Wishram drugs were sold near school
In the early morning hours on Aug. 5, the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office simultaneously executed four search warrants in Wishram. The search warrants were the end result of a several month investigation into numerous drug violations that occurred in the small community.
Once deputies served the search warrants, four individuals were arrested for Delivery of a Controlled Substance, and one individual was cited for a misdemeanor drug violation. The suspects arrested were: 43-year-old Steven R. Neal, 49-year-old Roy L. Burris Jr., 52-year-old Gerry J. Kindrick, and 29-year old-Christopher D. Williams.
The search warrants produced several ounces of methamphetamine, firearms, over a pound of marijuana, seven growing marijuana plants, several thousand dollars in cash, as well as associated drug paraphernalia.
The investigation into these four individuals shows that they were all dealing drugs within a thousand feet of the Wishram School, which carries enhanced penalties if convicted. Criminal investigations into the drug violations in Wishram are continuing, and criminal charges are forthcoming on other individuals. The Klickitat County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed numerous felony charges on the arrested individuals on Aug. 6.
During the investigation, detectives obtained information that the drugs were flowing out of Wishram into the local Gorge area.
The Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office is seeking any information on drug violations in and around the local communities. Anyone with any information is asked to call (877) 288-1926.
Turnout in primary off to good start
Lou Marzeles
Editor
The Klickitat County Auditor’s Office is in the process right now of collecting ballots for the primary, the first round in the 2010 election process. It’s one of numerous busy seasons for the office.
“We have a turnout so far, even this early in the primary, of 19.1 percent,” County Auditor Brenda Sorensen told the gathering at the Greater Goldendale Chamber of Commerce business luncheon on Monday at Sodbuster’s Restaurant. That makes voter turnout so far up about 12 percent.
Sorensen began with an overview of the auditor’s office and renovations there in recent years. Among them were providing a local voters’ pamphlet to better inform voters of candidates and issues, changing from poll sites to mail ballots, obtaining grants to upgrade election software, setting up ballot drop boxes, and getting unqualified (favorable) election reviews from the state.
“We haven’t put out a voters’ pamphlet for the primary,” Sorensen said. “A pamphlet to print and mail would be about $3,000, so we elected to provide information online. The auditor’s office web site is linked to the state secretary of state web site.
“We obtained a grant to upgrade our election information,” Sorensen said, “and that allows us to digitally scan the ballots and get results to the public on election night.” Previously voters had to wait days for even preliminary results.
Sorensen also stated that grants had also been received to put in two additional ballot drop boxes in the county. One will go to Dallesport and one to Lyle, and both are expected to be up for the general election this fall.
During a question-and-answer session, Sorensen was asked about the public hospital district and its bills. “We don’t pay their bills,” Sorensen responded, saying that the auditor’s office was involved with the hospital only in the voting process for hospital commissioners.
Staffing and cross-training of staff is a high priority in the office, Sorensen said. The office has already increased the number of employees who are certified election officials from zero to four, and half of the staff are cross-trained in the financing portion of the office, and about 70 percent are cross trained in licensing.
Asked whether or not candidates for public office had to undergo background checks, Sorensen said that so far as she knew, that was not a requirement, “though obviously you do have to meet certain requirements,” she said. “If you’re running for prosecuting attorney, you have to be a lawyer. And if you’re running for sheriff, you probably have some background check done.” The questioner added that she raised the question because she’d heard that one candidate—unnamed at the meeting—was a sex offender. She was advised that information on registered sex offenders was public information and available online.
Sorensen is running for re-election this year. “I plan to run one more time after this,” she said.
Copper wire theft suspect sought in police investigation
Andrew Christiansen
Reporter
Thieves have been persistent at the rock crushing pit on east Broadway, as police look for a man who escaped from the pit on Aug. 7.
The man was observed by the property owner, sawing his way through a power cable. It is the third time in recent weeks that thieves have tried to steal copper wire from the facility. One person was arrested after being picked from a photo line-up following a July incident. A second suspect is currently being sought.
Police are also looking for Carl Daniels, whom police say led officers on a high speed chase through town. On Aug. 6, around 9 a.m., police attempted to stop Daniels on North Columbus in regard to a complaint about theft of city water. Upon seeing the officer, Daniels fled at a high rate of speed through town, according to officers. The chase proceeded to Tom Miller Road, west on SR 142 and north onto Hill Road at speeds exceeding 90 mph, according to police. The pursuit was terminated over concerns for safety.
Also, officers were called to a location on West Main Street to investigate a suspicious person in the area around 1 a.m. on Aug. 7. A witness believed the person entered a trailer near West Broadway. Upon investigating, officers discovered Aaron Ferch in the yard of a nearby home. Ferch refused repeated orders to halt and appeared to attempt to climb a fence, at which time he was stopped with a taser. Ferch was booked for second degree criminal trespass and obstructing a police officer. |
