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.

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JURY VERDICT: NOT GUILTY

A superior court jury Monday found John Dixon Clark, 39, not guilty of two charges filed against him. The Post Falls resident was arrested by deputies in the early morning hours of May 12 after a Pine City couple reported a man was walking around their property. The jury brought in its verdicts at 6:27 p.m. after deliberating since 4:30. Clark had been charged with attempted second degree burglary and possession of burglary tools.

An order of acquittal was issued by the court after the jury returned its verdict. The court also exonerated the bond. Clark had posted $2,500 bond for pre-trial release.

Deputies responded to the residence on the Malden-Pine City Road after the occupants reported a Honda had stopped on the road and backed onto their property. The male in the vehicle knocked on the door of the residence, and the occupants, Bruce and Catherine Light, decided not to respond. They said they later saw Clark walking around their property.

Deputies arrested Clark and Lisa M. Martin, 33, also Post Falls, when they were located in the Honda at the scene. They told officers at the time they had run out of gas after departing the Northern Quest Casino in Airway Heights and going for a drive. Martin was never charged.

Mark Monson served as defense attorney for Clark. Deputy Prosecutor Roger Feeley represented the state.

TRACTOR DISCS STOP FIELD FIRE

Fire crews from rural districts 13 and 11 responded to a report of a harvest fire off the R.J. Ochs Road west of the Twin Bridges at about 3:30 p.m. Monday. The fire had been quickly stopped by tractors with discs and the response was called off. The R.J. Ochs Road intersects with Highway 26 on the north side of the grade up from the Twin Bridges.

TEMPERATURE HITS 3 DIGITS

Temperatures in Colfax hit the three digit range Monday. Highest reported reading on the Columbia Bank sign was 103 degrees. The temperature reading remained in the triple digits until the sun made its descent behind the west hill.

Residents Tuesday morning discovered the air had smoke residue, believed to originated from the timber and brush fire raging between Cle Elum and Ellensburg.

HEAT DOWNS TUG CREWMAN

A Colfax ambulance crew was dispatched to Lower Granite Dam Monday at 3:08 p.m. to transport a crew member of a Shaver Transportation tug to Whitman Hospital. The crewman had been working in temperatures reported at 106 degrees aboard the tug Umatilla which was changing barges at the fish loading facility. He had apparently suffered from dehydration. He was picked up at the fish loading facility below the dam and transported to the hospital.

DEMS WILL BE AT LENTIL FEST

Carolyn Cress, chair of the Whitman County Democrats, reported former US Rep. Jay Inslee, who staked a lead over Rob McKenna in last week’s primary election for governor, will be among Democratic candidates who will participate in the Lentil Festival at Pullman Friday and Saturday.

Rich Cowan, a challenger to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Kathleen Drew, who is seeking the secretary of state’s office, have also booked appearances.

They will participate in the Lentil Festival parade, which starts at 11 a.m. and meet with voters in the Spring Street Park across from the Reaney Park. Cowan, who earned his undergraduate and master’s degree at Washington State University where he also served on the student fire department, will be at the Democrats’ booth during the Friday night street fair from 5 to 11 p.m.

ARRESTED IN ALBION

Franklin P. Black, 24, was arrested and taken to Whitman County jail Saturday after an Albion resident reported Black had been pointing a pistol at several houses. Deputies earlier received a report that a man was waving a gun around and also had a knife in the 400 block on North G Street in Albion, according to a report by Sgt. Chris Chapman.

Franklin allegedly told deputies he was just playing what he described as “warfare” according to the report. They determined the pistol involved was a black Marksman BB gun.

WSU FLAGS

POSTED ON MAIN

A blocks long display of WSU flags was posted along Main Street Colfax in a joint effort involving city staffers, volunteers and support from several local businesses. The project started Friday and continued Saturday until about noon, according to Mayor Todd Vanek.

Orientation for new WSU students gets underway this week so the Cougar flags were in place to greet some of the freshmen and their families. The move-in weekend involved 4,100 freshmen and 1,100 transfer students. Mayor Vanek said the flags were supplied by the WSU Athletic Department. Pearson Fence, Huber Action Freight, Four-Star and PNC also assisted with the project.

Vanek said the project provides Main Street with a set of mounts which can be used for other occasions such as the posting U.S. flags for holiday observances. The flag brackets were mounted at a standard 12-foot height which is expected to keep them clear of potential damages from truck trailers and other too high traffic.

First semester classes at WSU start Monday, and the flags are expected to greet the thousands of returning students. Colfax last year was one of the locations for WSU flag waving during home football games.

COUGAR DEPOT SOLD FOR $1

MILLION

A transfer tax affidavit filed in the treasurer’s office lists the sale price for the Cougar Depot Building in Pullman at $1 million. The building was sold by WSU to Lakeside Holdings LLC of Coeur d’Alene. Official listing of the buyer was Lakeside Pullman LLC.

Because the sale was made by a government entity, the purchase was exempt from transfer tax payment.

Darin Watkins, executive director of WSU external communications, said proceeds from the sale will be used to develop a new WSU service center on a site along E. Main east of the armory building.

The Cougar Depot building served as the Pullman depot for the Union Pacific railroad. It was then the site of Lincoln Savings which is now Chase and located along S. Grand near the depot building.

WSU is working with Barnes & Noble and WSU Associated Students to locate an interim service and information center at Bookie Two on Stadium Way.

ORDERS FILED IN BLUEGRASS SUIT

Formal court orders from the Kentucky Bluegrass hearings which dealt with three summary judgment motions were filed Friday in Whitman County Superior Court. The orders by Judge David Frazier conform with rulings he announced after a July 9 hearing on the three motions.

The court denied a motion by Scotts, Inc., to dismiss damage claims which have been made under the Consumer Protection Act. The order means the growers’ damage claims can be presented for alleged losses beyond the commercial code involving the bluegrass production seed contracts.

Also denied was a motion by Scotts to remove the “lost growers” affidavits filed by Seeds, Inc. The affidavits from growers were filed to support claims by Seeds, Inc., that its business has sustained financial setbacks because of its association with Scotts.

Also denied was a motion by Seeds, Inc., of Tekoa for award of sums of interest due as a result of prior summary judgments against Scotts. The court ruled July 9 the determination of the amounts due will have to be made by the jury after it decides on the facts of the case.

Seeds, Inc., and Scotts are co-defendants in a suit filed by area Bluegrass growers for alleged failure to receive payments according to terms on production contracts. Stating they are unable to pay until they receive payment from Scotts, Seeds subsequently filed actions against Scotts.

FALSE NAME

NETS TERM

Amberdawn Turnbull Graham, 28, Boise, was sentenced to 20 days in jail with credit for time already served for a conviction of identity theft. According to the arrest report, Graham gave the name of a friend last November when she was pulled over for a suspected traffic violation on Highway 195 near the Cedar Street intersection in Colfax.

The trooper’s arrest report said she told him she did not have identifications and could not remember her social security number. She gave him the name of a friend, Jennifer Hajredini. The report said officers became aware of the ruse when Hajredini later called to complain after learning her name had been entered into the court records.

Graham was also ordered to pay fines and fees of $800.

ST. IGNATIUS ENTRY

Colfax police early Sunday morning investigated a report that signs of possible entry had been found at the long vacant former St. Ignatius Hospital building on S. Mill. Police Chief Rick McNannay said a neighbor reported the screws holding the locked door of the structured had been removed and an apparent entry attempt had been made.

Nobody was found in the building. The chief noted the aging structure had previously been boarded up because it was considered a hazard.

ROCK SHATTERS

DREAMWORKS WINDOW

Colfax Office Bryce Nebe Monday morning investigated a report of possible vandalism to the Dreamworks office at 612 N. Main. The outer pane of a double-pane window in the front of the building had been hit by a rock.

Nebe said the rock, which was found outside of the building, had apparent abrasion marks on it and that suggested it could have been deflected from the highway by a passing vehicle.

INMATE

DISCIPLINED

Loss of inmate privileges for 15 days was ordered after a discipline hearing involving Daniel C. Lazcano, 20, Spokane. He and his brother, Frank Lazcano, Pine City, have been charged in the shooting death of Marcus Schur of Rosalia. Schur’s body was recovered from the outlet creek of Bonnie Lake March 25.

A jail hearing was conducted Wednesday, Aug 8, on conduct violations filed against Daniel Lazcano for horse play and shoving. The hearing involved review of surveillance videos. The hearing officer ruled the shoving incident was excessive. Loss of privileges includes use of the library, visitor privileges and access to the outdoor exercise area.

Copies of inmate discipline records are filed in the court clerk’s office.

CHARGE

SUSPECTS IN CASH GRAB

Two women have been charged with burglary and theft related to a report of missing cash from the Chevron station in downtown Pullman. Investigation into the case started July 15, 2010, when proprietor Alan Keasel reported $478 in cash was discovered missing from an unlocked safe in an “employees only” part of the station. A surveillance camera showed two women entering the station with one talking to an attendant and the other going into the room.

Police said they received an identification tip from Toppenish after posting the video. Reylinda Alvardo, 30, Toppenish, was identified as the woman who stopped the attendant. Paula Michelle Alban, 42, Spokane, was subsequently identified as the suspect who entered the “employees only” room at the station.

ASPHALT GRINDER HEADS

FOR LINKUP

Central Washington Asphalt crews last Thursday moved their asphalt grinding operation into Colfax and started southbound toward the S curves toward the segments which have already been completed between Colfax and the end of the project at the Babbitt Road intercession. Friday morning’s start was at the south end of town where grinding was done at the start of the week for the excavation and fill part of the project on S. Main.

Southbound traffic backed up behind the grinder down the length of Main Street as far as the courthouse.

The crew in Colfax completed fill operation on the east two lanes of S. Main Aug 9 to prepare for the paving job.

Also, additional cuts have been made on the railroad on the west side of the project to accommodate a sidewalk on that side of the street.