GP Police and Firefighters Logged another Busy Week of Protecting Community
Grants Pass police officers and firefighters logged another busy week of activity while protecting the community. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 566 calls for service along with 233 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 49 arrests, 19 citations, 38 warnings and 12 highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 45 traffic stops in the city and they made 29 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team made contact with nine potential troublemakers while arresting four people and citing six more. The CRT unit also trespassed two individuals and performed 50 park checks. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 120 calls last week including 48 for emergency medical service, seven reports of fire or smoke, 11 lift assists, six rescue situations, 18 assists to other agencies and nine false alarms. Firefighters also performed 44 business inspections, led one education/prevention program and assisted the public three times. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,427 emergency calls last week. ...Read more

Evergreen Federal Announces Donation to Oregon Center for Creative Learning
Evergreen Federal Bank has announced a donation of $50,000 to the Oregon Center for Creative Learning (OCCL) to be used for the expansion of early childhood education programs at the Children's Museum in Grants Pass. Evergreen President Boyd Elkins said they believe this donation is vital to our community. He said the museum's expansion into Grants Pass provides much-needed resources for families living in this area. With a designation as a "childcare desert," only 26% of children living in Southern Oregon have access to early childhood education. Evergreen recognizes the need to expand resources that foster positive learning and social experiences for kids. OCCL Executive Director Sunny Spicer said the Grants Pass expansion will create a dynamic hub for families from diverse backgrounds to connect, learn and grow together. ...Read more

Road Maintenance Work to Affect Portion of Highway 62 over Next Two Weeks
A Jackson County contractor will be performing asphalt maintenance work on a portion of Crater Lake Highway during nighttime hours over the next two weeks. Starting tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., Knife River Materials will begin work north of Vilas Road near Medford to south of the Corey Road area of White City. Asphalt grinding will occur this week followed by finish paving next week. Motorist should expect temporary grooved pavement and uneven surfaces in the work area. Please use slower speeds for safety. Travelers are advised to expect minor congestion in the work zone. Driveways and side-road traffic can also expect minor delays as equipment works past them. Traffic will be narrowed to one lane in each direction during active work periods at night. ...Read more