2020 was a year like no other.
Just like every community across the world, the biggest news of the year for Knox County was COVID-19 and the subsequent business and community shutdowns.
Face masks became a mandatory fashion accessory; and like it or not, homeschooling, Zoom meetings and social distancing became the “new normal.”
Through it all, though, Knox County stood resilient as life went on.
With 2021 looming just around the corner, here’s a look back at 2020 in Knox County:
January
Matt Starr settled in as the new mayor of Mount Vernon, laying out his vision for the community; which included investing in the city’s leadership capital, reducing redundancies in city management, and improving public infrastructure and safety.
February
A fire on Decatur Street in early February left a Mount Vernon man’s pet dog dead and his home completely destroyed. Two weeks later, another fire erupted in the basement of a vacant Brandon home, followed by a third fire in Pike Township two days later that left a man with non-life threatening injuries.
March
By the second week of March, COVID-19 had arrived in Ohio with the state announcing that three people in Cuyahoga County had tested positive for the fast-spreading virus.
Two weeks later, Knox County had its first positive cases, and soon county commissioners issued a Declaration of State of Emergency.
Soon after, Gov. DeWine issued a statewide stay-at-home order, and non-essential businesses were told to either shut down or figure out a way for employees to work from home.
April
After 30 years on the job, Mount Vernon Police Department Sgt. Troy Glazier retired from the force as Knox County 911 Dispatch broadcasted the end-of-watch sign-off call and a parade of vehicles from MVPD, Mount Vernon Fire/EMS and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office paid their respects.
May
Knox County’s Class of 2020 didn’t get the usual pomp and circumstance that it deserved, but area school districts honored the graduating seniors with drive-in and drive-by graduation ceremonies and parades as the pandemic raged on.
June
The nation erupted in anger over the death of George Floyd, an African American man who was handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.
Sharing in the outrage, Knox County residents turned out for two nights of peaceful protests against police brutality and systemic racism.
Demolition of Mount Vernon Middle School began, but the project that was supposed to take six weeks stretched into fall, angering residents who were concerned about the safety of the site.
July
Even as other counties canceled their annual fairs, the Knox County Fair went on — albeit with no grandstand events, food vendors, merchant exhibits or other displays. Events were limited to Junior Fair activities and harness racing only.
In a move that shocked the local community, Kay Culbertson announced on July 31 that the financially failing Mount Vernon News had been sold to Metric Media LLC, marking the first time since 1939 that the paper wasn’t operated by a member of the Culbertson family.
August
Knox County started the new school year off with a hybrid learning model featuring a mix of in-person and remote learning.
September
Labor Day blew in with heavy winds and rain — even a tornado warning — putting a damper on the holiday in Knox County.
October
The Knox County Land Bank took control of the 47-acre former Siemens facility at 105 N. Sandusky St., promising to seek state and federal grants to fund purchasing the site from Cooper-Cameron Corp.
An influx of early voters in the 2020 presidential election led Knox County officials to open a third voting station to accept ballots.
November
Despite losing the national election and failing to retain his seat in the White House, Donald Trump won overwhelmingly in Knox County with 71.01% (22,340) of voters casting their ballots for the outgoing president.
Meanwhile, COVID cases skyrocketed throughout the state, and Gov. DeWine revived the mask mandate and urged tougher social distancing rules.
Knox County Health Commissioner Julie Miller chided residents, saying, “Nine months into the pandemic, we have let our guard down. ... It’s time to step up and mask-up!”
December
Knox Public Health receives its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine and begins vaccinating first responders. Plans are to start immunizing the general public after the first of the year.
