With just three days left in 2020, the number of homicides and shootings in Cincinnati have already broken records, marking the city's deadliest year.So far, there have been at least 90 homicides and at least 484 shootings.Police and community leaders hope to reverse the trend in 2021.They said there are a number of factors leading to this outcome, including the pandemic, job loss and in some cases, a lack of even basic necessities.Community outreach advocates said it has been harder to address these needs from a distance.At one homicide scene in Cincinnati, neighbors echoed how exhausting and overwhelming violence has become along their streets.Yet the same heartbreak has been felt across the Queen City, as 484 shootings, with 85 of them deadly, shatter a struggling society in the face of the pandemic."Right now, they're on defense mode, and not only defense mode, survival mode, and that's what's happening right now on the streets," Pastor Peterson Mingo said.Mingo works with the Cincinnati Police God Squad on those very streets, trying to connect with the disconnected.He said a feeling of togetherness, of community, has been nearly muted by COVID-19."Because of the pandemic, a lot of that is gone, and now, people who basically could be talked down of basically doing the things that they were thinking about doing and not having that buffer, someone to come there and basically mediate the situation for them," Mingo said.City of Cincinnati data sheds light on homicides in past years.In 2017, there were 73 homicides.In 2018, there were 61 homicides.Last year, there were 74 homicides.In 2020, there's been a nearly 22% increase from 2019, with at least 90 homicides.As of Sunday, data we calculated shows Cincinnati outranks Chicago at 29.6 homicides per 100,000 people.Chicago has counted 772 homicides in the same time-frame, which equates to 28.66 homicides per 100,000 people.The city reported 475 homicides in mid-December 2019.Police said connecting with the community through gun violence outreach workers, as well as work by the Gun Crimes Task Force will be a big part of efforts to reduce violence in 2021.More than 1,400 illegal or stolen guns have been recovered this year compared to 1,057 guns in 2019, according to CPD.Mingo said while this increase in gun violence is not a uniquely Cincinnati issue, it is a cry for help."It's nationwide, and if it's nationwide, then there's a common problem," he said.Mingo said people are struggling to pay bills, feed their families and survive, and he fears for what the city may look like on the other side of the pandemic when assistance fades.He hopes to see a more connected 2021 to stop the violence.Cincinnati police said they also plan to strengthen partnerships with federal officials to help curb shootings.They said oftentimes, shootings are sparked by risky behaviors, gambling in the streets and drugs by a small number of people.

Masks are now a big debate happening in school districts across Greater Cincinnati as the new school year quickly approaches.Some parents in Mason, and even doctors, are pushing the district to require them.A mother we talked with said mask-wearing is a collective effort.She said that means everyone should be wearing masks in Mason City Schools this year."Everyone, K-12 in the building, should be wearing masks," parent, Joy Bennett, said.That's the standard Bennett wants to see in Mason City Schools.Two of her children will return to the classroom soon, but she fears COVID-19 could make it rough, especially for young students who can't get a shot."How do we reduce excessive and prolonged quarantines? How do we keep our kids healthy and able to attend? That's why I think that masking needs to be one of our layers," Bennett said.The mask debate prompted 108 physicians who live in the Mason School District to pen a letter urging leaders to require masks for children and staff."There's a lot of things that we agree upon and that is the importance of safety for our kids. We agree that the masks help us with that and that's why we're strongly recommending that to all of our families," Mason City Schools Superintendent Jonathan Cooper said.Cooper said they are following data and science and not requiring masks now."We are looking at how many cases do we have? Just like we did last year. We are looking at the transmission rates around here. How quick is it passing through our community?" Cooper said.He also said distancing, barriers, handwashing and cleaning will continue.On the flip side, some parents have started petitions to keep masks optional.We found one for Forest Hills Schools.Districts including Lakota Local Schools and Hamilton City Schools are not requiring masks, leaving it up to families.Bennett said the schools have the power.She wants to see them take action."It's really uncomfortable to have to wear something on your face, but I would just ask people to consider that we are a community," Bennett said.Mason City School officials said more than 95 percent of its staff have been vaccinated.The superintendent also said any changes are possible with compelling data.School is set to start in the district next Thursday.At a special public meeting on Wednesday at 5 p.m., Cincinnati Public School board members are also expected to discuss its policy on mask-wearing in the district.

Sam Boje knows a thing or two about flags. He noticed that the flag pole in his neighbor, Barbara Miller's yard hadn't flown a flag in a few years."The flag pole has really, basically for the last three years or so just been a flag pole there and I didn't know how to take it down or want to take it down," Miller said. "We've always had a flag there until he passed away four years ago...and I wasn't really wanting to mess with putting the flag up and down every day."Taking matters into his own hands, Sam started to raise a flag for Miller every morning.Sam's interest in flags really sparked when he started learning about them towards the end of his 5th-grade year. And that's when he started sharing what he learned with Miller. While nothing can bring Russ back, Miller knows his memory will always be honored, all thanks to Sam."Russ would be so tickled that the flag is flying again because he just loved it," she said."If you know your neighbor, then you know someone that will help you out if something happens," Sam said.Eventually, Sam said he wants to collect a flag from every country.