Odessa news briefs

Town of Odessa: Jim Williams of the town crew installed LED bulbs in all of the town’s facilities. It was also learned that Avista has announced that it will also be putting LED bulbs into the town’s street lights in the near future.

The swimming pool in Odessa opened Sunday, June 21, with a good crowd taking advantage of the facility. Lifeguards this year are Kolby Crossley (manager), Katelyn Worley (asst. mgr.), Chelsea Fisher (asst. mgr.), Shelbey Watkins, Alayna Watkins, Parker Valverde, Patrick Valverde, Casey Schlomer, Daviane Minaker, Maleah Davison and Molly Schafer. Since several of the lifeguards also have harvest jobs and/or sports camps to attend this summer, the large group was necessary to provide coverage for all of the shifts during which the pool is open.

The heater in the smallest kiddie pool did not function properly, and the town crew’s pool expert Gerald Greenwalt was working to get it up and running again.

Second letters have gone out to property owners whose overgrown yards pose a fire danger. After the first letters went out, many, but not all, owners complied and worked to clear their property.

Noxious weeds also resulted in a complaint to the town about kochia growing in a yard. Residents are reminded that controlling noxious weeds is the responsibility of homeowners and/or their tenants. The Noxious Weed Control Board has information on the plants listed as noxious and how to control them. Find more information at http://www.nwcb.wa.gov.

Odessa Public Development Authority: Global Clean Energy, a California company interested in purchasing the shuttered biodiesel plant, is performing its due diligence enquiries prior to the drafting of a purchase agreement with the OPDA. A representative of the company was present via telephone at the most recent OPDA meeting on June 15. He said discussions have been held with the Environmental Protection Agency, local Odessa area growers and the former operators of the plant at the same time as engineers are performing a system-by-system analysis of the plant’s equipment. He also said that he expects their work to be finished and a draft of a purchase agreement drawn up by the agreed deadline of August 1.

Odessa Chamber of Commerce: The Chamber is beginning Fest preparations and planning. Next week, The Record hopes to publish a list of the various entities and/or persons in charge of food, events, etc., and send out the call for volunteers to help prepare for Odessa’s premium event of the year.