RICHLAND COUNTY — If you’re like me, you’re probably more than ready to bid a not-so-fond-farewell to 2020. 

We lost a lot in 2020 — from people we love to experiences we look forward to that were cancelled due to the pandemic. 

So when it came time to put together the traditional “year in review” story, our newsroom made a very intentional decision not to include any stories about COVID-19 (with one exception — shining a spotlight on our essential workers).

Why would we fail to include coverage of the most significant news event in our wrap-up, you might ask? Because, like you, we don’t need a reminder of COVID-19’s impact. And while the pandemic may have dominated this year’s news cycle, it was far from the only newsworthy narrative this year. 

So sit back and let us take you down a memory lane — one dedicated to the good (and possibly forgotten) parts of Richland County’s 2020.

In 2020, Richland County residents raised their voices.

A Black Lives Matter protest in Mansfield set off a chain reaction of peaceful protests across the county. Sheila Matthews and Kelli Quail shared their stories of living as their true selves in a small town. Damien Beauford of 419 Barbershop hosted a series of conversations about race and reconciliation in the Mansfield community. 

We celebrated “Daily Heroes.”

With your help, our reporters shined a light on reader-suggested members of our community. They taught us what it means to give back, to find a ray of light in the darkness, to love relentlessly, to take care of others and to fight on the pandemic’s front lines.

Entrepreneurism boomed in 2020.

The year began with a new Indian eatery popping up downtown. Next came a Madison wholesaler and a coffee shop on wheels. A Mexican dessert shop opened its doors in Lexington and just a few months later, Jesus Davalos and Dan Lew teamed up to bring high-end Mexican-Korean fusion to Richland County. Shelby got a locally-owned coffee shop just in time for the holidays. A one-stop shop for collectibles and records joined the downtown Mansfield community.

Meanwhile, a local collaborative supported makers and growers from across the region with farmers market boxes.

Existing businesses expanded, even despite the pandemic. 

In Mansfield, K.E. McCartney and Associates and Hess Industries broke ground on new facilities. In Bellville, Stoodt’s experienced a mysterious closure in January, but came back stronger than ever under new leadership in August. Black Iron Fitness opened in June and added space in November.

Richland County residents got their “fifteen minutes of fame.”

A Mansfield construction company made its Homestead Rescue debut. Lexington native Dustin Parella showed off his sharp skills on Forged in Fire. Keara Wilson’s TikTok dance routine became a viral sensation.

Teens across the county went above and beyond.

Taylor Huff was named national soccer player of the year. Megan Haring inspired us with her persistence on the track. Sam Brandes’ back-to-the-basics approach won him a regional filmmakers accolade. Roger Bartley melted our hearts with his thoughtful tribute to a departed classmate. And Madison students learned to lead by example.

Our schools welcomed new administrators.

Mansfield City Schools got a new treasurer — and so did Shelby City. Lexington bid a fond farewell to a longtime superintendent, promoting Jeremy Secrist to the role. Robert Peterson also rose through the ranks to become the new superintendent at Madison Local Schools. 

We remembered the influential souls that made our county better.

Josh Boggs of Shelby looked back on the resilience and beauty of his wife, Stacey, who died from brain injuries sustained during a May 2019 car crash. North End residents named a street after beloved pastor Walter Jordan. Legendary footballer Charles Follis got a shout-out in Shelby. Educators shared the impact Amanda Mahon had on districts across the county. 

And just in case you need some more feel good 2020 stories, check out some of our additional recommendations below: