Bulletin Column

These reports are from the previous three 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.

BEE STARTS

FAIR WEEK

Fair week at Mockonema picked up steam with the Labor Day harvest bee and a lot of preparations completed before the start of the four-day run today, Sept. 4. Start of the harvest bee was delayed when the draper belt on the McCormack push binder had to be repaired. The draper belt moves cut grain up to the header box wagons which deliver the grain to the thresher.

The harvest crew finished the repair, made a demo run for the crowd before a lunch break and then returned to action in the afternoon. The horses and mules went off line at about 4:30 and the balance of the field was cut by the threshing bee’s small gleaner machine.

The John Deere 33 puller style combine was used to cut the portion of the Ousley field along the Fair Cutoff Road.

FFA and 4H club decorations went up in the animal display barns over the weekend. The barns were ready to take animal entries on Sept. 3. Most animal judging and fitting and showing will be done on Thursday, today, and Friday of the fair.

Volunteers were at work Monday for the grain displays. Colfax FFA chapter and the Pine Grove Grange team were at work on grain art displays under the fair theme of “Endless Summer Nights.” The Junior Grange entry is a candy mosaic.

The Jones Schoolhouse has a bright new coat of red paint and stands ready to greet school students for 1895 era classes. The CCC outhouse donated by Jack Ensley of Colfax has been located behind the school.

UTILITY POLE FIRE

Colfax fire crew Saturday responded to a pole fire at 7 p.m. along Vista Point Drive. Fire crews also responded to an alarm call at 5:51 a.m. Tuesday morning from Paul’s Place on S. Mill. They also responded to an alarm from Paul’s Place Monday at 11:15 a.m.

COYOTES

MAKE VISIT

Tales of the urban wildlife in Colfax added a chapter early Tuesday morning when three coyotes were observed in the east alley between Wall and Spring streets at about 3 a.m. A Bruning’s staff member who resides in the upstairs apartment spotted the coyotes in the alley after he heard barking and howling.

Residents are reminded that coyotes are predators and can be dangerous. The same caution was issued about three weeks ago when a moose wandered through the south end of town before departing up the channel of the S. Fork of the Palouse River.

GUN THREAT NETS ARREST

Michael D. Phelps, 55, Albion, was arrested and booked into the county jail early Friday morning on probable charges of harassment and first degree assault. The arrest report alleges Phelps held a gun to the neck of his brother-in-law, who resides in Lacey, during an outburst Aug. 27 in Albion.

The report said Phelps called his brother-in-law a Muslim terrorist while he held the gun to the alleged victim’s neck outside the Phelps residence in Albion.

According to the report by Deputy Jim Pelissier, the brother-in-law recorded the alleged threat and e-mailed the recording to the sheriff’s department. The report said Phelps made the gun threat after his brother-in-law decided to confront Phelps about his Muslim terrorists statements.

Phelps reportedly left the Albion residence and was arrested two days later in Moscow where he owns a home.

In a first appearance on court Friday, Judge David Frazier allowed Phelps release on his own recognizance. As conditions of release he was ordered to abstain from drinking and not possess firearms.

Phelps, who is retired, told the court he is now serving as a caretaker for his mother at Albion.

An order to have no contact with his brother-in-law, who returned to his home in Lacey, was also issued by the court.

Formal charges have not been filed.

LACROSSE WOMAN

SENTENCED

Edwina E. Grote, 26, LaCrosse, was sentenced to 45 days in jail after pleading guilty to charges of taking an access device and theft. A third charge was dropped under terms of a plea bargain agreement.

The theft involved a credit card at Pullman and subsequent use of the card to purchase items valued more than $1,450. She was ordered to pay fines and fees and restitution totaling $2,212. Restitution to businesses included $422 to Folsom Ace Hardware, $902 to Walmart and $27 to Subway.

She was allowed to convert 15 days of the sentence to community service.

SHORT PLAT APPROVED

Colfax City Council members Aug. 25 approved a short plat application for a lot in the Hillcrest Street area in southwest Colfax. The short plat application was submitted by Steve Trump.

The city’s short plat committee approved the application in an Aug. 14 meeting and it was forwarded to the city council for final approval.

The short plat will divide one lot into two lots. A house has already been constructed on one part of the lot and construction of a house has been proposed for the new lot which was created by the short plat.

The city’s short plat committee is made up of representatives of the planning committee, police and fire departments and the city council.

Councilwoman Jeannette Solimine, who represented the city council on the short plat committee, reported on the session to the city council.

PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES FILED

Dennis R. Reynolds, 59, Steptoe, has been summoned to appear in superior court Sept. 12 after pornography charges were filed against him Aug. 27. Reynolds had been charged with dealing in depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of the depictions.

The charges were filed by Patrick Johnson, a specially assigned prosecutor.

According to the report, the investigation here started with a report from a detective for Kootenai County who is a member of the North Idaho Sexual Offender Task Force. The report said computer tracking in Coeur d’Alene included a listing from a computer in Steptoe and the computer was traced to Reynolds.

Officers went to the Reynolds residence June 24, 2013. According to the report, Reynolds, after being advised of his rights to refuse, allowed officers to check the contents of his home computer.

Among alleged pornographic material found downloaded on the computer were pictures involving a girl who was believed to be 13 years old. The report said Reynolds told officers he believed the girl was 16. The report alleged Reynolds participated in an exchange program in which participants were required to submit material to obtain materials from other members.

RUBENSERS DONATE BOOK

Bob and Connie Rubenser recently visited the Colfax Library and donated a copy of “Blue Mountains Boy,” the biography Bob Rubenser wrote about his father, the late Albert “Punk” Rubenser of Colfax.

The book gives accounts of Mr. Rubenser’s work as a trapper with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and also of his early days of growing up in the Depression years in the Peola and Asotin Creek areas.

Bob Rubenser, a member of the 1961 class at Colfax High School, is a retired Boeing manager who now resides at Edgewood. To reserve a copy of the book contact the library. “Blue Mountains Boy” can also be ordered via e-mail from Rubenser at brubenser@q.com.

REMOVED FROM DRUG COURT

Andrew John Brindamour, 33, Pullman, was sentenced to a year in jail Aug. 22 on charges of burglary, second degree theft and drug possession. Brindamour pleaded guilty after he was removed from the drug court program which offers counseling and monitoring to halt drug addiction. One of the conditions for entry into drug court requires participants to admit the case stated on the original arrest report in the event they fail to complete the drug court program.

Monitoring tests during his time in drug court indicated Brindamour at different times had been unable to abstain from using drugs.

He was admitted to drug court in December of 2012. Brindamour was originally charged with burglarizing an apartment on Leland Drive in Pullman in February of 2012.

CALL FOR

HELP LEADS

TO SUSPECTS

A call for public assistance in a vehicle prowl case which started last June in Colton ended with identification of two suspects. Deputy Scotty Anderson said the prowl case began when a vehicle parked in Colton was entered the night of June 6-7 and among items missing was a credit card. The investigation determined the card was used at two businesses in Lewiston and surveillance tapes from one of the businesses showed two women using the card.

A call of identification was placed on websites and social media and the deputy quickly had a lead on the two suspects.

BAIL SET AT $100,000

Bail for pre-trial release of Jedidiah Adams, who was arrested Aug. 25 on a probable charge of breaking in to the Wawawai Canyon Winery on the Moscow-Pullman Highway, was set at $100,000 in a first appearance in superior court.

The arrest report on Adams said he was arrested at his residence which is located near the winery. It also noted it was the third time over the weekend that officers had been in contact with Adams on different cases.