Bulletin column - Feb. 11, 2010

Meth, stolen goods net arrest

Monte D. Estes, 53, Farmington, was booked into the county jail Feb. 8 by Sheriff Brett Myers after an investigation involving goods stolen in at least two theft cases and production of methamphetamine. The sheriff’s arrest report said an informant had tipped the department off about stolen goods in the Oakesdale/Farmington area and possible sale of the goods in Spokane to obtain methamphetamine.

Estes was booked on probable charges of possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine and manufacturing of methamphetamine.

Sheriff Myers’ report said they obtained a warrant to search Estes residence on the Farmington Road and later had the warrant authority expanded to include the meth aspect in the case.

According to the report, Estes admitted to deputies that he was in the process of cooking a batch of methamphetamine. He also stated he cooks the drug for his own use and denied selling it to others.

The report said items missing from a Sept. 21 burglary in the Wilcox area and Jan. 21 at a residence on the Auvil Road were involved in the investigation. The report alleged Estes denied actually taking part in the thefts but said he was asked to store the items by others involved in the case. One account said the stolen items had been taken to a residence in Oakesdale and later moved out to the Estes residence.

A Washington State Patrol methamphetamine investigation team was called to the residence.

Estes was expected to make a first appearance in superior court Feb. 9.

‘No’ fronts campaign sign

A red ‘No’ sign was posted directly in front of the ‘Vote Schools’ campaign sign which was been posted by the Citizens for Quality Schools along the Walla Walla Highway near the Green Hollow Road intersection. The committee normally posts the campaign signs at locations around Colfax.

Ride-share van in accident

An Asotin County ride share van and a Honda Accord were involved in an accident on Highway 195 Feb. 8 about 1.5 miles south of Pullman. Both drivers and the six passengers in the van were uninjured in the accident.

According to the Washington State Patrol report, Andrew Gross was driving a 1998 Honda Accord southbound on Highway 195 at a slow rate of speed at about 3 p.m. The 2008 Chevrolet van, also southbound, came around a curve and driver Kermit Malcom, 62, Clarkston attempted to avoid hitting the slow-moving Accord by passing it. Instead the van hit the back of the Honda which went across the highway and into the ditch on the northbound side. The van came to a halt facing south in the northbound lane.

Highway ice leads to wrecks

Washington State Troopers Feb. 6 were called out to two wrecks on Highway 195 after drivers encountered ice on the highway. Neither driver was hurt.

Sara D. Thompson, 35, Pullman, was driving a 2002 Buick Century northbound at 4:55 a.m. 3.1 miles S. of Colfax when the car went out of control on a curve, crossed the highway, went into the ditch along the southbound lane and struck a fence.

Jason Ruonavaara, 21, Deer Park, lost control of a 2001 Chevrolet pickup truck at 5:20 a.m. six miles north of Colfax. The WSP report said he was driving southbound when the pickup slid sideways into the ditch along the southbound lane.

Treatment allowed drug dealer

Laurie Jo Rasco, 38, Moscow, was ordered to report to a drug offender treatment center in the Spokane Valley Feb. 8 after being allowed a drug offender alternative sentence Friday in superior court. Rasco can spend up to six months in the drug treatment center and then undergo other treatment with strict conditions over a two-year program.

She faces a sentence of up to 20 months in the state prison system in the event she fails to complete the treatment program. Rasco Jan. 8 pleaded guilty to three charges of delivery of oxycodone after informants were used by the Quad Cities Drug Task Force last September to conduct purchases of the drug from her. The arrest report notes Rasco had been suspected of supplying drugs in the Moscow-Pullman area.

The report said an informant was told by Rasco before an arranged sale Sept. 30 that “her man,” known as Deuce, was in town from California. According to the arrest report, Rasco was observed talking to a man in a rental car after completing the drug sale at an arranged site on N. Grand in Pullman.

Pullman police later stopped Tracy D. Mimms, 23, Monclair, Calif., in the rental car. The report said officers found Mimms in possession of $2,065 in cash including $550 of the marked buy money which was used by the informant earlier to purchase oxycodone from Rasco.

Mimms, who told officers he had traveled here in an attempt to join the WSU or UI football squads, was charged with drug delivery. He posted a $5 000 bond for pre-trial release. A trial, originally set for Jan. 19 after he pleaded not guilty, has now been scheduled for April 9.

Rasco was allowed release from jail and placed in the custody of her mother in Moscow last weekend. Judge David Frazier cautioned her that the Spokane Valley treatment center will not admit patients who fail a screening test for drug use which is part of the admittance procedure.

WHMC past scabies episode

Whitman Hospital and Medical Center has resolved the scabies problem reported last month. Hospital CEO David Womack reported the hospital has not had a report of a new rash among employees for over three weeks.

“We want the community to know the hospital is safe,” said Womack.

Scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by a small mite measuring less than 0.5 mm. They are transmitted by close contact with a person carrying the mites.

Two employees were diagnosed and treated for scabies several weeks ago. The hospital traced the mites to a patient who was admitted in December.

“We worked closely with the CDC, implemented every measure they recommended and it worked,” said Dorcy Chenard, hospital infection prevention specialist.

Haiti health kits sought

Health kits for earthquake victims in Haiti are now being accepted at the United Methodist Church for distribution through the United Methodist Council on Relief. The kits should contain a hand towel (up to 17 X 27), washcloth, large comb, nail file or clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers), a bar of soap (3 ounces and up), toothbrush and six adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages. The agency is purchasing toothpaste in bulk to add to the kits. The kits are planned to make them usable in a wide variety of situations and donors are asked to adhere to the specifications.

Yes, there are lots of pigeons

A three-man Department of Transportation bridge crew has been working under the Spring Flat Creek bridge across Main Street to make repairs to concrete. The crew expected to finish up the project by the middle of this week.

Presence of the crew led neighborhood residents to assume the DOT crew was undertaking some type of pigeon prevention operation under the bridge. A Department of Ecology report last week said pigeon droppings are believed to be the main cause of contamination of water in the S. Palouse River.

A crew member said they are encountering lots of pigeons under the bridge, but they are unaware of the DOE study. Also, officials at DOE in Spokane are unaware of a DOT crew working under the bridge.

The DOE water quality study was conducted last fall during the low water period to determine the high level of bacterial contamination in the last miles of the South Fork.

Spring Flat Creek flows into the S. Palouse about a block west of the South Main Street bridge. The Spring Flat Creek bridge under Main Street runs diagonally. The DOT crews are entering the Spring Flat channel on the E. Thorn Street end of the bridge behind the Palouse Empire Pest Control building.

Crew members are applying patches to concrete under the bridge. The overhead work is slow going because they have to build up the concrete in layers. They are also working while water is flowing in the creek and the pigeons are flying around.

Suit seeks jewelry return

A Colfax couple has been ordered to appear in court Feb. 12 and show cause why they should not be ordered to return items to an Oregon jeweler because of payments alleged due on the items purchased.

The “show cause” order includes a notice that in the event the court does order the couple to return the merchandise, the sheriff can be authorized to seize the merchandise and permitted to break and enter, if necessary, to recover the merchandise and return it to the plaintiff.

The civil suit was filed in court Wednesday by Harry Ritchies Jewelers, Inc., of Oregon against Anthony and Alicia Napier of Colfax.

It alleges a retail charge agreement was executed for the purchase of jewelry, settings and gem stones Dec. 24, 2003.

A list alleged purchases made under the agreement was included with the suit. Total amount of the purchases on the list were $70,560. Last item on the list was purchased in December of 2007.

The suit alleges $32,819 due on principal for the purchases with another $6,312 due in interest and fees for a total of $39,156 due.

City crews cut trees

City crew members, who have not had to wage a snow battle this year, have been clearing trees along the flood control project. Public Work Director Andy Rogers reported to the city council, trees which were determined to be “minimally acceptable” in the annual Army Corps of Engineers channel inspection reports have been targeted for removal.

Rogers said residents at some locations along the channel will be asked to sign off on a variance letter which would allow the city to remove trees that could block access in the event of a flood emergency.