On Writing, Working in 2020
Throughout this wretched year, I often found it harder to write than I have in the past.
I wanted to write more, for myself, for my community, and for my career, but I was instead frequently distracted, scattered, and running short on time. Big ideas for stories still bubbled up in my brain. Bringing them to fruition with regularity, however, was another matter.
Part of it, obviously, was due to how much the pandemic shook up my various responsibilities and living habits; other priorities demanded precedence. They also siphoned time away from the periods I’d normally devoted to writing.
Though there’s something about that that felt off to me, it’s ultimately okay. The time at work I’d spent working on pandemic-related communications and issues was vital. The political activism, organizing and mutual aid volunteering I did on my own time was well spent, too.
I still have a lot of stories to tell and things to say, and I’m hoping that I find a way to do more of that in 2021.
For now, though, I wanted to share some of the work I was able to do in 2020. Among the highlights were a three-part series on Eureka College’s response to the pandemic, a slew of profiles on baseball and softball players whose careers ended early, a series of local stories I did for Peoria DSA, a couple in-depth recaps and quite a bit of video work from this summer and fall.
As always, thanks for reading and following along.
Eureka College Pandemic Series
Eureka College Admissions Efforts Persist Despite COVID-19 Disruption
Eureka College Student Engagement Efforts Continue From Afar During Pandemic
Eureka College’s Transition to Online Instruction Maintained a Personal Touch
Spring Senior Spotlight
Spring Senior Spotlight: Kyle Cashdollar
Spring Senior Spotlight: Erin Smith
Spring Senior Spotlight: Braxten Ary
Spring Senior Spotlight: Morgan Ledbetter
Spring Senior Spotlight: Jake Carter
Spring Senior Spotlight: Sydney Shubert
DSA Articles
COVID-19: What happens when you have it, but can’t get tested?
Amid pandemic, Jolt addresses complex threats to marginalized communities
Local Native American activist Jo Lakota says Columbus statue removal is overdue
Striking SEIU Local 73 workers share their perspectives from picket line
Notable Recaps
Eureka Storms Past Greenville on Senior Day, 137–129
Red Devils Close Westminster Series with 5–2 Win
Summer Coach Catch-Up
Summer Coach Catch-Up: EC Men’s Football Coach Kurt Barth
Summer Coach Catch-Up: EC Women’s Basketball Coach Jaylynn Stewart
Summer Coach Catch-Up: EC Baseball Coach Jerry Rashid
Summer Coach Catch-Up: EC Women’s Soccer Coach Shelby Chrisman-Forza
Summer Coach Catch-Up: EC Men’s Basketball Men’s Basketball Coach Chip Wilde
Summer Coach Catch-Up: EC Softball Coach Debi Neff
Summer Coach Catch-Up: EC Volleyball Coach Nick Mackall
Summer Coach Catch-Up: EC Men’s Soccer Coach Dwain Barker
Summer Coach Catch-Up: EC Cross Country Coach Chris Robinson
Highlights and Other Videos
EC Volleyball Fall of Steady Improvement
Sam Durley Voted into Eureka College Hall of Fame
Peyton Doughty: A Comeback in the Making
EC Women’s Soccer Fall Check-in
EC Baseball Coach Jerry Rashid on Fall Baseball
A Look Inside EC XC’s First Time Trial
Blake Baxter is a freelance writer and the media relations coordinator and sports information director of Eureka College. Previously, he covered western Iowa sports for the Omaha World-Herald and the The Daily Nonpareil from 2017–2018. He was the Sports Editor of Vinton Newspapers from early 2015-early 2017, and he released an independent documentary (Their Year: A Season with The Benton Community Bobcats) in 2016. Before that, he covered the Carolina Panthers for Football.com during the 2013 season, as well as college basketball for ESPN Louisville during the 2012–13 season. Additionally, he’s written about sports, pop culture, politics and travel for Yahoo Sports, Yahoo Voices, The College Fix, Voice of TV and Continental Driftings, among other places. He resides in Peoria, Illinois.
