Bulletin Column: Nov. 29, 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.

CANVASS BOARD OKAYS 253

Another 253 votes were added to the election return following a review by the elections canvass board Monday. Final tally for the election is 17,565 votes, which will be submitted for state certification. Turnout for the election finished at 69.9 percent of the 25,130 registered voters in the county.

Results of the election remained the same. The levy proposals by Tekoa and Farmington, which failed to get 60 percent approval and might have been bumped over the mark with a few more votes in the last count, were not changed.

Farmington's vote count remained unchanged, and two more no votes were added to the Tekoa count.

A total of 707 ballots were confirmed undeliverable. The canvass board accepted 14 absentee ballots which were initially returned without a signature and rejected 25. Voters are notified of failure to sign and have the option of submitting a signature.

Sixty-one ballots were scrapped for being too late.

In the questionable signatures column, the board accepted 122 and rejected 173 ballots.

The county issued 353 ballots mailed to military personnel overseas and received 157 back with 152 counted and five rejected. For the miscellaneous count, the county accepted 25 ballots and rejected 30.

Members of the canvass board included Auditor Eunice Coker, County Commission Chairman Dean Kinzer and Prosecutor Denis Tracy.

GIVING TREES IN PLACE

An annual project to provide gifts of clothing for needy children in the Colfax area is now underway, with Giving Trees now in place at the Post Office, Columbia Bank, Washington Federal Bank and U.S. Bank. Last year the Giving Trees provided clothing gifts to 108 youngsters in the area.

Residents can remove a tag from the tree and purchase a gift to meet the request listed anonymously on the tag. The tags on the Washington Federal tree are for recipients needing coats.

Donors are asked to wrap the gifts and return them to the tree with the tag. Gifts can be donated until Dec. 14. Cash donations for the project can be made at U.S. Bank. After the Dec. 14 date, project backers use the cash donations to provide gifts for those whose tags still remain on one of the trees.

Residents of the Colfax area who need assistance this holiday season may be eligible to receive gifts of clothing for youngsters 18 and younger.

Application forms are available at the DSHS office, county Health Department office, Colfax Pantry and the Colfax Eagles.

For additional information, contact Gail Webster at 509-592-3101 or Michele Olson at 509-999-2320.

ICE SAID CRASH CAUSE

Erick C. Taylor, Moscow, was injured Sunday when he lost control of a 2007 Toyota FJ which went into the ditch along Moscow-Pullman Highway east of Pullman. According to the report by Washington State Patrol Trooper Rob Aucutt, Taylor was driving westbound at 7:30 a.m. and lost control of the Toyota on the ice-covered highway. The Toyota struck a Department of Transportation sign and rolled onto its side in the westbound ditch of the highway.

Taylor was transported from the scene by a private party.

ARRESTED FOR HEROIN

Evan J. Couch, Pullman, was booked into jail here early Nov. 21 on a probable charge of possession of heroin. Couch was stopped by Colfax Officer Cory Alcantar, who was assisted at the stop by a Whitman County Deputy. According to the arrest report, Couch's eyes indicated he had been using drugs and he later went "on the nod" while sitting in the back of a patrol car and was taken to the hospital.

At one point he admitted injecting heroin using a syringe, the arrest report said.

Couch, who was admitted to drug court last April 16, told officers he had been selected as a group leader in treatment sessions, but later dropped out when he went back to using drugs. He told officers he went back to drugs after renewing friendships with former acquaintances in the drug culture.

Alcantar's report said he located heroin in the suspect's wallet.

At a monthly drug court review the previous Friday, Nov. 16, Couch was ordered to submit to an urine analysis test.

HOSPICE CEREMONY DEC. 5

Hospice Tree of Lights and Remembrance Ceremony will be Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 5:30 p.m. in the Norma McGregor Community Room at the Colfax Library. The ceremony pays tribute through music, readings and special ornaments bearing names of the deceased. The Tree of Lights remains in the library throughout the holiday season for community viewing.

Those interested in paying tribute to a special person can contact Friends of Hospice at 509-332-4414 by Nov. 30.

A similar community event will be Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 5:30 p.m. at Bishop Place in Pullman.

ROSALIA PROWL TOLL AT ELEVEN

Details on the Rosalia car prowl investigation were outlined in an arrest report filed with superior court after the arrest Nov. 21 of Hunter H. Haley, 25, of Reardan.

He was one of two suspects in the Rosalia car prowl cases, and the investigation turned out to involve more car prowl cases in Lincoln County. According to the arrest report, a total of 11 prowls were reported in Rosalia with two last Sunday, Nov. 18, five Nov. 19 and two more Nov. 20.

Deputy Michael Melcher's report noted Haley was discovered during the investigation to be on federal probation supervision, and his arrest on Coulee Hite Road in the Reardan area was made with the assistance of the federal probation officer who arranged with Hunter to be at his residence for a meeting.

Sheriff Myers and three deputies went to the residence at the appointed time Tuesday and arrested Hunter.

The report said the first victim on the Rosalia list reported a credit card missing along with other items, and deputies later learned the card was used at about 3 a.m. to purchase approximately $800 in merchandise at Walmart.

Also, deputies later learned that Pullman Officer Ruben Harris had stopped a Lincoln, the type of car which was believed to have appeared on the Walmart surveillance cameras, at a Busch gas station in Pullman. Hunter was ticketed for driving with a suspended license and the other male in the vehicle took the wheel.

Melcher's report said deputies also obtained surveillance video from the Rosalia Fire Department station which showed the same Lincoln in Rosalia during the early morning hours of the prowls.

The report alleges Hunter told the deputies after his arrest he was with the other suspect for two of the trips to Rosalia. He also said he and his girlfriend made another trip to Rosalia because they had run out of cash.

Items reportedly missing after the Rosalia prowls were found in a search where Hunter was arrested. The report also noted Hunter said the other suspect in the case used the Rosalia credit card at Walmart to purchase a VISA gift card for Hunter.

Sheriff Brett Myers in his arrest report said Hunter and his accomplice were also suspected of 30 prowls in Lincoln County. Those prowls were reported from the Creston and Wilbur areas.

Davenport, located west of Reardan, is the Lincoln County seat.

A warrant was issued Nov. 21 for the arrest of John R. Andres, identified as the second suspect in the case. He is believed to be residing in the Spokane area.

Bond for pre-trial release of Haley has been set at $100,000 surety or $10,000 cash

NEXT FAIR BOARD MEET JAN. 28

Palouse Empire Fair board meetings, normally held on the fourth Monday of each month, have been suspended for the next two months. Board members at their October meeting approved a motion to convene for their next meeting Jan. 28.

CLARKSTON MAN ARRESTED

Tristan C. Evans, 21, Clarkston, was booked into jail here at 7:30 a.m. Saturday on probable charges of second-degree assault, disorderly conduct and intimidating a witness.

According to the arrest report, Pullman officers at 2:26 a.m. Saturday responded to a report of a suspected assault in the 600 block of NE Ruby.

The arrest report said the suspect, Evans, left the scene in a vehicle. The victim had a photo of the license plate of the alleged vehicle, and the car and Evans were located by another officer about two blocks from the scene.

The report said the victim was knocked unconscious when he was hit once and appeared to have sustained possible loss of mental facilities at the time he was interviewed by officers. He was estimated to have been unconscious for two minutes.

A female witness, who was with the alleged victim, said she attempted to ward off Evans when he rushed toward the victim. She said she was pushed aside by Evans. The victim appeared to have swelling on the side of his face.

One factor alleged in identifying Evans was body tattoos. The report said Evans had removed his shirt before making a lunge at the victim and the tattoos were observed.

The report alleged Evans made threats to inflict more injury to the alleged victim if a call was made to 911 at the scene.

The Pullman arrest report requested a high bail for pre-trial release be set for Evans because he has a prior record.

SNOW SLIDEOFFS ON SHERIFF'S LOG

Vehicle slide-offs were logged by the sheriff's office Friday when the first snow storm hit the area. One slide-off was reported on Highway 26 just west of Colfax at 9:28 p.m., and another at 10:03 p.m. on Highway 27 near the Grinnell Road intersection north of Palouse.

Deputy Michael Jordan responded to a report of a motorist driving under the speed limit at 5 p.m. Friday on Highway 195 at mile 28 south of Colfax.

Deputy James Pelissier responded at 9:45 a.m. Nov. 22 on a report of a wounded deer on Almota Road. The wounded animal had to be dispatched.

'FOCUS' SHOWS SCHOOL ENTRANCE VIEW

An artist's rendering of how the new entrance to Colfax High School and Junior High might look appears on the winter edition of Focus on Schools. The artwork is included in a "Counting Down to Construction" article by Colfax Supt. Jerry Pugh.

The drawing shows a window with a view of the Morton Street entrance at the front office space.

School board members were informed at their September meeting by Amy Browne-Minden, project manager for Design West of Pullman, that the door entrance will be designed with an entry door and a second locked door which can be opened by the office staff.

Lack of a way to immediately observe who is entering the building was one of the problems listed to be resolved by the new design.

The extended office areas sketch also includes a window on the hallway side of the office.

The superintendent's article outlines 18 months of work to advance the project and noted the school board Jan. 14 will be asked to authorize a call for contractor bids on the project with opening of the bids set for Feb. 21.

Voters approved an $18.9 million bond issue for the project last February.