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Meet the Sheriff John Ward

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John Ward was appointed Sheriff by the Curry County Board of Commissioners on August 26, 2014 as the new Sheriff effective October 1, 2014, due to the resignation of the pervious Sheriff. Sheriff John Ward has held several law enforcement certificates including the Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory, Management and Executive Certificate awarded by the Department of Public Safety Standards ... more

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From the desk of SHERIFF JOHN WARD CURRY COUNTY, OREGON 94235 MOORE STREET, SUITE 311 29808 Colvin Street (Physical) GOLD BEACH, OR 97444 (541) 247-3221 - FAX: 541-247-6893 [email protected] PRESS RELEASE CURRY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE 09-27-25 Declared Level 3 (GO Now) for Agness area for complex wildfires Today, September 27, 2025, at about 10:00am, after receiving a call from Deputy Incident Commander, Larry Nickey of Team 13, who recommended placing all of Agness in Level III, Curry County Sheriff John Ward announced a Level 3 (GO Now) evacuation for the area of Agness from Two Mile Creek to the Oak Flat area. The Illahee area to Two Mile Creek remains under a Level 3 (GO Now) evacuation warning. Sheriff’s Deputies assisted by the Oregon State Police and Agness Fire and Rescue went door to door in all of Agness and made Level III notifications. Yesterday, 09-26-25 at about 5:15pm, Deputy Incident Commander Larry Nickey of Team 13, contacted Sheriff Ward and recommended a Level III evacuation for the areas of below Half Moon Bar to Two Mile Creek, due to the aggressive fire behavior. The Sheriff’s Office assisted by the Oregon State Police and Agness Fire and Rescue made the notifications Bear Camp Rd (Forest Service Road 23) is closed from Galice to Agness. Additionally, the wild section of the Rogue River from Grave Creek to Foster Bar has been closed to all water-based recreation by the Forest Service. Any area residents requiring sheltering assistance are asked to call Curry County Emergency Management at 541-247-3275 or the Sheriff’s non-emergency dispatch number 541-247-3242. John Ward Curry County Sheriff 541-247-3221 [email protected]
From the desk of SHERIFF JOHN WARD CURRY COUNTY OREGON 94235 MOORE STREET SUITE 311 29808 ... More

09/27/2025

From the desk of SHERIFF JOHN WARD CURRY COUNTY, OREGON 94235 MOORE STREET, SUITE 311 29808 Colvin Street (Physical) GOLD BEACH, OR 97444 (541) 247-3221 - FAX: 541-247-6893 [email protected] PRESS RELEASE CURRY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE 09-16-25 Change in Evacuation Notice Level for Agness Moon complex wildfires Today, September 16, 2025, Curry County Sheriff John Ward announced as of 2:00pm, the reduction of the evacuation levels for the Backbone, Pinnacle, and Kelsey Peak complex wildfires. The fires are burning in the Rogue River Wilderness area, east of Agness, Oregon. The Level 2 (Get Set) notices for the Mariel and Rogue River Ranch areas have been downgraded to Level 1 (Get Ready). The Level 3 (Go Now) notices for the Paradise and Half Moon Lodges have been downgraded to Level 2. The town and areas around Agness remain at a Level 1 evacuation notice. All evacuation notices are subject to rapid change based on the characteristics of the wildfires and citizens are urged to stay informed on fire information and evacuation notices especially when transiting the affected areas. Sheriff Ward recognized Bob Noyes of Josephine County GIS services for his assistance in mapping the evacuation notices in this remote portion of Curry County, as well as all personnel working to control these fires from the USFS, CFPA, Great Basin Team 5, ODF, and especially all the firefighters that have been battling these fires on the ground and air. John Ward Curry County Sheriff 541-247-3221 [email protected]
From the desk of SHERIFF JOHN WARD CURRY COUNTY OREGON 94235 MOORE STREET SUITE 311 29808 ... More

09/16/2025

From the desk of SHERIFF JOHN WARD CURRY COUNTY, OREGON 94235 MOORE STREET, SUITE 311 29808 Colvin Street (Physical) GOLD BEACH, OR 97444 (541) 247-3221 - FAX: 541-247-6893 [email protected] On 8/31/25 at 8:50pm the Curry County Sheriff’s Office received a distress call for a capsized vessel about four miles Northwest of Gold Beach, Or. with three people on board, two of which were reported trapped underneath the vessel. The three individuals were identified as Sam Waller, Robbie Nelson, and Jerrod Bruner. The Curry County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jared Gray and Sheriff John Ward responded to the capsized vessel along with other local vessels. One of the responding vessels operated by Merit Draven and Scott Feist arrived on scene first and were able to rescue one of the passengers, Robbie Nelson, who was located on the hull of the capsized vessel. Robbie was transported to Curry General Hospital for hypothermia treatment. The other two individuals on board, Sam Waller and Jerrod Bruner were not located and suspected trapped under the water. Due to water and whether conditions, the Sheriff’s vessel and other local vessels were forced to return to port while the U.S. Coast Guard continued their efforts. On 9/1/25 at 9:30am, the U.S. Coast Guard suspended all search efforts. The Curry County Sheriff’s Office continued search efforts along with local resources. Jordan White along with Sheriff Ward performed helicopter flights over the coastline checking for survivors while Marine Deputy Jordan Rhodes, Gold Beach Fire Chief Tyson Krieger, and Doug Breidenthal coordinated water response assets. The capsized vessel was located off the coastline near Pistol River by Jordan White and Sheriff Ward. There were no signs of survivors. Due to water conditions, a water response was not feasible. On 9/2/25 at 6:00am Doug Breidenthal, Marine Deputy Jordan Rhodes, Gold Beach Fire Captain Tim Bolster, and Michelle Wileman launched a private vessel along with a second vessel operated by Dan Akin, Graig Maclay, and Earl Yager from the Port of Brookings Harbor to continue the search. Due to heavy fog no air assets were able to continue the search. At 1:52pm, Deputy Rhodes located the capsized vessel approximately 12 miles Northwest of the Port of Brookings. The area was searched, and no sign of life was found. Tim Bolster was able to board the vessel and secure it for tow back to the Port of Brookings. Due to water conditions, it was unsafe to send a diver underwater to search the cabin of the vessel. The vessel was towed part way back to Brookings by Dan Akin and later towed the remaining 10 miles by the crew of the Ora Rose to the Port of Brookings Harbor. Doug Breidenthal, Deputy Rhodes, and Captain Bolster followed for the entirety of the tow in case of a recovery needed. At 11:15pm the capsized vessel was safely secured at the Port of Brookings Harbor dock and operations for a dive team were made for the next morning at 8:00am. On 9/3/25 at 8:00am, Sheriff John Ward, Sgt. Jared Gray, Marine Deputy Jordan Rhodes, and diver Jordan White arrived at the vessel and performed a search of the vessel. Sam Waller was located and recovered from the vessel. No sign of Jerrod Bruner was found. Port of Brookings Harbor Master Travis Webster and staff assisted with final recovery of the vessel and removed it from the water. A final search of the vessel was completed by Sheriff Ward and Deputy Rhodes. The body of Sam Waller was released to Redwood Memorial by the authorization of the Curry County District Attorney. At this time, Jerrod Bruner is still missing. Local efforts in coordination with the Curry County Sheriff’s Office are ongoing. There were many people not named in the rescue effort and a great deal of prayers. The loss of these two men has had a devastating effect on their families and the entire community. Deputy Jordan RhodesPhotos from Curry County Justice's post
From the desk of SHERIFF JOHN WARD CURRY COUNTY OREGON 94235 MOORE STREET SUITE 311 29808 ... More

09/04/2025

PRESS RELEASE. On August 7th, 2025 at around 5:37 pm, Sheriff Ward was notified of an arrest warrant that had been entered in Montgomery County, Texas for an individual in our county. We were informed that the arrest warrant was the result of an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) operation in Montgomery County and that the suspect was reportedly engaging in criminal activity at his residence here in Curry County. We also learned that the suspect had immediate access to young children that were believed to be at risk, prompting an urgent response. Sheriff Ward and Sergeant Van Zelf responded to the residence in the unincorporated area of central Curry County. Gold Beach Police Sergeant Vershall responded to assist as well. The suspect, 32-year-old Matthew Arthur Anderson, was taken into custody quickly and without incident. Anderson was taken to the Curry County Jail where he is currently lodged. In the following days, Sergeant Van Zelf worked in collaboration with members of the ICAC Task Force in Texas, the Oregon Department of Human Services – Child Welfare, the Oregon Department Of Justice, the Medford Police Department, Crescent City Police Department, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Medford and Wally’s House of Curry County. Additional warrants to search and seize evidence were written and follow up interviews were conducted. Subsequently, Anderson has additionally been charged with Possession Of Materials Depicting Sexually Explicit Conduct of a Child in the First Degree, Endangering the Welfare of a Minor, Private Indecency and Attempting to Use a Child in Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct. He remains in custody in the Curry County Jail. These cases are very complex and require many hours. We know that with our current staffing level, committing the time to cases like these undoubtedly affects our ability to respond to some of the lower level calls for service, but these cases are of the utmost importance and are an absolute threat to public safety in our community. We want to thank all of the agencies mentioned above for their collaborative effort during this investigation. We’ve come to learn that this person has been in contact with numerous children in multiple jurisdictions through his previous employment. A similar press release has been shared by authorities in Texas as well. If you have any information regarding this investigation, please contact Sergeant Van Zelf at the Curry County Sheriff’s Office.
PRESS RELEASE On August 7th 2025 at around 537 pm Sheriff Ward was notified of an arrest ... More

08/18/2025

From the desk of SHERIFF JOHN WARD CURRY COUNTY, OREGON 94235 MOORE STREET, SUITE 311 29808 Colvin Street (Physical) GOLD BEACH, OR 97444 (541) 247-3221 - FAX: 541-247-6893 [email protected] CURRY COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PRESS RELEASE TSUNAMI WARNING 07-30-25 On July 29th, 2025, a series of very significant earthquakes occurred off the eastern seaboard of Russia causing damage to that area and triggering a potential tsunami for the Pacific Ocean. The National Weather Service and the National Tsunami Warning Center issued a Tsunami Warning for portions of the Alaska coast and eventually Hawaii. A Tsunami Watch was initially ordered for portions of the US Pacific coastline, including the Southern Oregon and Northern California coast. Curry County Fire and Public Safety agencies were notified and placed on standby for the potential incident. A short while later, The National Tsunami Warning Center developed additional risk information and upgraded the Tsunami Watch to a Tsunami Advisory for the Oregon Coastline. The Curry County Sheriff’s office broadcast an Everbridge Notification Message to notify citizens of the Tsunami Watch and again when it was upgraded to an Advisory. Based on the complete information from the National Weather Service and the National Tsunami Warning Center, no evacuations were ordered. Citizens were asked to stay off the beaches and estuaries and warned about additional hazardous conditions in the county’s ports. Any potential Tsunami wave activity was determined to arrive first at Port Orford at about 1140pm with other areas being affected a few minutes later. Public Safety agencies patrolled into low lying areas and warned citizens directly of the hazards. The Northern California coast was upgraded to a Tsunami Warning, but that warning did not extend into Oregon. As of 1045am on 07-30-25, no damage or injuries have been reported because of the reported incident. A Tsunami Advisory is still in effect for the Curry County coastline. Potentially hazardous waves are still a possibility, and citizens are urged to exercise caution and avoid beaches and estuaries for the time being. Jeff Hughes Curry County Emergency Manager 541-373-7370 [email protected]
From the desk of SHERIFF JOHN WARD CURRY COUNTY OREGON 94235 MOORE STREET SUITE 311 29808 ... More

07/31/2025

The following is from Emergency Manager Jeff Hughs, his number is 541 373-7370 , if you have any questions. Virtual Applicant Briefing FEMA Public Assistance Program FEMA-4881-DR-OREGON Coos, Curry and Douglas Counties Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides and Mudslides Incident Period: March 13 – 20, 2025 Declaration: July 22, 2025 Overview The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) will host a virtual Applicant Briefing to explain the FEMA Public Assistance Program and its application process. The session will last approximately 60 minutes and include a walkthrough of the Request for Public Assistance (RPA) submission. This briefing is not required to apply for the grant, but attendance is strongly encouraged. Briefing Details • Date: Thursday, July 31, 2025 • Time: 2 p.m. • Where: Virtual Teams Meeting o Join the meeting now o Meeting ID: 233 403 219 336 6 o Passcode: qc9DQ3Tb o Dial in by phone: 503-446-4951 Conference ID: 492 908 795# Who Should Attend Agents, financial officers, or designated representatives responsible for managing Public Assistance grants for eligible organizations. Eligible Applicants Include: • Local and Tribal governments • Special districts • State agencies Oregon.gov/OEM | Find us on social media @OregonOEM • Certain private nonprofit organizations (PNPs)* that incurred costs for response activities Applicants are encouraged to apply for a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan first, as there are important deadlines associated with SBA applications. *Note: For details on PNP eligibility, refer to pages 46–52 of the FEMA Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide Version 5.0. Federal Cost Share: FEMA will provide no less than 75% of the eligible costs for emergency protective measures and permanent restoration of damaged public facilities. How to Apply by August 21, 2025 For new Applicants registering in Grants Portal • Go to https://grantee.fema.gov/ • Register Your Organization for Public Assistance • Complete organizational profile (basic information about organization) • New Applicants will select NO when prompted in Grants Portal to submit a Request for • Public Assistance (RPA) - (DR4881 option to submit RPA is not available until registration • process is complete and approved by OEM) • After the new Applicant completes the account request, the account creation must be • approved by the State (OEM) before the new Applicant can submit an RPA for DR4881 • After OEM approves, the Applicant’s primary contact listed will receive a system • generated email with a username and temporary password • Once Applicant receives, they can log back into FEMA Grants Portal to submit a Request • for FEMA Public Assistance (RPA) for DR4881 Already Registered in FEMA Grants Portal? Applicants who are already registered in FEMA Grants Portal can submit an RPA for their organization directly by logging into https://grantee.fema.gov/ Unable to access FEMA Grants Portal to submit RPA or need assistance in creating Public Assistance Grants Portal user account? Please email: [email protected] for questions or assistance. Grants Portal - Grants Portalgrantee.fema.gov
The following is from Emergency Manager Jeff Hughs his number is 541 373-7370 if you have... More

07/30/2025

On May 20th, at a BOC meeting in Brookings, Commissioner Hollinger read into the public record, information that he gathered from the Oregon State Sheriff's Association Executive Director, while the Director was speaking at the AOC commissioner college, doing a presentation on the History of the Sheriff's Office. Hollinger recorded the presentation and subsequent questions and answers without knowledge or permission of the Director and then mis-represented and mis-led the public with the information. OSSA responded to the Curry County BOC, see below. OSSA has asked me to share this with the public. OREGON STATE SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION PO Box 7468, Salem, OR 97303 | 503.364.4204 | www.oregonsheriffs.org JOIN . SERVE . PROTECT . Curry County Board of Commissioners 94235 Moore Street, Suite 122 Gold Beach, OR 97444 Dear Commissioners, We are writing on behalf of the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association (OSSA) in response to the presentation made by Commissioner Patrick Hollinger to the Curry County Board of Commissioners on May 20, 2025. Commissioner Hollinger referenced and utilized content from a private training held during the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) conference. We must express serious concern regarding the nature and handling of this material. The training in question was not a public forum—it was a private session intended for educational purposes among county leaders. The presentation and its content were not recorded with the knowledge or consent of AOC leadership, OSSA, or the speakers involved, which appears to be a violation of Oregon law as discussed below. Commissioner Hollinger contacted Executive Director Svenson and asked if he could use the content and Svenson gave him permission to report on the answers to the questions that he asked. The subsequent use of that recording by a County Commissioner particularly in a public meeting, raises significant ethical and legal concerns and calls into question the Commissioner’s transparency and professionalism. More troubling is that the content from the OSSA presentation was taken out of context and used in a manner that appears to be designed to intentionally mislead the public. The information presented by OSSA was not specific to the situation in Curry County, nor was it intended to represent any official OSSA position regarding Curry County matters. Presenting it otherwise misrepresents the intent of the speakers and the broader message of the training. The use of this material to support a particular position within the county not only distorts the context but risks misleading the public and undermining constructive dialogue. It is critical to emphasize that OSSA’s role in presenting at the AOC conference was strictly educational. The organization did not take a stance—implicitly or explicitly—on any issue related to Curry County. To present our statements as such is inappropriate, unprofessional, and completely misaligned with OSSA’s intent. Additionally, we must bring attention to the manner in which the recording was obtained and used. Failing to provide notice to speakers or AOC leadership is contrary to expected standards of respect and cooperation among partners. Furthermore, the lack of notice before recording and using the material publicly appears to be a violation of ORS 165.540, section 6, which outlines Oregon's laws regarding the unlawful recording of communications. At best, the Commissioner’s actions were inappropriate and misleading, and at worst appear to have violated Oregon criminal laws. The longstanding partnership between OSSA and AOC is based on OREGON STATE SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION PO Box 7468, Salem, OR 97303 | 503.364.4204 | www.oregonsheriffs.org JOIN . SERVE . PROTECT . mutual respect, professionalism, and transparency. Actions like those taken by Commissioner Hollinger compromise that trust and jeopardize future collaboration. To be clear, OSSA does not have a position on the internal issues facing Curry County. The presentation given at the AOC conference was not directed at, nor relevant to, the specific dynamics or governance matters of your county. Any suggestion to the contrary is inaccurate and misleading. We respectfully request that this be formally recognized by the Board of Commissioners and appropriately addressed in the public record. Sincerely, Tim Svenson Sheriff Mark Garton Executive Director President Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association Oregon State Sheriffs' Association – Serving You Since 1916www.oregonsheriffs.orgJOIN.SERVE.PROTECT. BECOME AN OSSA MEMBER TODAY Individuals and businesses who want to support public safety across the State of Oregon may join the Oregon State Sheriffs' Association (OSSA), a tax-exempt non-profit organization. Your tax deductible dues and contributions support Oregon's 36 elected...
On May 20th at a BOC meeting in Brookings Commissioner Hollinger read into the public reco... More

06/02/2025

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