Bulletin Column: March 5, 2020

These reports are from the previous three 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.

ANNUAL PIANO SALE AT UI

The University of Idaho and Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival will again offer slightly-used pianos for sale March 6-7, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.

The student and professional stage pianos come from the non-profit Pianos for Students Society – an organization which provides pianos to schools and underprivileged students.

The pianos are first offered for purchase to alumni, faculty, staff and students before the general public sale.

Selection includes full-sized grand pianos, baby grands, players, professional studios, decorator consoles and digital pianos.

The sale will be held at the UI campus in the Summit Room, 875 Perimeter Drive, fourth floor of the ISUB (formerly known as the Commons).

STRONG WINDS SWEEP THE PALOUSE

Windy weather was expected Monday through Wednesday on the Palouse. West winds of 20 to 35 mph were expected throughout the day Monday.

Tuesday, strong winds continued with southwest winds of 20 to 30 mph with localized gusts of 45 mph. The highest gust potential was predicted to be over southeast Washington.

Covering much of eastern Washington on Wednesday, with the potential of being the windiest day of the week, wind speeds were expected to be 20 to 30 mph with localized gusts of 50 mph.

CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS RELEASED FROM SACRED HEART

The Washington State Department of Health sent a press release that two people from Washington treated for COVID-19 at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane has been discharged as of Monday and are now resting at home.

With more cases of the coronavirus being announced, as of Sunday, March 1, the total of those in Washington, who are presumed to be tested positive for the virus is 13, including two who recently died.

According to the DOH, most deaths of the virus have been reported in older adults with underlying health conditions.

Symptoms of coronavirus are similar to the flu or colds. They include a fever, cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, according to the DOH.

Governor Jay Inslee declared, Feb. 29, a state of emergency in response to new cases of COVID-19, directing state agencies to use all resources necessary to prepare for and respond to the outbreak.

Washington State University has activated an Incident Command System to respond to any potential threats from the coronavirus. The team is made up of staff from medical, public safety, campus operations, student and academic affairs, risk management and other university offices across the WSU statewide system.

Genesee and Troy schools were closed Monday because of the coronavirus scare. The scare came from a student of one of the visiting high schools at the jazz fest who tested positive for the virus. That student was not a part of the group that competed at jazz fest in Moscow, but it wasn't known if that student had any direct exposure to those competing at the jazz fest. Schools were closed to allow extra effort in disinfecting.

GRAHAM PLEADS GUILTY

On Feb. 28, Douglas Keith Graham, 52, Lamont, pleaded guilty to an unlawful possession of a fireman which was given after deputies responded to a report of gunshots being fired in Lamont Dec. 8.

At the Feb. 28 sentencing trial, a payment schedule was set up for Graham.

Graham is the father of Levi Graham, 22, who was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to the arrest report, Levi Graham was alleged to have discharged a gun around the mobile home where they reside in Lamont. Douglas was located that day in a nearby field where he was reported to be hunting for quail. The charge filed alleged Douglas has a prior conviction in Spokane County under which he is prohibited for being in possession of a firearm.

A compliance hearing for Douglas will be held on April 29.

WHITMAN COUNTY HOUSING STATISTICS

The Whitman County Association of Realtors released Whitman County housing statistics for January 2020.

For January, 20 residential listings were sold at an average price of $219.8 thousand, with the median price at $251.7 thousand.

As of Feb. 29, there were 81 active residential listings with 24 pending listings. The pending number also includes listings that were sold in the same month.

In January 2019, there were only 18 residential listings sold at an average price of $202.3 thousand, with the median price of $207,000.

The highest selling month in 2019 was in June with 68 residential listings sold.

The median price of residential listings in Whitman County dropped from $280.5 thousand in December to $251.7 thousand in January.

HEROIN

TRAFFICKERS ARRESTED

After a lengthy investigation, detectives from the Quad Cities Drug Task Force, along with the Clarkston Police Department and the Asotin County Sheriff's office, served a search warrant Feb. 26 on a vehicle they stopped on eastbound State Route 12, just west of Clarkston.

Quad Cities Drug Task Force Detectives had been investigating Shawn Charpentier, 34, of Pasco, Ashlea Fraker, 32, of Richland and Trevor Pease, 29, of Clarkston for their involvement in trafficking heroin from the Tri-Cities to the Lewis-Clark Valley.

During the execution of the warrant, detectives seized heroin, methamphetamine, a digital scale with heroin residue, spoons with heroin residue, glass pipes with methamphetamine residue and many hypodermic needles.

Detectives booked all three into the Asotin County Jail, Charpentier for possession of methamphetamine, possession of heroin and outstanding warrants; Fraker for possession of heroin with intent to deliver, and Pease for an unrelated outstanding warrant.

The driver/owner of the vehicle they were in was released at the scene.

In total, 24 grams of heroin, with an estimated street value of $4,800, was found in their possession. Charpentier and Fraker have since been released from Asotin County Jail on their own recognizance.

The Quad Cities Drug Task Force is partially funded by the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance to combat narcotics distribution in counties in southeastern Washington and western Idaho.

"LOVE YOUR FARMER, LOVE YOUR FOOD" RETURNS

The sixth annual "Love Your Farmer, Love Your Food" event was held Wednesday, March 4, at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre in Moscow from 6 to 8 p.m. The evening included catered food, a no-host bar, a free film screening and panel discussion with area niche growers.

This year's guest panel featured guests from four agricultural companies; Big Canyon Beef, Zak Feeds, Wing Over Farm and Elk Meadow Farm & Nursery.

The free evening was put on by a partnership of Moscow Food Co-op, Moscow Farmers Market, University of Idaho Extension and Clearwater Food Coalition.

COUNTY REALTORS ANNOUNCE SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE

The Whitman County Association of Realtors has announced an April 30 deadline for its annual $1,000 scholarship for county high school students in the class of 2020 who will go to WSU in the fall.

Applications are available at whitmancountyrealtors.com. For more information, call 509-783-2184.

FEBRUARY PRECIPITATION ABOVE AVERAGE

February rain and snow brought total precipitation for the month to 2.05 inches. This is just above the average for the month which is 1.99 inches.

The majority of precipitation came at the beginning of the month with snow and rain for four consecutive dates between Feb. 5 and Feb. 8.

Feb. 7 reading date topped total precipitation for the month with .61 inches of rain and Feb. 3 brought in the least amount of precipitation at .04 inches.

SCHOOL RATIFIES NEW CONTRACT

The Colfax School District and the Colfax Education Association has approved a new three-year agreement, retroactive to include 2019-20.

The school board approved the deal Monday night, which follows an adjustment in pay scale from August 2018, after new state funding took effect due to the McCleary decision.

The new Colfax agreement includes teachers and classified staff, with updates to the teacher evaluation system and pay allocation model per cell – level of experience – including the full annual inflationary increase determined and paid for by the state.

Salaries also include "a modest uptick per cell," as described by Superintendent Jerry Pugh.

He represented the district in the talks while Christopher Clausen, CEA president, led the Colfax teachers.

"I don't think there's anything that's a huge change," said Pugh. "It was kind of maintenance within the contract. We're really happy. It's a stressful, arduous process and it's respectful. We came up with compromises acceptable to both sides."

In the summer 2018 changes, Colfax teachers signed a new contract with raises in the 10 percent range, with classified staff receiving a five percent raise across the board. Local administrators were later granted a raise also, as K-12 education salaries rose around the state.

CORRECTION: MARIJUANA ORDINANCE SEPA REVIEW

A story in last Tuesday's Bulletin included errors reporting a decision related to the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and Whitman County's proposed marijuana ordinance.

The story stated that the county planning commission had received a Determination of Non-significance from SEPA regarding the ordinance.

This was incorrect. The planning commission is not involved in the SEPA process, only the county planner, who makes the determination and sends it to the SEPA office, not the other way around.

Whitman County Planner Alan Thomson made the Determination of Non-Significance and sent his decision Feb. 27 to the SEPA register in Olympia (part of the state Department of Ecology) as well as a list of other agencies; from the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee and local conservation districts to the City of Pullman and Washington State Department of Health.

A comment period for Thomson's decision began Feb. 27 to run through March 12.

SEPA is an environmental checklist, which county planners like Thomson, and other local government officials, refer to on matters such as a proposed land-use ordinance.

In a separate but related item, the Whitman County planning commission has announced a public hearing March 18, for comment on its proposed marijuana ordinance.

"March 18 is the drop-dead date for any comments to the planning commission," Thomson said.

"At the end of that hearing, they have to make a decision."

Ultimately, the commission's duty is to send a recommendation to the three county commissioners, whether that is for them to adopt the ordinance the planners have drawn up, a total ban on further marijuana operations in the county or another action.

County commissioners will make the final decision – a process that would include another public hearing.

PALOUSE RIDGE COURSE MAY OPEN

Palouse Ridge Golf Club was expected to open the course Saturday, for what would be the first February opening for the 18-hole public-access course since 2012. The driving range had been open already.