Cumulative COVID-19 cases, recoveries and deaths in Humboldt
As the Journal's editorial staff gathered (virtually) for the annual ritual of deciding the year's top 10 stories — the most impactful and memorable things that happened on the North Coast — it was inescapable: The stench of COVID-19 was everywhere. From shuttered schools, closed businesses and laid-off workers to local government's frantic planning efforts, death and illness — COVID-19 was the top 10 stories in Humboldt County. Every. Single. One.
But that was a depressing realization we couldn't entirely square with. After all, there were other monumental stories in 2020 that will forever change Humboldt — from huge forest fires and an institution in crisis to the fight for racial justice and the decades-long effort to restore a river's health. Omitting those, we felt, was letting the pandemic win. So we opted to give COVID-19 the space and prominence it deserves, while offering readers five additional stories that any time other than 2020 would be considered the most important stories of the year.