2021 Year-End Wrap-Up

As we ease our way out of 2021, it is interesting to see what has gone on that had tongues wagging around town this year:

1. The shooting death of a 27-year-old, DeQuantae Tarver marked the 70th homicide in Columbus for 2021. (As of December 27, 2021)._WSAV.com In 2020, Columbus broke a record at 46 homicides, this year, that record was shattered and the year isn't over yet. [ GBI Unsolved Cases ] [ NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE MEMORIAL ]
2. Kamarie Holland laid to rest in Phenix City._WTVM News Leader
3. High Res Cameras to be installed throughout Columbus._WTVM News Leader
4. Bucking for the Mayor's Job for the next four years? Here's your chance._U.S. News
5. Former Columbus D.A. Mark Jones, who was previously suspended by the state District Attorney, agreed to a plea deal before the verdicts were handed down. He also resigned and agreed to serve one year in prison and four years on probation as a result of the plea deal._AJC.com
6. Columbus loses Muscogee County Sheriff's officer and locally renowned barber Sherman Peebles to battle with COVID-19._The Columbus Times
7. New 96-gallon trash cans and automated system coming to Columbus in 2022_WRBL.com
8. Columbus police arrest over 3 dozen suspects involved in murder cases._WTVM.com
9. First American Airlines flight lands in newly publicly re-opened Columbus Airport._WTVM.com
10. Columbus welcomes new museums on Hamilton Road._WRBL.com 
11. Two men accused of stealing nearly $500,000 in Muscogee County public funds get court-appointed attorneys._MyFox8.com 
12. The Trump-inflicted 2019 COVID Battle and all of its many variants rage on in the Valley area with no seeming end in sight. People adapt and get used to the idea that a "bad cold" can kill.

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Neighborhood Scout, Columbus GA ...

Highlights:

1. Population 206,922.
2. Per Capita Income $26,097.
3. Columbus listed as safer than 7-percent of of U.S. cities (out of 100).
4. Chance of Becoming a Victim of a Violent Crime: 1 in 32.
5. Columbus residents' racial demographics are 61.2% Black, around 25% White/not Hispanic, and 75.2% economically disadvantaged in the school system with a poverty level of 20.7%.
6. Columbus residents with high school diplomas - 88%.
7. East Highlands/Weracoba has the #1 highest appreciating property values in the city since Year 2000.
8. Median home values are $159,497.
9. There are 72,759 homes and apartments available in Columbus.
10. The #1 most expensive neighborhood in Columbus is Green Island Hills, with Midland/Flat Rock in second place.

Top Georgia News Stories Of 2021

Georgia's top 2021 stories included Buckhead cityhood, COVID-19, Trump's vote count, spa killings, Ahmaud Arbery verdict and Braves win...Atlanta Patch Reports

Top U.S News Stories of 2021

1. Julian Assange Persecution Continues as Appeals Court allows Extradition to U.S. for Espionage.
2. Upcoming 1st Anniversary of Trump Admin U.S. Capitol Insurrection with Hopes to Hook Bigger Fish.
3. COVID-fatigue becomes a thing in the U.S.
4. Trump-era "Election Theft" Claims Invalidated and Tossed Out of Courts Across the Nation.
5. Infamous Evangelical "Prophets" Claim ~"God Told Them"~ Trump would win November 2020 election, thus invalidating the prayers of millions of people who wanted him out of office and voted in a 2/3rds majority to make sure Trump was fired.
6. White supremacist app site "Parler" banned by APPLE and Google Play for “including posts that encouraged violence, denigrated various ethnic groups, races and religions, glorified Nazism, and called for violence against specific people.” - Apr 19, 2021 
7. Jeffrey Epstein-Prince Andrew-Donald Trump-associated child sex-trafficker and "Madame", Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted.
8. President Joseph R. Biden 'faithfully and well'-executes ending of a 20-year "War on Afghanistan" that was already lost 20 years ago.
9. Trump era-instated Dr. Anthony Fauci becomes a bungle for the Republican Party for refusing to obey Trump...picked up by President Biden to continue to oversee COVID19-handling protocols in the U.S. as Chief Medical Adviser.
10. Beloved U.S.-TV-star Betty White Makes her transition on the Cusp of 100th Birthday. (12/31/2021).

Top International News Stories of 2021

1. W.H.O. Chief Optimistic About Beating COVID in 2022
2. World Mourns Death of Bishop Desmond Tutu
3. Tokyo Continues World Olympics During COVID Crises "Behind Closed Doors"
4. Omicron Variant is said to have "peaked" as COVID becomes 'yesterday's news' even though cases are surging and 2020 safety protocols are reinserted at end of 2021
5. 100 Days of Taliban Rule: What Happened After the U.S.-funded Taliban, militarily-involved in Afghanistan since the 1970s, Retook Their Land?
6. George Floyd Killer Convicted. Sentenced to 22.5 Years In Prison

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