ÀÏ·ò×Ó´«Ã½

Every January, across the country, local social service groups set out to count the number of homeless people in their communities. Data from what’s called the Point in Time Count is sent to the federal government and used to decide how funding is distributed. JPR reporter Jane Vaughan recently followed one team in Grants Pass.

Jaime Powell claims the clinic, her former employer, didn’t respond adequately after another former employee was charged with sexual abuse for allegedly assaulting his clients.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a case regarding homelessness from Grants Pass, Oregon. The case was almost six years in the making and has wide-ranging impacts on how to respond to the increasing homeless crisis. On the day of the ruling, I reported from the city that first sparked the case, interviewing local leaders and homeless residents about the implications for their community. I’ve covered this case for years and continued to cover the fallout since the Supreme Court’s ruling, including pushback over two city-owned homeless campsites.

Homeless people in Grants Pass can’t be cited, arrested or prosecuted for camping during the next two weeks. A Josephine County judge issued a temporary restraining order on Monday in a lawsuit against the city over its treatment of homeless people.

On Friday morning, homeless residents dragged tarps and carried piles on their backs, heaping their belongings just outside the fence. They were given until 9 a.m. to get their possessions off the city-owned site.

Four board members of Klamath County Fire District 3 are being investigated by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission for potentially violating Oregon Public Meetings Law.

The pair of bills has been introduced in the Oregon legislature and would give more money to four school districts impacted by the 2020 wildfires.

This move finalizes the makeup of an inexperienced board in the wake of controversy over previous commissioners.

Last week, Jackson County swore in its new District Attorney, Patrick Green.

In a sometimes raucous, nearly five-hour-long meeting on Tuesday, the recently-sworn in councilors clawed back a key grant, sharply reduced official camping opportunities for homeless people and pulled the plug on several advisory committees.

Beth Heckert elected retirement over running again for re-election.

For the first time in almost a year, Ashland’s former emergency homeless shelter has reopened. But, it will provide shelter only until April 1.