Josephine County News

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.

Following the indictment of its producer and host, the Rogue Valley Television show "Wilde Life" has been suspended by Southern Oregon University.

The Jackson County Board of Commissioners has postponed consideration of an order requesting Gov.

People against logging old growth forests won an Oregon Court of Appeals ruling Wednesday that struck down a state law on grounds it treats an environmental dispute differently.

The H1N1 virus has killed one person and has hospitalized another dozen in Douglas County since the beginning of September.

By Tove Tupper A October 27, 2009 A GRANTS PASS, Ore. - Josephine County received 1,000 new H1N1 vaccines this week, bringing its total to 3,800 doses.

The Josephine County Sheriff's Department is investigating an armed robbery of a Dutch Bros.

Friday 8:26 a.m. - A known man engaged in a sexual online chat with a juvenile female in the Ashland area.

Fourth-grader Kallee Ross chooses a bean to poke into a damp cotton ball that will then help germinate the seed inside a plastic bag.

Josephine County has declared a state of emergency over the swine flu. The declaration Friday by county commissioners in Grants Pass cited two people dead, 21 in the hospital, and many more sick with the H1N1 virus.

Vickie Hendricks of Portland has been looking for work since August. Organized with folders and notebooks, armed with a college education, Hendricks is looking for administrative, library or education work.

Josephine County has had its first death from the swine flu. A spokesman for the hospital in Grants Pass says the 41-year-old woman died in the emergency room last week.

A woman who died last week at a Grants Pass hospital has become Josephine County's first confirmed victim of the H1N1 influenza virus.