News Briefs

LAST DAY OF HEAT WAVE?

The National Weather Service at Pullman-Moscow Airport posted an excessive heat warning again last Friday until 10 p.m. The predicted high temperature Friday was 104, and the high last Thursday at the Pullman-MoscowAirport was 103.

Gazette weather reporter JB Broeckel at LaCrosse reported the high temperature mark there Thursday was 118 degrees in the sun.

In downtown Colfax, the Pacific Northwest Growers reader board sign topped out at 113 degrees at 5 p.m. Thursday and dropped to 111 degrees about 30 minutes later. Columbia Bank's sign was at 111 at 5:30, and the new sign at Purpose Roasters was at 108.

The downtown walk-to-work readings Friday morning, starting northbound at 7 a.m., included 61 at Ace Hardware, 64 at Purpose Roasters, 66 at Columbia Bank and 67 at Pacific Northwest Growers.

The heat wave was predicted to end Friday with the NWS predicting an 82 degree high at the airport Saturday and 78 Sunday.

TRUCK TRAFFIC CONCERN

Colfax City Council member Jim Kackman Aug. 6 expressed concern over possible heavy truck damage to the Cedar Street project which is now underway in the North Flat section of Colfax. Kackman said he anticipates heavy harvest truck traffic on Cedar Street which he believes occurs every year at harvest time. He said he's concerned about how the trucks will damage the street's new sub surface once it is in place.

Kackman said truckers from the east side of the county who head westbound on Highway 272 opt to take the turnoff to Glenwood and then continue west on North Palouse River Road into Colfax.

The route is used by semi drivers who are shuttling grain from the Kamiak Butte harvest area to avoid the steep grade into Colfax, he said.

He said he's concerned about how the truck traffic will impact the Cedar Street roadbed before it is finished. Kackman questioned whether any damage sustained to the street before the project is finished would have to be paid for by the city.

TRIAL DATE SET FOR JORGENS

A Sept. 17 trial date was scheduled Friday morning in superior court for Justin N. Jorgens, the 36-year-old Pullman man who has been charged with breaking the windows out of an RV in the SE Riverview area of Pullman last Saturday.

Jorgens Friday morning pleaded not guilty to charges of malicious mischief in the second degree, obstruction of justice and disorderly conduct.

Reported to be homeless when arrested, Jorgens asked the court for release on his own recognizance and gave the court an address where he would reside in Pullman.

Deputy Prosecutor Merritt Decker objected to pre-trial release. He told the court Jorgens had been ordered to refrain from drinking as part of the resolution of a previous district court case, and evidence in the new case indicated he had been drinking at the time.

The probable cause sheet on the arrest alleged Jorgens had smashed windows out of the RV with a shovel. The report alleged Pullman Officer Wade Winegardner had to stop the suspect with a stun gun when police confronted him near Paradise Creek Brewery.

Judge Gary Libey, citing Jorgens' alleged violation of the district court order to remain sober, denied the request for release without posting bond which was at $25,000.

TRAFFIC LOADS EXPECTED

Highway traffic in the area was expected to mark a big increase over the weekend this week with WSU students returning to campus for the fall semester. Official move-in day for the WSU semester was Wednesday, Aug. 15. WSU officials have reported to expect a record number of freshmen to be on campus for the start of the term. The count of freshmen is expected to exceed 4,300.