Bulletin Column: Feb. 8, 2018

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.

TRAFFIC LIGHTS DECISION

Colfax City Council members Monday night decided to take one more look at the conversion of one block of Spring Street into a one-way street after hearing the state Department of Transportation wants to remove a set of traffic lights which have been out of use. The traffic lights were put out of action when the east block of Spring Street was converted to one way between Main and Mill streets.

Public Works Director Matt Hammer informed the city council that the state inquired about removing the unused set of traffic lights which have been masked since the street was converted to one way.

Councilman Jim Kackman suggested the city take one more look at the one-way street conversion before approving removal of the set of lights. The council noted it could be difficult to get the lights back once they are removed by the state.

Hammer said the lights, which allow entry onto Main from West Spring Street between the library and U.S. Bank, would remain along with lights for pedestrian crossing.

SCHOOL THREAT AT ROSALIA

A juvenile male was arrested Monday on probable charges of felony harassment after deputies investigated a report of a threat called in to the Rosalia School. The threat was allegedly made by a student who had been placed on home assignment and was not present at the school.

Sheriff Brett Myers said at no time were students or staff members believed to be in immediate danger at the school, and no lockdown procedures or closures were performed.

Custody of the youth was turned over to the county's juvenile department, and he was later released to the custody of his legal guardian with a court date set for Feb. 15 in juvenile court.

HIGHER SWIM POOL RATES REDUCED

Colfax Park Board Monday voted to back off on a proposed hike in swim pool rates for the upcoming season. The board voted to return rates to the schedule which was used at the pool last year, according to a report by City Councilman Al Vorderbrueggen, who also heads the park board.

Vorderbrueggen noted pool revenue dropped last year and higher rates were believed to be one of the causes.

The park board earlier this year had again hiked the swim pool admission rates as part of an effort to generate more income. At that time the operation of the pool had been placed on a tentative status because the city lacked enough reserve funds to open the pool. That situation changed when the city learned a 2016 special levy proposal for a parks and recreation district and proposed levy had actually passed on a majority approval. The levy was tagged to this year's tax bills and is expected to generate about $81,000 for the new district this year.

The fees recommended by the park board are the 2017 rates which were $4 for individual admission, $56 for an individual season pass and $116 for a family season pass. The fees had been hiked to $5 single admission, $71 for an individual season pass and $116 for a family pass.

The rates are expected to be inserted into a revised version of the 2018 budget, which will also include the anticipated revenue from the levy which is now on the tax bills.

STORMENT RETURNED TO JAIL

Sean Storment, 40, Pullman resident who faces six charges after he was arrested Jan. 19, faces a new charge of first degree burglary with domestic violence for allegedly forcing his way into an ex-girlfriend's residence Jan. 30 after he was released on reduced bail on the first set of charges.

Storment had been ordered to have no contact with the ex-girlfriend as part of the conditions for his pre-trial release Jan. 26.

According to the arrest report on the burglary charge, he went to the ex-girlfriend's residence in Pullman and knocked on doors and windows. He demanded a return of his property and the alleged victim opened a window to pass out a key. The report alleges Storment forced open the window and climbed through it to enter the apartment and pulled the alleged victim who fell on the floor.

According to the report, the ex-girlfriend called Deputy Michael Jordan, who investigated the first case, and put her phone on speaker mode with the request that Jordan order Storment to leave.

Storment Jan. 26 pleaded not guilty to six charges filed after his Jan. 19 arrest. Deputies allege they found 13 grams of methamphetamine in his apartment plus a digital scale. Storment also faces two charges each of possession of stolen property and attempting to tamper with evidence. His bail had been dropped to $10,000, and he was allowed release after posting with specific orders to not contact the ex-girlfriend.

Storment was arrested Jan. 31 on a warrant and booked back into jail. Bail on the new burglary charge was set at $250,000.

FIRE DESTROYS SHED

Colfax fire crew responded to a report of a structure fire along Almota Road at the Dale Kramlich residence about a half mile south of the Airport Road intersection at 6:26 a.m. Saturday. When crews arrived on the scene they found a shed at the residence engulfed in flames.

They knocked down the flames and did mop-up work before returning to the station.

A heat lamp is suspected to be the cause of the fire. One goat perished in the blaze.

M. RHUBY SENTENCED IN TWO CASES

Megan C. Rhuby, 21, Steptoe, was convicted on two separate cases after she pleaded guilty Friday in superior court. Rhuby was sentenced to a year in jail after she pleaded guilty to a charge of drug possession June 9. She was assigned an offender score of three on that conviction after pleading guilty earlier to three charges involved with taking a pickup truck and checks from her grandparents’ residence on Imler Road Dec. 18.

She pleaded guilty to taking a motor vehicle without permission, second degree theft and forgery. Another charge of forgery was dropped in the plea bargain agreement.

The forgery charge related to cashing one of her grandparents’ checks.

Rhuby's brother, Nicholas, 24, pleaded guilty to the same charges in the December case Friday and he was sentenced to eight months in jail.

Megan Rhuby was ordered to pay $348 restitution plus fines and fees in the December case. She was ordered to pay a $1,000 drug fine plus $800 in fees on the drug conviction.

ENTRY AT VACANT HOUSE

Colfax Police Saturday afternoon responded to a report of a suspected entry into an unoccupied house in the S. 700 block of Mill Street. A window of the house had been broken to gain entry into the house, according to Police Chief Rick McNannay.

OREGON MAN HITS DEER

Robert Hill, Ashland, Ore., was unhurt Friday afternoon when the 2017 Ford F-150 pickup truck he was driving southbound on Highway 195 collided with a deer at 5:32 p.m. two-tenths-of-a-mile south of Colfax. The deer hit the left front quarter panel and the left side of the pickup, according to the Washington State Patrol report.

MARCUS JOHNSON TO JOIN STATE BAR

A ceremony to swear in Colfax High grad Marcus Johnson to the Washington State Bar has been scheduled for Friday in Whitman County Superior Court. Judge Gary Libey will preside beginning at 4 p.m.

Johnson, son of the late Ed and Karyn Johnson of Colfax, has been practicing law with Taylor Law Offices in Boise. He earned his law degree at the University of Idaho .

He is the grandson of Mike and Karen Johnson of Colfax, and Dick and Barb Bruce, former Colfax residents now of Yuma, Ariz.