Bulletin Column Feb. 16

Little Guy Wrestlers practice on the Colfax mats Monday. The club for 5 to 14-year-olds from Colfax and the surrounding towns practices three times a week with meets set to begin in March.

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.

HIGH TEMP FOR 2017?

February’s run of warm spring days hit an unofficial high mark in downtown Colfax Monday with the Main Street reading on the Pacific Northwest Farmers Cooperative electronic board topping out at 59 degrees at about 3 p.m.

High temperature at LaCrosse Monday was 42, and the high mark reported at Pullman Monday was 47 degrees.

Friday marked the high water day for water flow on the Palouse River at the USGS gauge at Hooper which topped out a 7,000 cubic feet per second. Readings have been in a steady decline since Friday’s high mark and stood at 2,100 cfs at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.

High mark for the Potlatch USGS gauge was 6,000 cfs Friday. The reading Tuesday at 8:15 a.m. was 991 cfs.

CHASE

SUSPECT WAIVES

Brandon Kramer, the Lewiston resident who was arrested after a high speed car chase which ended after he drove over a spike strip thrown by a Whitman County deputy early Jan. 20, was sentenced to 20 days in jail Friday in superior court after he pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to elude. The chase actually started in Colfax when a deputy attempted to stop the 2013 Hyundai Elantra Kramer was driving in the area of Tyler and Morton streets.

The arrest report noted Kramer hit speeds of 55 mph as he exited Colfax driving southbound on Highway 195. He reportedly forced drivers of oncoming vehicles to pull over to the side of the road during the chase.

A warrant for Kramer’s arrest was filed with the court here from Lewiston where he faces drug charges in Nez Perce County. Kramer Friday waived extradition to Idaho after pleading guilty to the eluding charge here.

SHRINERS’

PROGRAMS RETURN

Shriners again are selling a combined NE and SE basketball program as a fundraising effort for the Spokane Shriners’ Hospital. The project is a joint effort of the Whitman County, Pomeroy and Blue Mountain Shriner’s Clubs.

The program features photos and listings of all boys and girls teams in the Northeast 2B and the SE 1B leagues. The Northeast league campaign features 12 schools this year, and the SE league features eight teams.

The 174-page book is being sold by Shriner members at the SE tournament which moved to Colfax Tuesday and will be back for final rounds Friday and Saturday. They are also being sold at the NE tournament which will be back at West Valley Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The Shriners’ book is printed in Colfax by Cougar Graphics.

Total contributions to the Shriner’s Hospital since 1948 have been $689,830 with $20,000 added in 2016.

Officers of the Whitman County Shriner’s Club this year are Jeff Wood of Malden, president; Hollis Jamison of Garfield, first vice president; Tim Simpson of St. John, second vice president; Gary Van Dyke of Malden, secretary, and Glenn Edgemon of Rosalia, treasurer. The club roster lists 95 members.

DEPUTY ASSAULT NETS 30 DAYS

Raymond Sloan III, 28, Lewiston, was sentenced to 30 days in jail Friday after he pleaded guilty to assaulting Deputy Tim Cox during an arrest on Third Street in Endicott Jan. 21. Sloan, who was originally stopped on a charge of driving with a suspended license, struggled with Deputy Cox after he was stopped and eventually climbed out of the Ford sedan he was driving.

The arrest report noted Cox sustained minor injuries to his knee and elbow when he took Sloan to the ground. Sloan was handcuffed by the deputy but he refused to hand over the keys to the Ford.

A second charge of resisting arrest was dismissed. Also, Sloan was not ordered to pay fines and fees because he was determined to be unable to pay them.

GUN PLEA NETS EIGHT MONTHS

Larry E. Fry III, the suspect arrested after a foot chase last Dec. 9 across the parking lot at Rosauers, was sentenced to eight months in jail Friday after he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of illegal possession of a firearm in the second degree. Fry, 18, Nespelem, was found to be in possession of an AK-47 pistol after he was arrested.

According to the charge, Fry was banned from possession of guns because of a previous felony conviction of indecent liberties by forcible compulsion with a juvenile girl.

Fry’s arrest began when a motorist Dec. 9 reported he had transported a couple into Colfax from the scene of a one-car accident on Highway 195 south of Colfax. A female passenger, who appeared to have sustained a head injury in the accident, was located at Taco Time, and Fry was apprehended when he walked out of the restroom.

The report said Fry attempted to run away from officers after they told him they had a warrant which had been issued for his arrest. Fry bolted out of Taco Time but was later tackled by WSP Sgt. Courtney Swalley on the other side of the lot.

Relatives of Fry attended Friday’s plea and sentencing and asked the court to allow Fry to serve the jail sentence closer to home. Judge Gary Libey granted the request on condition that Fry pay any additional costs.

WINTER

SIDEWALK TOLL

A city traffic cone and yellow paint have been used to mark a sidewalk uplift at the corner of Main and Spring streets in front of Washington Federal Bank.

Public Works Director Matt Hammer said the uplifts around town are believed to have been caused by frost heaves and could subside as the moisture makes its way out of the ground. He noted frost heaves have also been spotted on streets. One uplift is located on North Street where it intersects with the newer pavement which was applied to Mill Street.

Another sidewalk heave in an area with heavy pedestrian traffic is in front of the high school.

JANUARY

MOISTURE LAG

January precipitation recorded at the Colfax NWCS station totaled 1.44 inches which is 1.04 below the January normal of 2.48 inches. The lag for January follows 1.34 inches for December which was 1.37 under that month’s normal. November finished .52 inches below normal.

The three sub-normal months have deducted from October’s 5.42 total at the start of the crop year. The big first-month surplus for the crop year total is now down to .97 inches after four months.

Precipitation readings for January included .59 of an inch Jan. 10, .04 Jan. 11, .33 Jan. 18, .22 Jan. 25 and .26 Jan. 31.

BUFFINGTON ADMITS

BURGLARIES

Justina Buffington, one of two Clarkston women arrested for a series of burglaries Sept. 24 in the three Whitman County towns, was sentenced to eight months in jail Friday morning in superior court. Buffington, 31, pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary and one charge of second-degree theft.

She was originally charged with three burglaries, but under the plea bargain, one of the burglary charges was reduced to the theft charge.

Deputy Prosecutor Merritt Decker told the court the same-night burglaries in Whitman County actually included six different victims, including the Endicott school and library, churches in Endicott, St. John and Lamont and the Lamont school. Decker said all the victims have been advised of the plea bargain agreement.

The agreement also calls for Buffington to pay $4,641 in restitution, the total amount of loss compiled for the six victims.

In a written statement, which was read to the court by Defense Attorney Steve Martonick, Buffington said she decided to commit the burglaries to keep a roof over the heads of her four sons and keep the power on. She said she feared her family could wind up being homeless. She later told the court her four boys ranged in age from 13 to 1. Her letter noted during the 121 days she has been locked up she has missed several special days marking the growth of her baby as well as the holidays.

Judge Gary Libey noted some of the victims in the chain of burglaries included people who might have assisted her if she had knocked on their front door and asked for help instead of making forced entry during the night.

Martonick said she plans to admit charges against her in other jurisdictions and serve her sentence here concurrently with sentences in future convictions.

Buffington and co-defendant Christina Erlewine, 24, were arrested in Redwood City, Calif., and transported here through “chain” transfers between different law agencies.

Amounts of restitution listed in the judgment included $1,195.47 to the Endicott school, $827.78 to Trinity Lutheran Church at Endicott, $802.78 the Endicott Library, $940 to Christina Life Assembly at St. John, $795.37 to Lamont Middle School, and $100 to the Lamont Community Church.

Erlewine, 24, also of Clarkston, pleaded not guilty to three burglary charges and had been scheduled for trial Jan. 23. The trial date was dropped after Erlewine waived her speedy trial rights, and negotiations in her case were reported to still be underway.

Council Committees assigned

Colfax City Councilman Al Vorderbrueggen Feb. 6 was selected by the council to serve as mayor pro-tem for 2017. Vorderbrueggen follows Councilman Jim Kackman, who served as pro-tem for 2016.

City council members also shuffled committee assignments at their Monday meeting. Committees are as follows:

Finance: Steve Bretveld-chair; Sarah McKnight, and Vorderbrueggen with Tom Huntwork alternate.

Personnel: Jeannette Solimine-chair, Huntwork and Bretveld with Kackman alternate.

Public works: Huntwork-chair, Solimine, Vorderbrueggen with Bretveld alternate.

Public Safety: Kackman chair, McKnight, Whitney Aguilar with Vorderbrueggen alternate.

Palouse RIVER SURGES

High water in the North Fork of the Palouse River sent water into the Lions’ Club park across from the Palouse Park late Feb. 9. River height for the North Palouse at Potlatch hit 14.87 feet and at the most recent reading dropped down to 12.34 feet this morning.

A reading of 16 feet at Potlatch can bring flooding at Palouse.

The USGS flow reading at Potlatch for the North Fork of the Palouse River came close to hitting 6,000 cubic feet per second just after midnight. The flow gauge started down after that and had a 5,220 cfs reading at 7:15 Friday morning. That compares with a reading of 722 cfs for the river Feb. 9.

FIRE CHIEF LISTS NEEDS

New Colfax Fire Chief Steven Thime Feb. 6 reported to the city council on needs of the fire department. Turnout suits for the fire volunteers, an extractor washing machine to properly clean the suits and tires are some of the items on the supply list.

Chief Thime said one of the key needs of the department is the turnout gear, the protective suits the volunteers wear when they respond to fire calls. The department needs to replace the turnouts for approximately 20 volunteers.

A turnout suit can cost in the range of $2,000 per set, and the department now has a budget item for $9,000 to replace equipment.

Chief Thime explained most of the suits in the department are older than 10 years. He pointed out the fire rating service now assigns a seven-year span before considering suits outdated.

The department also needs an extractor washing machine to clean the suits. One of the key requirements for thoroughly cleaning the suits is removal of carcinogens which become embedded in the suits in the course of battle with a fire such at the East Street apartment fire Jan. 15.

The chief said cost of an extractor would be in the $20,000 range. He noted the department is looking at some type of system in which other small departments around the county could use the extractor here to properly clean their turnout equipment.

TEKOAN ARREST IN

JEWERY CASE

Amanda Hill, 32, Tekoa, was allowed release on her own recognizance Feb. 8 after being booked the previous night on a probable charge of burglary involving the alleged theft of jewelry from a residence. Deputies went to Tekoa Feb. 5 after the owner of the jewelry said she had received a report that Hill had given out jewelry which had been taken from her residence where Hill reportedly had been visiting last week.

In one instance, a resident recognized the jewelry as belonging to the alleged victim and returned it to her.