For the second straight year, the Daily News is looking back on the past year and recognizing 25 people in the community who aren t always in the news, but made news in some way this year.
For 2020, two themes appear time and again mirroring current events of the nation COVID-19 and institutional racism. The following 25 individuals, in alphabetical order, were chosen by the Daily News staff as the most unique newsmakers in the region for 2020.
Lester Baker, chief of Framingham Police Department
Baker, who last month became Framingham s first Black police chief a significant appointment, given the nation s current unrest over racism in policing. Baker, 47, has served in the city since 2003, most recently as deputy chief. He replaces Steven Trask, who retired in June. Baker is known for his community service and his modesty. I look forward to my sustained service to you, he said in a press release announcing his nomination. I am committed to leading by example,
The first is putting service above self. The second is being a person of action.
When Daly read about the work Shivang Patel has done to help struggling Framingham residents during the pandemic, his first thought was, “This man is a Rotarian, whether he knows it or not.”
Patel is owner and pharmacist of MetroWest Pharmacy at 214 Union Ave. Over the past several months, he has been a reliable support for the Framingham community.
He’s donated medical supplies including gloves, masks and sanitizer to organizations ranging from the Framingham Police Department to Discovering Hidden Gems. He’s offered help to the city’s health department with coronavirus testing. He’s even filled prescriptions for those who can’t afford them free of charge.