Bulletin Column: Mar. 15., 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.

REP. TERRY NEALEY TO RETIRE

State Rep. Terry Nealey of Dayton announced Tuesday he will not seek another term in the legislature. Nealey, who was raised in LaCrosse, was a former Columbia County Prosecutor and Coroner before starting his career in the legislature. He represented the 16th Legislative District. He retired from private law practice at Dayton in 2015, according to the report in Tuesday's Dayton Chronicle.

Nealey in 2017 served on the House Appropriation Committee during the McCleary education funding negotiations.

His father, the late Darwin Nealey of LaCrosse, represented the Ninth Legislative District in the legislature at Olympia from 1983 until 1994 and was very active in the Republican party in Whitman County.

Rep. Nealey in 2012 was named ranking Republican on the House Finance Committee. The next year he was appointed as the Republican representative on the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. He continues to serve on both of those panels.

Nealey told the Chronicle he plans to serve out his term until the end of the year after he returns to Dayton following the end of this year's special session. His announcement opens up the district's seat for a race in this year's election.

Nealey said he just felt this year was the time to wrap up his career as a legislator and spend more time with his family.

JURY CONVICTS CHASE SUSPECT

Michael L. Canedy, 26, Malden resident who was arrested early Oct. 29 of last year after a chase on the west side of Rosalia, was convicted by a superior court jury Monday of a charge of attempting to elude an officer.

A jury of seven men and five women deliberated for approximately two hours before returning the verdict.

Deputy Michael Jordan, who arrested Canedy, and Deputy Tim Cox testified for the state. Other state witnesses were Cameron Hunter, a Rosalia resident, and a juvenile Rosalia girl. Both were passengers in the car.

Canedy was arrested after deputies received a report at 10:24 p.m. the previous night, Oct. 28, of a car being driven recklessly around grain storage units on the west side of Rosalia. The chase reportedly included a crossing of the grain elevator weigh scale at approximately 50 miles an hour. It also reported the car went airborne at a railroad crossing and bottomed out when it hit the other side.

The driver and two passengers in the car were ordered to get down on the ground once the vehicle was stopped, according to the arrest report. The passengers told officers they had tried to get Canedy to stop.

The report noted deputies had received previous accounts of a white Ford Mustang driving recklessly in the area of grain storage facilities on the west side of town.

Canedy was allowed pre-trial release on his own recognizance Oct. 30, and he pleaded not guilty to the charge Nov. 3.

After receiving the verdict from the jury, Judge Gary Libey scheduled Canedy for sentencing on Friday.

THREE QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS

Three Colfax FCCLA members qualified for nationals at the state meet in Kennewick Thursday and Friday. Kylie Kackman, Lilly Swan and Airelle Grimaud all qualified for gold medal finishes, according to CHS Advisor Altaira Bogle.

Swan and Kackman received a gold in the advocacy competition, and Grimaud received a gold in "National Programs in Action." They qualified for the national event by receiving top ranking.

Tayma Vanek received a gold in life event planning, and Hailey Aase received the silver in career investigation.

The nationals competition will be June 26 to July 3 in Atlanta, Ga.

Bogle said the chapter anticipates undertaking fundraising events to help meet the costs of attending the event in Atlanta.

THREE ARRESTED IN COLFAX

Three suspects were arrested in Colfax late Friday night and booked into the county jail. The arrests evolved after Colfax Officer Cory Alcantar observed a 2001 Volkswagen which appeared to have an expired license plate pull out of Cougar Food Mart, head north on Main Street and turn left on the approach to Highway 26.

The driver of the Volkswagen pulled into the graveled lot behind the Corner Chevron, and a 1993 Ford pickup truck pulled over and stopped in front of the car.

The driver of the Volkswagen was identified as Stephanie Moore, 44, Pasco. She was arrested on probable charges of driving with a suspended license and drug possession.

The driver of the pickup truck was identified at Justin Minugh, 46, Burbank. He was subsequently arrested on a probable charge of driving with a suspended license and drug possession.

A passenger in the truck was identified later as Jonathan Cook. He was arrested on a warrant for hit and run which had been issued out of Benton County.

Pre-trial release bail for Moore and Minugh was set at $25,000. Formal charges had not been filed as of Tuesday morning.

Deputy Michael Jordan assisted Alcantar at the scene.

AVISTA CREWS WORK ON S. END

Crews from Avista were at work before daylight Sunday on a project to upgrade service in a two-block section in the west alley between Wawawai and Cooper streets. Power supply was shut down in the southwest corner of town.

Ace Hardware, which normally opens for business on Sundays, was closed after receiving advance notice on the shutdown.

Traffic detour signs were placed on side streets off south Main during the operation which included several lift trucks. The early operation on the first day of daylight saving time called for the use of spotlights at the start of the work session.

An Avista spokesman reported the work involved installation of a pole in a new location. Crews also replaced five transformers while they were on the job site as part of the utility's program to upgrade transformers when the opportunity presents itself.

A total of nine crew members were on the scene.

The work led to a power shutdown for approximately 40 Colfax residents.

Power service was posted to go out at 5 a.m. and resume at 11 a.m., but power was actually restored before that time.

Eddy's Restaurant was able to open at its normal time.

Parking on West Thorn had also been expected to be closed off longer, but that restriction was removed earlier than anticipated.

LIBRARY BOARD CANCELLATION

The March meeting of the Whitman County Library Board of Trustees, scheduled for Monday, March 19 at 4 p.m., has been cancelled. The next meeting of the board will be April 16 at 4 p.m.

SPOKANITE SENTENCED TO PRISON

Erin R. Frederick, 30, was sentenced to just more than 12 months in jail Friday in Whitman County Superior Court after she pleaded guilty to charges of possession of methamphetamine and giving a false statement. The sentence of more than a year means Frederick will serve the time in the state prison system.

The 12-plus month sentence was the minimum Frederick could face under the state's standard sentencing range. She was assigned an offender score of 10 due to past convictions. The sentencing information lists 10 prior drug convictions dating back to 2012 in Spokane County.

According to the arrest report, Frederick was stopped by Deputy Michael Melcher on April 20, 2016, after she was observed driving at approximately 77 miles an hour in a 60 mph zone on Highway 195 at mile 52 south of Cashup Flat.

The report said drug evidence was found in the vehicle she was driving and during a post-arrest search. The methamphetamine was verified by the state drug lab.

During the arrest Frederick, who did not have identification, gave the name of her sister to the deputy. The incorrect name was discovered when Melcher contacted a Spokane officer who was familiar with Frederick.

Twice during the process warrants were issued for Frederick's arrest when she failed to appear for court dates. At one point a $1,000 bond was ordered forfeited for her failure to appear for a court date.

Frederick was also placed on one year of community supervision after she completes her sentence. She was also ordered to pay a $2,000 drug fine.

She was sentenced by Court Commissioner Howard Neill who was presiding during Friday's court sessions.

FIRE DAMAGES PULLMAN APARTMENT

Fire Thursday afternoon, March 8, damaged an apartment in a 32-unit complex on Morton Street, just west of Reaney Park in Pullman. Pullman fire crews received the call at 5:50 p.m. and when they arrived at the scene fire was coming out of the doorway and windows of the unit, according to a report from Deputy Chief Ray Lamourex, incident commander. Crews attacked the outside of the unit and then moved inside to extinguish the fire.

No one was in the apartment when the fire started. Deputy Fire Marshal Tony Nuttman determined the fire started from an unattended cooking pot of oil which was left on the stove. Heavy damage was sustained to the kitchen area of the apartment with smoke and water damage to the hallway and front room. Moderate water damage was sustained by the unit located below the apartment.

NEW CHARGES AGAINST

GALLEGOS

Charges of possession of methamphetamine and criminal trespass were filed Monday in superior court against Eli Gallegos, 60, Colfax. He was charged after the sheriff's office received a report that Gallegos Sunday had shown up at a residence on Highway 26 where he had previously trespassed. He had been advised by a deputy nine months ago that he was no longer supposed to visit the residence.

Two occupants of the residence are relatives of a former girlfriend of Gallegos. Both have filed petitions for protection orders against Gallegos.

The report said deputies went to a house where Gallegos lives in Colfax, and when they confronted him he put his hand over his right front pocket and began to pull away. He was eventually contained and a baggie of meth was discovered in his hand.

Gallegos was allowed pre-trial release from jail on his own recognizance. He pleaded not guilty to the charges Friday and was scheduled a Feb. 16 trial.

YOUTH ARRESTED NEAR LAPWAI

Lance Anttila, a 17-year-old who walked away from the county's juvenile detention office March 6, was arrested Friday near Lapwai by Nez Perce County deputies. He was booked into the Nez Perce County Juvenile Detention facility on probation charges there and the warrant was issued out of Whitman County.

He will have to undergo extradition procedures to be brought back here, according to Sheriff Brett Myers.

A 2013 Chevrolet Malibu assigned to the juvenile department, which was discovered missing after Anttila departed Tuesday, was located late March 7 in a downtown parking lot in Lewiston next to the Lewiston Tribune.

He was reportedly seen driving the car in the Lewiston-Clarkston area Tuesday evening.

CITY OKAYS PRISONER CONTRACT

Colfax City Council members March 5 approved an inter-local agreement for keeping city prisoners in the county jail. The city will be charged $87 per day for prisoners kept in the jail.

The city normally spends about $5,800 per year for housing prisoners in the jail.

Chief Rick McNannay said city inmates are suspects arrested and jailed on cases investigated by the city. Usually, city prisoners account for approximately 60 days of jail time during a year.