The biggest national stories of 2021 were all about the pandemic, politics and pervasive anxiety over the climate and economy. From a seemingly never-ending pandemic to a politically-divided country, 2021 was full of big stories. Here are the top national stories.
COVID & turbulent 2021
The biggest national stories of 2021 were all about the pandemic, politics and pervasive anxiety over the climate and economy. From a seemingly never-ending pandemic to a politically-divided country, 2021 was full of big stories. Here are the top national stories.
The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic disruption was far and away the big story of the year. When the new year began, the numbers were devastating: more than 16 million cases and over 300,000 deaths in America due to COVID-19. On his first full day in office in 2021, President Biden signed 10 executive orders to combat the coronavirus, seeking to jump-start the U.S. response. He also signed into law a $1.9 trillion stimulus package and urged states to make all adults eligible for vaccination by May 1. The FDA later approved Covid-19 vaccine booster shots for people 65 and older and other adults at high risk of severe illness. Then the Delta variant came in and now, as 2021 comes to a close — with a death toll of 700,000-plus — the Omicron variant has people asking, “Will this ever end?”
Chaos at the Capitol
On Jan. 6, as Congress was meeting to certify the victory of Joe Biden, hundreds of President Donald Trump’s supporters who claimed the election had been stolen violently pushed past police, broke through windows and doors and entered the Capitol, forcing legislators to interrupt their work and flee. Those whose work was upended included Vice President Mike Pence, who was presiding over the Senate and had to hide from rioters who were calling for his hanging. A Capitol police officer collapsed and died after engaging with rioters who descended on the building. A medical examiner later determined he died of natural causes. Many other officers were injured. A woman from California was shot to death by police and three other people died after medical emergencies during the chaos. In the weeks and months that followed, four of the officers who responded to the riot killed themselves. Federal prosecutors charged approximately 700 rioters with such crimes as violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. So far, more than 120 defendants have pleaded guilty to charges related to the insurrection, primarily misdemeanors. A House committee is now investigating the origins of the attack and what Trump did — or didn’t do — to stop it.
Infrastructure package
President Joe Biden signed into law a roughly $1 trillion infrastructure package with spending on roads, bridges, rail and more. Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), a once-in-a-generation investment in the nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The president promised to work across the aisle to deliver results. After Biden put forward his plan to do exactly that and then negotiated a deal with members of Congress from both parties, the historic legislation moved forward. The bill will rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails, expand access to clean drinking water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and invest in communities that have too often been left behind.
Justice?
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder in the May 2020 death of George Floyd, which sparked racial justice protests around the world. Chauvin was convicted of state murder and manslaughter charges for pinning his knee against Floyd’s neck as the Black man said he couldn’t breathe during an arrest. He was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in the case. Chauvin also pleaded guilty to violating Floyd’s civil rights, a move that would remove him from a federal trial but could significantly increase the amount of time he’ll spend behind bars. In Georgia, a judge set a Jan. 7 sentencing hearing for the three men convicted of killing 25-year-old jogger Ahmaud Arbery. Travis McMichael, his father, Greg, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan were convicted of murder and other charges for the brutal Feb. 23, 2020, shooting of Arbery. Smartphone video of the slaying showed Arbery jogging down a residential street before he encountered two armed men and a pickup truck on the side of the road. He tried to jog around their vehicle, into the shoulder. Bryan was recording the video.
Harris gets bad rap
When Kamala Harris ran as Joe Biden’s vice president, she rallied Greek organizations, HBCUs, and people all across the country to propel the Biden-Harris team to victory. Nearly a year into their administration, Harris found herself on the receiving end of criticism that she’s all but disappeared. But some questioned whether the backlash is warranted. Harris traveled to Paris where she met with allies and focused on border issues and the infrastructure bill. Yet, she was drawing complaints from some who expected more. Since taking office, the White House has taken steps to highlight Harris’ role as Biden’s closest adviser, with aides often referring to the “Biden-Harris administration” in official documentation and public statements. The office of vice president is not a visible role, yet for some reason people want more from Harris.
Florida condo collapses
A 12-story section of the Champlain Towers South condominium complex in Surfside, Fla., collapsed, leaving at least 99 people unaccounted for and one person dead. Construction of a luxury building next door triggered the collapse of the already fragile Florida condominium that killed 98 people in June, according to a lawsuit, filed on behalf of Champlain Towers South victims and family members. Champlain Towers, the lawsuit claims, “was an older building in need of routine repairs and maintenance, but it was not until excavation and construction began on the luxury high-rise condominium project next door” that the building became unsafe.
America’s longest war ends
The last U.S. troops in Afghanistan were withdrawn, ending nearly 20 years of fighting but leaving more than 100 Americans and tens of thousands of America’s Afghan allies to an uncertain future. The withdrawal ended a 20-year occupation that began shortly after Al Qaeda’s attacks on 9/11, cost over $2 trillion, took more than 170,000 lives and ultimately failed to defeat the Taliban, the Islamist militants who allowed Al Qaeda to operate there. Five American C-17 cargo jets flew out of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, completing a hasty evacuation that left behind Afghans desperate to flee the country, including former members of the security forces and many who held valid visas to enter the United States.
Bill Cosby freed
Actor and comedian Bill Cosby was released from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his 2018 conviction for sexual assault, a dramatic reversal in one of the first high-profile criminal trials of the #MeToo era. The court’s decision seemed likely to end the Pennsylvania case, legal experts said, and while more than 50 women across the nation have accused Cosby of sexual assault and misconduct, statutes of limitations in their cases makes further prosecutions unlikely. Cosby had served three years of a three- to 10-year sentence at a maximum-security prison
Bad weather hits
Hurricane Ida mafr landfall near New Orleans on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, with winds of 150 miles an hour and life-threatening storm surges. Tornadoes rip through Kentucky and five other states, killing scores of people and leveling entire towns. The unusual weather events had many questioning whether climate change was to blame.
Gen. Colin Powell dies
Gen. Colin Powell, a trailblazing soldier and diplomat, died Oct. 18 of COVID-19 complications. He was 84. A veteran of the Vietnam War, Powell spent 35 years in the Army and rose to the rank of four-star general before becoming the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He joined President George W. Bush’s administration in 2001 as secretary of state, the first African American to hold the powerful position. Powell was fully vaccinated against the coronavirus but faced several other ailments.