Bulletin Column

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.

ZONE CHANGED ALREADY

A Colfax Planning Commission hearing which had been scheduled for last Thursday on a petition to change zoning of property in the Nixon Street area was cancelled after city officials determined the zone change had already been made. Steve Bretveld, city building inspector, said his research on the topic revealed the zone change was done in 2012.

Bob Hauser had petitioned the city to change the zoning of the property from a commercial zone to a residential R-2 zone.

Bretveld said the records indicated the zone change was made six years ago.

Hauser petitioned for the zone change because he is attempting to sell the property for a potential housing development. He said earlier he couldn't understand why the property had been placed in a commercial zone in the first place.

The property is located in the Nixon Street area which hooks into S. Mill on the north side of the South Fork of the Palouse River. The area totals 14 platted lots and approximately six acres.

Colfax actually has one house located on Nixon Street which is platted on the property. Edison Street is also platted there.

Hauser Tuesday said before he petitioned this year for the zone change he was under the impression that the change had already been made. He said he was told the city still had the property classified as commercial, so he started the process for the zone change hearing.

LOT PAVED AT PEACE LUTHERAN

Paving of the parking lot behind Peace Lutheran Church got underway Monday with a crew from Motley & Motley of Pullman on the scene. The church parking lot was previously surfaced in gravel.

The lot has space for approximately 20 cars. Access to the lot is via Island Street and West Street.

Motley & Motley crews were back on the scene Tuesday to finish up the paving project.

KUSH SITE PURCHASE LISTED

MDY Enterprises, LLC of Seattle purchased commercial property on N. Grand Street in Pullman for $517,460, according to a real estate transfer tax affidavit filed in the county treasurer's office July 31. The property is listed at 1212 N. Grand, which is the location of the new Kush 21 marijuana shop.

Catarina Rowley of Lacey was listed on the affidavit as the seller of the property which was the former location of a car wash across Grand from Dissmore's IGA near the intersection of N. Grand and Stadium Way.

GARFIELD BURGLARY CHARGE

Charges of residential burglary and burglary in the second degree were filed Aug. 13 against Brett V. Woods-Langholz, 33, Longview. A probable charge report filed by the Palouse Police Department, which also serves in Garfield, alleges Wood-Langholz and another suspect entered an unattached garage shop and the basement of a residence on N. 3rd Street in Garfield July 28.

The police report said Woods-Langholz was known by the owner of the residence, who identified the suspect on video which allegedly showed Woods-Langholz and an unidentified suspect going into the garage and then into the basement of the residence.

They are suspected of taking motorcycle parts from the shop and taking custom guitars and other personal items from the basement of the house. Most of the motorcycle parts were said to be Harley Davidson. Value of the missing items was estimated in excess of $9,000 in the police report.

Among alleged evidence listed in the report were photos of a damaged back fence where the duo was suspected of gaining entrance to the property.

A warrant for the suspect's arrest was issued by the court.

ROCKS DAMAGE VANS, BUSES

The windshield of a Chevrolet Suburban parked in the Colfax School bus lot was shattered by rocks last week and the back windows on two vans were also shattered. Police responded to the report Aug. 8. The vandalism the previous night was the second hit on vehicles in the bus lot within a week.

Police also responded July 31 when rocks shattered the back windows of two buses at the lot.

The damage to the vehicles in the bus area last week happened the same time that rocks were used to break out windows of two trucks parked at Spokane Seed. One of the trucks is used as a yard truck and the other truck was a semi.

Spokane Seed had been hit earlier this summer by vandals who applied paint marks to storage tanks at the company's plant on N. Clay Street.

Police Chief Rick McNannay said they believe the vandals are walking down the railroad tracks which run between Spokane Seed and the bus garage and throwing the rocks over the fence which encloses the the buses. He noted the Suburban also sustained damage to its hood, believed to have been caused by rocks hitting the hood before going into the front windows.

Colfax School Supt. Jerry Pugh said they pulled the buses away from the back fence after the first instance, but the three vehicles hit last week were parked closer to the fence. He added the Suburban was parked facing the fence.

Pugh said they are still awaiting an estimate of the extent of the damage but believe the overall tally of damage will be in the thousands.

SPEED CHASE THROUGH PULLMAN

Jeremy J. Hogan, 43, Moscow, was booked into jail here Friday night on probable charges of attempting to elude and driving with a suspended or revoked license. The report by Trooper Robert Taylor said Hogan was reportedly being chased by Moscow officers, and he picked up the pursuit on Highway 270 after the westbound suspect crossed the state line. The arrest report said speed ranged from 42 to 80 miles an hour after the chase began at 9:50 p.m.

The report said Hogan, who was driving a pickup truck, entered downtown Pullman and went through red lights at a Main Street intersection. He came close to hitting another vehicle at that point in the chase.

Hogan then turned left to go south on Grand Avenue and later turned left on Bishop Boulevard.

Trooper Taylor's report said he had been authorized to undertake a pit maneuver, which involves bumping the back of a vehicle being pursued, but he said Hogan signaled he intended to pull into the Walmart parking lot and stop. He was arrested in the lot.

Hogan was formally charged with eluding by the prosecutor's office Tuesday. His bond for pre-trial release was set the $25,000 surety in a first appearance in court Monday. His next court date has been scheduled for Friday.

THRESHING BEE SLATED

The Palouse Empire Fair Threshing Bee committee will again harvest on Labor Day with vintage equipment at their field just west of the fairground. Threshing is scheduled to start about 9 a.m. and a no-host lunch will be available on the grounds.

The crop was planted with a plowing bee which was conducted in the third week in April.