Bulletin column - March 11, 2010

City nominates bridge ramps

A plan to install ramps on the S. Main Bridge at Cooper has been nominated by the city for stimulus funding in the event the county receives stimulus authorization through the state Department of Transportation.

Plans prepared by Erik R. Coats, Pullman consulting engineer, call for new ramps on each side of the bridge, and the estimated cost is in the $60,000 range, according to Carl Thompson, city administrator.

The city proposal is among county and Pullman proposals which have been compiled for potential stimulus funding. Thompson explained the list was prepared in the event stimulus money comes down the pipeline but at this point they are not certain any funds will be available.

The city also could seek funding for the ramp program through the state DOT local projects list.

The plan calls for ramps to be built next to the bridge approaches on each side of Main with right angle entry through the present concrete bridge railing. Cuts would have to be made in the railing.

Jooris faces 90 days in jail

Gwenhael M. Jooris, 24, Pullman, was sentenced to three months in jail Friday under a plea bargain agreement. Jooris was sentenced after pleading guilty to two charges of malicious mischief which were filed against him in an amended complaint. He originally faced charges of delivery of marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and possession of hydrocodone. A police report filed with the original charges alleges three-fourths to one pound of marijuana and $1,995 in cash were found in a warrant search of Jooris’ residence last September.

Friday’s sentencing was the second for Jooris who last May was sentenced to 30 days in jail for possession of under 40 grams of marijuana. That charge evolved from a Pullman police response to a report of a theft of newspaper bundles. Officers obtained a search warrant and allege they found $16,520 in cash and more than 140 grams of marijuana in the residence.

Jooris Friday was allowed work release while serving the 90-day sentence and ordered to pay $5,000 for fines and fees.

Assault charges filed

Charges of third degree assault were filed in two separate Colfax cases Friday in superior court. Daniel D. Zorb, 29, was charged for the alleged early morning assault Feb. 10 of a resident who was standing in the east alley of the 700 block of south Main. Zorb, who had been the object of a police hunt, turned himself in to the Colfax police station the next day. Zorb was charged with throwing a cinder block at the victim who told officers he declined Zorb’s request to share a cigarette and the suspect became upset.

Jared S. Stratton, 32, Diamond, was charged after police responded to a Feb. 26 report of a man being assaulted outside the Corner Chevron in Colfax. Police reports alleged Stratton struck the victim with a section of pipe after a confrontation erupted over a prior dispute.

Both suspects were summoned to court March 19.

Exam ordered for Murphy

A mental evaluation has been ordered for Gerald S. Murphy, Colfax resident who was arrested after officers allegedly had to shoot him twice with a taser gun and once with a bean bag in an effort to subdue him. Murphy reportedly cut his arm when he broke out a front window at his Park Street house during the Feb. 27 confrontation.

A sanity commission consisting of at least one expert from Eastern State Hospital has been ordered to determine within 21 days Murphy’s competency to undergo trial and his mental condition Feb. 27 when officers had to force their way into his residence.

Burglary suspect arraigned

Denny Baldwin, pleaded not guilty to a charge of burglary Friday in superior court and allowed pre-trial release on his own recognizance. The charge alleges Baldwin was one of the participants in a Jan. 21 burglary on the Auvil Road. He was charged with the burglary last Wednesday, March 3.

Another charge, involving drug possession, was dismissed against Baldwin Friday. He was initially arrested Feb. 1 on Highway 271 north of Oakesdale when a deputy noticed he was driving a Pontiac with a cracked windshield. The drug case was dismissed after Baldwin’s court-appointed defense attorney contended the subsequent search after the traffic stop was illegal.

Pawn shop faces orders

An order awarding possession for jewelry items to Harry Ritchie’s Jewelers, Inc., Portland, was filed in superior court Friday, March 5, against Double Eagle Pawn, Inc., Spokane. The order evolved from a suit Ritchie’s has filed against Anthony and Alicia Napier of Colfax in an attempt to recover jewelry which it alleges it sold to the Napiers on a 2003 retail contract.

The court order against Double Eagles alleges six jewelry pieces are in its possession. The order requires Double Eagle to inform the court who has the jewelry if they do not have it in their possession.

Also, the court Friday dismissed Millman Jewelers- E-Z Loan, Inc., under terms of a stipulated agreement, and continued a hearing for Pawn One, Inc., until March 19. Spokane Attorney Michael Church entered a notice of appearance on behalf of Pawn One.

The pawn shops had been ordered to appear in court Friday and show cause why they shouldn’t turn over the jewelry. The order against Double Eagle was filed after they failed to appear.

The show cause order was issued against them after Anthony Napier, under a court order, identified them as being in possession of the jewelry in information he provided to Howard Neill, Pullman attorney who filed the civil suit on behalf of Ritchie’s.

City to pay insurance makeup share

Colfax will pay a share of makeup funds under a plan from Cities Insurance Association of Washington, Ephrata, to comply with state Office of Financial Management requests. The plan involves retroactive assessments to make up a funding gap between 2002-2007.

Mayor Norma Becker explained at theMarch 1 city council session that the assessment is based on reserves the insurance pool has been ordered to have on hand. The insurance pool had been able to pay off all claims.

Beginning in August, members of the insurance pool will be required to pay an additional $197,242 per year over the next five years. Total amount of the assessment has been estimated at $986,214.

A report to CIAV said the group’s board had submitted two plans to the OFM which did not include retro assessments, but both were rejected and the state agency insisted the retro plan was the only method of collection it will accept.

The amount of the assessment will be divided among members of the insurance pool according to population. Colfax at this time does not know how much will be added to its insurance bill.

Rosalia burglary suspect arrested

Ronald Rutledge, Jr., 28, was arrested at Colfax Tuesday afternoon as a suspect in the burglary of a storage unit on Valentine’s day in Olympia. According to a report from Sheriff Brett Myers, a late model Dodge pickup truck which matched the description of a vehicle involved in the burglary had been spotted on Highway 195.

The report said Rutledge was stopped on probable cause for involvement in the Rosalia burglary. They allege he admitted cooperating in the burglary. They also allege a small amount of methampetamine was found in the truck.

An investigation report from the Rosalia marshall’s office will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office. Rutledge was released on his own recognizance.

Two deer collisions

Katherine Cassidy, 31, Spokane, was unhurt Wednesday morning, March 3, when the 2006 Silverado pickup truck she was driving struck a deer on Highway 195 two miles north of Colfax. According to the Washington State Patrol report, she was driving southbound at 7:02 a.m. when the deer ran onto the roadway and struck the right front corner of the truck.

Lance Tomiczek, 19, Converse, Texas, was unhurt when the 2001 Nissan Maxima he was driving struck a deer 15 miles north of Colfax Monday, March 1 . He was driving northbound at 6:05 p.m. when the deer entered the roadway.