Bulletin Column: August 29, 2019

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.

PUBLIC SERVICE MEASUREMENTS

Measurements of the concrete pad beneath the floor of the Public Service Building are being taken this week as part of a study on the building which is being assembled by Evan Laubach of Reliant Engineering, Pullman.

The firm is working on a report on the building which has been settling in different areas.

Part of the plywood panels which have been installed to block off part of the front entrance to the building were removed to gain access to a test hole which was drilled earlier this summer when small test holes were also drilled along the backside of the building.

Brandy Dean, facilities manager for the county, said a smaller hole will be drilled in the front office area behind the entrance. The measurements are being made to determine the thickness of the pad, Dean said.

The aim of the study is to determine an approach for righting the building.

COLLISION ON HIGHWAY 27

Ryan W. Augusta, Pullman, sustained minor injuries Friday afternoon in a car-truck accident on Highway 27 about two miles north of Pullman. According to the Washington State Patrol report by Trooper Jim Retzer, Augusta was driving a 2017 Chevrolet Spark southbound at 2:45 p.m. when he slowed to allow Lonny J. Hubbard, Addy, to complete a U-turn with a 2004 Ford F-150 pickup truck which was towing a trailer.

The pickup truck and trailer parked on the southbound shoulder, and Augusta passed them.

Addy then pulled the truck and trailer back onto the highway and encountered braking problems with the trailer. The truck hit the back of the Spark, which is a subcompact, and it came to a halt in the northbound lane. The trailer, which disconnected from the pickup, actually hit the Spark twice as it went past.

ROCKS EXCAVATED FROM CHANNEL

A linear pile of river rock has been deposited along the flood channel of the South Fork of the Palouse River. Most of it came out of the center drainage ditch of the channel with some deposits also on the floor of the channel.

Public Works Director Matt Hammer said the channel rock is stockpiled by the city and used for flood control projects. Last year a lot of the channel rock was incorporated in the control project along the North Fork of the Palouse just down stream from the Glenwood bridge.

The city used its new Yanmar excavator, which was operated by Del Downs, to clear out the rock deposits from the river channel.

CITY MEET TUESDAY

Colfax city council will meet Tuesday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. The meeting was set back a day because of the Labor Day holiday.

MCBRIDE SENTENCED TO 30 MONTHS

Thomas McBride, 53, Oakesdale, was sentenced to 30 months in state prison Friday in superior court. McBride was convicted of a charge of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver by a jury July 9 after a two-day trial.

McBride was one of two men arrested by Whitman County deputies on related drug offenses May 4-5.

According to investigation reports, Everett Clark Johnson, 64, Garfield, was arrested as he was driving out of Oakesdale. Johnson was found to be in possession of packets of methamphetamine and a large amount of cash.

When asked by deputies, Johnson said he had come from the McBride residence on N. Third Street in Oakesdale where he had been smoking methamphetamine with others.

Deputies then went to McBride's residence and arrested him on the same charge after methamphetamine was found at the residence.

Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced Aug. 9 to 24 months of community supervision. He was listed as a first-time offender.

McBride's pre-sentence report listed nine prior arrests dating back to 1991. Eight of them have been in Whitman County, according to the report.

He was assigned an offender score of four on the state's standard sentencing range.

His attorney, Roger Sandberg, filed a notice of appeal to the state's division three appeals court in Spokane.

Two rulings were filed in court denying motions by Sandberg to suppress evidence. One ruled a recorded jail conversation between McBride and a jail visitor, which was presented to the jury at the trial, did not amount to double hearsay. The jail conversation dealt with McBride's resentment that Johnson had informed on him after Johnson was arrested earlier that night.

Johnson in the jail conversation recording is referred to as Clark.

During his appearances in court while in custody, McBride has been in a wheelchair.

RUTGERS RIDERS PLAN RETURN

LaCrosse residents who arranged the town's reception Aug. 7 for the cross-county bicycle riders for Rutgers University, N. J., report the group has already committed to making a repeat ride next year. The Rutgers riders group was impressed with the all-out reception they received at LaCrosse after they rode approximately 79 miles south from Spokane.

Gabrielle Rossi, who coordinated the ride from New Jersey, confirmed to the LaCrosse organizers that they had already decided to make another ride and possibly stay two days at LaCrosse next year.

The Rutgers University group was one of several making rides for the Dream Project to raise money for Elijah's promise, a social service agency and soup kitchen that works to end hunger in New Jersey. The rides are made to develop awareness of the hunger problem in the United States.

LaCrosse had approximately 65 residents turn out to greet the riders with a potluck dinner.

One of the post-visit critiques was relayed to Rev. David Wells who was contacted by the father of one of the riders and relayed a report on how the group appreciated the LaCrosse stop.

The riders finished the cross-country adventure in Portland five days after the LaCrosse stop, and the ride officially ended after a service the following day.

The group flew back to New Jersey. Some arranged to have their bicycles shipped back to New Jersey, and others donated their bicycles through a rehab program in Portland, Rossi reported.

LAST CHANCE FOR BROWN

Kelly Brown, 37, was sentenced to an additional 30 days in jail Friday for another drug court violation. Brown was sanctioned after another urine analysis check indicated he used drugs before reporting to jail last Monday night to serve 30 days for a previous drug court violation.

Senior Deputy Prosecutor Wendy Lierman filed a motion to have Brown face another sanction or be dropped from drug court. The latter would have led to conviction and sentencing on two different charges filed against Brown in 2018 involving crimes in the Rosalia area.

Participants in drug court agree to admit the investigation reports which are included by the state when formal charges are filed in the event they fail to complete the drug court program.

Brown Friday was represented by Bevan Maxey of Spokane who urged the court to keep Brown in the drug court program.

Brown's mother also asked the court to keep her son in drug court and not convict and sentence him to the two Rosalia charges.

Brown last week was ordered to serve 30 days in jail for drug court violations which included submitting non-human urine for a drug monitoring test and being arrested on I-90 in Spokane and found in possession of a needle loaded with heroin.

Maxey told the court Brown had been doing well in drug court, but sustained a backslide when facing family problems in recent months.

Judge Gary Libey ordered Brown to serve the additional 30 days. He warned Brown that this would be his last chance and any added violation of drug court rules would result in a conviction and sentencing on the 2018 charges of burglary and theft in Rosalia.

"It's the last call. Cross it, break it, and you're out," the judge said.

Brown was allowed to seek residential treatment for drug addiction while serving the 60 days as long as the treatment extended for the 60-day length of the sanction sentence.

The judge also ruled Brown would have to start the two-year drug program over again.

HOSPITAL AUXILIARY TO RESUME

Whitman Community Hospital Auxiliary's first meeting for the season will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, in the hospital's administrative annex. All are welcome to join. Dues are $5 a year.

The key goal of the auxiliary is to raise funds for the hospital.

HANKERS NOW BOOKED FOR ARENA

The fair has now booked another post-rodeo performance in front of the new grandstand. Fair Manager Janel Goebel reported The Hankers have been signed to play in front of the grandstand after the Saturday night rodeo performance.

The Hankers have also been booked for the fair's gazebo stage for Friday and Saturday performances.

PULLMANITE NOW CHARGED AFTER STANDOFF

Brian G. Edwards, 36, Pullman, was booked into jail here early Thursday after a police standoff the previous night at a residence in the 200 block of NW Thomas Street in Pullman. Police responded Aug. 21 at 5:56 p.m. to a report that Edwards had threatened his ex-wife and her boyfriend with what they believed to be a pistol.

The arrest report alleged the victim, boyfriend and three children left the house after the alleged threats and met with officers at the Dissmore's lot on N. Grand.

The report said during the confrontation, Edwards' ex-wife asked him if he had a gun, and he said he did. They reported Edwards kept reaching behind his back as if he had a gun holstered there.

The report led to a heavy police response to the Thomas Street house where officers attempted to negotiate with Edwards to surrender. Residents in the neighborhood were advised of the situation.

Edwards was charged with harassment with a threat to kill. Bond for pre-trial release was set at $100,000 surety or $10,000 cash.

Edwards, posted bail for pre-trial release. He pleaded not guilty Friday in court to a charge of harassment with a threat to kill.

The court ordered Edwards to have no contact with his ex-wife and to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages.

Edwards also faces charges of probation violation in justice court.

FACES STALKING CHARGE

Charges of stalking, driving under the influence, and carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle were filed Aug. 20 in superior court against Garrett Jewell, 23, Stanwood.

According to a Pullman police arrest report, Pullman officers responded Aug. 16 to a report from a woman who said Jewell had been following her car. The alleged victim said Jewell was a former boyfriend, and she had encountered him earlier in the evening. At one point, the victim said Jewell opened the door to her car while she was sitting in it. She also alleged Jewell flashed the headlights on his vehicle while following the car she was driving.

Jewell was apprehended in a pickup truck near the intersection of Stadium Way and Valley Road. The arrest report alleged Jewell appeared to be driving intoxicated and he initially denied he had been following the alleged victim. The report alleged a loaded pistol was found in the vehicle.

Jewell was booked into jail here after his arrest and released on his own recognizance later the same day. The court ordered him to have no contact with the victim.

LIBRARY CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY

All 14 branches of Whitman County Library will be closed Aug. 31 – Sept. 2 in observance of Labor Day. Due dates for library materials have been extended in anticipation of the closure and drop boxes will remain open at all locations.

CANVASS BOARD REPORT

Fourteen mailed ballots were rejected May 19 by the county's election board because they were mailed after the Aug. 6 primary date. The board found another 12 returned ballots were undeliverable.

Two ballots were returned unsigned and one was counted after a signature was provided.

The board viewed 24 ballots which had signatures that possibly did not match the signatures on record and accepted 16 of them.

The primary election finished with 1,317 total ballots counted from among the 3,567 voters in the four districts which were on the primary ballots. Turnout rate was 36.9 percent.

SEMIS SIDESWIPE ON 26

Jose Deleon, Othello, was injured Aug. 20 in an accident involving two semi trucks on Highway 26 just west of Colfax.

According to the report by State Patrol Trooper Keith Pigott, Deleon was driving a 2001 Kenworth semi tractor trailer eastbound on Highway 26 at 1:35 p.m. Tuesday when it sideswiped a 2005 Kenworth semi tractor truck being driven westbound by Brendan L. Arrant-Rathbone of Lewiston.

The report said Deleon crossed the centerline on a slight curve to the right and sideswiped the semi driven by the Lewiston driver.

A Colfax ambulance responded to the scene and treated Deleon at the scene.

CAMP TRAILER SUSPECT

William R. Zaikowsky, 48, Clarkston, was arrested Aug. 17 on probable drug charges related to a camper trailer which had been parked at the Nisqually John Campground along the Snake River.

Deputy Tyler Langerveld in his arrest report said he responded to the campground after being contacted by an Army Corps of Engineers ranger who had been attempting to evict an 1985 Alpenite camper from the campground.

No one was found at the trailer when the deputy first arrived at the campground, but a later report indicated people were at the trailer.

Langerveld said he recognized Zaikowsky from a traffic stop he had made earlier on Highway 193.

Langerveld reported he eventually located 2.8 pounds of marijuana in different Ziploc bags during a warrant search of the trailer. He also reported the trailer contained several blenders and propane canisters which led him to believe the trailer was being used to process methamphetamine. He reported several other small packets were found in the trailer, but they did not have enough drug residue to make a charge.

Zaikowsky was booked into jail late Saturday on probable drug charges and released on his own recognizance after a first court appearance Monday.