This Week In Rogue River History
SEPT. 23, 1981
Patrick Elementary School became an emergency aid station for families evacuated from their homes because of a raging wildfire along Wards Creek and Sardine Creek.
Night custodian Velma Ramsey opened the multipurpose room, where Gold Hill Lionesses Mary Williams and E.J. Clutter were joined by volunteers Diane Luttrell, Betty Macer, Christina Miller, and many others. Volunteers prepared and served coffee and sandwiches throughout the night.
Members of the Grange also stood ready to help at the Grange Hall. Jack Nickerson coordinated the effort there with the assistance of an emergency radio operator. Gold Hill Lions delivered sandwiches and coffee to crews working at the fire scene.
SEPT. 25, 1986
Do you think random drug testing should be used in our schools and workplaces?
Mrs. Nellie Vander Meulen: “Yes, I do. I feel all people should be tested. We need firmer control.”
Bruce Winters: “In school, a definite yes! In the workplace, it could cause problems. It should be voluntary on the employer’s part.”
Charles Cangilose: “Yes, it should be in the schools! And in the workplace, too, if drugs are a visible problem.”
Gary Daily: “That’s probably a good idea. Yes—if it cuts down on the drug flow in school. Yes, at work, to prevent accidents from happening.”
Marie McCammon: “Yes, I do! It’s the only way to stop the problem of drugs. You can’t ignore it.”
SEPT. 25, 1991
A surge in rural residential burglaries in Jackson County pushed the number of reported crimes up 40 percent from the previous year, with a recent rash of burglaries in the Rogue River area contributing to the alarming increase.
Capt. Bob Kennedy of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department said 13 burglaries had occurred in the Rogue River area during the previous two months. Half of them happened during the day.
“Nothing is safe,” Kennedy said.
Stolen property included televisions, microwaves, VCRs, furniture, tools, guns and “anything that can be loaded up and pawned.”
Kennedy said a “staggering” 400 rural burglaries had been reported so far that year, with most occurring in the Rogue River-Gold Hill, Central Point and Ashland areas. The dramatic increase followed a 35 percent rise in burglaries from 1989 to 1990.
SEPT. 25, 1996
Representatives from Jackson County came to Rogue River on Sept. 23 to participate in a traffic-planning session with members of the Rogue River City Council, Rogue River Planning Commission and Rogue Valley Council of Governments.
The purpose of the meeting was to involve Jackson County in addressing Rogue River’s traffic problems, particularly those at the intersection of Depot Street, Pine Street and Classick Drive.
“After receiving complaints from citizens that we should no longer allow development within the city until we take care of the traffic problem, it was obvious we needed help,” Rogue River City Planner Hope Warren said. “It struck a chord. The fact that the city must stop development to try to solve the problem of traffic—well, we can’t do it alone.”
SEPT. 26, 2001
He didn’t want to be a Duck, and he didn’t want to be a Beaver. However, becoming a Navy SEAL suited Rogue River High School senior Jesse O’Gara just fine.
O’Gara’s determination to become a Navy SEAL—an acronym for Sea, Air, and Land—had been a lifelong ambition.
“It’s been a lifelong dream,” O’Gara said. “The SEALs are the tip of the sword. They are an extremely elite special force.”
Despite the recent national tragedies, O’Gara was eager to begin his military career.
“I’m ready to go to war for my country, and the Navy is where I want to be. The U.S. can really show power through the Navy,” he said.
Although he knew he would be leaving his parents, Brian and Shirley, and his siblings, Adam and Jennifer, O’Gara was confident he had made the right decision.
“We are Christians, and we’ve prayed about it a lot. I feel it’s the right thing,” he said.
SEPT. 27, 2006
The long arm of the law finally caught up with James Pate.
Pate’s nationwide crime spree began July 6, when he robbed the Washington Mutual bank in Gold Hill. Less than two weeks later, he became a suspect in a similar robbery in Mountain Home, Idaho.
Authorities identified Pate through bank surveillance video, and a nationwide warrant was issued for his arrest following the Gold Hill robbery.
On Sept. 17, Pate’s image appeared again—this time in surveillance footage from a bank robbery in Germantown, Maryland. Delaware State Police later received a tip that Pate, 36, might be in their area.
The tip proved accurate, and Pate was arrested Sept. 22 in Dewey Beach.
“He was driving the very Honda Accord he left our community in,” Gold Hill Police Chief Dean Muchow said.
Pate was being held at the Sussex Correctional Institution on $45,000 bail. His extradition to Oregon was pending.
SEPT. 28, 2011
Rogue River had a dog problem, and Police Chief Ken Lewis was not pleased with the situation.
“Unlicensed dogs—that’s one problem,” Lewis said. “The other problem is owners who let their dogs run wild in the streets.”
Lewis said several incidents had occurred in recent months in which loose dogs attacked other dogs and even threatened their owners.
“It’s a city law: If you live within the city limits and own a dog, that animal must be licensed with the county,” Lewis said. “That’s the law.”
Although many owners were responsible, Lewis said many others were not and were refusing to take proper care of their animals.
Two recent incidents occurred along the 600 block of Pine Street. On Aug. 1, a man walking his German shepherd encountered several loose dogs. The man and his dog managed to get away without being injured.
SEPT. 28, 2016
Chieftains Keep Trying, Held Scoreless for First Time
The best thing that could be said about the Rogue River High School football team’s Sept. 23 game against the 2A Gold Beach Panthers was that the Chieftains had opportunities and never gave up—even when they could not convert those chances into points.
The Chieftains, then 0-4, again played with a running clock during the fourth quarter, a result of the lopsided score. Gold Beach defeated Rogue River, 46-0.
SEPT. 29, 2021
The Rogue River Junior/Senior High School volleyball team had nearly reached the halfway point of its season and appeared to be finding its stride as all of its players became available and healthy.
The Chieftains had won their first set in 11 days during a 3-1 nonleague loss at Douglas on Sept. 24. They carried that momentum into their next contest, earning their first match victory since opening day.
Rogue River defeated Illinois Valley, 25-7, 25-14 and 25-19, on Sept. 28 at James Martin Court.
SEPT. 24, 2025
Tailholt Coffee had become a Rogue River staple, serving the community more than lattes and pastries.
The café celebrated its sixth anniversary in July, a milestone that manager Anna Swanson said was especially meaningful.
“We opened just before COVID and made it through,” Swanson said.
Swanson had overseen the café for two years, helping create a place where a cozy atmosphere met high-quality coffee.
Seasonal specials remained a popular part of the menu. Fall selections included the Harvest Moon, a pear-and-honey latte, and a cinnamon roll latte—both inspired by the comforting flavors of autumn. The café also served cold brew and a rotating selection of other seasonal creations.