If you’re going to lie to my face, be prepared for me to know — and when my response is silence, that’s when you should worry. Some have referred to me as a human lie detector. It’s not bravado; it’s training. I’ve been through interview and interrogation courses at two different schools, and I spent decades putting that education to use. In my career, the ability to detect deception has been a powerful tool. In my personal life, it’s been a lonely one. People lie. Everyone does. Little white lies about weight, haircuts, or what time they’ll be home. But what happens when the lies aren’t harmless? What happens when the lies come from those who are supposed to lead us?
I live in Josephine County, just like you. I’ve been here long enough to recognize the shift — and I’m not talking about the weather. I’m talking about the climate of division, manipulation, and calculated deception that has taken root in this community. Over the past several years, we’ve watched as local public officials have turned truth into a commodity to be twisted and sold. They were elected to lead with honesty and integrity. Instead, too many have chosen the path of deceit, setting the worst possible example for those they represent.
Every day, residents of Josephine County are fed half-truths, omissions, and outright falsehoods by politicians who treat their positions as platforms for personal power rather than public service. These are not isolated incidents. This is a systemic pattern of behavior. And if I were to sit idle and simply observe, knowing what I know, I could never live with myself.
This is not just my problem. It’s our problem.
Through the Grants Pass Tribune, we’ve gone beyond simply reporting the news. We’ve worked with law enforcement at both the local and federal levels because what’s happening here has grown that serious. But let’s be clear: one newspaper cannot do this alone. Investigative journalism is a force, but community courage is the engine that drives real change.
To the residents reading this: you know what’s happening. Many of you have lived it firsthand. You’ve seen the retaliation. You’ve felt the intimidation. You’ve watched what happens when people speak up. But if we don’t stand together and push back against this tide of dishonesty, it will only get worse. Silence is not safety; it’s surrender.
It’s time to step forward. Share your stories. Put your names on the record. Speak the truth, and we will stand beside you to ensure those truths are heard. If you tell me what has happened to you, I will believe you — unless you lie to me. And if you do, I’ll know. But if you speak honestly, you won’t be alone.
The lies have brought us to this point. What happens next depends on whether this community chooses to accept a government built on deception or to stand united against it. Josephine County is still a community. It still has a voice. And together, we can prove that truth still matters.