MANSFIELD — Is it just me, or is every year unprecedented?
First it was a global pandemic. Then it was the most important presidential election of our lifetime (as if there are unimportant ones). Wars have broken out in Israel and another continues in Ukraine.
Before we knew it, it was time for the most important presidential election of a lifetime . . . again.
It feels cliche to say 2024 was a big year for news, because pretty much every year fits that description.
But one thing that keeps things exciting in this job is the new people I meet and the new things I learn, every year.
I wrote more than 250 articles this year. So before we close the books on 2024, I’d like to share some of my favorites with you.
They may not be the “biggest stories” by typical standards. Some were well-read, others got less attention.
But they’re all positive and people-focused. They’re stories of hope, resilience and growth.
I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Meet some of Richland County’s amazing people
Shawna Layland survived a life-threatening medical emergency at age 48. Through faith, perseverance and medical intervention, she beat the odds and does her part to educate people on heart health.
Glynis Haney is a mother and entreprenuer. During this year’s Light of Hope event, she shared a harrowing story of surviving domestic violence and how she paved a new life for herself.
Military veteran Dale Walker was stationed in South Korea during the Korean DMZ conflict, surviving a skirmish that took place several years after the armistice between North Korea, South Korea and the United States. Walker is one of thousands of Korean Defense Era Veterans — American military members who were stationed in South Korea as a peacekeeping force after the war. This year, Walker secured a memorial inscription honoring the service of Defense Era Veterans in downtown Mansfield.
Dorothy Michalovich founded the Butler Clear Fork Adult Center, its nutrition program and the Holiday Happiness Project in the mid-1990s. Now 86, she’s still giving back to her community.
Adrian Hopson is a biology professor at The Ohio State University’s Mansfield campus. She’s also a NASA ambassador who helped shed some light on what to expect from the total solar eclipse.
Alia Ross knew she wanted to breastfeed her firstborn daughter, but she didn’t expect to help feed thousands of other babies. After Ross had an excess supply of breastmilk, she went the extra mile and donated it to the OhioHealth’s Mother’s Milk Bank, which provides for premature and ill babies. When I interviewed Ross in April, she’d donated more than 7,000 ounces of milk.
You learn something new every day
Did you know people used to put lead in floor polish?
Did you know you can eat the dandelions and wild violets that grow in your yard? (Assuming, of course, that you haven’t sprayed them with weedkiller.)
Have you heard about the sober curious movement?
I didn’t know about any of these things when 2024 began.
This year, a local family told me about their long journey to make their stunning Victorian home a healthy one.
I spoke with local folks about the surprising benefits of sobriety.
And I wrote an article about foraging through the woods for what turned out to be an absolutely delicious lunch.
Tomorrow’s Talent: a look at the future workforce
This year, reporters Mariah Thomas, Grace McCormick and I teamed up for a massive project on college, careers and workforce development. We ended up writing more than 20 stories and surveying 1,140 local high school students for the project.
I’ve included a few of my favorites below to get you started, but you can read the full series here.
Looking at solutions
Workforce development is a top-of-mind issue for many employers, regardless of industry. Local healthcare providers and manufacturers are responding by creating opportunities for young people to learn on the job. The results are promising.
Meanwhile, a mobile mammogram unit and a team of volunteer eye doctors are lowering healthcare barriers for women and children.
In Wisconsin, a renter-education course is helping renters understand their rights and their landlords’. Executive Director Steve Andrews of the Mansfield Metropolitan Housing Authority said he hopes to launch a similar program in 2025.
