Bulletin Column March 30

May I borrow a cup of sugar?

A resident squirrel helps himself to a neighboring bird feeder to snag a late season snack during the last days of winter. While the neighborhood watch was able to get pictures of the indiscretion, no word has been received as to whether or not the mammal was charged for the theft in avian courts.

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.

STATE PLANS PASSING LANE BID CALL

A call for bids for construction of two passing lanes along Highway 195 has been scheduled by the state’s Department of Transportation for April 24, according to Al Gilson, spokesman for the DOT district based in Spokane. Opening of the bids for the two projects has been scheduled for May 17, and construction will get underway this summer.

Gilson noted the bid call has been posted with a “subject to change” notation on the state’s call list. The two segments of work set for this summer are among six passing lanes along 195 which were introduced in a public session at the high school here last March.

The state has been purchasing right-of-way property along Highway 195 north of Steptoe for one of the passing lane projects. The right-of-way segments are on the northbound side of the highway north of Steptoe.

Some Whitman County right-of-way property has also been transferred to the state for the project.

Other proposed passing lane sites along Highway 195 in the county were on the southbound side of 195 south of Steptoe and along the northbound side of the highway near the Trestle Creek Road intersection which already has a short passing lane on the southbound side.

The only other passing lane now along the highway is on the southbound side south of the Rosalia intersection.

Another proposed site is along the northbound side of the highway north of the Babb Road overpass in Spokane County north of Rosalia.

In a public meeting on the passing lanes last March at the high school, Bob Hilmes, project engineer, said the 195 passing lanes project had been funded for $11.7 million.

JURY CONVICTS ON FELONY DUI

An April 4 sentencing date has been scheduled for Brian C. Allen, 42, Post Falls, Idaho, after he was convicted Friday in superior court of felony drunken driving. The jury’s verdict concluded a three-day trial.

Allen was charged after he was arrested in Pullman June 15, 2016. The Pullman arrest report said officers responded to the scene after they received a report that Allen was in the process of driving away from Zeppoz on Bishop Boulevard while he was intoxicated. The report said while officers were at Zeppoz Allen returned to the parking lot to look for his wallet.

Allen was cited for a felony charge of driving under the influence because officers determined he had a previous conviction of vehicular assault which involved drunken driving.

Allen’s defense attorney argued the 2004 vehicular assault conviction was ambiguous and should not be used to bring a felony charge against Allen.

The jury returned a verdict finding Allen guilty of driving under the influence and a second special verdict that he had been convicted of vehicular assault in a case linked with drunken driving.

HEROIN ARRESTS IN COLFAX

Two suspects arrested in Colfax for possession of heroin and other charges have been scheduled for trial May 15 after pleading not guilty in superior court Friday. Brittany Rankin, 31, Spokane Valley, pleaded not guilty to charges of possession of heroin and methamphetamine.

Marshall L. Fields, 27, Spokane, pleaded not guilty to the same two drug charges and to a third charge of possession of stolen property.

According to the arrest report by Deputy Chris Olin, the two suspects were passengers in a car which was stopped on Mill Street in Colfax in the early morning hours of March 17. Rankin was reported to be riding in the back seat of the car and allegedly admitted she used hypodermic needles to inject heroin.

Fields was in the front passenger seat of the car and allegedly had several bags of items. The report said the driver allowed deputies to search the car and among items found in the car were drug evidence and tools commonly used in break-ins. Fields refused to allow deputies to search the bags in his possession, and they subsequently obtained a court search warrant.

Court Commissioner Howard Neill declined to reduce the $5,000 bond set for Rankin’s pre-trial release after Deputy Prosecutor Wendy Lierman reported Rankin is now sought on two outstanding arrest warrants.

DRUG ARREST AT STEPTOE

Andrew Avery, 21, Moscow, was arrested early Sunday morning at Steptoe after methamphetamine was allegedly found in the car he was driving. According to Deputy Michael Jordan, he ran a license check on the car Avery was driving northbound on Highway 195 at 2 a.m. Sunday, and the return allegedly showed Avery was driving with a suspended license. The report said Avery had pulled the car into the driveway of a residence in Steptoe which was known as a drug house.

The report said Avery was arrested for driving with a suspended license and consented to a search of the car. Methamphetamine residue was found on a folding mirror, and methamphetamine was found in a small bag. Both were discovered in the front console of the car.

Avery was allowed release on his own recognizance in a first appearance Monday in Whitman County Superior Court.

OAKESDALE MAN ADMITS CHILD RAPE

Clifford Lacy, 66, Oakesdale, pleaded guilty in superior court Friday morning to a charge of first degree child rape. Lacy entered the plea under an agreement in which the prosecutor’s office dropped two other charges, indecent liberties and child molestation.

The charges against Lacy alleged sexual relations with an underaged victim over a span of time between June of 2011 and November of 2014.

Lacy faces a sentence of 120 to 160 months in prison. Senior Deputy Prosecutor Daniel Le Beau told the court Lacy will have to undergo a review by the state’s indeterminate sentencing review board before he is allowed release after serving the time ordered by the court.

Lacy’s sentencing was delayed until April 21 to allow time for the state’s Department of Corrections to prepare a pre-sentence investigation.

CONVICTIONS IN THE ‘ALLI’ CASE

Steve Hoffman, 26, Moscow, was ordered to jail Friday after he pleaded guilty to a charge of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. Hoffman was the second defendant to be convicted in a case where the suspects responded to postings on a Craigslist site by a fictitious 15-year-old girl. The postings were done by a part-time Colfax officer who posed on Craigslist as “Alli.”

The arrest report said “Alli” in her communications made a point in the postings that she was 15 years old.

Hoffman’s arrest report lists multiple communications made with “Alli.”

He was arrested by officers at a designated rendezvous location after making arrangements to meet “Alli.”

The state has recommended a 90-day jail sentence for Hoffman. Under a plea bargain agreement, the prosecutor’s office dropped a second charge of attempted second degree rape.

A sentencing has been scheduled for April 21 to allow time for a pre-sentence investigation report.

Michael Talcott, 32, former Colfax resident, was sentenced to 364 days in jail with all but 30 suspended Friday, March 17, after he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

Talcott was also charged after a part-time Colfax police officer posted a fictitious “Alli” listing on Craigslist. Talcott made extended responses to the postings.

He told the court he has moved to Yakima, and the arrest has resulted in the loss of employment as a surgical technician and changed his whole life.

He was also ordered to pay fines and fees of $800.

WHEATLAND LANES TO CLOSE

Closure of Wheatland Lanes bowling alley was announced March 21 in a letter from Andre Eubanks, proprietor of TCB Bowling Enterprises in Los Angeles. He said the last day of operation will be April 15. The shutdown will come after the league season ends.

Eubanks in his email said they have enjoyed the loyalty of customers and support of their attempts to revitalize the bowling alley. He expressed appreciation to his employees and manager Roy Withey, who has been with Wheatland since Eubanks started the project.

Eubanks also expressed appreciation to Todd Scholz of Colfax for his work with the USBC to get league competition started again at Wheatland.

Eubanks said his goal will be to find someone to take the business over so that the sport of bowling will remain here for present and future generations. He said all offers to purchase the bowling alley will be seriously considered.