In the second part of our round-up of this year's events in and around town, we remember life-savers, thieves and high achievers.
Here is an overview of what happened in the last six months of 2017.
JULY
A clergyman accused his own denomination of "homophobia" after a gay couple were denied the right to marry in several Uttoxeter churches.
The Uttoxeter Advertiser had revealed Thomas Clark and Lee Tams were "angry and upset" at being denied a church wedding in their home town.
Two were Church of England churches, whose denomination's national policy does not allow its holy buildings to host same-sex marriages.
Retired Church of England priest Robert Ellis described that policy as "homophobia wrapped up in bad theology".
A spokesman for the Church of England's Lichfield Diocese said it was working with LGBT clergy and lay people to "build an inclusive and faithful church that loves and serves all its communities".
A rugged trucker showed his softer side after revealing he had a furry travel partner - a tiny chihuahua called Basil.
Phil Barleyman said the feisty one-year-old pooch was ready and waiting to head out in his truck every morning.
He said: "He gets along well with everyone at the sites we visit - most them would rather see the dog than me to be honest.
"One thing he doesn't like is push bikes. Whenever he sees one, he gets agitated and barks at the rider as we overtake."
A colourful field of enthusiastic runners lit up JCB lake when they took on the annual Lakeside Five challenge.
A truly international flavour emerged at the yearly showpiece as runners from around the world took on the course.
Engineers Ajay Mahajan and Dhiraj Lokhande added a touch of eastern spice to the race when they turned up in traditional Indian dress.
Also among the 300-strong field were several other international runners, including Austrian Tristan Strobl. Ten were secondment from JCB India.
Closer to home, several competitors donned fancy dress outfits, including race veterans Charles Bevan and Mick Grindey, who posed as Beauty and The Beast.
In other sporting news, Adam Peaty again did the town proud by winning two gold medals in the World Championships.
The proud mum of Imogen Evans said a stunning memorial garden unveiled at her school showed she was "still a huge part of people's lives".
The 10-year-old St Joseph's Catholic Primary School pupil captured the hearts of people in Uttoxeter during her brave battle against cancer.
After she died in 2016, teachers, pupils, family and friends launched a huge fund-raising campaign to create the garden in her memory.
The stunning green space was opened by Imogen's little sister, Georgia, and reflected her love of nature.
AUGUST
Politicians felt "let down" when their their authority's planning committee controversially allowed a "concrete jungle" to be built on green land in Uttoxeter.
East Staffordshire Borough Council planners voted in favour of the Hazelwalls Farm development, which will see 429 homes built on land off Timber Lane.
The decision came despite 323 letters of objection and opposition from the town council and MP Andrew Griffiths.
There was widespread concern over potential flooding, congestion and infrastructure.
Ladies turned out in their droves for one of the most popular days of racing in the annual calendar in town.
Ladies' Day hosted pop star Sophie Ellis-Bextor and husband Richard Jones, from rock band The Feeling.
Girls got glammed up and enjoyed a few glasses of bubbly and a packed card of racing.
Traders were left counting the cost after losing thousands of pounds during repeated town centre power cuts.
Businesses on the circuit covering much of High Street and Carter's Square, in Uttoxeter, were left without electricity.
The outages also effectively disabled the bollard enforcing traffic restrictions in High Street, which had only been back in action for around 24 hours after a three-year absence.
An "astonishing" student got top A-level marks after spending his 18th birthday dramatically saving his dad's life.
Adam Holding took his exams little more than a week after administering life-saving CPR when dad Andy's heart stopped.
The Thomas Alleyne's High School pupils was able to retain his focus, despite harrowing flashbacks during revision, get an A and three Bs.
SEPTEMBER
A proud mum was "disappointed" by the behaviour of a competitive dad who she claims smirked when her son was knocked out of a TV contest to find Britain's brainiest child.
Josh Briddon, from Alton, made it to the final of Channel 4's Child Genius show, narrowly losing to winner Rahul Doshi.
Rahul's dad, Minesh, was spotted on camera looking delighted when 12-year-old Josh was eliminated from the competition.
Josh's mum, Kelly, said: "His priorities were all over the place. The fact he snatched the trophy off his son at the end said it all, really."
A Channel 4 spokesman said the Dohsi family were not doing interviews after Rahul's victory.
The closure of a long-established social club was described as "disgusting" after betrothed couples were left in the lurch without a wedding venue.
Brides-to-be were scrambling to find an alternative reception venue after JCB announced it would close its Lakeside Club on January 1, 2018.
The popular club, which neighbours the company's World HQ, had hosted fitness classes, presentation nights, weddings and parties for 46 years.
Readers reacted angrily to the news, claiming those with bookings found out through media reports, rather than being told in person.
However, JCB did also announce a £75,000 investment in its lakeside sports facilities.
A company spokesman said: "Upgrading the pitches and changing facilities will give users an even better experience and hopefully encourage even more people to use them."
A decorated paratriathlete who grew up in Stramshall won her third successive British Championships title.
Lizzie Tench, who studied at Thomas Alleyne's High School, Uttoxeter, qualified for the Commonwealth Games in the process.
The 43-year-old, who was paralysed from the waist down in a road accident while cycling in 2012, had to overcome new rules that effectively saw some competitors get a 47-second head-start.
She had been reclassified from being an H1 athlete to an H2 competitor, meaning she was judged to be less impaired than some of her rivals.
OCTOBER
Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston was forced into a double-take when he discovered his doppleganager was an award-winning businessman from Bramshall.
Jamie Pagett looks so much like Walter White from the hit US TV show that he scooped a prize at one of the world's biggest lookalike competitions.
And he swooped to dumbfound Cranston during a book-signing for his autobiography - A Life in Parts.
Swimming supremo Adam Peaty spoke of his love for his country after rubbing shoulders with royalty to receive his MBE.
The 22-year-old was bestowed with the honour by the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, during an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
He was being rewarded for his sporting success and charity efforts, having donated his World Championships swimming cap and Team GB Olympics t-shirt to motor neurone disease sufferer Nick Brittlebank's charity auction.
Peaty, also an ambassador for Donna Louise Hospice, also travelled to Zambia in the summer to help poverty-stricken communities.
A famous reindeer farm which attracts visitors from around the world every Christmas was put in jeopardy by HS2.
Angry Blithfield Reindeer Farm owner Steve Swinnerton said the business would be wrecked by the high-speed railway development.
Its route was planned to slice his land and disrupt the environment for his animals.
An HS2 spokesman said: "We recognise that people will be concerned about the impacts of construction and we continue to engage with people and businesses."
NOVEMBER
A virtual tour and stunning drone shots were on display as JCB unveiled plans for its former Uttoxeter town centre factory site.
Scores of visitors headed for Bear Coffee Co to see the designs for the development at the old Heavy Products factory site.
New images and diagrams were put up, with JCB representatives on hand to talk people through the plans.
When complete, it will be filled with housing, parkland, ecological space and business units.
A desperate appeal was launched after a special dog trained to care for the disabled went missing just as temperatures plummeted below zero.
Opal, who was staying with a foster family in Uttoxeter while training with charity Canine Partners, chased another dog into the dark night while on a walk in town.
A huge search operation saw scores of volunteers scour the Uttoxeter countryside to find the 13-month-old animal.
However, she has still not been found and charity chiefs fear she may have been stolen.
A military man born on Bonfire Night went out with a bang - after his ashes were loaded into fireworks and ignited above Uttoxeter.
The family of Brian Belcher followed his wish and gathered at his beloved Uttoxeter Golf Course to send his ashes up in rockets.
Bearing an image of the former serviceman in his military uniform, some of the fireworks were also used at his corps reunion.
Mr Belcher started fire extinguisher firm BW Belcher and Son at Bridge Street Industrial Estate, which is now run by Brian Belcher Junior.
A major sports retailer reportedly pulled out of its hotly-anticipated move to open a new branch in Uttoxeter town centre.
Sports Direct had put up signs on the Co-op building in the Maltings saying it was on its way to town.
But they were subsequently taken down and the estate agent leasing the building claimed the retail giant had not signed its contract.
The same agent, David Reece, director of Johnson and Co, then said: "They haven't signed the contract and aren't interested in taking it further."
A spokesman for Central England Co-operative said: "We can confirm that the Maltings site, in Uttoxeter, is available to let."
Sports Direct did not respond to requests to clarify the situation.
DECEMBER
The campaign to keep an under-threat village school was nearing its end as a consultation about its future closed.
Henry Prince First School, in Mayfield, could be forced to close after a drop in pupil numbers led to a funding crisis.
Campaigners had spent two months lobbying education chiefs to plug the funding black hole long enough for the school to attract more pupils.
Governors will make a recommendation as to whether or not the school should stay open next year.
A pair of passionate ale lovers announced they were in talks to open a new brewery in town.
Uttoxeter Brewing Company's plan comes more than 80 years after the town's previous brewery, Buntings, closed its doors.
Tom Abbott and Andy Ockleton, who run the micro-brewery, are negotiating to open the site in Uttoxeter town centre.
Adam Peaty missed out on becoming BBC Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) after being nominated for a fourth successive year.
However, his fifth-place finish - ahead of F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton - was testament to how his profile has risen.
A groundswell of support had formed in and around town, with his former junior swimming club, Dove Valley, speaking out to encourage people to vote for him.
