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.

HAMILTON

BUILDING

SELECTED

The former Hamilton Drug building, which was purchased by the library and now serves as a community enrichment center, has been selected by WSU’s Communities Design Initiative program for study and planning. A focus group session was conducted Friday with 20 residents and 15 students participating.

The building is now known as the Betty Steiger Community Enrichment Center. Friday’s session included review of ideas and concerns about the building and small group discussions.

The WSU program works with small communities to develop economic sustainability. The WSU contingent was led by Robert Krikac, associate professor of interior design.

SUSPECT SAID

DRIVING 90-PLUS

Alexander G. Ahl, 27, Medical Lake, was booked into jail at 10:25 Saturday night on probable charges of reckless driving and drug possession. A deputy’s report said the arrest began when he detected a Lexus traveling a northbound on Highway 195 at 92 miles per hour near mile marker 48 north of Colfax.

The driver, identified as Ahl, gave consent for a search of the car after he was stopped and a glass pipe and a snuff box containing marijuana were found in the search, according to the report. The arrest report said results of breathalyzer tests led deputies to also request a charge of drunken driving.

PULLMAN WOMAN HURT

IN CRASH

Andra Poteat, 23, Pullman, sustained neck and shoulder injuries, in a three-vehicle accident on the Pullman-Moscow highway Saturday at about 2 p.m. According to the Washington State Patrol report, Benjamin B. Moffett, 29, Colton, was rolling westbound in a 2000 Gradall, and David F. Moffett, Jr., 64, Colton, was also westbound in a 2001 Subaru Forester behind a slow moving piece of equipment with flasher lights operating. Poteat was a passenger in the Forester.

Brian J. Riggs, 20, Palouse, was driving a 2007 Toyota Yaris behind the Forester and was unable to slow down in time to avoid hitting the Subaru which pushed into the back of the Gradall.

COX RESTITUTION DOUBLED

Michael Cox, Albion resident who was convicted of collecting state disability payments from the state L & I Department was ordered to pay $22,259 in restitution in a hearing Friday afternoon in superior court.

Judge David Frazier set the figure after cutting approximately $9,500 from the state’s requested amount. That left the sum due at $11,129, based on checks which Cox collected for the two years involved in the jury convictions.

However, Judge Frazier doubled the sum due under provisions of state law which allows the court to apply an punitive factor to restitution amounts. The judge found the facts of the case show Cox acted fraudulently over a long period of time to collect the disability funds.

The initial reduction of the state sum was allowed because those payments stemmed from an adjustment in 2008 claims. The jury found Cox was not guilty on that charge.

Cox is now serving a sentence in the county jail.

TRUCKER LOSES RETAINING BLOCKS

Colfax police last Thursday received a report that retaining blocks had fallen off a semi-truck which was in the southbound lane of Highway 195 on Buck Canyon grade at 12:40 p.m. Assistant Chief Dave Szambelan said four or five of the blocks fell on the highway as the driver rolled southbound into Colfax. He said fortunately other motorists were able to avoid the blocks which were destroyed by the force of impact on the highway.

The driver and the truck were located on Main Street in downtown Colfax where he was checking over the load which was on two flatbed trailers behind the truck cab. Szambelan said it appeared the trucker had lost some of the blocks off each trailer.

FIRE CREW CHECKS OUT BUILDING

A Colfax fire crew last Thursday responded to a report of a possible electrical fire at the GTR auto repair shop on Oak Street in the North Flat section of Colfax. The report was called in at 5:20 p.m.

According the incident report, the fire crew used the department’s heat detection gun to check over the building and could not locate the source. They advised the new owner to have the electrical system of the building checked out by an electrician.

FOOTBALL

PLAYER... MAYBE NOT

Matthew Goetz, 21, was allowed release on his own recognizance Friday morning in Whitman County Superior court after a first appearance on a probable charge of residential burglary. Goetz was booked into jail here Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m. Goetz, who is from Texas, was ordered not to contact the alleged victims in the case. Judge David Frazier noted the arrest report said Goetz was a member of the Cougar football team, but Goetz said he didn’t believe he was a member of the team any more. The Cougar football roster notes Goetz played center for the Cougars in nine games last year. Formal charges have not been filed.

IMMORAL

CONTACT ARREST

Brian Dudley Scott, 20, Pullman, was allowed release on his own recognizance last Thursday after a first appearance in court. Scott was arrested Wednesday, Aug. 22, on a probable charge of communicating with minors for immoral purposes. The Pullman arrest report alleged he had sent text messages, including photos, to juvenile girls in Pullman. He was ordered to not engage in any form of communication with the two alleged victims, ages 12 and 11, and not engage in any communication with minors about sex and sexual communication.

RAILS WILL GO

TO WATCO

The lengths of rails and other hardware removed from the S. Main Crossing as part of the Highway 195 project will go to the Palouse River & Coulee City Railroad which operates the line between Hooper and Colfax, according to Tom Brash, DOT Assistant Engineer. The railroad material was left beside the tracks after the contractor for the project, Central Washington Asphalt, removed signs and equipment before opening the lanes in Colfax.

Brash said the iron was turned over when the DOT reached an agreement with WATCO, parent company of the railroad, to remove the material for salvage use. He added any non-iron debris from the railroad removal part of the project was removed by the contractor.

Brash said painting, sealing on the highway shoulders segment which were not paved and other details remain to be done on the project.

The contractor is responsible for painting the lane and fog lines under terms of the bid. The contract for the project includes a 34 work day limit. Brash said he expects CWA will finish before that deadline.

CONSTRUCTION ZONE CRASH

Drivers of a car and truck involved in a rear-end accident at the construction zone on 195 were unhurt Wednesday, Aug. 22. According to the Washington State Patrol report, Theodore Simpson, 49, Moses Lake, had stopped the 2001 Peterbilt box truck he was driving in the northbound lane five miles north of Pullman, and it was hit by a 2005 Hyundai Elantra driving by Cody E. Shaputis, 20, Silverdale. The WSP report said Shaputis slowed but failed to stop in time to avoid hitting the truck.

POOL CHEMICAL COSTS

City treasurer Mark Clinton Aug. 20 reported to the city council that one of the operational cost increases for the city swim pool for this summer involved the 55 gallon barrels of chlorine. The pool this year was expected to require 22 of the barrels, nine more than last year.

Most of the increase was probably caused by the return of the toddlers’ pool to an operational mode. That meant increased water flow going through the system for treatment. Also, the overall run of high temperature days increased the evaporation factor which also meant more water had to be treated.

Clinton estimated the city costs will increase by approximately $1,100. The supplier is Oxarc of Spokane.

LAZCANO KIN SENT SUPPORT LETTERS

Character reference letters in support of Frank and Daniel Lazcano, brothers who each face a murder charge involving the shooting death of Marcus Schur, have been sent to the court.

The letter writers have been advised by the court administrator that pre-trial reference letters cannot be submitted to court. They were referred to the attorneys involved on each side.

Letters were received from an aunt in Seattle, a cousin in Bellingham, a friend of the aunt in Seattle and a nurse practitioner in Spokane. The letter writers related accounts of the Lazcanos growing up years, work experience and other factors.

Both of the Lazcanos are now scheduled for an Oct. 15 trial date, although one of those dates is expected to be changed.

COLES UNHURT IN DEER CRASH

Tim D. Coles. 58, Garfield, was unhurt Aug. 19 when the 2004 Honda Accord he was driving struck a deer on Highway 23 about three miles west of Steptoe. According to the Washington State Patrol report, Coles was driving southbound at 8:25 a.m. when the deer jumped into the lane of travel and struck the front of the car. The Honda sustained extensive damage, the report said.