A last look at 2020 in Wapakoneta

As the year draws to a close, so too does our look back at 2020, the year when we started to run out of ways to say an event had to be changed due to COVID concerns.

October

With Auglaize County announcing its second round of grants for locally- owned businesses, city of Wapakoneta officials began the process of distributing funds to city businesses. Later in the month, $ 349,000 was distributed among 32 city businesses.

Sue Lynch of St. Marys was named the county’s Democrat of the Year during the Democratic Party’s annual meeting, which was amended amid COVID- 19 concerns.

Wapakoneta’s Rotary Club amended its annual pancake dinner to a drive- through only.

Reports of vehicle break- ins were announced, the first in what would be a spree of similar crimes.

Trump supporters held a parade through town, organized by a young woman who wanted a visible show of support for President Donald Trump

Wapakoneta High School announced additional students were quarantined after many attended a private party that exposed them to the coronavirus. Auglaize County Health Department’s commissioner, Oliver Fisher, said his staff had been frustrated by a lack of cooperation from those quarantined when it came to contact tracing efforts. In addition, the WHS football team forfeited a playoff game s a result of players testing positive for the virus, or being required to quarantine.

The Wapakoneta Chamber of Commerce opted to keep the Halloween Parade tradition alive, and converted the event to a driveby, where residents could stay in their vehicles and drive past parade entries spread throughout the Auglaize County Fairgrounds. The event drew hundreds of vehicles, causing a traffic tie- up that keep the parade entries in place until after 9 p. m.

Bullying began to make the news in October when reports surfaced on social media and found daylight in the real world, leading law enforcement and school officials to comment publicly on what they can and can’t do when situations like this arise. Later, a WHS senior, Korbin Steinbrunner, organized a rally to promote kindness and conversation.

Trick or Treat was held on Halloween, in the afternoon, after a threat of bad weather on Oct. 28 led city officials to reschedule the candy collecting event.

November

Election Day dawned with coronavirus protocols in place throughout the county’s polling places, after hundreds of voters cast their ballots early in order to avoid election days crowds. When the local results were tallied, incumbents Commissioner John Bergman

and Coroner Jason Steinecker kept their jobs, the Auglaize County Council on Aging’s levy passed and residents waited with the rest of the country to see who would be the next president of the United States.

News of a pending solar panel project began to make the news when Lightsource bp released information about the Birch Solar Project, to be sited in parts of Auglaize and Allen counties. The announcement triggered a number of public meetings, in person, with commissioners and virtually, and the topic continues to be in the news as the new year begins.

Auglaize County awarded a third round of grant funds to county businesses and organizations. In total, $ 500,000 had been granted to help businesses weather the coronavirus slow- down.

DORA made its debut during the city’s annual holiday shopping weekend, the same day a rally was held to promote anti- bullying. Joe Biden was declared president- elect when vote counting drew to a close.

Plans were made for the community Thanksgiving dinner — this year as a drive- through, and organizers started to prepare for Christmas Cheer deliveries in December.

Lima Memorial opened its new facility near the end of the month. Located at the corner of Ohio 510 and Redskin Trail, the $ 3.9 million investment includes laboratory and x- ray services with plans for ultrasound in the near future.

Josh Little, CEO of the Wapakoneta Family

YMCA, was named Citizen of the Year during the Wapakoneta Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards presentation, which was a videotaped announcement rather than the annual dinner that typically brings 300 people into one room.

December

The annual Children’s Hometown Holiday was held, but again, with many changes to accommodate coronavirus concerns. Santa was found behind town, outside the new gazebo, but did schedule Zoom calls with children, toy giveaways were held by entering at different stores and the cookie contest was transformed into a cookie cookbook. But the fireworks were held and were loud and bright on a dark night.

Brent Henschen retired from the county’s elections board, replaced by Rod Metz of Wapakoneta. Metz had to resign from his Wapakoneta city council seat to take on the new job.

A marker was erected to designate the Auglaize County Courthouse’s inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The courthouse has been on the register for years; the new marker just reminds us of that fact.

Retiring Auglaize County Sheriff Al Solomon reflected on his years of service. Opting not to run for another term, Solomon will be followed by Mike Vorhees of Buckland.

The coronavirus vaccine arrived in the county; while some uncertainty remains about who will get a vaccine when, health care workers were among the first to be vaccinated.

Dave Bambauer was sworn in as a new commissioner, as Don Regula prepares for retirement.

A fiery single vehicle crash in Cridersville lit up Main Street, when a Land Rover, apparently on the run from law enforcement, went airborne after crossing the railroad tracks at a high rate of speed. The crash sent two to the hospital; a third passenger in the vehicle fled on foot and remains at large.