Death penalty sought in triple-murder case

The death penalty is being sought against a Bellflower man who killed three people in a Valentine's Day attack.

The decision was announced in July by Warren County Prosecutor Jenny Bartlett. Kavangah is accused of murdering Tara Lynn Fifer, 22, of Montgomery City, and Lexy Vandiver, 29 and her son, Mason Vandiver, 7, both of Jonesburg. He also is charged with critically injuring his estranged wife Jescie Powell Kavanagh, 27.

The murder happened at a home in the 26000 block of Humber Road, located off Highway Y south of Jonesburg, at approximately 7:45 p.m. on Feb. 14.

After being asked to leave, Shawn Kavanagh went to his car and returned with a knife and began attacking the women and the boy, police allege. Vandiver’s 18-month-old daughter was found unharmed inside the home.

Fatal I-70 pileup closes westbound lanes for 13 hours

A fatal Interstate 70 pileup left one person dead and injured eight others was described as one of the worst motor-vehicle crashes in the county.

The crossover wreck on Sept. 10 involved nine vehicles, including three tractor-trailers, and caused the westbound lanes to be closed for more than 13 hours. The westbound lanes reopened around 5 a.m. on Thursday, Sept 11.

Traffic was backed up for miles with motorists between Warrenton and Wright City stranded for several hours as crews untangled the wreckage. It took firefighters nearly four hours to extricate one of the semi drivers from his cab. The crash occurred at 4:27 p.m. east of the Highway 47 overpass at the 193-mile marker as a strong thunderstorm moved through the area.

Mud run driver crashes into building at Fair

A mud run driver suffered critical injuries when his vehicle went out of control and crashed into an exhibit building at the Warren County Fair July 5.

The vehicle exited the track and entered the building, which is used to store 4-=H projects for  viewing by fairgoers.

The driver, Stephen Lanvermeier, of Old Monroe, was airlifted to the hospital. He continues to recover from his injuries.

A spectator sustained minor injuries while trying to avoid the out-of-control vehicle. The bystander was not struck by the vehicle and refused to be transported by ambulance, officials said.

The cause of the crash remains unknown.

State Fair queen resides in county — again

In August, Hanna Keene was named the 2014 Missouri State Fair queen during the pageant in Sedalia

It was the second year in a row a contestant from Warren County was crowned. Keene accepted her crown and sash from 2013 queen Ashley Bauer, both Warrenton High School graduates.

In 2013, Bauer made history by being the first contestant form Warren County to be named queen at the state competition. Keene's win extends that for the second year in a row.

Keene topped 58 other contestants from across the state vying for the tittle. All of the participants were judged in multiple areas including interview, speech, talent and evening gown.

Keene is a sophomore at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

Truesdale welcomes back ZIP code

More than 30 years in the making, the persistence of Truesdale officials paid off.

The U.S. Postal Service reinstated the old 63380 ZIP code effective Sept. 1. For decades, Truesdale was shring the 63383 ZIP code with Warrenton.

Truesdale officials have long sought the return of their old 63380 ZIP code, a move that should solve the loss of sales tax revenue and other fees the city failed to receive in the past three decades.

According to city officials, they were promised they could keep the 63380 ZIP code after the Truesdale rural contract station closed in June 1979. By 1985, the postal service revised its position and told Truesdale residents they had to use the 63383 ZIP.

Warrenton mayor steps down for health reasons

A few months into his second two-year term, Warrenton Mayor Jerry Dyer announced he was resigning effective immediately due to health reasons.

The announcement was made by Dyer's wife, Cheryl, at the Oct. 21 board of aldermen meeting. Dyer is battling cancer for the third time.

He has been mayor since April 2012. He was re-elected to a second two-year term in April when he ran unopposed.

In December, aldermen moved to fill the mayoral vacancy with the appointment of longtime resident Mike Shilharvey. He will hold the position on an interim basis until the April municpal election when voters decide on a new mayor.

Supreme Court reverses cop's convictions

The Missouri Supreme Court has reversed the conviction of a St. Charles County Sheriff’s deputy who was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a 2009 Montgomery County drug raid.

The deputy, Christopher Hunt, was sentenced to five years in prison in 2012 by Warren County Judge Keith Sutherland after a polarizing trial that pitted police officer against police officer in court and which resulted in a rift between the Warren and St. Charles County sheriff’s departments that continues today.

Members of both sheriff’s departments were part of multi-jurisdictional task force that took part in the raid on a mobile home in Middletown Feb. 5, 2009, to arrest a known methamphetamine dealer.

At trial, some Warren and Montgomery County deputies testified that Hunt struck the suspect while he was in custody while others testified that the suspect resisted arrest.

Hunt was convicted of felony burglary and two misdemeanor counts of property damage and assault.

Earlier this year, the Missouri Court of Appeals reversed the deputy’s felony conviction in the case but upheld the misdemeanor assault charge.

On Dec. 23, the Supreme Court reversed both the burglary and property damage convictions. It also reversed the assault charge ruling the trial court used improper jury instructions but remanded the case for a new trial on that lone count.

R-II, R-III districts do well in state tests

The Wright City R-II and Warren County R-III school districts both showed improvement in statewide test scores.

The R-II district improved its rating from a year ago in the MSIP 5 Annual Performance Report (APR) — the state’s school accountability system for reviewing and accrediting public school districts in Missouri.

Of the 55 school districts in the St. Louis area, R-II ranked 13th in APR, earning a score of 96.1 percent. That score is compiled from test scores and other performance criteria measured and reported by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).The district’s total performance score was up five percentage points from last year.

This is the third year in a row R-II achievement numbers have been above 90 percent and is also the district’s third consecutive year to earn “Distinction in Performance” (scores above 90 percent).

Meanwhile, the R-III district climbed to the top 20 percent of most improved schools with a 6.1 percent increase in its overall score compared to last year.

Officials noted the 6.1 percent increase exceeds the district’s goal to increase its annual performance across key areas by 3 percent. The district improved in 11 out of 13 areas measured in MSIP 5, and posted the biggest improvement increase of any district in Warren, Lincoln and St. Charles counties.

Appointments lead to changes in courthouse

In early 2014, Gov. Jay Nixon made two appointments resulting in changes in the courthouse.

Longtime Prosecutor Mike Wright was appointed in January to the newly created associate circuit judge position for Warren County. Wright was the county prosecutor since 1991.

Wright's former position was filled by Jenny Bartlett, who had been working as an assisant prosecutor in Franklin County. She previously served as an assisant prosecutor in Warren County from 2000 to 2002.

Wright, a Republican, withstood a challenge in the August primary and will begin a full six-year term in January.

Bartlett, meanwhile, lost to former assistant prosecutor Kelly King in the race between both Republicans. Bartlett eventually resigned from the position later in the year to accept an assistant prosecutor position in St. Charles County.

New faces elected to county positions

Four new candidates were elected to county positions, as two longtime officeholders decided to not seek another term and and two incumbents were defeated in the August primary election.

County Coroner Roger Mauzy topped incumbent Arden Engelage in the presiding commissioner race in a race decided by 147 votes. In the race for prosecuting attorney, Kelly King beat incumbent Jenny Bartlett.

For county collector, Julie Schaumberg garnered the most votes in a four-person race, while Jeff Hoelscher captured the treasurer seat.

In two other races, Associate Circuit Judge Mike Wright and Circuit Clerk Brenda Eggering withstood challenges from opponents.

All of the August primary winners for the county positions ran unopposed in November and will assume their offices Jan. 1.