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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FLAG VOTE REMAINS ON TABLE

Colfax City Council Monday night voted to leave a previously tabled vote on a Main Street flags motion on the table for the next meeting, Oct. 15.

The 6-1 vote was taken after Mayor Todd Vanek, who was not present at Monday’s session, left word with the council that he would like to see the vote taken when he could be present. Vanek had informed the council earlier that he would not be able to attend last night’s meeting because of a planned business trip. Mayor Pro-tem Al Vorderbruggen presided.

At the previous council session, Councilman Don Henderson made a motion to post US Flags on city light standards along Main Street 24 hours a day every day of the year. Councilwoman Jeanette Solimine seconded the motion, but it was later tabled before a vote could be taken.

The motion would have ended a posting of WSU flags along Main Street, a project which has been part of a marketing plan launched by Mayor Vanek.

Monday’s decision to leave the motion on the table was made by Solimine and seconded by Henderson. Councilman Jim Kackman, who later explained he wanted to see the council deal with the issue, cast the lone no vote.

Vorderbruggen relayed Vanek’s request to delay a council vote on the decision until he could be present. Vorderbruggen also relayed a report of residents who informed the mayor they supported the WSU flag project. Support for the project came from Jerry Binder, Shan Kelly, Marsha Binder and Kristie Kirkpatrick, the mayor pro-tem reported. Sandy Heilsberg, who attended last night’s session, told the council she was also in favor of the WSU flags.

Henderson reported he received a call from a WSU grad after the Sept. 17 meeting who supported his motion for a 24-7 US flag posting.

Councilman David Nails questioned how many more Pullman games remained on the WSU football slate, and Kackman pointed out the WSU flags were also posted when students and parents were returning to Pullman for the start of the semester. Also noted was the stationing of WSU flag wavers along routes to Pullman on game days.

Councilman Steve Holberg said he feels like Colfax is part of a bigger community.

Solimine later brought up the topic of the banner sign involving the police department. The banner, which has been displayed on advertising space on the J & J Building Supply warehouse along N. Main Street, had generated some public criticism, she noted.

Solimine said she thought the banner, which features a photo of four Colfax police officers over a slogan urging drivers to “stop for other reasons,” was “kind of funny.”

Chief Rick McNannay said he understood the banner was part of an ongoing campaign.

HIT & RUN CHARGE FILED

A charge of hit and run involving an injury accident on S. Grand was filed Friday in superior court against Niki Lynn Peltier, 43, Lewiston. She has been summoned to appear in court Oct. 12.

She was arrested March 23 after officers responded to a report of an accident on S. Grand. The report said witnesses relayed an account of a silver colored Saturn which had pulled out from the Thai Ginger Restaurant and hit the side of a Toyota which was driving on Grand. The driver of the Toyota, identified as Emily Porter, complained of shoulder pain after the accident.

The officers report said witnesses who called in the initial reports said the driver of the Saturn was leaving the scene. The damaged Saturn was later located with extensive damage to the front. Peltier, identified as driver of the car, also faces a charge of driving under the influence and refusing to submit to tests.

GRANDVIEW

DRIVER HURT

Victoria Castro, 23, Grandview, sustained cuts and scrapes and complained of a sore neck Monday after she lost control of the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt she was driving on Highway 26 about 10 and one-half miles west of Colfax. According to the Washington State Patrol report, she was driving eastbound at 8:20 a.m. when the Cobalt went onto the shoulder along a curve. The car went off the roadway and struck an embankment.

GUN CASE PLEAS

Brett C. Hanks, 49, Oakesdale, was scheduled for a Dec. 17 trial after he entered not guilty pleas in superior court Friday to seven different gun charges. The charges followed warrant searches of the house where Hanks was reportedly living on E. Bartlett Street in Oakesdale.

According to the investigation report filed with the charges, deputies said their investigation evolved out of tips from informants involving stolen guns traded for drugs. They reported Hanks was believed to have traded a Mustang car to a Pullman area resident for a shotgun.

Hanks is charged with two counts of possession of stolen guns and five counts of illegal possession of firearms because of a prior felony conviction. He was represented in court Friday by Robert Cossey, Spokane.

CITY OKAYS GAS

EMISSIONS

POLICY

Colfax City Council Monday night approved a formal policy outlining goals for countering gas emissions into the atmosphere. The vote was taken after Councilman Jim Kackman reported the public works committee had completed a review of the proposed policy.

Public Works Director Andy Rogers, who encouraged the council to approve a policy at the last session, said the city has applied for $220,000 in grant funding from the state’s Transportation Improvement Board. He noted having a policy on record would improve the chances of success on the grant applications.

The city’s new policy was revised from one which has been approved by the county. Councilman David Nails pointed out the county’s version was patterned after a “template” provided by the Public Works Trust Fund which now requires loan applicants to have an emission policy on record. He added the county version follows an “if feasible” format without listing specific action.

HOSE DOWN STARTS

HULLABALOO

Members of Onecho Bible Church Saturday morning conducted a wash down of Main Street in preparation for the Autumn Harvest Hullabaloo which will launch on Friday. Pastor Mike Nyholm said the work crew amounted to about 10 volunteers, who worked on the job for approximately two hours. Church members have volunteered for the project for several years.

TRESPASSING CHARGES FILED

Formal charges of criminal trespass and fourth degree assault were filed late last week against Yazeed Mohammed Alhaidari, 23, Pullman. He was booked into the jail here last Sunday morning after Pullman Police investigated a report from a woman on Oak Street who reported someone had entered her apartment.

According to the Pullman Police report, the woman told officers she woke up from sleeping and discovered a man, later identified as the suspect, next to her on the bed watching television. She reported the suspect introduced himself.

She reported to officers she had locked herself in another room in the apartment and believed the intruder was still in the unit. Police officers arrested the suspect at the scene. The report said they believe he entered the apartment via an exterior door from the balcony.

CHARGES FILED IN PROSTITUTION CASE

Formal charges were filed against two Spokane Valley suspects who were arrested late last Saturday following an investigation of an alleged ill-fated escort service agreement.

Tiffany J. Herrick, 24, has been charged in district court with prostitution and giving false statements to an officer. The charges are for misdemeanor offenses.

John L. Allen, 21, has been charged in superior court with promoting prostitution, unlawful display of a weapon, making a false statement to an officer and possession of marijuana.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges Friday and has been scheduled for a Nov. 13 trial. Bond for pre-trial release was set for $25,000.

The suspects were arrested after deputies responded to a stranded vehicle report in the rural area about five miles west of Pullman. The callers said they fled a confrontation with a man. After investigating, deputies said the man involved in the confrontation had earlier called an escort service in Spokane and that evolved into a meeting with the two Spokane suspects. He allegedly told the deputy they drove off with money he had paid them in anticipation of prostitution services.

SCOTTS LISTS 71 WITNESSES, FILES MOTIONS

Attorneys for Scotts Company have listed 71 witnesses in the Kentucky Blue Grass seed suit which has been scheduled to start in superior court in two weeks. Also filed was a motion to have the court rule on 16 different requests to preclude possible evidence which Scotts contends should not be presented to the trial jury.

A notice of hearing on the motions Friday was filed in court.

The Kentucky Bluegrass suit was filed by Kentucky Bluegrass producers against Scotts Seeds, Inc., of Tekoa, and Dye Seed Ranch of Pomeroy. They contend the defendants have failed to meet terms listed on seed production contracts signed with the growers.

The civil suit has already resulted in multi-million dollar rulings by the court against Scotts on summary judgment motions filed by Seeds.

Colin Folawn, Seattle attorney, is representing Scotts. Folawn’s listing of witnesses includes 70 lay witnesses and one expert witness. The list of lay witnesses includes many of the growers in the KBG production areas served by Seeds, Inc., at Tekoa and on the Camas Prairie of Idaho. The Camas area growers’ suit has been merged into the suit filed here against Seeds and Scotts.

Among court rulings sought by Scotts to preclude testimony presented directly and indirectly to the jury during the trial are statements which might have been made by James Hagedorn, Scotts CEO, on the character of the business or other topics which are not related to specifics of the civil suit filed by the growers.

Another item on the motion list asks the court to preclude evidence of what Folawn lists as hearsay statements made by members of the Coeur d’Alene Tribes or other tribes on the seed dispute. Tribal lands have been listed in prior hearings because some growers involved in the suit lease land from tribal members.

MAYOR SEEKS SURVEY RESPONSE

A reminder card from Mayor Todd Vanek mailed out last Thursday urges Colfax residents to participate in a community survey on the town’s economic future. Colfax has partnered with Washington State University on the project.

The card said survey responses from residents is vital in shaping Colfax’s future and will help create a representative picture of Colfax as a community.

The survey, which is listed on the Colfax city web site, is anonymous and the results will not be used or sold to another agency, according to the web site introduction. The survey totals 11 questions, and asks residents to list what they consider the strengths and weaknesses of Colfax, opportunities for growth and threat to the opportunities and income and age range.

The survey is related to the Visioning for Colfax session which was conducted at the library Aug. 25. The project is one of the WSU Rural Community Design Initiative projects which aim at helping small communities deal with their economic future.

A session was also conducted at the library Aug. 24 on how to make the best use of the Community Enrichment Center, the former Hamilton Drug building which was purchased by the library.

Approximately 25 residents attended each session along with a group of 10 to 12 WSU students who will work on the project, according to Librarian Kristie Kirkpatrick.

The city’s web site is: http://www.colfaxwa.org.