Josephine County News

Zachary Painter doesn't remember much of the past six weeks, and maybe it's just as well.

By Ron Brown A November 23, 2009 A MEDFORD, Ore. - This is the time of year when deer and elk are on the move, it's also the time when a lot of them are killed along Oregon highways and byways.

You can find a ton of good page turners at your local library and Sunday the Josephine County Library wanted to celebrate just "one page". "One Page" was the name of the event and kids from around the community read a page out of their favorite book.

The future of jobs in Jackson and Josephine counties, according to the Oregon Employment Department, is in service industries.

Jackson County residents are using libraries at near pre-closure levels, but limited hours have cut into use of the libraries' computers for job seekers and researchers.

Timber Products Company announced it will close its White City plant and move its Southern Oregon softwood plywood production to Grants Pass.

The Josephine County Sheriffs Office wants you to stay out of the river, near where the savage rapids dam used to be.

By Ashley Hall A November 10, 2009 A GRANTS PASS, Ore. - Many Southern Oregon school districts have faced layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts.

A Friday afternoon shooting involving two men with handguns has left one man dead in Josephine County.

Grants Pass police, Josephine County deputies and Oregon State Police troopers served a search warrant at 1251 Placer Road in Wolf Creek, seizing more than 5 pounds of processed marijuana, meth and three firearms.

The mother of a Medford soldier injured in Iraq this week says special protective sunglasses saved her son's right eye.

By Amy Sienicki A November 10, 2009 A NEAR ASHLAND, Ore. - Six people are facing charges after a traffic stop led police to a large outdoor marijuana grow in Southern Oregon.

The Medford area has joined the Grants Pass area this morning in restricting the use of woodstoves because of deteriorating air quality.

A traffic stop near Ashland last week has led to the arrest of six people and the seizure in the Applegate of 220 pounds of marijuana, plus weapons and $10,000 in cash, according to police.

By Ron Brown A November 5, 2009 A GRANTS PASS, Ore. - A judge has turned down another attempt to void the appointment of five temporary Grants Pass city councilors.

By Amy Sienicki A November 5, 2009 A NEAR ROGUE RIVER, Ore. - Medical marijuana is becoming more prevalent on the West Coast.

A traffic stop near Ashland sparked an investigation that led authorities to a massive marijuana growing operation in Grants Pass that was apparently producing hundreds of pounds more than is allowed under the site's medical marijuana permits.

Associated Press A November 3, 2009 A MEDFORD, Ore. -- A federal judge has convicted a Gold Hill man of illegal mining while digging for gold on Forest Service land.

A Gold Hill man was found guilty of illegal mining today and will be responsible for costs to remediate his road building and mining on Forest Service land on Sucker Creek in Josephine County.

Rural areas and small towns are bearing much of the brunt of the downturn. Statistics have shown higher jobless rates in these smaller dispersed communities than in their bigger brethren.