Best Of Patch 2020: Stories That Defined 'Local' News

ACROSS AMERICA — At its best, local journalism is a backbone for any community. Beyond sharing stories that illustrate the remarkability of its people, it also calls for action, highlights injustice, prompts change and holds those in power accountable for the decisions they make.

At Patch, our goal is to strengthen communities by telling these stories and to give those who live there a place to share their own.

In the face of 2020’s numerous challenges, the persistence and resilience of communities shone through.

In New Jersey, one woman turned to Patch when she could no longer breathe and couldn’t get a coronavirus test. In Illinois, senior citizens found hope amid lockdowns. And in New York, music legend Billy Joel saw a piano on the curb and couldn’t help but play a tune.

Here is a look at some of the best local stories penned across Patch in 2020:

Worcester George Floyd Store A Coincidence Amid Tragedy

George Kentar opened the George Floyd Mini Mart in 2010 after emigrating from Syria to Worcester, Massachusetts. He's now reflecting on uprisings in both countries.

New Parents Start Cafe In Hoboken, Then Struggle Amid Coronavirus

Jess and Jeff Dyer of Hoboken have an 11-month-old baby, a 6-month-old small business, and big worries because people in Hoboken, New Jersey, have been staying home amid the coronavirus crisis.

3 Major Floods Spur Push For Improvements In Alexandria

In September, Patch told the stories of neighbors who had been significantly affected by multiple cases of severe flooding within 14 months. To address the problem and knowing climate change is imminent, city officials in Alexandria, Virginia, began exploring ways to accelerate flood mitigation projects and other strategies.

Monmouth County Mom: My Son Relapsed During The Quarantine

In normal times, it's difficult for this Monmouth County, New Jersey, mom to help her son stop using heroin. In the quarantine, it's become a nightmare.

Billy Joel Plays Piano Put Out To Curb In Huntington

You'd be hard pressed to find someone who knows the piano better than New York singing legend Billy Joel. So when Joel saw a piano that had been put out on a curb in Huntington, New York, in June, he couldn't help but hop behind the keys and play a tune.

'I Cannot Get Air': When NJ Woman Begged For Coronavirus Test

It was a Saturday afternoon in March — the third day of spring — and a 53-year-old woman named Alisa emailed a desperate plea to Patch saying she could barely breathe and had tried and failed for a week to get a coronavirus test, even after waiting seven hours in a Union County, New Jersey, emergency room.

Family Of Man With Down Syndrome Stunned By Police Interrogation

Rebecca Roy and her family were about to have lunch when police rolled up to their Old Saybrook beach cottage. The reason for their visit? To interrogate her brother, CJ, who has Down syndrome, because a man was seen stealing a street sign while driving a car that matched Rebecca's gray Honda.

Embattled FL Pastor Cancels Services After Coronavirus Arrest

The pastor of a Tampa megachurch, arrested after hosting services in violation of Hillsborough County's executive order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, said he would cancel services at the church and start to livestream his sermon.

'I Want To Live': Senior Living Residents Find Hope In Lockdown

Not able to leave their rooms for months because of the coronavirus pandemic, elderly residents at a senior living center in Bridgeview, Illinois, chose perseverance amid the isolation.

Birmingham Music Scene Thriving: What Has Made The Difference

The state of Alabama has a long and prestigious music history. But the emergence of the Birmingham music scene in particular has turned heads on a national scale in the last decade.

Delayed Coronavirus Result Puts Grieving Brick Family In Limbo

Sue Cranga died on a Saturday at Ocean Medical Center in New Jersey. Six days later, her husband was waiting to bury her. First, though, he needed to know — did she test positive for coronavirus? Joe Cranga couldn’t get an answer.

Denver Business Owner Faces Pandemic, Vandalism: 'I Was Crying'

After Saki Melius worked tirelessly to reopen her restaurant, it was vandalized during protests May 31 in Denver. "I was crying. ... I just couldn't stop crying. I was really sad," Melius said. "And I wasn't sure if I could afford to board up the restaurant."

'They Gave Me A Life': Wallingford Crossing Guard Glad To Be Back

Jim Snedeker, the Wallingford, Connecticut, crossing guard who can be seen waving to every car that passes by, shares why he loves his job so much.

Vernon Cop Who Saved 4 Lives And Ate Zero Doughnuts Retires

Earl Middleton, a popular and decorated member of the Vernon, Connecticut, police department who is credited with saving four lives and eating zero doughnuts in his 23-year career, officially retired from the force in October.

Long Islander Finds Out She Has 23 Half-Siblings

She got the news soon after receiving a DNA testing kit for Christmas. The woman told Patch what the discovery means to her.

The Battle Over Protecting Ballona Wetlands — And If They Need It

There's a battle to protect the Ballona Wetlands — but what will happen to the last remaining wetlands in Los Angeles?