Bulletin Column

—Bill Myers, Joseph’s Grainery, photo

Where is the smoke coming from? According to the National Weather Service, wildfires all over Oregon have been contributing to the poor air quality in Whitman County. In this aerial photo, Kamiak and Steptoe buttes peek out above the haze.

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.

CHANNEL ROCKS SET

FOR N. FORK

The tons of rock which landed in the flood channel of the S. Fork of the Palouse River in Colfax are now slated to wind up as part of an erosion control project on the N. Fork of the Palouse River in the Glenwood area, City Administrator Michael Rizzitiello reported to the city council Monday night. Colfax is working with the Palouse Conservation District to install rock barbs in the North Fork.

Erosion along the North Fork has actually exposed a Qwest Internet cable. Also, the bank of the river has been washed away to a point where it is threatening the water main which transports water from the Glenwood artesian wells to Colfax.

Most of the Colfax portion of the project will involve “in kind” work which would involve hauling the rock from the S. Fork channel out to the Glenwood area.

An estimated 695 tons of rock are now on the bottom of the S. Palouse channel. The rock deposits came from the drainage ditch project along the Palouse Highway grade. Strong winter runoff washed the rock from a state drainage project along the highway down to the S. Palouse.

Rizzitiello Monday night reported the city still has not obtained state and corps permits to get into the channel and remove the rock. Under an agreement with the state Department of Transportation, Colfax will be reimbursed $12,000 for the cleanup.

Erosion control work is planned for three sites along the river in the Glenwood area. One site is upstream from the Glenwood Road bridge near where the city’s artesian wells are located.

Two other sites are located downstream from Glenwood where the North Fork makes a sharp turn to the south.

SENTENCED TO 10-PLUS YEARS

Richard J. DeVaney, 41, former Pullman resident, was sentenced to 123 months in prison Friday on a conviction of child rape. He had been scheduled for sentencing after entering a plea of guilty to the charge July 25.

DeVaney entered his plea after being found competent to stand trial. The finding was entered after he underwent a mental health examination.

The conviction dates back to Nov. 7, 2012, in Pullman. Investigation in the case started after Pullman police received information from a resident in Texas where DeVaney had moved. A neighbor in Texas relayed accounts she learned of DeVaney’s criminal activities during the time he resided in Pullman, the arrest report said.

NEW CHARGE FOR SCHOOL GUN SUSPECT

The 15-year-old Colfax youth who was sentenced in July for taking a gun to Colfax High School last May was ordered held in custody on a new charge Sept. 10 in juvenile court. According to court records, the youth threatened another youngster with a knife Sept. 9 in the area behind Jennings Elementary School.

The youth has been summoned to appear in juvenile court Sept. 18 for a hearing on a charge of assault.

Bond amount for release from custody was set at $25,000. In addition to the alleged knife incident, the youth faces a potential charge of violating conditions of release ordered from the gun in school charges.

According to the arrest report the youth chased the alleged victim after a verbal exchange on the Sixth Street side of the Jennings Elementary at about 4:30 p.m. Sept. 9. The report said the suspect chased the alleged victim and pulled out the knife which he held to his side while getting “in the victim’s face” after the chase ended near the flood control channel in back of the swim pool.

At a deposition hearing in the school gun case July 17 the youth was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to not go onto school grounds or possess guns, including air guns. The gun he took to school May 30 was an air gun.

He was allowed release after 10 days of serving the sentence to undergo a mental evaluation. A review hearing on the gun case was scheduled for Sept. 18.

FIVE CAR-DEER

COLLISIONS

Washington State Troopers investigated five car-deer accidents over the weekend. All were non-injury accidents. Four of the accidents were on Highway 26 with two of them Friday evening at mile marker 120 east of Dusty. Times were 7:09 p.m. and 7:51 p.m.

Other deer accidents on Highway 26 were Saturday at 8:28 p.m. at mile 114, and Sunday at 8:03 p.m. at mile 112. The other accident was Friday at 7:56 p.m. on Highway 195 at mile marker 41 north of Colfax.

The WSP also investigated a non-injury rollover accident Friday at 3:14 p.m. at the intersection of the Hamilton Hill Road and Highway 195.

RESERVE DEPUTY TRAINING

The sheriff’s office is now accepting applications for the 2015 reserve deputy academy. Applications can be obtained at the sheriff’s office during business hours or online via the county sheriff’s website.

The applications will be accepted through Sept. 30.

Applicants are required to pass a written examination, physical agility test, polygraph examination, psychological examination and background check.

The reserve academy involves 240 hours of training. Applicants are required to complete the course and be over age 21 at the time of completion.

DOMESTIC ASSAULT ARREST

Gilberto Ramirez, 31, Pullman, was booked into the county jail on probable charges of fourth degree assault and unlawful imprisonment Sept. 11 after being arrested in Pullman.

The arrest report said Ramirez was arrested after assaulting his spouse and restricting her during a domestic dispute. Officers at first had trouble locating Ramirez who reportedly left the residence on Webb Street and was last seen running down Richie Street. He was later located near the residence.

The report said Ramirez had written a suicide note on one of the walls of the residence, threatened to cut himself and reportedly had ingested 15 Xanax pills.

The arresting officer took him to the Pullman Hospital for treatment before bringing him to the jail here.

CITY PLANS TO ADD FIFTH

OFFICER

Colfax Police Department has received approval to add a fifth full-time police officer. The city is now negotiating with Whitman Hospital on sharing the costs for expanding the department, according to City Administrator Michael Rizzitiello.

Under the proposal, the hospital would pay approximately half of the costs.

Police Chief Rick McNannay said the plan for adding an officer evolved from the addition of overnight police staffing to meet security concerns at the hospital. The city and hospital earlier this year worked out an agreement for funding the overnight coverage which is now being done with part-time officers.

The officers have a site at the hospital but under terms of the agreement can respond to other calls in town if needed. Hospital concerns include the safety of staff members and patients in the hospital.

Pending approval of a cost sharing agreement, McNannay hopes to have the fifth officer on line by the end of the year. When hired, the officer will go into the department’s shift rotation for 24 hour coverage.

The chief said the additional department officer will also work on code enforcement in addition to shift rotation. One of the top needs for code enforcement is complaints of junk vehicles being parked on private property around town.

FORECLOSURE STARTS

A complaint for tax foreclosure on nine parcels of property for unpaid taxes was filed Sept. 11 in Whitman County Superior court. The complaint lists sums due on the nine with a total bill due, along with interest and fees, of $24,934 for taxes not paid for the prior three years.

Outstanding tax bills range from $1,308 to $9,335.

The complaint advises registered property owners that the county will seek a court judgment for the taxes due plus fees and penalties.

Parcels listed include two each in Lamont and Tekoa, and one each in Colfax, Malden and Pullman. Location of one parcel was not listed.

RESPONDS

TO SUMMONS

Dennis Reynolds, 59, Steptoe, opted to delay entry of a plea after appearing in superior court Friday morning on a summons after charges were filed against him Aug. 27. Reynolds was advised of his rights, and county defense attorney Steve Martonick was appointed to represent him.

The charges against Reynolds were filed by Patrick Johnson, a special defense attorney from Spokane County. Reynolds had been charged with possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and dealing in such depictions.

His arraignment has been set for Friday, Sept. 19.

ARREST AT

ENDICOTT

Jason A. Davis, 30, Endicott, was formally charged Monday in superior court with possession of methamphetamine after he was arrested early last Friday at his residence in Endicott. Bond in a first appearance in court Friday was set at $25,000. Davis, a former Pullman resident, was also arrested on outstanding warrants for failing to appear at compliance hearings on cases dating back to 2006 and 2007. Convictions in those cases involved theft and possession of stolen property.

According to the arrest report Friday, deputies responded to a report of domestic violence at the residence at Endicott. The deputy located Davis on the front porch. He allegedly showed symptoms of drug use, although he denied it. A subsequent search of the house resulted in alleged discovery of methamphetamine, the report said.