Each year, Republican staff members put together a special section inside of the first publication of each year highlighting the Top Stories of the previous year. If you would like to read back over these stories, each one is linked to the original story. We hope you enjoy these recaps. 

Jan. 1 The city of Owensville awards a $146,000 bid for SCBA gear with grant funds and rural fire contribution.

Belle Boys’ brothers Chad and Cody Faulkner of Heavy Hitters demolition derby reality TV production are charged with arson stemming from a December fire at the younger Faulkner’s house.

Gasconade County and Gerald area applicants for state medicinal marijuana operations are denied.

Jan. 8 Area residents donate over $22,500 in cash to build Ronnie “Geick” Geisler a new home on his property following a December house fire.

OHS science teacher Kevin Lay has submitted his letter of resignation to the GCR-2 School Board. Lay and his family plan to move to Florida.

Jan. 15 OHS wrestlers defeat Valle Catholic at Ste. Genevieve Duals

Jan. 22 Snowfall causes cancelations for R-2 schools

OMS Dutchmen sweep Hermann, fall at St. James in daytime twin bill

The CDC confirms the first case of COVID-19 in the U.S. in Washington state. MoDHSS is monitoring the situation.

Jan. 29 Gasconade County’s two high schools host performances by the Four Rivers All-Conference Band.

Cason Gray’s 24 points move the OHS Dutchmen into Belle tournament title game.

Feb. 5 Missouri Rock Island Trail, Inc., (MoRIT) receives a $20,000 grant from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s (RTC) 2020 Doppelt Family Trail Development Fund to rehabilitate two trestles for the proposed 144-mile Rock Island Trail.

Senior night wrestling sees four OHS pins.

Feb. 12 Prop P funds allow expansion of cybercrimes unit in Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

Dutchgirl wrestlers see season end in districts

King Trevor and Queen Emma reign over OHS Winter Homecoming

Feb. 19 Dutchmen grapplers to miss state wrestling for first time

A videoed confrontation between Cody Harris of Backwoods Predator Hunters and a 27-year-old Gerald man goes viral.

A record number of GES students make the Top 100 of the statewide Picture the Music competition.

Feb. 26 Dutchmen seniors celebrate first win over Pacific since 2011 season

GCR-2 board votes Kelley Rosemann in as 2020-21 OMS assistant principal.

FSCB plans to buy seven First Bank sites including Owensville, Hermann, Gerald

March 4 Gasconade Sheriff John Romanus submits his resignation.

Former Gasconade County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew A. Hutchings pleads guilty to reduced charge of sexual abuse from 2018 case in Hermann.

Emily Copeland and Wyatt Jahnsen are OHS FFA Barnwarming King and Queen

March 11 Tracy Ellis’ murder charge is dismissed. Ellis pleads guilty to felony child endangerment.

 Owensville police, UPS investigators recover resident’s $18,000 cash nearly swindled in Virginia ‘FBI arrest’ scam

 Owensville Police Officer Troy Ebeling’s family home is lost to fire while he is on overnight duty.

 Jared Tharp is new GES principal.

 Gasconade Timing Association funds April 1 Honor Flight for 25 area veterans

March 18 GCR-2 board cancels classes through April 3 due to virus threat.

Missouri Supreme Court suspends appellate, circuit court proceedings

 Restaurants/bars shut down; reduced to carry-out service only

Franklin County Commission declares a state of emergency.

Mo Arthur and Ariana Katsov strike gold at the Bristol International Acro Cup (BIAC) in Bristol, England.

March 25 Mark Williams is sworn in as interim sheriff for Gasconade County.

GCR-2 extends the COVID-19 related school closure to April 24.

Coronavirus ends OMS Dutchgirl volleyball season early

March 31 A stay at home order is issued for Gasconade County due to the coronavirus pandemic.

April 1 Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton confirms bones found in St. Clair are human remains.

Owensville Parks and Recreation Department closes park facilities.

April 8 Hailey Diestelkamp is the third player in NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball history to win two straight Player of the Year awards.

Krooked Moon distills ‘sugar shine’ for hand sanitizer

April 15 Missouri Gov. Mike Parson ends in-school learning for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year

Owensville High School junior Caden Moss lost his life after sustaining serious injuries in a two-vehicle accident recently near Wichita, Kan.

April 22 Cullen VanLeer named new OHS head boys basketball, golf coach

 Spring sports come to an abrupt halt thanks to COVID-19 at Owensville High School.

 Be Ahring named Gerald interm city clerk.

 Lonigro’s Supermarket in Gerald unknowingly holds its last ‘Ribfest.’

 LSC Communications requests closing off and vacating portions of two roadways to accommodate a proposed plant expansion.

April 29 Potential land swap between city and landowner expected to eliminate closure of Springfield Road by LSC.

 A set of guidelines for the reopening of businesses in Gasconade County is being drafted.

 A Farris Road property owner reports their barn was stolen sometime between April 2017 and April 2020.

May 6 Franklin County is allocated more than $12 million in federal relief

 Lonigro’s Supermarket in Gerald celebrates its 42nd anniversary.

 Tyler A. Fryer of Owensville is jailed in Crawford County for allegedly stabbing a Rolling Hills resident in the abdomen with a pocket knife.

 Gasconade County eligible for $1.7M in federal relief funds

May 13 OAA cancels summer seasons.

 Todd Rehmert takes a coaching job at Hermann.

Tri-County Newspapers (Bland, Belle and Vienna) cease publication

New Haven Community Youth Fair is canceled due to COVID-19 concerns

May 20 Mackenzie Rademacher will continue throwing at UCM.

 Gerald resident John Kolditz’ death was first due to COVID-19 in Franklin County

May 27 Cody Linders, Bryor Bogle, Derek Brandt, Garret West, TC Fisher and Tyler Heidbrink earn Academic All State.

 Cason Gray to continue football career at Missouri Valley

June 3 Kendra Hults to run track, cross country at MSSU

 A crowd of around 100 people gather in Union to protest the murder of George Floyd.

 Missouri April unemployment rate rises to 9.7 percent.

OHS graduation to continue as planned, prom canceled

June 10 Sophia Ashner earns six state medals.

 Governor signs SB 631 into law requiring notarized request for mail-in absentee ballot

 Tracy Ellis sentenced to 14 years in DOC.

 Steve Grgurich again elected as Gerald Ward 1 Alderman.

 Lonigro’s Supermarket in Gerald holds an outdoor fundraiser bringing in $3,000 for the family of Lucas Parshall.

June 17 Homeless man attempts to float USS Aries free from Gasconade mooring; ship moves 400 feet.

June 24 Fair board votes 22-5 to cancel 2020 Gasconade County Fair

 Site work begins for new Owensville police station

July 1 Chaney L Teague is arrested after driving a pick-up into Moto Mart.

 Jennifer Hall says goodbye to GES

July 8 Human remains discovered in Gasconade River believed to be missing Crocker man

 Owensville Municipal Court cases will now be heard in Linn

 Owensville Aldermen award $1.12 million bid to construct new police station

 Kalyn Kemp named new Dutchgirl head soccer coach

July 15 Rosebud man wins second Show Me Cash jackpot with a $298,000 winning ticket.

July 22 Hospital medical director, county health official urge mask use to help reduce COVID-19 spread

R-2 board approves three options for school re-entry protocol: regular, online, and full-distance learning.

Corey Novotney is sworn in as new Gerald Ward 2 Alderman

July 29 Lonigro’s Supermarket ceases day-to-day operations

Aug. 5 Christen Diane Schulte of Washington pleads guilty to charges stemming from fraudulent diversion of approximately $727,000.

Body found near County Line Road identified as Jacob Spaunhorst

Scott Eiler claims GOP sheriff’s nomination

Aug. 12 Human remains discovered in St. Clair earlier this year identified as Margaret A. Unger.

First Bank customers become First State Community Bank customers this weekend

Aug. 19 Westphalia Pentecostal Bridge collapses

 Hailey Diestelkamp to join SLU Women’s Basketball staff

 Gasconade County Health Department reports first COVID-19 related death

Tyler Ahring holds first practice as OMS Cross County coach Monday

Aug. 26 Michael Tungate of Belle is charged with five felonies in sex abuse case of 12-year-old boy

A Belle man is reportedly shot in the abdomen near Bland.

Lawsuits between City of Gerald and Bull Moose Tube have been stopped; city to sell property.

Aug. 28 Stonebridge’s Hermann senior living facility reports COVID-19 outbreak affecting 27 residents, 17 staff

Sept. 2 Legion Park is the site of Gerald’s first Desegregation/Integration Rally.

Heather M. Tatkenhorst of Gerald was killed on train tracks in Cole County.

OHS sweeps Linn in volleyball opener

Addison Wright named to All-Tournament Team

Kyle L. Lampkin of Owensville faces charges following a high-speed chase in Osage County.

Scenic Regional trustees vote to proceed with renovation of former Alco building for Hermann library branch

Sept. 9 Dutchmen record first shutout since 2016

R-2 harriers leave New Haven with seven medals

Varsity Dutchgirl spikers sweep Capital City

Sept. 16 History Channel series American Wreckers airs first episodes featuring Belle Boys, Outsiders

Scott Eiler to assume interim sheriff’s title until term begins in 2021

Dutchgirl volleyball sweeps senior-night matches against Belle

Sept. 23 Connecticut based Atlas Holdings, creditor group acquires LSC

Dutchmen shut out St. James in FRC opener

OMS Dutchgirls sweep Hermann in hardwood opener

Freshmen Dutchgirls win JV Volleyball Tourney at Linn

Hannah Koppelmann’s Owensville Dutchgirls win four of five games.

Sept. 30 Mending Mindy Jarvis receives kidney

City of Bland awarded $750,000 in CDBG funds

Dutchmen reclaim county bowl trophy

Dutchgirls score key FRC, district win over Sullivan

Oct. 7 Anita Altemeyer opens Potential Therapy Services in Owensville.

Oct. 15 Taylor D. Campbell of Bland is arrested after recording a Facebook Live video of himself while he was admittedly driving drunk.

The annual Rock Island 5K Run sponsored by the Gerald Area Chamber of Commerce was held in October for the first time. 

Oct. 21 Ronald “Ron” James Lewis, manager of the former Tri-County Newspapers, died Oct. 13 following a slow recovery from two heart surgeries.

Dutchgirl nine drop district semifinal in extra innings

Oct. 28 Stolen vehicles, plus storage unit thefts keep GPD officers busy

Springfield Road closure begins.

Jamie Ridenhour’s Dutchgirls end 41-year district title drought

Nov. 4 Virus flareup pushes county back to Phase 1 safety protocols for courthouse operations

R-2 directors approve $83K Gerald school bus lane bid

Washington Middle School student becomes youngest in state to die from COVID-19

Absentee ballots nearly triple totals seen in 2016

OHS advances three to state cross country

Nov. 11 Voter turnout in county nearly 74 percent

City of Bland offers $500 reward for arrest, conviction on vandalism case

Mekayla Gibson finishes eighth to earn All-State

Diamond Dutchgirl foursome earns All-FRC, All-District honors

Nov. 18 Gasconade R-2 directors approve mask protocol

R-1 again comes close to shutdown, but not from illness; substitute teacher shortage confounds officials

Nine Dutchmen earn All-FRC gridiron honors.

Boy Scouts annual Scouting for Food event canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.

Nov. 25 Citing ‘family issues,’ county EMD to leave position by end of 2020

Scenic Regional Library system’s trustees mandate face masks

Christmas Tablescapes canceled due to COVID

Dec. 2 Ryan Flanagan’s Dutchgirls sweep Lady Cavaliers

Dec. 9 In midst of pandemic, Gerald’s Christmas celebration deemed one of the best ever

Dr. Jeri Kay Hardy named future GCR2 superintendent

Atlas Holdings completes purchase of LSC Communications.

Dec. 16 Strong November sales push Gasconade County sale tax revenue to unexpected total of $1.037 million

Dec. 23 Gasconade County R-2 teachers and staff are now considered essential workers

Christine Weber of Hermann is charged with first-degree-murder in the death of her boyfriend.

Dec. 30 GCR-1 begins search for top administrator

Footings, foundation, walls being installed on LSC Communications addition

Missouri exceeds 5,000 COVID deaths as vaccine roll-out continues