City Politics

Proposed Grants Pass Homeless Car Camp
City Politics / County Politics / Homeless / Local News

Proposed Grants Pass Homeless Car Camp

City and county leaders in Grants Pass, Oregon, recently met to explore a joint proposal for a managed car camping site on the city's outskirts to address local vehicle residency. Below is a breakdown of the core proposal and the potential risks discussed. Car Camping Zone Idea: Local leaders discussed establishing a designated lot on the city's outskirts for approximately 30 to 40 vehicles housing unhoused residents. Proposed Structure: The county would supply the land,…

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September 24, 2026
Behind the “Nonpartisan” Label: Leadership Records at Citizens for Responsible Government
City Politics / County Politics / Election / Local News / Local Politics

Behind the “Nonpartisan” Label: Leadership Records at Citizens for Responsible Government

When a civic organization steps into local political discussions hosting candidate forums, issuing voter guides, or weighing in on county ballot measures voters rely on transparency to understand who is shaping that work. Citizens for Responsible Government (CRG) presents itself to Josephine County residents as a nonpartisan group. However, public records and party disclosures show that three of its five board members (60%) have held formal roles within the Josephine County Democratic Party. Given the…

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September 7, 2026
Judge Bain’s Rebuttal on SB 48 and Josephine County “Catch and Release” Claims
City Politics / County Politics / Homeless / Local News / State Politics

Judge Bain’s Rebuttal on SB 48 and Josephine County “Catch and Release” Claims

A recent article appeared in the Daily Courier that delved into the "catch and release" issues surrounding SB 48, written from Judge Bain's perspective. This is a summary of the article, but I urge everyone to read the actual article in the Daily Courier. Judge Robert S. Bain refutes recent local claims that Oregon’s SB 48 pre-trial release law creates a dangerous "catch and release" cycle, arguing that public perception clashes with court data. Key…

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September 6, 2026
Homelessness, Lawlessness, Fiscal Responsibility and Appointed Commissioner Colene Martin
City Politics / County Politics / Election / Homeless / Local News / State Politics

Homelessness, Lawlessness, Fiscal Responsibility and Appointed Commissioner Colene Martin

There are two completely different groups of people living on our streets. The first group wants help they’ve fallen on hard times or are actively working to break an addiction, and Grants Pass already has the resources to support them. The second group doesn't want help; they choose to live in public spaces, use drugs, and reject any assistance offered. Local leadership is failing to address the lawlessness of this second group. Without accountability, crime…

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September 1, 2026
Grants Pass, Homelessness, and the Lawlessness Question
City Politics / Homeless / Local News / Local Politics

Grants Pass, Homelessness, and the Lawlessness Question

Parkers Place Village didn’t come out of nowhere. The idea was first brought forward under the previous city council during Mayor Bristol’s tenure. At the time, it faced strong public pushback and was voted down. One of the biggest concerns raised then still resonates today - the location. Many residents felt it was too close to Riverside Park, one of Grants Pass’ most valued community and tourism areas, and too close to downtown. When the…

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August 16, 2026
Candidate Colene Martin’s Stance on the Homelessness Crisis Demands Voter Scrutiny
City Politics / County Politics / Election / Homeless / Local News

Candidate Colene Martin’s Stance on the Homelessness Crisis Demands Voter Scrutiny

Oregon’s current strategy for handling homelessness has created significant challenges for local communities. State laws like HB 3115, which require local camping regulations to be “objectively reasonable,” have created legal uncertainty and contributed to costly litigation. State law does not require cities or counties to build and operate shelters, but when adequate shelter space is unavailable, enforcing restrictions on camping or sleeping in public spaces becomes legally complicated. Communities across Oregon are now forced to…

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August 6, 2026
Grants Pass Shuts Down Two Unregulated Homeless Campgrounds
City Politics / Homeless / Local News / Local Politics

Grants Pass Shuts Down Two Unregulated Homeless Campgrounds

IntroductionFollowing the phased opening of a new supervised shelter facility, the city of Grants Pass, Oregon, has closed two of its three authorized but unmanaged homeless encampments. The initiative shifts individuals into structured housing while transitioning away from unregulated public campsites that have drawn local concerns. Camp Closures: Contractors have cleared two municipal campsites located near City Hall and the police headquarters after issuing 72-hour notices to occupants. Remaining Site: A third, larger encampment situated…

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July 2, 2026
Enabling the Homeless Crisis: How State Laws Undermine Local Enforcement in Oregon
City Politics / County Politics / Homeless / Local News / Local Politics / National Politics / State Politics

Enabling the Homeless Crisis: How State Laws Undermine Local Enforcement in Oregon

Two recent articles at Oregon Capital Chronicle entitled, “2 years after Grants Pass, 14 states, 350 cities have tougher laws on street homelessness” and “Year-over-year homelessness declines”. The first article points out two years after the landmark Grants Pass v. Johnson ruling originated from Oregon, over 350 cities and 14 states nationwide have utilized the decision to implement aggressive public camping bans and crackdowns on street homelessness. The other article points out while nationwide homelessness…

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June 26, 2026
Homelessness: The Real Difference Between Bend and Grants Pass
City Politics / County Politics / Homeless / Local News

Homelessness: The Real Difference Between Bend and Grants Pass

I often see posts in local social media groups about how Bend and other Oregon cities look so much cleaner and don't seem to face the same visible homelessness crisis we do here in Grants Pass. After looking into it, the short answer comes down to funding and shelter infrastructure. Bend has the resources to provide enough managed shelters and designated sites to transition people off the streets, which prevents the high level of visible…

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May 22, 2026
The Liberal Long Game: How We Lose Our County
City Politics / County Politics / Election / Local News / Local Politics

The Liberal Long Game: How We Lose Our County

This is a long four part series I posted on Facebook recently. I wasn't sure if it was something I wanted to share here or not - till today. I think it's a very useful series for those interested and for referring back to from time to time. Part I: The Liberal Long Game: How We Lose Our County I have become deeply disgusted and concerned. One of the Facebook groups among our local Josephine…

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May 3, 2026