Bulletin Column

These reports are from the previous four issues of the Daily Bulletin in Colfax. They are reprinted here for the benefit of Gazette readers who reside outside of Colfax. Some accounts have been updated.

CITY GENERAL FUND IN BLACK

City Treasurer Mark Clinton reported to the city council Monday night that the city’s general fund budget is now $9,086 in the black for next year. In the preliminary budget report at the previous meeting, the treasurer reported the general fund budget was $76,393 in the red.

Mayor Todd Vanek credited city department heads with making the necessary cuts to get the general fund plan for next year in the black.

Overall the city’s budget, including capital expenses and utilities, now has a $22,588 deficit between anticipated revenue and overall spending.

The city will conduct a hearing on the budget at its next meeting, Dec. 17.

WIND FACTOR IN ACCIDENT

Wind was a factor in a Sunday non-injury accident north of Steptoe on Highway 195. Amy J. Kraut of Colfax was driving a 2003 Dodge Ram pickup southbound on 195 at 4:30 p.m. when wind gusts blew some of the hay bales she was hauling off the truck and into the roadway a half mile north of mile marker 54. Kelly Demeyere-Coursey, Clarkston, driving a 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee northbound, struck some of the bales and damaged the front end of the Cherokee.

— Carissa A. James, Prosser, was unhurt Sunday when she lost control of a 2006 Nissan Sentra on Highway 26 about 23 miles west of Colfax. According to the state patrol report, she was driving westbound at 7:55 p.m. when she swerved to miss a tire which was on the highway. The Sentra went into the westbound ditch about four-tenths of a mile east of mile 109.

— Penny R. Hinds, St. John, was unhurt Nov. 30 at 10:15 p.m. when the 2006 Chrysler Pacifica she was driving collided with a deer on Highway 26 about 1.3 miles west of Steptoe.

BARRY TRIAL DATE SET

A Feb. 19 trial date was slated for Darin R. Barry of LaCrosse Friday in superior court after he pleaded not guilty to three charges of malicious mischief in LaCrosse. Barry has been charged with painting graffiti on property of LaCrosse residents he incorrectly believed to be involved in a burglary of his residence at LaCrosse last August.

DOG POUND PROJECT FINISHED

Colfax Eagle Scout candidate Daniel Thomas officially reported to the city council Monday that his project to remodel the Colfax City Dog Pound, located at the sewer treatment plan, has been finished. Thomas logged approximately 110 hours on the project which was supervised by former Colfax Police Chief Bill Hickman.

The work included installation of exterior gates which made it easier for officers to place dogs in the pound. Plexiglass doors between the exterior and interior segments of the four pens were also replaced.

SEAL COATING GRANT NIXED

City Administrator Carl Thompson reported to the city council Monday night that the Colfax application for seal coating failed to qualify for funding from the state’s Transportation Improvement Board. The city had sought funds to pay for chip sealing Valleyview at the top of the Thorn Street Hill.

The grant application was submitted under the T.I.B.’s small cities preservation program. Thompson said he received word Monday that the project failed to make the list of projects which qualified for funding.

The city three weeks ago received word that it had qualified for a $120,000 grant under the T.I.B.’s small cities sidewalk project. The sum will be used to install sidewalks along Third and N. Clay Streets to accommodate school students and other pedestrians who use the route between the schools along Morton Street and homes on Park Street.

CAMPUS BLUE PHONE RESPONSE

WSU Police early Saturday morning arrested Douglas A. Falkner, 22, on probable charges of assault, harassment and unlawful imprisonment after responding to a report from a campus blue phone north of Sloan Hall. The alleged victim, a 19-year-old woman, told officers she had been assaulted by Falkner after they attended a party at his fraternity. She said they went to his apartment from the fraternity, and he became upset because he felt she had flirted with other males at the party.

The arrest report said the victim was prevented from leaving the apartment and alleged her cell phone was taken by the suspect and thrown against a wall. She managed to get out of the apartment, but the suspect chased her and assaulted her near the blue phone reporting station on the campus, the report said.

Falkner was booked into jail here just after 6 a.m. Saturday.

B.C. JAZZ BAND TO RETURN

The secondary school jazz band from Revelstroke, B.C., has again booked a stay in Colfax while they attend and perform in the Lionel Hampton jazz festival at the University of Idaho in February. Approximately 40 students from Revelstroke Secondary School, teachers and parents are expected to attend the 46th edition of the jazz festival and stay in Colfax.

The jazz festival is scheduled Feb. 20-23 at the University of Idaho. Revelstroke musicians normally make the trip here every other year after conducting fund-raising events to help pay for the cost of the trip.

The band plans to stay at the Siesta Motel and eat breakfast at the Top Notch. They reported two years ago the road trip from Revelstroke to Colfax takes about 11 hours.

DOOR CHECKS UNDERWAY

Colfax Police Chief Rick McNannany said city officers have been asked to check doors of downtown businesses in the early morning hours. Officers will be on foot patrols and “rattling doors” to check locks. Doors were discovered unlocked at three businesses over the weekend.

Four downtown burglaries were investigated by the department during November.

PULLMAN FILES $53.5 MILLION REQUEST

A special election proposal for a Pullman School District $53.5 million general obligation bond was filed last Thursday in the Whitman County elections office. The bond proposal will be on the Feb. 12 ballot for the school district.

The proposal seeks voter approval to issue the bonds with a 20-year maximum maturity date. The proposal calls for $51.5 million to be used for construction and renovation of the Pullman High School and $2 million to expand Franklin Elementary School which is located on SE Klemgard.

Pullman School board members approved a resolution to submit the bond request to the voters last Nov. 7. Overall cost of the project is estimated at $66 million with the district anticipating a $13 million grant from the state.

AIRPORT ROAD COLLISION

Two Moscow drivers were involved in a rear-end collision Thursday, Nov. 29, on the Airport Road about three and one-half miles east of Pullman. According to the Washington State Patrol report, Timothy T. Meekhof, 44, had stopped a 2001 Chevrolet pickup he was driving southbound on the Airport Road at the traffic light at the Highway 270 intersection. Brandon C. Riggers, 28, Moscow, driving a 2008 Pontiac, was also southbound on Airport Road and struck the back of the pickup truck.

MEY ARRESTED AGAIN

Vance E. Mey, 19, Winona, a suspect in burglaries at Colfax and Endicott, was arrested again Nov. 28 at the Colfax pawn shop on a new burglary allegation. According to the arrest report, Mey is suspected of breaking into an apartment through a door along the west alley of Colfax on the same night he was suspected of burglarizing the Thrifty Grandmothers Shop and the Daily Grind.

In both of those cases, police reported cash was taken. At the Daily Grind, a cash register was removed from the building and later found along the top of the flood control in back of the building.

The arrest report filed in court following the arrest that Wednesday said officers believe Mey was attempting to enter the back of the pawn shop and pried open a door to the back of the apartment by mistake.

Mey was arrested and jailed Nov. 10 after police investigated the two Colfax break-ins. He was allowed release on his own recognizance Nov. 13 and an order of exoneration was issued by the court after formal charges were not filed.

The pawn shop, now known as Pawn of Colfax, was burglarized Nov. 16 with a safe and several valuable items reported missing. Nothing in the last arrest report, which alleges Mey made entry into an apartment located next to the shop Nov. 8, links him with the shop burglary eight days later.

A 17-year-old juvenile was also arrested with Mey in connection with the Daily Grind and Thrifty Grandmothers shop entries.

Formal charges of burglary were filed against Mey Friday.