This week in Odessa history

100 years ago

Apr. 1, 1921

The Odessa High School debate team won first place in the state’s northeast district championships for the second year running. The team members are Tolbert Schimke, Florence Schoonover, LaFay Finstad, Verna Holmes, Charles Cone and Christoph Horn.

The speed cop from Davenport was in town looking for violators of the automobile laws. He reported that he found everything mostly in order except for one man who had a broken muffler which he was ordered to have repaired. After March 31, it will be unlawful for any motor vehicle to be run on last year’s license plates. Owing to the delay in the state department in getting out the state licenses the county is now distributing a temporary license tag which must be used until the steel plates arrive. Should one not receive his county license in time to put on by April 1, he must carry with him his license application, which is a receipt that the license fee has been paid.

75 years ago

Mar. 28, 1946

Bill Beck, Odessa baseball team manager, and LeRoy Hook, high school coach, represented the town at a meeting at Wilbur to reorganize the league in which Odessa will play. It was revealed that the former Marcellus Grange team as the Ritzville Ramblers and town teams would include Odessa, Davenport, Harrington, Sprague, Reardan, Ephrata, Wilson Creek, Lincoln, Marlin, Wilbur, Lind, Moses Lake and Ritzville. Odessa will play with the west league.

DeWaine M. Hemmerling, Odessa, and Ray R. Weisser, Marlin, were among a group taking pre-induction phycal examinations at Spokane last week. Carl A. Kissler and Ernest Haase, both of Odessa, were inducted by the army in Tacoma last week.

50 years ago

Apr. 1, 1971.

A windstorm raised havoc from the Pacific Ocean into Northern California, Oregon and Washington on Friday, leaving a path of destruction. Roofing was torn from buildings, sheds were toppled, irrigation wheel lines became entangled.

Winter season athletes received their awards at a dinner held in the school multipurpose room. Certificates were presented to the cheerleaders Mary Beth Fink, Sue Weishaar, Carol Null, Ann Schillinger and Trudy Mills, as well as mascot, Vicky Thompson. Wrestling team members received trophies: Dean Michaelsen for honorary team captain and for fastest pin (44 seconds in first round); Tom Weishaar received the award for most valuable wrestler and Virgil Schmidt the award for most improved wrestler. The awards were the result of team voting.

The basketball team took fourth place at the state tournament, and individual awards went to Marty Meise, as co-captain and for most free throws in 20 games; Mark Wagner for most free throws during practice; Jim Weber for most improved; Neil Jeske as co-captain and Mel Jantz as most inspirational.

25 years ago

Apr. 4, 1996

Record owner Donald E. Walter began a series of articles promoting a yes vote for the sewer system to be installed in Odessa. The articles were scheduled to run for four weeks leading up to the Apr. 23 vote.

The town approved a conditional use permit for a potato plant in the downtown business district.

Pride Day in Odessa saw volunteers fill four large bins with junk, tree limbs, leaves, etc.