A look back at some of the other top stories from 2021

When midnight rolled around on Dec. 31, 2020, nearly everyone had pretty much the same thought, which was along the lines of “surely 2021 has to be better than 2020.”

Mark White is Editor of The News Journal.

It wasn’t the first time that nearly everyone has been wrong. I seriously doubt that it will be the last time either.

Even though 2021 was still a pretty lousy year by many standards with the pandemic among other things, there were several positives that happened last year, such as the new historical wagering facility being built fast and the $50 million Firestone expansion project in Williamsburg to name but a few.

On the front page of the News Journal this week, we detail the top 10 stories of 2021 as voted on by the news staff here at the paper.

Of course, you just can’t fit all the news from one year into a top 10 list, so here are some other headlines that made news in 2021.

• January – Emergency Christian Ministries director resigns; Ex-Williamsburg Mayor Bill Nighbert remembered.
• February – University of the Cumberlands redirects $6 million in relief funding to students; elusive Williamsburg water leak found; Williamsburg Homeless Shelter closed, but should re-open; Whitley County Detention Center sued for negligence; ‘I didn’t kill nobody,’ murder suspect tells judge.
• March – Pedestrian dies after being hit; Flooding bad, but not 2020 bad; Tri-County Country Club property sells.
• April – Naked man arrested while washing canned goods; Why Whitley starts construction on new downtown Williamsburg park; Rockholds man threatens church congregation; Mike Sharpe receives 10^th Annual Daniel Boone Visionary Award; $290,000 awarded for Master Street sidewalk; Despite wet start, Colonelfest will return next year; Corbin Primary School getting $750,000 roundabout.
• May – Student finds racist drawing in his backpack; A lot has changed at Southeast Kentucky Rehabilitation Industries (SEKRI) over the last 50 years; Attorney General finds Whitley County Detention Center in violation of open records act.
• June – Gunshot victim dies; Woman accused of almost running over three officers; Man facing indecent exposure charge for second time; Five locals compete in Miss Kentucky Pageant; Group wants Corbin 1919 event commemorated; Ex-Corbin Housing Authority director indicted for theft; Forcht Bank named Best Bank in Kentucky by Forbes; Civil rights lawsuit filed against Whitley County Detention Center, Fiscal Court.
• July – Corbin budget includes $50,000 budgeted for ‘Finger Lickin Musical’; Corbin Arena gets $780,000 Shuttered Venue Grant; Police brutality suit against sheriff’s department filed in federal court; Huff tweets draw both national, international media attention.
• August – Williamsburg Police sued for false arrest; Kayaking for Kids raises over $17,000 for needy children; Baptist Health Corbin receives $1 million to combat opioid use; Williamsburg man charged with hammer assault; Corbin Fire Captain named President of Kentucky Firefighter’s Association; Sheriff’s department sued again in federal court; Wrestler’s family sues UC for wrongful death.
• September – Gray man arrested for joy riding in stolen bulldozer in Indiana; Woman accused of auto theft while intoxicated; Egg-cellent turnout as Moonbow Eggfest features 22 chefs; Bid awarded for Corbin garbage cans.
• October – Six departments respond to National Standard fire; SOAR Summit lands in Corbin; Gateway to the Cumberlands Jeep Jamboree still largest in the world; Corbin woman stabs man after dispute over sex toy.
• November – Exploding toilet seat prank injures victim’s genitals, lawsuit filed; Colonel Sanders Half Marathon draws crowd; Elderly couple dies from exposure inside their home; Jail inmate dies while in custody.
• December – Corbin losing some ‘Magic’ over holidays; Mini roundabouts proposed for Exit 15; Social media has plenty to say over roundabouts proposal; Reed Elliotte appears on ‘Ellen.’