The Year in Review

Odessa had much to be thankful for in 2011. A couple of new businesses opened, and the biodiesel plant resumed production when a new management/investment team came on board. The grocery store underwent a change of ownership, with the new owners introducing many upgrades and repairs.

A month-by-month summary of the year’s activities follows.

January

The new year opened on an optimistic note when the town’s newest business venture opened its doors Saturday, January 1, 2011. Angela Tanis and Matthew Gallaway opened a fitness and tanning center in the former Baptist Church on Alder Street (Highway 21). The couple purchased the building, located right next to their home, from the Town of Odessa.

Special coded locks were installed on the doors, providing access only to authorized persons. Security cameras are also located inside the building for the protection of those using the equipment, as well as for safeguarding the investment of the proprietors.

The Lincoln County Conservation District, with funds from the Columbia River Basin Management Program, conducted a prefeasibility analysis of a rehydration project. The project, if adopted, would pump water out of Lake Roosevelt and deliver it into one or more drainages in the Crab Creek watershed; initially in a pilot project and possibly in a larger, subsequent long-term project. The prefeasibility assessment identifies Lake Creek as the best drainage for continued evaluation. Water released into Lake Creek would flow downstream, contributing to instream flows and likely producing gains to riparian habitat and waterbased recreation. The water flowing down the creek could be used by irrigators or be allowed to continue flowing downstream to rehydrate the channel and lakes at the bottom of the basin. If allowed to flow undiverted to the confluence of Lake Creek with Crab Creek, a portion of the water would seep into the ground and, presumably, contribute to the overall groundwater supply in the area, which is currently over-allocated. If allowed to flow into Crab Creek, the water would continue down the stream and enter Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir, being incorporated into that water supply in the Columbia Basin Project. Both the water that seeps into the ground and any part of the supplemental water that is diverted would directly contribute to groundwater recharge in the Odessa Subarea and therefore meet the guidelines for RCW 90.90 part (2)(b)-g alternatives to groundwater for agricultural users in the Odessa subarea aquifer.

Grant County experienced several cases of whooping cough (pertussis). Since the beginning of the outbreak in August 2010, Grant County Health District investigated 28 cases. All of the Grant County reported cases are from Quincy, Ephrata and Moses Lake. Some have been linked together by household members or close contacts, but many case exposures remain unknown.

The Odessa Public Development Authority began working with the Cattle Producers of Washington (CPoW) on building a USDA-certified, 5,400-square-foot processing plant on five acres at the Odessa Industrial Park. This project is expected to employ about 15 people the first year and 30-40 people in years three to five. The Odessa Industrial Park provides access to all utilities, is situated along a major highway, is close to Interstate-90 and is in a rural area. The CPoW represent over 450 producers with over half of those living within a 200 mile radius of Odessa. Their mission is to sustain, improve and protect Washington State’s cattle industry. With more consumers looking for locally grown food, this project will support Washington family farms and ranches in meeting the demand for such food. It will also provide full-time, above-median-wage jobs with benefits.

February

The fourth-grade class at P.C. Jantz Elementary School submitted their writings in the VFW Auxiliary-sponsored Junior Essay Contest. Winning first place was Destiny German. Coming in second was Emily King and third was Rochelle Schuh.

A local Odessa man put up signs on his property indicating that illegal-drug-related activity was going on next door. He claimed that cars were driving into the alley behind his home and that of his neighbor to a shed where he claimed drug activity was taking place. Police had monitored the situation but were never able to come up with any concrete evidence of misdeeds. Supporters and detractors of the man who put up the signs attended a town council meeting, where Mayor Doug Plinski acknowledged everyone’s concerns and asked for reasonable discussion and behavior on the part of all those involved.

High school student Elena Hernandez testified before state legislators about the ramifications of school consolidation. She also met personally with District 7 representative Joel Kretz.

March

The Marshal’s Office, the emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and volunteer firefighters showed off recent equipment purchases to the public. Two used fire trucks from the Woodinville Fire Department replaced two very old Odessa fire trucks. The Marshal’s Office found a used four-wheel-drive vehicle already equipped for police use. The hospital/EMTs purchased a brand-new ambulance with proceeds from past wine-tasting and auction events.

Keith and Chad Strebeck found the first buttercup of 2011, followed soon after by several other folks.

Odessa welcomed Gary DelForge as the new administrator for the Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center. He and his wife Sue moved to Odessa from Tennessee.

To be continued next week...