Local News

Commissioner Chris Barnett said the Board's move this week to terminate the Josephine Community Library District's current lease for the Grants Pass branch building has established a framework in which to negotiate a new lease. Barnett -- the Position 2 Commissioner who was appointed as Vice-Chair of the Board on Monday -- said he has no intention of evicting the library. Per the lease agreement, Josephine County is responsible for routine maintenance, repairs and renovation of the exterior portions of the premises including grounds upkeep, landscaping, parking lots, HVAC and environmental systems. The Board of Commissioners voted 3-to-0 on Monday to terminate the lease agreement for the property located behind the Courthouse at 200 NW C Street, citing maintenance costs for the building and other county property. The property has been leased to the library district for $1 per year since January 2018. The building is about 15,000 square feet in size. The lease agreement for the building had an original end date of December 31, 2020, that was later extended through December 31, 2025. The premises include parking areas for library patrons and employees. Barnett and fellow Commissioner Ron Smith were convinced by recently recalled Commissioner John West to revoke the lease as a means to bring JCLD to the table to renegotiate the agreement.

 

The Oregon State Fire Marshal has mobilized 15 strike teams to California to help protect communities threatened by wildfires burning near Los Angeles. The State Fire Marshal's Office has been monitoring and working with California throughout the event and the agency received a request for assistance late Tuesday evening. Fifteen strike teams made up of 300 firefighters and 75 engines were mobilized Wednesday morning and the agency will continue to monitor and fill more requests as it progresses. The strike teams are from the Rogue Valley and Central Oregon as well as Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Douglas, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington and Yamhill counties. The Rogue Valley Strike Team consists of crews from the Medford and Ashland fire departments, Jackson County Fire District #3 and Illinois Valley Fire District. According to Cal-Fire, firefighters are seeing extreme fire behavior including short- and long-range spotting. Wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour were expected to continue through today, increasing the dangerous situation. Firefighters and air resources continue to work to protect the community and infrastructures while they gain control over fire containment.

 

Grants Pass firefighters were presented with a unique challenge when a Josephine Community Transit Bus caught fire in the Public Works yard near the Fairgrounds early yesterday. Two Grants Pass Fire & Rescue engine companies and a support truck responded to the large vehicle fire at 125 River Heights Way on Wednesday morning. Electrical vehicle fires -- especially those involving large buses -- present unique hazards due to the high-energy batteries, which can lead to self-oxidizing fires that are extremely difficult to manage. However, firefighters responded rapidly and effectively to prevent further property damage. Crews were able to cool the burning bus to prevent the fire from escalating further by utilizing large amounts of water. The fire was contained to the bus while other vehicles, the yard and surrounding structures were protected from damage. Officials said the successful incident highlights the importance of training, quick action and the right tools for complex emergencies.

 

Multiple agencies battled a structure fire at a vacant home in Sunny Valley late last night. On Tuesday at 10 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department, Wolf Creek Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched by the Grants Pass 9-1-1 Center to a reported structure fire in the 800-block of Sunny Valley Loop, just north of the Covered Bridge. Rural Metro officials said the first-arriving engine from their Sunny Valley station found the structure already fully-involved and collapsing. It appeared to have been burning for a while prior to its discovery. A locked gate, long and narrow driveway, yard debris challenged quick access -- but the fire was fully-extinguished and overhauled by 1:30 a.m. today. There were no injuries reported. With assistance from the Oregon State Fire Marshal, the investigation into the cause of the incident is underway. During the incident, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue, Illinois Valley Fire District and Applegate Valley Fire District assisted by covering additional calls across Rural Metro's service area as part of the Rogue Valley Mutual Assistance program.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man on two outside felony warrants yesterday after investigating a disturbance in the Merlin area. The Sheriff's Office reports 50-year-old Ronald Eugene Baysinger, Jr., was arrested by deputies at the corner of Merlin Road and Monument Drive at 1:55 p.m. Tuesday. Deputies said they responded to a complaint about a male transient yelling at people for money at the Dollar General store. The caller said the man appeared to be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. According to the report, Baysinger told one customer that if he had a gun he would kill them. Baysinger was found to be wanted on two Marion County felony warrants for failing to appear in court for Harassment. He was contacted, placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail where he was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant at one of the city's temporary campgrounds yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 33-year-old Derek Withrow at the SE J Street campground on Tuesday at 10:04 a.m.. Police said they performing a patrol check at the campground when they contacted Withrow and discovered that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation. He was immediately placed into custody. Withrow was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Jail records indicate Withrow spent four months in jail last year after he was convicted for two counts of Felony 4th-Degree Assault and one count of Escape.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a woman on a local felony warrant last night following a traffic stop in Cave Junction. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies pulled over a vehicle driven by 27-year-old Katherine Denae Rodriguez in the 100-block of South Redwood Highway on Tuesday around 6:50 p.m.. Deputies said they stopped Rodriguez for a traffic violation and they immediately requested medical personnel as it appeared the woman had swallowed narcotics. A records check showed that she was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for Attempt to Elude Police. After Rodriguez was cleared by medics, she was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. She was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for violating her probation early yesterday following a trespassing complaint in the north part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a female subject sleeping on the sidewalk near the corner of NE Steiger and 7th streets at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. Police said an employee with the Josephine County Veterans Center called 9-1-1 to report the incident, adding that the woman had two aggressive dogs with her that were running loose in the street. The woman was also reported to be yelling. Officers arrived on scene and contacted 19-year-old Makailah Gayle Dunham who was identified as a Josephine County Community Corrections client. A corrections officer requested she be placed on a detainer. She was found to be in possession of a drug tooter and foil with no residue, which were seized for destruction. Dunham was lodged in jail for Probation Violation and she was being held on a no-bail detainer. Her dogs were transported to the Animal Shelter and her belongings were logged into evidence for safekeeping.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for graffiti-tagging early yesterday in an alley near the downtown liquor store. The Police Department reports officers responded to the complaint in the 200-block of SE 8th Street on Tuesday around 10:15 a.m.. Police said 42-year-old David Brian Rich spray-painted a "D" on the asphalt of the alleyway to mark the spot where he sleeps. They said he had threatened to paint the OLCC liquor store and the next door laundromat. Upon contact with Rich, he admitted to the vandalism. A consent search found him to be in possession of a user amount of methamphetamine. The narcotic stimulant was seized for destruction. Rich was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief and Meth Possession. He was trespassed from the area and his belongings were logged into evidence for safekeeping.