SHELBY — The total solar eclipse happened about eight months ago. Hard to imagine it’s been that long, isn’t it?
The astronomical event crossed North America on April 8, revealing just how quickly this year has passed.
While browsing over the past year of Shelby and northern Richland County coverage, I realized 2024 was another big and busy year for local news.
To make a year-end roundup more digestible, I focused on some of the more impactful stories, rather than those which garnered the most clicks or page views. Crime coverage always dominates those numbers.
But what were the most important items covered by Richland Source?
Below, in no specific order, are my picks for the top stories of 2024 in multiple categories, including education, sports, government, business and life and culture/features.
Inevitably, many equally impactful stories won’t be seen on the lists below — but you can click here to go directly to my author page, which includes all of my work.
Education/schools:
1. Landon Eastman learned to fly a plane before he could drive a car. The 16-year-old’s love for aircraft is something he shares with his twin brother, Charlie.
Sophomores at Shelby High School, the twins’ passion for being in the sky is something which came naturally — by watching their father.
THE FULL STORY
2. Shelby City Schools announced in September the district was awarded $1,162,109 for manufacturing programming, which will help students earn industry-recognized certifications upon graduation.
3. A group of Shelby middle school students are proving you’re never too young to be an advocate for the earth. The Shelby Eco-Whippets are an after-school club that promotes environmentally-friendly habits throughout the school.
THE FULL STORY
High school sports:
1. In March, Shelby City Schools put on a district-wide pep rally for the Dayton-bound boys basketball program, celebrating the Whippets’ Cinderella season and trip to the Division II state semifinal.
Shelby ended its most successful campaign in program history with a 68-65 loss to Maysville in front of 6,874 fans.
2. Third-seeded Ontario beat No. 2-seed Shelby 49-48 in a spectacular Division IV, Region 14 semifinal in November that left all football fans in awe who were fortunate enough to witness it.
This year, the Whippets completed their sixth unbeaten regular season in the long history of Shelby football, while also capturing the outright Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference title.
3. How did the Shelby volleyball team piece together its most historic season in more than three decades? The answer involves several things, but strong team chemistry played the ultimate role.
Local government:
1. Grant Milliron requested a meeting in December 2022 with Plymouth Fire Chief Richard Metzger. Two years later, the chief announced in May that the late Milliron decided to partner with Plymouth and provide a donation for the replacement of the current fire station on Portner Street.
2. Shelby City Council and city officials funded a facade improvement program for businesses in the Central Business District.
The program allows building owners to offset some of their expenses on eligible facade and building improvements that add to the character of downtown Shelby.
THE FULL STORY
3. Additional funding for Shiloh’s three-phase, $1.7 million water project was awarded in June to the village through a state grant program.
Shiloh is using the $500,000 grant to improve waterlines and upgrade meters. The village also demolished a water tower.
Local business:
1. Folks noticed new blue paint applied to the former Cornell’s IGA grocery store. The Mansfield Avenue property also features a recently paved parking lot. But what’s going on with the building?
The current property owner, Joe Dzugan, also an owner of Dzugan Real Estate Services, provided Richland Source an update in November regarding the ongoing work.
2. The Shelby Foundation purchased in March three historic downtown properties, including the former Dick’s Furniture and Sutter’s Home Furnishings buildings on West Main Street.
Future uses may include retail shops, entrepreneur shared space, restaurants and professional services, among other possibilities.
3. In June, a public hearing attracted a large number of local residents to Plymouth’s historical society. It involved a proposed zoning change for 208 Sandusky St. — owned by Bruce Tanner, a village business owner.
After nearly 90 minutes of public input, councilmembers unanimously approved the change — allowing Tanner to move forward with a coffee shop he’s calling The Coffee House.
THE FULL STORY
Life and Culture/Features:
1. Gaylene DeVito, a lifelong Shelby resident, dove into the YMCA of North Central Ohio – Shelby branch swimming pool Feb. 7 — receiving a roar of cheers and applause.
The tradition began seven years ago on DeVito’s 90th birthday. Words of encouragement, along with a hand from the lifeguard, have inspired an annual tradition she doesn’t take for granted.
2. Nicole Beverage and her family had the roof of their barn ripped off during a March tornado, which roared through Plymouth Township packing winds of 120 miles an hour.
In August, Beverage, a Plymouth High School junior, sold her eighth-place champion dairy steer for $5,000 — setting a new Richland County Junior Fair Livestock Auction record.
3. In February, Adam Turner presented a conclusion to the 1945 disappearance of Mary Jane Croft Vangilder after nearly six years of investigating.
Turner, a Shelby police detective, opened an investigation Oct. 10, 2018, seeking answers for Vangilder’s family. He announced a surprising conclusion to the case Jan. 30, 2024.
