Bulletin Column

ZERO JUNE

PRECIPITATION

The official precipitation for June at the NRCS office in Colfax was zero. Normal precipitation for June, long considered the month when rainfall can be critical in finishing a crop, is 1.37 inches.

The absence of rain in June follows a below-normal tally for May. The NRCS logged 1.18 inches of rainfall last month compared to a May average of 1.8 inches.

The two months put the crop year total from Oct. 1, 2014, at 15.18 inches which is 2.69 inches below normal for the nine-month crop span.

SIDEWALK WORK DOWNTOWN

First construction work on the downtown Colfax corridor went into place Monday night with sidewalk work on the east side of Main Street. Street curbs and parts of the sidewalk were removed and replaced at the southeast corner of Main and Wall in front of Colfax Computer Services, and at the northeast corner of Main and Canyon in front of the Warwick building. Both concrete pours have been staked off to keep pedestrians off the newly poured concrete surfaces. Closed signs have been posted along the east sidewalk.

The curb was also cut and sidewalk removed at the corner of Main and the S. Palouse River road in front of Chase Bank.

TRUCKER HURT ON 23

Kelly J. Reynolds, Moses Lake, was taken by helicopter to Spokane Monday morning after sustaining injuries in a truck accident on Highway 23 about four and one half miles north of Lamont. According to the Washington State Patrol report, Reynolds was driving a 2013 Kenworth tractor-trailer northbound at 9:30 a.m. when the truck drifted off the roadway to the right and rolled onto its side.

THEATERS SUIT SETTLED

The giant civil suit related to financing for construction of theaters in Pullman and Lewiston was ordered dismissed Friday in superior court. The motion to dismiss noted the dispute has been settled.

Plaintiffs in the suit were Dr. Wenzel and Julanne Leff. Defendants listed are K. Duane Brelsford, Terri Brelsford, Best Theatres Inc., Village Center Cinemas Lewiston, Village Center Theatres Pullman and Clark Film Buying.

A partial judgment by Asotin County Judge Scott Gallina Feb. 27 ruled in favor of the Leffs who made a payment of $600,000 on the outstanding loans. They made the payment in a move to indemnify them from a loan provision which said foreclosure on the loans would make each party liable for the overall amount due on the loans.

Financing for the Pullman theater complex and later for the Lewiston theater originated with the Bank of Whitman in 2002. The loans were later transferred to Rialto Capital Advisors which accepted the Leffs payment and allowed the theater companies time to refinance the loan. Rialto at the time had declared the parties in default with $10 million due. The loan was refinanced by Zions Bank.

Still pending in the suit was the Leffs’ contention that the operation of the theater companies consumed proceeds which otherwise could have been used to pay off the loans. A five-day bench trial had been set for Sept. 28

'CHICKEN TRUCK' TOPS FLY-IN

"Old Chicken Truck," a 1946 Piper Super cruiser which was flown to Colfax from Enterprise, Ore., by Milo Schleifer of Enterprise, Ore., won the People's Choice vote at the Saturday morning fly-in at Colfax Airport. Schleifer, 79, also won the most senior pilot honor.

Justin Aucutt of Colfax, 20, won the youngest pilot award.

Schleifer's airplane was fitted with large tundra tires which are used by pilots for back country landings.

Schleifer said he named his airplane after a neighbor who hauled chickens in a truck from the Cavendish area near Lewiston where he was raised. He also said the name applied because the airplane could haul two crates of chickens which could assist in low altitude predicaments by flapping their wings.

Schleifer, who flew in from Enterprise in about an hour Saturday morning, planned to attend a class reunion in Lewiston later in the day.

Other award winners were Joe Maridon of Spokane, best contemporary airplane with a 1964 Cessna 150; Michael Ohler, Jr., Richland, best classic with a 1952 Cessna 170B, and Richard Monaghan of Orofino, best experimental with a Glaspar kit plane.

In addition to the 30 airplanes, a Life Flight helicopter became part of the fly-in when it landed for a crew change.

KNOTT SEEKS PDC PENALTY

A motion for the court to declare calls and text messages sent between deputies on mobile smart phones are subject to the state's public records disclosure law was filed June 26 in superior court on behalf of Robert Knott, Winona area rancher who contested a drunken driving arrest last January near his residence. The motion seeks a penalty award to Knott of $100 per day plus attorney fees for alleged failure by the sheriffs department to turn over the recordings of smart phones which are issued by the department.

Requests were made June 25 in preparation for a hearing on a motion to suppress evidence from the arrest. Knott at the hearing argued the deputy who arrested him received a tip Knott had been drinking at a residence in Endicott and a relay of a request that he be arrested.

Last week's motion alleged the sheriff's office declined to respond to a request for the smart phone records at the time of the suppression hearing and eventually turned over just billing records.

The court Aug. 15 ruled Deputy Michael Jordan had probable cause to arrest Knott. After the decision, Knott pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to a year in jail with all but two days suspended.

A hearing on the public records motion has been scheduled for July 10.

Colfax EVENTS ENDURE HEAT

The Colfax events finished on the success side despite record high temperatures last weekend. The experimental fly-in at the Colfax Airport, the Perkins House Ice Cream Social and Muzzleloader Rendezvous all coped with the heat.

Saturday’s fly-in, sponsored by the Lewiston Experimental chapter, brought in approximately 30 airplanes to the airport. Most of the pilots who made the flight here departed in the cool of the early morning to arrive at Colfax. Most arrived between 8 and 9 a.m. Pilots reported encountering high temperatures even at high altitude.

Colfax Rotary served 125 at their breakfast which was slightly down from the debut of the event last year.

Participants at the rendezvous limited shooting competitions Saturday to the morning hours because of the heat. The shooting competition is on the open field of the rendezvous site along the Palouse River.

Sunday's turnout at the Perkins House Ice Cream social was reported to be better than expected with customers and participants coming from around the county. Patrons made good use of canopies which were spotted around the Perkins yard. Turnout was slightly below last year.

"I think everybody had a great time," event organizer Ken Vogel commented.

Vogel credited the Huber family for returning hamburgers and hot dogs to the menu for the event which helped on the earnings side.

ALGAE BLOOM IN S. FORK

Presence of green algae bloom in the South Fork of the Palouse River has been confirmed by the county's environmental health department. The green bloom has lined the channel of the south fork in Colfax at places where the river flow slows down outside of the central channel.

Michael Baker, environmental health director, said the bloom at this point doesn't appear to be on the same scale as the bloom which killed fish last year on the North Fork of the Palouse upstream from Colfax. The bloom last year led to a city operation to retrieve and bury the dead fish in the area upstream from the flood control project.

Baker said after getting a report of the green bloom in the South Fork, the staff also checked the North Fork and found no presence of algae bloom.

He added they will continue to monitor the rivers particularly after this week's high temperature readings.

ALLEGE FIGHT

AT POOL

Guy Russell, Moscow, was booked into the county jail at 1:44 a.m. Sunday on probable charges of assault and drunken driving.

According to the Pullman Police report, officers responded to a report of males fighting at the Campus Commons North swim pool on NE Terre View in Pullman.

The report said one of the males who was identified as the instigator appeared to be intoxicated and had left the pool area. It said a suspect, later identified as Russell, was stopped as he was driving out of the parking lot. It said a strong odor of alcohol came from the vehicle.

Interviews with other people at the pool alleged Russell at one point put a choke hold on one of the victims and dragged him along the pool. It said others at the pool jumped in the water to free the man when bubbles stopped coming out of his mouth.

Russell, 43, was released on his own recognizance after a first court appearance Monday.

BOND SET ON DRUG SUSPECT

A $10,000 bail for pre-trial release was set Friday during a first appearance in superior court for Jennifer Charawell, 28, Pullman. She was arrested on probable charges of delivery of a controlled substance and booked into the jail here at 11:51 p.m. after being arrested June 26 at an apartment at NW Thomas in Pullman.

An arrest report filed with the court said members of the Quad Cities Drug Task Force had received tips that Charawell was selling methamphetamine in Pullman. The report alleges two purchases of methamphetamine were made by a confidential informant.

The arrest report pointed out Charawell has a long criminal history related to drugs with the last incident being an alleged controlled purchase of heroin by an informant in 2014.

BAT CALL ENDS IN BYE BYE

A Colfax police response Friday morning to a report of a bat down on Main Street in front of the Top Notch ended with a bat recovery and release.

Top Notch Proprietor Pete Koerner relayed the report of a downed bat to the city after it was spotted by a customer. Koerner placed a box over the bat before Colfax Officer Matt Malakowsky arrived with Richard Berl, a WSU biology student who is working part-time for the city this summer.

They used latex gloves and placed the bat in a plastic tote. Malakowsky said the bat began to move around and appeared to be in good condition.

He drove up the south hill behind St. Ignatius and released the nocturnal captive.

CITY JURY POOL DRAWN

A jury pool of 500 names for Colfax Municipal court has been drawn using the county's programmed electronic data processing system. The pool of jurors is listed over 14 pages and includes residents in the 99111 zone.

The Colfax court clerk will review the list and eliminate those living outside of the city limits. Questionnaires are then mailed to the city residents.

Jury trials in Colfax Municipal Court are rare, and the city can go through more than a year of court sessions without ever having to refer to the file.

SLIGER FACES ASSAULT CHARGE

A charge of third-degree assault was filed against Jacob Lee Sliger, 24, Pullman, June 24 in superior court. Sliger is charged with spitting on a Pullman police officer during a struggle at an arrest scene on NE Merman Drive. Officers responded to the scene after getting a report of an assault in the Valley Playfield area.

Sliger pleaded not guilty to the charge Friday in superior court and was scheduled for an Aug. 17 trial.

EXAMINATION FOR LUDEN

A court order approving public funds for a psychological examination of Erik Luden, 24, Pullman resident who faces charges of second degree murder, was filed June 26 in Whitman County Superior Court. Luden is charged with the death of his father, Virgil Luden, who was found in his son's apartment with extensive head injuries alleged to have been caused by being hit with a heavy pot.

Defense Attorney Steve Martonick in his petition to the court said he suspects Luden could have psychological problems other than competency and sought an examination to determine if that should be a factor in the defense. He noted Luden lacked funds to pay for the cost of an exam. The court approved up to $2,000 to fund an examination by Dr. Greg Wilson in Pullman.

FACES ROBBERY CHARGE

An Aug. 17 trial date was set for Devan J.E. Henderson, 22, after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of first degree robbery Friday in superior court. Henderson was booked in jail early June 21 and held on $5,000 bond.

According to the arrest report, officers responded to a report of a fight on Maiden Lane in Pullman at 2:12 a.m. June 21. The investigation determined Henderson had grabbed a cell phone from a man. The alleged victim reportedly chased Henderson down and managed to retrieve the phone after a struggle.

The victim told officers he encountered Henderson while walking along the street and pulled out his cell phone when Henderson asked him the time.

Henderson told the court he is a WSU student on scholarship and a member of a fraternity. His request for a reduction of bond to $2,500 was denied after the court learned he had two warrants outstanding.

DERBY DAMES

TO RETURN

Rolling Hills Derby Dames have again been booked into the Colfax Concrete River Festival agenda. The Dames will again give a demonstration in the parking lot next to city hall beginning at 7:30 p.m. July 10, Friday night of the festival celebration. The festival cruise night on Mill Street will follow the one-hour demo by the Dames.

Rolling Hills Derby Dames and the Palouse River Rollers plan a fund raising event Saturday at Gladish Center in Pullman. Rolling Hills will compete with Skagit Valley at 5 p.m. and Palouse River Rollers will compete with Lilac Center Roller Girls from Spokane at 7 p.m.