Veteran journalist Kevin R. Jenkins has been named editor of the Perry County Republic-Monitor.
Jenkins has worked in the newspaper business for 28 years, serving as a reporter with the Daily Journal for seven and a half years and editor of the Farmington Press for five and a half years. He finished his tenure with the newspaper as editor of the Daily Journal.
Before that, Jenkins served as editor of The Mountain Echo in Ironton and the St. Clair Missourian in St. Clair, as well as a reporter for the Daily American Republic in Poplar Bluff and the Centralia Fireside Guard in Centralia.
“Although I haven’t lived here my entire life, I quickly fell in love with this part of the state,” Jenkins said. “The natural beauty of the area and the friendliness of the people immediately made me feel right at home. I’ve always been a ‘people person’ who makes friends quickly, and it’s been no different here. I’ve made a lot of friends and met many incredible people in the 22 years I’ve lived here.”
Born in El Paso, Texas, Jenkins was the only child of Kenneth and Evelyn Jenkins. His father was an upper atmospheric research scientist at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, and his mother was a homemaker.
Jenkins graduated from Andress High School in 1975 and attended his freshman year in college at West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M University) in Canyon, Texas, prior to transferring to Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, where he graduated in 1980 with a degree in broadcasting.
Following college, Jenkins attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he sought his Masters of Religious Education (MRE) degree. For the next 20 years, he served on staff in churches from Arizona and Texas to Oklahoma and Tennessee. He moved to this state when he was named an associate in the Evangelism Department of the Missouri Southern Baptist Convention (MSBC) in Jefferson City.
During his tenure with the MSBC, Jenkins traveled around the state and nation, speaking at churches, conventions, special events, and seminars. He also traveled to the countries of Belarus and Russia, where he was part of a ministry team that trained pastors in sharing the gospel.
Jenkins was pastoring a church when he was asked to become editor of The Mountain Echo upon the previous editor’s death.
“One of my greatest joys is telling the stories of everyday people who have made a mark on their world,” Jenkins said. “There are a lot of interesting people, as well as many unsung heroes, whom I’ve had the pleasure of bringing to the attention of readers through the years. I expect that to continue as I take on the responsibility of Republic Monitor editor. This is a great privilege for me, and I hope that I serve our readers well.”
Jenkins has won several awards for his writing and photographs over the years and was named the St. Francois County Citizen of the Year by the Mineral Area Community Elks Lodge in Desloge in February 2018.
Jenkins moved to southeast Missouri in 2002 and a year later married Brenda Broeker, a teacher at Fredericktown High School. His wife is a 1987 graduate of Perryville High School. The couple has three daughters. From a previous marriage, Jenkins also has four adult children, a son and three daughters.
“We’re excited to have Kevin join our team,” said publisher Robert Cox. “With his experience and love for telling stories, he’ll be a welcome addition, both to Perry County and to our staff. We expect that his life experience and journalistic skills will only serve to make us better.”
