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.

LAZCANO TRIALS RESCHEDULED

Trials of Frank and Daniel Lazcano, brothers charged with first degree murder of Marcus Schur of Rosalia last Dec. 27, have been moved to February. The trials had been set for the third week in October.

Trial for Frank Lazcano, 24, Pine City, has now been slated for Feb. 11, and the trial for Daniel Lazcano, 21, Spokane, has been scheduled for Feb. 25.

The two brothers waived their rights to speedy trials Friday.

They are charged with first degree murder of Schur and unlawful disposal of his remains. An amended charge filed April 5 added a gun enhancement to the charges.

Also Friday, a scheduling date was set for the trial of L. Travis Carlon of Pine City who has been charged with rendering criminal assistance in the case. Carlon at one time had been set for trial June 18, but later waived his speedy trial rights. The charge alleges Carlon assisted the Lazcanos after the alleged shooting of Schur Dec. 27 in Malden.

The Lazcanos have remained in jail since their April arraignments in superior court. Carlon was allowed pre-trial release this summer under an arrangement which allowed him to undertake farm operations.

CHICKEN

BACKERS RETURN

Monday night’s Colfax city council session began with a presentation by Enoch Hicks of Uniontown on his company’s development of portable chicken “tractors.” He described the features of the chicken production system which he said provides better control of diet and health concerns related to raising chickens in an urban setting. Hicks, who displayed his products at the fair, said he was encouraged by local residents to make a presentation to the city council.

Hicks urged the council to reconsider their June 4 decision against allowing raising chickens in Colfax. His presentation included a list of towns and cities who have changed their ordinances to allow urban chickens.

After the Hicks presentation, Sheri Sanders, who resides on Oak Street, also urged the council to reconsider its earlier decision to keep the town’s chicken ban in place. Sanders said she had already purchased one of the chicken tractors prior to the council’s decision.

She added the city’s present ban impacts only families who adhere to the city rules and do not raise chickens in their back yards. Sanders said she believes as many as 20 families now keep chickens inside the city limits. She also said residents were violating city ordinances by raising sheep and allowing dogs to run loose.

At the beginning of her statement, Sanders questioned the integrity of the city council when they made their decision to keep the chicken ban in place. After she had finished, Councilman Al Vorderbrueggen asked why she mentioned the council’s integrity. Councilwoman Jeannette Solimine at that point said they now allow their dog to run loose on their property on the city’s west hill.

DRIVER HITS GUARDRAIL

Madeline E. Zabel, 19, Avont, Ct., complained of a sore back Saturday after she lost control of a Honda CRV while driving eastbound on Highway 26 about 28.1 miles west of Colfax. According to the Washington State Patrol report, Zabel was driving eastbound at 6 a.m. when the Honda went off the roadway to the right, struck the end of a guardrail and hit a mileage marker sign.

HARDGROVE

SENTENCED TO 90 MONTHS

Justin J. Hardgrove of Colfax, who was found guilty of two charges of selling methamphetamine by a jury Aug. 20, was sentenced to 90 months in prison Friday in Whitman County Superior court. The prison term was just 10 months under the maximum Hardgrove could have received for the crime.

Hardgrove, 30, had been ordered to begin serving time in jail after the jury returned its verdict.

A pre-sentence review assigned Hardgrove an offender score of nine because of an extensive criminal record. That score placed him in the range of 65-plus months up to the 10-year maximum.

Prosecutor Denis Tracy filed a thick packet of Hardgrove’s prior sentences from criminal record which stretches back to his juvenile days.

The report lists six convictions in superior court going back to 1998. Convictions have been for theft, malicious mischief, burglary, assault and possession of methamphetamine.

The jury trial last month evolved from an undercover operation for sales of methamphetamine Oct. 18, 2011, and Jan. 3, 2012.

Hardgrove was also ordered to pay $800 in fines and fees.

Hardgrove had been scheduled for another trial today on an unrelated charge of taking a motor vehicle in Colfax. He changed his plea to guilty to that charge last Friday in superior court.

The 90-month sentences for the drug conviction means he will serve the time in a state Department of Corrections prison.

FIRST BALLOT

MAILING

First issue of ballots in the general election will be mailed Friday when the auditor’s elections office sends out ballots to voters who are in the military or located overseas. At present, 222 of the ballots will be mailed out under state rules which allow more mail time to absentee voters residing overseas.

The general mailing of ballots for the general election will be Oct. 18. Total number of registered voters in the county at present is 19,636, but that number is expected to increase with more voters registering as the general election approaches.

Also, a drop box installation was underway Monday in the office. Voters who return their ballots directly to the office will now have the use of a panel box installation which drops ballots directly into the processing room.

ARREST FOLLOWS DEPUTY ASSAULT

Jerry L. Given, 28, Albion, was booked into the jail early Sunday morning on probable charges of assaulting an officer and driving while under the influence. Deputy Justin DeRosier in his arrest report said Given was discovered sleeping in a Honda Prelude just north of Albion on the Palouse-Albion road. The report said Given cursed the deputy and struck him while the deputy was ordering Given to get out of the Honda. The deputy fended off Given with pepper spray.

The deputy said the Honda began to move forward and he ran alongside and ordered the driver to stop. He then returned to his patrol car and followed the Honda which left a trail of dust on the gravel road into Albion.

Other deputies responded to Albion, and the Honda was eventually located in front of a residence on E Street. Given was located in the residence. He was arrested and booked into the jail on probable charges of third degree assault and driving under the influence.

DRUGS BELIEVED STOLEN

Colfax Police are investigating a suspected theft of prescription drugs from a residence in the S. 800 block of Meadow Street. Chief Rick McNannay said the resident found prescription drugs were missing after he returned to the residence in the afternoon last Thursday. The interior of the house had been trashed. The chief said entry was believed to have been made through the back door of the residence. Police did not find any evidence of forced entry, the chief said.