Wilson County residents faced a challenging year thanks to the long-lasting impact from the March 3 tornado and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although it was a year marked by tragedy, it also brought the community together as they worked to overcome the fallout and support each other.
Among the major events the county saw in 2020:
Jan. 8
The Mt. Juliet Police Department announced Guardian Shield, a law enforcement program that uses fixed-place automated license plate readers (ALPRs) to catch hot-listed vehicles associated with various crimes and suspects.
Those ALPRs cover approximately 24 areas throughout the city, and officials budgeted $100,000 for the programâs first year. Since it was implemented, Guardian Shield has alerted the MJPD to nearly 80 suspects, including wanted individuals and a sex offender.
Even during the challenges of 2020, the Wilson County Fair Livestock Shows proved to be a ray of sunshine for livestock exhibitors.
With all the cancellations of traditional fairs, the International Association of Fairs and Expositions updated their contests so more fairs could still compete for awards. Entries were judged by industry professionals, and awards were presented during the annual IAFE Convention held virtually in December. Winners were selected from the membership of the IAFE which has over 1,800 members from around the globe.
Wilson County received a total of 14 awards in four categories, including Agriculture Awards, Communications Awards, Sponsorship Awards and Non-Fair Facility Usage.