Farewell 2020: Hackettstown Stories That Didn't Depress Us

HACKETTSTOWN, NJ — We are counting down the seconds until we can put this incredibly challenging year behind us. And while this may be the year we all want to forget, there are a few things that were too memorable to forget.

And here is a collection of five Patch editor's choice options for some of the not-so-terrible things that happened this year.

'I Have Not Stopped Crying:' Hackettstown Cop Mourns K9 Partner

It has been nearly a month since Hackettstown Officer Christopher Laver lost his K9 partner Jada while on duty. But the pain is still fresh. Jada was working Aug. 19 when she suffered a medical emergency and was rushed to a veterinary clinic where she passed in the company of Laver. Jada was a Belgian Malinois who was just five years old. She joined the Hackettstown Police Department on July 14, 2016.

Read more of the story here

Hackettstown Torn Over 'All Lives Matter,' Nazis Book Display

Patrons of the eatery Soups on Main were greeted this June by a storefront filled with images of Hitler and books about Nazis alongside Trump signs and an "All Lives Matter" sign. And some are not pleased.

Read more of the story here.

Hackettstown Mom Accidentally Sent Child To School With COVID

At 8:40 a.m. Cherie Clemens got the call from Morristown Medical Center informing her that her 16-year-old daughter was COVID-19 positive. Her 16-year-old daughter, the one who was attending class in-person at Hackettstown High School at the time.

Read more of the story here.

Hackettstown Consignment Shop Surviving Sophomore Season

Kathi Homenick rolled with punches when she was laid off from her job, took a leap of faith to become a business owner in Hackettstown and is still standing after her sophomore season of owning Me to You Consignment & Boutique was hamstrung by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more of the story here.

Bride Marries At Terminally Ill Father's Bedside In Hackettstown

It isn't the wedding a bride-to-be has planned. The medical staff intead of ushers, the soft trilling of the machines instead of a string quartet. But Elizabeth Manca, of Stillwater, was able to marry the love of her life at her father's bedside at Hackettstown Medical Center last month shortly before he passed away.

Read more of the story here.

This is obviously just a small slice of what made the local news in 2020, but it is also the kind of news that we want to remember. Thank you for all for reading, this was a landmark year for Patch in terms of audience growth, and we appreciated your support and look forward to serving you in 2021.

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