2023-2024 Odessa City Guide Page 29 The Odessan began in 1884 as The Odessa Moon. Renamed the Odessa Democrat by publisher A.J. Adair, who purchased the newspaper in 1906, the paper was sold in 1940 to the Collins Ewing family, owners of The Missouri Ledger. The two papers were merged into what is now The Odessan. The Ewings sold the newspaper in 1947 to William A. Bray. Remaining the publisher until 1954, Bray left to become executive director of the Missouri Press Association and sold the paper to Joe Western. Western was publisher from 1954 to 1960, until moving to Washington, D.C., to join the staff of The Wall Street Journal. Betty Simpson Spaar purchased the newspaper on December 1, 1960, and remained actively involved in reporting the news and assisting businesses with advertising needs until her death in 2018. The newspaper is now published by her sons, John and Joe Spaar. The Simpson/Spaar family has worked in the newspaper profession for five generations beginning with Betty’s grandfather who published the newspaper in Rolla. For many years, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Simpson, owned and operated the Holden Progress. The Spaar family has deep roots in the community of Odessa and continues to chronicle it and the area’s history. Currently, two generations of the family have been raised in Odessa and work at The Odessan. Joe Spaar, co-publisher and production manager, is a past board member of the Missouri Press Association. He won a first place award in the state for his weekly column, Sports Time Out. John Spaar, co-publisher and advertising manager, was the 2005 president of the Missouri Press Association, the third generation of his family to hold that office. He has served as president of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce. He also is a member and past president of the Odessa Rotary Club. Hannah Spaar, daughter of Joe and the late Renee Spaar, is news editor. A 2009 graduate of Odessa High School and a 2013 graduate of the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri School of Journalism, Hannah has written a weekly column in The Odessan since she was 10 years old. She has received numerous awards for reporting, editorial writing, design and photography and was named the Missouri Press Association’s 2016 Outstanding Young Journalist. She also serves as news editor for Focus on Oak Grove. She is currently on the board of the Missouri Press Association and as the association’s representative to the National Newspaper Association. Laura Sanders, compiles and writes the Yesteryears column and researches topics of interest for the “I Have a Question” column. Kory Hales, multiple award-winning sports editor and photographer, Pam Schuchner, production and Jennifer Rawls, customer service, round out the staff. In an effort to better serve area businesses, employees continually strive to create effective advertising. The Odessan staff has received numerous advertising awards, among them a national grand prize for the annual Christmas section. The largest paid circulation newspaper in Lafayette County, The Odessan continues to receive awards for feature stories, news coverage, special sections, advertising and photography. Serving western Lafayette County, the newspaper covers the Odessa and Wellington-Napoleon school districts, city and county governments as well as the businesses and families that make up our communities. Newspapers in Education program for the Odessa and Wellington-Napoleon school districts involves delivering The Odessan each Thursday morning to fifth grade classrooms at the Odessa Upper Elementary School and Wellington-Napoleon Elementary School. This will be the 22nd year for the program. The office is located at 212 West Mason Street. The building is handicapped accessible and features ample parking for customers. NewsThe Odessan The Odessan office, 212 W. Mason
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