if it's frozen. Rural Metro Fire Department says protecting the hose and faucet against freezing is very important because you never know when the hose might be needed to suppress unexpected flames, inside or outside your home. Officials say when thawing out anything frozen, consider using warm water rather than a torch or open flame. Be sure to follow recommendations on portable heaters by providing adequate space of three feet from anything flammable. Keeping a charged fire extinguisher available is just as important.

 

The Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) put a significant local dent in the illegal cannabis trade in 2024. From January 1st-December 31st last year, JMET served a total of 40 search warrants on alleged illegal marijuana cultivation operations in Josephine County -- with many of the operations conducted in partnership with other law enforcement agencies. The JMET operations were assisted by Josephine County Public Health & Building Safety, Josephine County Water Master, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. In 2024, JMET seized 41,673 marijuana plants, 57 firearms, $250,193 in cash, and multiple vehicles, generators and heavy machinery, plus the agency destroyed over 8,000 pounds of illegally processed marijuana. Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel said his office is committed to protecting with courage and serving with compassion as they work to rid the community of illegal marijuana operations. Sheriff Daniel encourages citizens to utilize the JMET Tip Line at (541)-474-5252 to report any suspected illicit marijuana activity within Josephine County. If you call the tip line, please leave your name and contact information. All information will remain confidential.

 

With the upcoming permanent closure of the SE J Street homeless campsite and new resting rules at the NE 7th Street site, the Grants Pass Police Department says it's committed to helping all community members. On January 7th, the Grants Pass City Council held a special meeting when it voted to close the J Street camp and limit use of the 7th Street camp from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. The closure of the J Street camp goes into effect at midnight tonight. In preparation to meet the Council's adopted resolution, GPPD Chief Warren Hensman said his officers have been working with community partners to ensure the transition was fairly implemented and that those impacted had access to local resources. Hensman said these efforts included working behind the scenes with stakeholders such as MINT, PATH, U-Turn for Christ, HWAM, Mid Rogue Foundation, UCAN, ADAPT, Options for Southern Oregon, Grants Pass Sobering Center, Maslow Project, WCST, Gospel Rescue Mission, Dove Ministries, On-Track and Veterans Affairs. Grants Pass police officers communicated the upcoming changes repeatedly over the past two weeks so that those utilizing the resting sites had ample awareness of the resolution.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners yesterday rejected a collective bargaining agreement with a union representing hundreds of county employees. The Board voted 2-1 against the agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) that was nine months in the making. Board Vice-Chair Chris Barnett made a motion to approve the agreement, but he was outvoted by his colleagues who said they were very concerned about the budget implications of increasing salaries and benefit packages in tough economic times. In other business, the Commissioners unanimously approved personal service contracts with M&M Services, LLC, and Wally Schmidt Electric, Inc., for the installation of a new fuel station at Josephine County Public Works. The contract with M&M is for just over $191,000 and the contract with Wally Schmidt is for just under $63,000. Public Works Director Rob Brandes said the transition will occur under state Department of Environmental Quality and federal Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.