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.

LOGO TOPIC RETURNS

Colfax council members viewed a presentation on the approach to the proposed logo design for the City of Colfax at Monday night’s meeting.

A draft of the proposed logo was presented to the council at its April 6 meeting and rejected when members objected to the design of the capital C at the start of Colfax.

Bob Krikac, WSU designer, and Francisco Aguilar, Colfax designer, showed sketches of the design approach to the council Monday night.

They were asked to revise the capital C on Colfax to conform with the style of the other letters used in the logo.

Also, a sun ray pattern was suggested as an overlay on part of the C. The logo is intended to be included on city letterheads and possibly on vehicles.

TWO FIRES FRIDAY AT PULLMAN

Pullman firefighters responded to two fires within 20 minutes Friday morning.

The first fire was reported at 10:35 a.m.

in the 900 block of NE B Street.

Fire crews saw smoke coming from the apartment.

The smoke was determined to be coming out of an oven.

Fire Lt.

Mark Johnson said they determined the resident of the apartment was getting ready to move and had started the self-cleaning feature on the oven and then left the residence.

A wooden dining table that was against the back of the oven near the exhaust vent was also smoking.

Damage to the stove and table was estimated at $2,500.

A second fire call was at 10:54 from Nendel’s Motor Inn at 915 E. Main.

Crews from Rural District 12, who had just returned from the first fire, went to the scene at Nendel’s and found smoke coming out of a commercial dryer in the laundry room, according to Assistant Chief Ryan Scharnhorst.

The fire was discovered by occupants of the room next to the laundry.

Estimated damage to the dryer and laundry room was $4,000.

SENTENCED ON DRUG CHARGE

Ciara Becker, 19, former Colfax resident now residing in the Seattle area, was sentenced to 30 days in jail Friday on a charge if illegal possession of a drug, hydromorphone.

Becker was allowed to convert all of the jail sentence to 240 hours of community service.

The charge related to a Sept. 8 arrest in Pullman when officers responded to a call that Becker had been apprehended at Shopko on an alleged shoplifting charge.

According to the arrest report, she was observed placing necklaces and other items in her purse.

The report said the drug was discovered during a search of the purse, and officers later determined she had taken the prescription drug from her mother in Colfax.

She was also ordered pay a $1,000 drug fine, costs and fees of $800 and restitution of $150 to Shopko and $50 to Payless Drug.

PARADE WILL RETURN TO MAIN

The Colfax Concrete River Festival parade will be on Main Street in downtown Colfax July 11 as one of the highlights of the celebration.

City Administrator Michael Rizzitiello said efforts were made to have the parade returned to Main Street as a means of recognizing the Downtown Association sponsorship in the downtown section of Colfax.

Colfax parades for several years have been conducted on Mill Street to avoid detour traffic congestion off Highway 195.

Traffic during the parade, scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m., will be detoured to Mill Street.

A Cruise Night has also been slated Friday night of the festival, July 10, at 8:30 p.m., but that event will remain on Mill Street.

A car show, which is expected to attract many of the Cruise Night participants, will be at Schmuck Park the next day, July 11, from 9 to 3 p.m.

PROTECTIVE CUSTODY

A 61-year-old female resident of Paul’s Place was taken into protective custody after Colfax Police received a report of disorderly conduct at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Paul’s Place on S. Mill. Officer Matt Malakowsky responded. She was taken to Palouse River Counseling in Pullman for evaluation and later transported to Eastern State Hospital.

CENTER PROJECT SHORT FUNDS

The Center project in Colfax now needs another $10,000 to complete the remodeling of the front facade.

Unanticipated problems with the front foundation of the building have resulted in a cost overrun, according to Kristie Kirkpatrick, Whitman Library director.

She noted problems with the foundation were discovered when the front of the building was removed in preparation for installation of new windows.

The discovery led to pouring of concrete to shore up the foundation.

The work was done by Sullivan Construction.

The library also opted to add a facade over the front of the building instead of adding a metal awning which was originally planned.

Kirkpatrick said the additional $10,000 is needed for the project to provide matching money for a $40,000 grant which has been awarded to The Center project through the county’s .09 economic development tax fund.

The largest single cost item needed for the project will be the front windows which are estimated to cost in the $25,000 range.

The Center project started in 2009 with a gift in memory of Bettie Steiger.

With donations from Avista and many others, the former Hamilton Drug store building was purchased and renovation has been ongoing.

One of the fund raising events now underway is the raffle of a quilt which has been made and donated by the Whitman Samplers quilting group.

Under an “Around the County” theme, the quilt depicts county barns, fields and even Butch the Cougar.

Tickets for the raffle can be purchased at any library branch or from Palouse River Quilts in Colfax.

The Library Foundation has also scheduled a dinner and auction for Oct. 18 with Butch Booker as auctioneer.

TRAILER WHEEL HITS TRAVERSE

Russell C. Mager, Spokane Valley, and Marla J. Morscheck, Pullman, were unhurt May 26 afternoon in an accident on Highway 195 6.5 miles south of Pullman at 5:15 p.m.

Tuesday.

According to the Washington State Patrol report, Mager was driving a 2012 GMC pickup southbound and pulling an enclosed box trailer.

A wheel came off the trailer and struck the driver’s side of a 2014 Chevrolet Traverse which was being driven northbound by Morscheck.

—Juanita D. Freeman, Lamont, was transported by ambulance to Spokane for a checkup May 26 after she lost control of a 1991 Ford Ranger pickup truck on Highway 23 at mile marker 38.

According to the Washington State Patrol report, she was driving northbound at 9:37 a.m.

when the pickup drifted onto the shoulder of the highway.

She over-corrected and the truck rolled, coming to a halt on the driver’s side.

YIK YAK CONVICTION

Jose Dominquez Rios, 19, Pullman, was sentenced to 15 days in jail, fined $1,000 and ordered to pay fines and fees of $800 May 22 after he pleaded guilty in superior court to a charge of possession of more than 40 grams of marijuana. He was originally charged with delivery of marijuana as the result of a case which started when a WSU officer discovered an “anyone looking for bud” inquiry posted on a Yik Yak smart phone application. The arrest report said the officer responded on a snap chat anonymous phone application and arranged for an undercover sale in an apartment laundry room.

FIRE ALARM RESPONSE

A fire crew May 27 at 4:56 p.m. responded to a fire alarm activation at Whitman Health and Rehabilitation. The alarm was believed to have been triggered by dust. The alarm was reset, and crews were called out again at 5:16 p.m., when the alarm sounded again. The alarm alert goes to Whitcom in Pullman which relays the call to the fire department here.

JAIL CALLS NET NEW CHARGES

Three additional charges were filed May 26 in superior court against Eric Lee Thompson, the Spokane resident who was arrested two weeks ago in Malden after he allegedly attempted to force a Malden woman to accompany him to Spokane.

Thompson, 42, was scheduled for a July 20 trial after he pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful imprisonment, fourth degree assault, driving with a suspended license and reckless driving.

The charges stem from an episode in which Thompson was allegedly using the pickup truck he was driving to stop Amy Baird who was walking from one residence to another along Broadway in Malden May 17.

Baird had reportedly rejected Thompson’s earlier request that she go with him to Spokane.

The new charges related to reports that Thompson used the jail telephone to call Baird at two different times from the jail last week.

The report said deputies reviewed the call recordings after they received a tip that Baird had received calls from the jail.

Thompson had been under a court order to have no contact with Baird, the alleged victim in the first set of charges.

The report notes a recording on the jail phone advises users that the calls they are making are monitored.

ONE-WAY TRAFFIC ON 195

Motorists are advised that Poe Asphalt crews are now working in the Highway 195 segment from the Highway 27 intersection to Babbitt Road. One-way traffic is being flagged north of Pullman. Delays are projected for up to 20 minutes. One traffic alternative is the Albion Road route for drivers headed for north Pullman.

McGREGOR SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Mitchell Jamison of Garfield was among nine recipients of McGregor Co. $1,000 Standing Tall for Agriculture scholarships which were announced May 27. Other recipients were Sarah Mosman, Craigmont, Idaho; Makenzi Hughes, Heppner, Ore .; Matthew Warren, Dayton; Cade Wallace, Quincy; Brent Rosman, Creston; Jessie Van Buren, Lewiston; Dakota Olberding, Connell, and Mary Myers, Genesee.

FOSTER BACK TO COLVILLE

Jason R. Foster, 41, the Colville resident who was arrested after a chase through a field south of Colfax early the morning of May 26, was transferred back to Colville after his arrest here, according to a report by Sheriff Brett Myers.

Foster is expected to face charges of kidnapping and assault.

The report also said the 2005 GMC Envoy Foster had been driving was reported to be stolen, so he is also expected to face a charge of vehicle theft. The sheriff noted once Foster was arrested, after he was wrestled to the ground in a drainage ditch, officers recovered a toy handgun from inside his jacket.

Foster later told officers he intended to have officers shoot him as he fled rather than face another term in prison.

The sheriff reported Foster has a lengthy criminal record and is currently a registered level three sex offender.

Sgt.

Chris Chapman came across Foster and the Envoy at about 2 a.m.

May 26 when he observed the Envoy had been driven off the highway just north of the intersection of Highway 195 and the Shawnee Road.

The Envoy was damaged and appeared to have been in a collision.