The latest news stories of interest in the Rogue Valley and around the state of Oregon from the digital home of Southern Oregon, Wynne Broadcasting’s RogueValleyMagazine.com
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
Rogue Valley Weather
Today– Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. Calm wind.
Thursday– Patchy fog before 1pm. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Calm wind.
Friday– Areas of fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Calm wind.
Saturday– Sunny, with a high near 57.
Sunday– Sunny, with a high near 57.
Suspect Still On The Run After Robberies At Two Medford Banks
Officers from the Medford Police Department are actively searching for the suspect in two bank robberies that happened Tuesday morning. MPD learned just after 10 a.m. that the First Interstate Bank and Banner Bank, nearby one another in the 2600-block of E Barnett Road, had both been robbed.
The suspect was last seen on foot, heading toward the Larson Creek bike path. MPD indicated that no weapon had been seen in either robbery. St. Mary’s High School temporarily went on lockdown as officers searched around the campus.
Police said that the suspect’s description varies, but he’s believed to be a white male, in his mid-’40s, between 5’8″ and 6’0″ with a medium build. He was wearing a dark or camo-colored hoody, black sunglasses, and a blue-colored or American flag style mask.
Anyone who recognizes this clothing or has any information is asked to call 541-770-4783, or 911 if he is within sight, reference Case #22-980.
The Medford area has had a spate of robberies in recent months. The same First Interstate Bank on E Barnett Road was robbed in mid-November under similar circumstances. In late December, police arrested a man who allegedly robbed a Walgreens and Lumpy’s restaurant in Medford using a BB gun that looked like a real handgun.
Early this month, police were looking for a man who robbed O’Reilly Auto Parts at gunpoint. Police in Medford and Central Point have also been investigating armed robberies at two Purple Parrot locations as seemingly connected. Most recently, Central Point Police were looking for the suspect in a robbery at People’s Bank who was seen on surveillance video but got away before officers arrived.
Josephine Co. Sheriff’s Office -Search Warrant for Illegal Marijuana
On January 18, 2022, the Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) in partnership with Oregon State Police Southwest Region Drug Enforcement Team, Rogue Area Drug Enforcement Team, consisting of Grants Pass Police Department and Josephine County Parole and Probation, conducted a search warrant in the 400 block of Crystal Springs Road.
During the execution of the warrant an illegal indoor marijuana cultivation operation was located. Approximately 400 marijuana plants were seized and destroyed.
INCIDENT DATE AND TIME: January 18, 2022 at 7:00 AM
ARRESTED: Jian Li Mei, 64 year-old male CHARGES: 1- Unlawful Manufacture of Marijuana
2- Unlawful Possession of Marijuana
ARRESTED: Wei Kang Zhu, 55 year-old male CHARGES: 1- Unlawful Manufacture of Marijuana