Indiana in general struggled to contain the coronavirus in 2021, despite continued restrictions on businesses and individuals. As of December 20, over 18,000 Hoosiers died from the virus, and over 1.2 million were infected during the 2020-21 pandemic. Only about 57% of Hoosiers are fully vaccinated, and the rate of vaccination has leveled off since October. Indiana ranked as one of the lowest vaccinated states in the country with one of the highest hospitalization rates. The vaccine is free and easily available to adults and children 5-11. Visit ourshot.in.gov or call 211 to schedule an appointment.
Indianapolis saw a record number of criminal homicides in 2021. In January, there was a mass murder on the east side, with five members of the Childs family murdered in cold blood by a 17-year old. Raymond Childs III killed his parents, siblings, his brother’s girlfriend and their unborn son. In March, another mass murder took place on Randolph St. when a 21-year-old gunned down the mother of his child and three other family members (including a 7 year old) over a dispute regarding a stimulus payment. In April, a gunman opened fire at the FedEx facility near the airport, killing nine (including the gunman). At the end of the year, Indianapolis clocked in over 250 criminal homicides, a new — and tragic — record.
Irvington was shocked and saddened by a car accident that took the life of a student at School 57 and injured two others. Hannah Crutchfield and her mother and a crossing guard were walking across Ritter when a car barreled into them, trapping the little girl underneath. Two drivers involved have been charged. A close examination of the corner and traffic was made by officials and IMPD has increased enforcement of speeding laws in the school zone.
A major winter storm socked Indiana in mid-February, paralyzing Indianapolis. The same storm brought Arctic chill as far south as Texas, where the energy grid failed, leaving Texans with no electricity, heat or water. Dozens died as a result of the failure. A localized summer storm in August knocked down trees and damaged many homes on the east side, mainly in the Little Flower neighborhood, but no one was injured.
Tornadoes in December cut across the Midwest, with one tornado staying on the ground for 270 miles through Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The storms caused over 75 deaths in Kentucky and Illinois as buildings collapsed and entire towns were destroyed.
Indiana and Indianapolis mourned the loss of our very own Steve Nicewanger, IFD Firefighter Gerald A. Brooks, Fred Imhausen (Santa Fred), Al Unser, Sr. and Bobby Unser, former prosecutor Terry Curry, actor Robert Neal, racing columnist Robin Miller, Hoosier basketball legend Bobby “Slick” Leonard, chef Greg Hardesty, journalist and wine expert Jill Ditmire, and former first lady of Indiana Susan Bayh.
Notable deaths in 2021 included Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and 100 year old Captain Sir Tom Moore, who raised millions for the National Health Service at age 99. Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu passed. Haiti President Jovenel Moise was assassinated. Other world leaders we lost included George Schulz, Texas Rep. Ron Wright, Congressman Harry Reed, Vernon Jordan Jr., Carl Levin, G. Gordon Liddy (Watergate), Ramsey Clark, Walter Mondale, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, John Warner, Max Cleland, and Bob Dole. Rush Limbaugh succumbed to cancer. Larry Flynt and Bernie Madoff, died.
Many sports greats passed in 2021, including John Madden, Tommy LaSorda, Don Sutton, Hank Aaron, Leon Spinks, “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler, Bobby Bowden, Jerry Harkness, Bob Bondurant, and Lee Elder. Broadcaster Larry King died, as did Roger Mudd.
It was a sad year for fans of TV and movies, with the loss of Betty White, Cloris Leachman, Cicely Tyson, Rick Aiello, Markie Post, Hal Holbrook, Gregory Sierra, Christopher Plummer, George Segal, Jessica Walter, Olympia Dukakis, Billie Hays, Norman Lloyd, Gavin MacLeod, Clarence Williams III, Ned Beatty, Lisa Banes, Helen McCrory, Frank Bonner, Suzzane Douglas, Jane Withers, Una Stubbs, Ed Asner, Charles Grodin, Michael K. Williams, Michael Constantine, Jane Powell, Willie Garson, Peter Scolari, James Michael Tyler, Dean Stockwell, Peter Aykroyd, and Eddie Mekka. Directors Michael Apted and Richard Donner, and filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. passed away.
The musical world lost former music producer and convicted murderer Phil Spector, Broadway great Stephen Sondheim, songwriter Jim Weatherly, Mike Nesmith, Charlie Watts, Don Everly, Joey Jordison, Dusty Hill, B.J. Thomas, DMX, Chick Corea, Bunny Wailer, and Mary Wilson.
It was a sad year for readers with the loss of poets Robert Bly. bell hooks, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti; writers Anne Rice, Joan Didion, Beverly Cleary, and illustrator Eric Carle.
Comics Mort Sahl, Norm Macdonald, and Jackie Mason passed this year. The original Ronald McDonald-turned-weatherman Willard Scott, attorney to the stars F. Lee Bailey, designer Virgil Abloh, astronaut Michael Collins, half of the Siegfried & Roy act Siegfried Fishbacher, business mogul Sheldon Adelson, inventors Sir Clive Sinclair and Ron Popeil all breathed their last in 2021.