Happy 2021!

In 2020, we watched our communities, state, nation and the world change right before our eyes. COVID-19 changed the way we interacted within our community whether that was school closure, grocery shopping, dining out or gathering with family and friends. It gave us new tools like Zoom, Google Meet, FaceTime and other virtual meeting software and apps. And what about the new glossary of terms? We learned words and phrases such as wear a mask, curbside pickup, contact tracing, quarantine, social isolation, shelter in place, pandemic, droplet transmission and asymptomatic. Sanitizing went from terminology primarily used in janitorial and health care circles to our everyday life. It shows how quickly and how rapidly things can change.

The issue you hold in your hands was something our staff was passionate about creating for you—a 2020 commemorative issue. The last year of life and parenting was so unique we felt a special issue highlighting the life during the pandemic within our community was a worthy pursuit. Within these pages, we share inside perspectives of how businesses responded, how teachers innovated, how higher education got creative, and how many other people within the community rose to the challenge of solving problems for others during the COVID-9 pandemic event. And we would be remiss to not acknowledge those heroes within the healthcare community who guided us through, cared for us, saved lives and worked tirelessly while putting their own health at risk for the good of others. 

We salute you.

I hope you enjoy this issue. It’s our way of giving you a small time capsule from an anomaly of a year that we won’t too soon forget, but that will be in our rearview just as swiftly as the great panic of 2000.