What Were The Most Popular Reads On Wilmington Patch In 2020?

WILMINGTON, MA — Many of us are welcoming the end of 2020, easily one of the worst years of some of our lives. Most of this consternation and pain is center around the coronavirus-COVID-19 pandemic.

But the coronavirus wasn't the only thing in the news this year. At Wilmington Patch, 2020 was insanely busy. Nearly 1,000 stories and posts were published by me as well as other Patch reporters and our news partners. And apparently, residents were eager to read those stories. By the end of 2020, Wilmington Patch will have over 1 million page views.

So what do you think? What story drew the most page views — coronavirus, or something else?

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The coronavirus dominated headlines since it arrived in the region in March. The first positive tests in town were reported March 23, but that wasn't the first time the virus made the news in Wilmington: the schools were closed March 12 due to a symptomatic parent. By April, the district had well over 100 cases, including outbreaks at three nursing homes. The state stepped in to help, but those outbreaks lasted until May and killed dozens.

The school response remained in the news all year. In July, school officials announced plans to reopen with a hybrid model, although that ended up being delayed, with the school year beginning remote. And there were setbacks, like when the high school reverted to remote learning due to an indoor house party. (Parents were also charged with giving alcohol to minors). In September, a story about the high school's ranking — 71st in the state — got a lot of readers.

The virus also exposed some bad behavior: local businesses were hit with complaints to the state regarding virus safety. And it led to economic challenges, including for the town government, which faced a $1.5 million budget shortfall.

But it wasn't all bad news. One of the biggest stories was a local family winning ABC's Great Christmas Light Fight. Residents were honored as "local heroes," including nurse Karen Pettigrew. A fundraiser brought in thousands of dollars for a local family who lost their home to a fire.

There were protests in town this year, including a Black Lives Matter rally and a pro-Trump, pro-police rally which got heated.

Like always, some crime stories grabbed readers' attention. State police arrested three teenagers and charged them with throwing rocks at cars. A Wilmington man was federally charged with covering up mistreatment of a prison inmate. A 50-pound cocaine package was sent to a Wilmington business. And a Billerica man was charged with attempted murder in Wilmington.

There were also some restaurant openings that people looked forward to, including Casa Blanca Mexican and Habit Burger.

So what do you think? Can you guess what the most-read story of the 2020 is? Leave a note in the comment section below and I will have a post later this week.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.