P6 THE SPOKESMAN • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2021
FLASHBACK
Near disaster, quick thinking and tracking D.B. Cooper
100 years ago
June 9, 1921 — Lit Match To Find
Trouble; Tractor Is Nearly Burned
One of two tractors used by night-
shift workers in the potato fields of
D. Mustard and the Deschutes Valley
Seed company at Powell Butte was
nearly destroyed Monday night when
Floyd Smith of Redmond lit a match
to look under the motor to locate
trouble.
As Smith struck the match, blazes
swept over the tractor hood and
threatened explosion and destruction.
Smith, Clifford Will, who is also em-
ployed in operating the tractor, and
other employees on the farm, used a
wagon sheet to smother the flames
and put out the blaze before any con-
siderable damage was done.
Two tractors are now being run
night and day under the direction of
Mustard, who is planting about 200
acres of potatoes for the Deschutes
Seed company and twenty acres on
his own farm. The tractors plow at
night while the day crews plant seed.
Two hundred additional acres of
grain crop will this year be seeded on
the company’s farm, it is planned.
75 years ago
June 13, 1946 — Town Building
Efforts Weaken As Materials Become
Scarcer
People in Redmond are still trying
to build, but their efforts are getting
weaker, according to the decreasing
volume of building permits, issued
through the city recorder’s office.
Only nine permits for new homes
totaling $26,700 in stated values have
been taken out since April 1, while
during the three previous months of
the year 19 permits totaling $61,600
were issued. No permits at all have
been cleared thus far in June.
To building material men and con-
struction contractors the decline in
volume of permits in the recorder’s
office is only a minor reflection of the
actual building situation here. They
point out that not only are materials
getting more scarce, but that the pros-
pect of any immediate improvement
in the local supply is getting dimmer.
Among the principal items that
force the water out of her lungs, began
mouth to mouth resuscitation, found
it didn’t work, hit her again, and
on the second attempt of mouth to
mouth, was able to revive the child.
Thanks to the instruction Sheela
had learned in seventh grade health
from Al Christenson and lessons in
responsibility from her mother, Me-
lissa suffered only shock and scratches
from the edge of the metal culvert.
By the time a neighbor, Mrs. Judy
Bender, arrived on the scene, all that
the young girls needed was some help
in coping with the shock. And by the
time parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dale Pallin
of Route 1, Terrebonne, arrived from
their Sunday fishing trip, the near
tragedy was history.
25 years ago
Spokesman file photo
Near drowning victim in June 1971, Melissa Pallin, 2½, is the center of attention when
she gets together with the girls who saved her life, 7-year-old sister Dorie and babysit-
ter, Sheela Nordman, an eighth grader at John Tuck School.
they list as becoming slower and
slower to arrive or have become al-
most impossible to obtain, are nails,
cement, glass, doors, sash, roofing,
sheet metal, shingles, plumbing, ply-
wood, plaster and lathes.
Increasing numbers of stories are
going the rounds in the building trade
of the variety of deals, swaps and ar-
rangements that have had to be made
in obtaining materials in central Or-
egon. In several instances cement has
been obtained at fancy figures. In one
case a set of cast iron plumbing fix-
tures were foundered to order. Things
like GI priorities are referred to in the
trade merely as “hunting licenses.”
Among permits that have been ap-
proved for houses since April 1, in-
cluding structures designated as “ga-
rage dwellings,” are those issued to
E.W. and E.F. Endicott, stated value
$4000; M.F. Sandoz, $3700; Richard
Moorman, $2000; Carl Fore, $1500;
Alex Kauski, $3500; Albert and Ruby
Miller, $3000; J.B. Bozarth $1000; Ray
Dempsey, $3000; M.D. Armbruster,
$5000; J.J. Campoli $4000; Christian
church $1000.
Business structures approved since
April 1 include five new cabins for
Redmond camp ground at South Sixth
street, $4000; kennels for Dr. R.L.
Lewis, $400; and shop and apartments
for Victor and Harold Povey, $7000.
50 years ago
June 9, 1971 — Melissa Pallin
saved by sister, babysitter
Tragedy was averted recently in
Terrebonne, thanks to the quick ac-
tion of two young girls.
Bouncy 2 1/2 year old Melissa Pal-
lin was returning to the house from
the barn with her seven-year-old sis-
ter Dorie, when she slipped and fell
into an irrigation ditch. Head first she
was plunged into a 14-inch culvert go-
ing under the driveway by the two feet
of water in the lateral.
Quick thinking Dorie jumped in,
grabbed her sister by the feet, and be-
gan yelling for help. On the second
call, their babysitter, Sheela Nordman,
came hurdling across the fence to the
rescue.
An eighth grader at John Tuck
School, Sheela speedily got Melissa
out of the canal, only to find her face
distorted and breathing stopped.
Quickly she hit Melissa on the back to
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SOLUTION
SOLUTION
Sudoku on Page 2
Crossword on Page 2
June 12, 1996 — Retired FBI agent
still contemplates fate of D.B. Cooper
Ralph P. Himmelsbach sits in his
light, open home near the Cline Falls
Airpark and contemplates the fate of
one of the nation’s most intriguing
criminals — D.B. Cooper.
It’s been 25 years since the man in
the sunglasses bailed out of a Boeing
727 over southwest Washington and
disappeared.
But the mystery and the fascination
linger on.
Although Himmelsbach, 70, retired
in 1980 from the FBI, where he was
the case agent, or lead investigator, on
the Cooper case for nine years, he re-
ceives letters and phone leads on the
case to this day.
With silvery hair, silver bolo tie and
a small handlebar moustache, Him-
melsbach doesn’t look like a special
agent with the investigative arm of the
U.S Department of Justice.
But that’s before he trains his light-
blue eyes on his subject and rattles off
the names of everybody involved in
the case from the boarding agent to
the parachute loft operator’s landlord.
And before long he admits his long-
time interest in the Cooper case may
stem from a small but itchy hole in a
long and successful career.
“He lowered my batting average,”
Himmelsbach says with a chuckle.
Himmelsbach admits he “can’t
leave it alone,” but denies he’s obsessed
with the case. “I forget about it until it
comes up again.”
But it comes up fairly often.
Himmelsbach has been the sub-
ject of numerous television, radio and
print interviews. He’s been on “Good
Morning America” twice; last year
he was a guest on “Oprah!” and next
Wednesday he appears on the pro-
gram “20th Century” on the A&E
network at 7 p.m. to discuss the case.
For D.B. Cooper fans, Himmels-
bach also has copies of his 1980 book
available for $8.95. “*Norjack: the In-
vestigation of D.B. Cooper,” is the only
truly inside story of the investigation,
according to the introduction.
Himmelsbach and his wife, Joyce,
moved to Central Oregon four years
ago when a friend suggested they check
out the area. A pilot since he joined the
Air Force in 1943, Himmelsbach finds
Central Oregon’s climate great for con-
tinuing his passion for flying.
It was Himmelsbach’s experience
as a pilot that landed him the lead as-
signment on the Cooper case.
And a combination of aviation
background, his consultations with
medical experts on hypothermia, and
his intimate knowledge of each and
every detail — and mistake — of the
case lead him to a personal belief that
Cooper is dead.
When the skyjacker parachuted out
of the airplane that stormy November
night, he appeared to be wearing only
street clothes and carried no wilder-
ness survival gear.
Even though no body has ever been
found, Himmelsbach notes the area is
so rugged it took a year to find an en-
tire airplane that crashed there.
The only evidence ever uncovered
on the ground was a bundle of pack-
ets of rotting bills found along the Co-
lumbia River by an 8-year-old boy.
Today, the crumbling remains of
one of those bills rests in a frame on
Himmelsbach’s wall.
But if Cooper is still alive, Him-
melsbach may yet have the last laugh.
On the last day of the statute of lim-
itations on the case, Himmelsbach
succeeded in brining a grand jury in-
dictment against Cooper effectively
canceling the time limit on the case.
With satisfaction, he says, “Cooper
can still be tried.”
May was a tad bit warmer in Redmond
From the National Weather Service
According to preliminary
data received by NOAA’s Na-
tional Weather Service in
Pendleton, temperatures at the
Redmond airport averaged
warmer than normal during
the month of May.
The average temperature
was 54.0 degrees which was 2.5
degrees above normal. High
Temperatures averaged 71.1
degrees, which was 3.6 degrees
above normal. The highest was
89 degrees on the 31st. Low
temperatures averaged 36.9
degrees, which was 1.5 degrees
above normal. The lowest was
25 degrees, on the 8th.
There were 7 days with the
low temperature below 32 de-
grees.
Precipitation totaled 0.54
inches during May, which was
0.48 inches below normal.
Measurable precipitation — at
least 0.01 inch — was received
on 5 days with the heaviest,
0.23 inches reported on the 1st.
Precipitation this year has
reached 1.93 inches, which is
2.10 inches below normal. Since
October, the water year precip-
itation at the Redmond airport
has been 3.97 inches, which is
2.83 inches below normal.
The highest wind gust was
41 mph which occurred on
the 6th.
The outlook for June from
NOAA’s Climate Prediction
Center calls for above nor-
mal temperatures and below
normal precipitation. Normal
highs for the Redmond airport
rise from 72.0 degrees at the
start of June to 81.0 degrees at
the end of June. Normal lows
rise from 39.0 degrees to 44.0
degrees. The 30 year normal
precipitation is 0.64 inches.
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SPOKESMAN
CLASSIFIEDS
July 2, 1946 - May 28, 2021
Worship Directory
Baptist
Roman Catholic
Highland Baptist Church
St Thomas Roman Catholic
Church
3100 SW Highland Ave., Redmond
541-548-4161
Barry Campbell, Lead Pastor
Sunday Gathering Times:
8AM Blended,
9AM Blended,
10:30AM Contemporary
6PM Worship outside, acoustic, in the
HBC field for the summer
How can hbc pray for you?
prayer@hbcredmond.org
For the most current information
for Bible study and worship:
www.hbcredmond.org
Non-Denominational
Seventh Day Adventist
945 W. Glacier Ave.,
Redmond, OR
541-923-0301
923-3725 or classified@
redmondspokesman.com
Alan Dennis Ferrari
Sabbath School 9:30 am
Worship 10:45 am
1720 NW 19th Street
Redmond, Oregon 97756
541-923-3390
Father Todd Unger, Pastor
Mass Schedule:
Weekdays 8:00 am
(Except Wednesdays)
Wednesday 6:00 pm
Saturday Vigil 5:00 pm
First Saturday 8:00 am (English)
Sunday 8:00 am, 10:00 am (English)
12:00 noon (Spanish)
Confessions on Wednesdays
From 5:00 to 5:45 pm and on
Saturdays From 3:00 to 4:30 pm
Advertise your
worship listing today!
New advertisers get 2 weeks free.
Call Rachel Liening
at 541-617-7823
to place your ad today!
Betty June Harman
of Culver, OR
Sept 1, 1928 - May 29,
2021
Arrangements:
Autumn Funerals of Red-
mond is honored to serve
the family. 541-504-9485
Memories and condolenc-
es may be expressed to
the family on our website
at www.autumnfunerals.net
Services:
Cemetery, in Portland,
OR., on Tuesday, June 22,
2021 at 1:00 PM.
Contributions may be
made to:
St. Charles Hospice, 2275
NE Doctor’s Dr., Ste 3
Bend, OR 97701
Randy Louis Davis
of Redmond, OR
Jan 9, 1952 - April 25,
2021
Arrangements:
Autumn Funerals, Red-
mond 541-504-9485 www.
autumnfunerals.net
Services:
No Services will be held at
this time.
Alan Dennis (Denny) Ferrari passed away at his
home in Nampa, ID on May 28, 2021. He was 74.
Denny was born on July 2, 1946 in Klamath Falls,
OR to Aldo and Binny Ferrari. He lived in Corning,
CA before moving to Redmond, OR in 1961. He
worked at Plywood and Chase Doors before
re} ring in 2006.
Denny married the love of his life, Kathy Pruit on
November 15, 1996. They have resided in Nampa,
ID since 2014.
Denny is survived by his loving wife, Kathy Ferrari of
Nampa, ID. Sister, Jean (husband Steve) MacDonald
of Susanville, CA, son Randy (wife Melissa) Pruit
of Boise, ID; son Jerry Ferrari of Redmond, OR;
Grandchildren, Mariah and Cameron Pruit of
Boise ID, and Jade and Skye Pruit of Conway AR.
Great Granddaughter’s Paislee and Hadlee Price of
Boise, ID as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Binny and
Aldo Ferrari, step father Larry Mendoza, sister Judy
Taylor, and infant brother Aldo Ferrari.
All Valley Crema} on Nampa, ID is handling the
arrangements.