News for Monday, July 22, 2019 from Rogue Valley Magazine
Weather for the Rogue Valley
Today
Sunny, with a high near 95. Tonight, clear with a low of 64.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 90. Overnight low around 57.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 93.
Thursday
Sunny and hot, with a high near 100.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 95.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 91.
Today’s Headlines
Shots Fired At A Grants Pass Church Sunday Morning
Historically, it’s not “safe” to be a Christian but that experience got extremely real for followers at Parkway Christian Center Sunday, after “multiple shots” were fired while service was in session. No one was injured but one bullet did go straight through a front window; the church immediately went into lock-down.
Police found a second bullet had hit a tree in the front of the church; witness reports say 2-4 shots were heard. Pastor Dennis Webber said that while they don’t like being the target of today’s escalating violence in our society”, the idea behind their faith is not to accept of condone when anyone is the target of violence. Grants Pass police continue to investigate and request any valuable information be passed on to the Grants Pass Police department.
A life lost – A man killed in officer-involved shooting near Gold Hill Thursday night
The details are still unclear in the death of 73-year old Tony Orlan Mills who lost his life in an incident Thursday. Medford Police Department Major assault and Death Investigation Unit is leading the investigation into who fired first.
Here’s what we know: 911 received a call of a suicidal man with a handgun at 8:31 pm. At 8:46 the first officer arrived. Shots were fired at 8:59 p.m. and Mills was reported as “immediately deceased”. Both an officer weapon and the gun Mills had were determined to have been fired. What isn’t known is whether Mills fired at officers or killed himself. The investigation team will also determine whether Mills died of a self-inflicted gunshot or at the hands of law enforcement.
Changing the conversation – Oregon students fight for Mental Health days, and win!
It’s not only brave; it’s okay to admit when you are struggling. The first of its kind in the U.S., new legislation in Oregon will allow students to take “mental health days” just as they would sick days; demonstrating, once again, that Physical and Mental health carry an equal level of importance in your overall well-being.
Challenging the idea that struggling with you mental health is a weakness, Oregon schools will be instructed to allow for absence the same way it would to care for a physical illness. Suicide is Oregon’s second leading cause of death among ages 10-34 a rate 40% higher than the national average. The new legislation will stop punishing Oregon youth from being human.
Held hostage in their own neighborhood – East Medford residents say they feel “helpless”
Medford City Council tabled a 30 day extension on the controversial gas station complex at the corner of Springbrook and McAndrews roads; after over five hours of discussion. Neighborhood residents themselves say “they feel helpless” against the unwanted and highly contested commercial development slated square in the middle of a residential neighborhood near north Medford High School.
Mayor Gary Wheeler conceded that the project met legal and planning requirements. It was the city, itself, that designated the large residential lot as commercial in 2014, after the former owner passed away. City Council will meet again on the project August 15th. All city council meetings are open to the public.