As 2021 draws to a close, one thing is indisputable: There were stories in Western New York that will live on in our memories for a long time.
Covid-19 continues to reshape every facet of daily life. As we reflect on the stories of the year, Covid exists in the contours of nearly all of them.
A year ago, Andrew Cuomo's leadership in the pandemic created a political rising star. In 2021, a more thorough review of his work helped fuel his equally abrupt downfall.
And how Gov. Kathy Hochul, his appointed replacement, handles the latest phase of the pandemic could play a role in whether she is the first woman elected to the seat in 2022.
But there were other surprises in 2021.
Who would have thought the Bills would make a run to the AFC championship game – and do so in front of only a few thousand fans rather than a packed stadium? Oh, and about that stadium ...
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There were other stories that bore fruit this year, the seeds of which were planted years ago: Ralph Wilson's legacy and a growing crop of refugees and immigrants calling Buffalo home.
And rather than cruise to re-election, Byron Brown survived a battle for his political life.
These stories and more helped make for an unforgettable year.
1. Covid-19: Year Two
As 2021 rang in, there was anxious optimism that vaccines would bring an end to a year of suffering. Twelve months later, after a summer that seemed like that would be the case, the pandemic teeters on yet another knife edge this winter as the world watches the spread of the Omicron variant.
Western New York mirrors national vaccination trends. Vaccination rates in more rural enclaves lag behind more populous areas.
Gov. Kathy Hochul will decide where to draw the line on pandemic mandates everywhere from shopping malls to schools.
– Eric DuVall
2. Hamburg native Kathy Hochul sworn in as governor
The history books will record that when Kathy Hochul took the oath of office as New York's 57th governor on Aug. 24, she became the first woman to lead the state.
But almost as significant are Hochul's other milestone achievements. She is the first Buffalo resident to become governor since Grover Cleveland (elected in 1882), the first Western New Yorker since Frank W. Higgins of Olean (elected in 1904), and the first true upstater since Nathan L. Miller of Syracuse (elected in 1920).
– Bob McCarthy
3. Scandal-plagued Andrew Cuomo resigns
Early in 2021, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo was earning rave reviews for his handling of the Covid-19 crisis, and was set to run for a fourth term with about $18 million his campaign treasury.
But as the year wore on, it all came crashing down. Several women came forward to report allegations of sexual harassment, he was accused of underreporting Covid deaths, and eventually ordered by the state to return $5.1 million stemming from the book he wrote with the help of state staffers touting his Covid achievements.
He resigned on Aug. 24.
– Bob McCarthy
4. Brown survives challenge from Walton, earns record fifth term
The Buffalo mayor's race started with a primary that shocked the political establishment and made national headlines.
Little-known India Walton defeated four-term incumbent Byron Brown in June's Democratic primary, looking all but certain to become the city's first socialist and woman to win the office.
Then Brown launched an unprecedented write-in campaign for the November election with the slogan “Write Down Byron Brown” and a promise not to defund police.
In the hard-hitting campaign, Walton called out Brown for his "callous attempt ... to whip up fear."
– Patrick Lakamp
5. Pegulas seek a new Bills stadium
Negotiations for a new Buffalo Bills stadium picked up after Hochul took over the state’s top job in August. Team owners Terry and Kim Pegula want to build a projected $1.4 billion venue across the street from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. Hochul has agreed on the location, but the sticking point in negotiations between the state, county and Bills is money: How much is each side going to pay?
Resolving that question is a top priority as negotiators work to reach a deal by year’s end.
– Tim O’Shei
6. Workplace tumult and an uptick in unionization
Companies across the region are struggling to hire workers as older employees rush to retire early, egged on by beefed up retirement account balances and Covid fatigue. Those who remain have become more picky. They're seeking higher wages, trying to capitalize on their newfound leverage.
Organized labor is showing new vigor, too. Unionized workers at Mercy Hospital struck for 35 days, while employees at one local Starbucks store became the first of the chain's locations to unionize.
– David Robinson
7. 2020 census reveals immigration-driven population growth
Buffalo's population grew for the first time in 70 years.
The growth surprised some geographers and researchers, who expected the city to continue shrinking at the expense of Erie County’s outer suburbs.
The city’s population grew to 278,349 people from 261,275 in 2010.
Mayor Bryon Brown called the gain – driven by residents of color, mostly refugees and immigrants – a vindication of “our strategic efforts to be a welcoming city, to reach out to new Americans, to invite people of different backgrounds to come to our city.”
– Caitlin Dewey
8. U.S., Canadian governments struggle to address border crossing policies
The lengthy closure and long-awaited reopening of the Canada-U.S. border to nonessential travel was a major story in Western New York and Southern Ontario in 2021.
The border had been closed to all but essential travelers since March 2020, the earliest days of the pandemic. Tourists, local elected leaders and divided, cross-border families alike pressed officials in Ottawa and Washington to lift the restrictions.
Canada acted first, in August, followed by the United States in November, with vaccination requirements and ever-changing rules on Covid-19 testing in place.
– Steve Watson
9. Allen leads Bills to AFC championship game
In their first home playoff game since 1996, the Bills defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 27-24. It was more than just a sports milestone. It was the first contest before fans, roughly 7,000 of them, since the beginning of the pandemic.
In the divisional round, cornerback Taron Johnson's interception return for a touchdown cemented a 17-3 win over Baltimore that brought the team within a game of the Super Bowl.
The magic ended in Kansas City, where the Chiefs soundly defeated the Bills, 38-24.
Josh Allen was the sports story of 2021, and will be for years to come after the Bills signed him to a $258 million contract extension.
– Eric DuVall
10. $100M from Ralph Wilson Foundation supports cultural institutions
$-1-0-0- M-I-L-L-I-O-N.
That's how much the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation announced in December it is donating to support arts and cultural organizations in Western New York.
The funding is intended to last in perpetuity for 13 organizations, ranging from $500,000 annually for the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra to $100,000 for Shea's Performing Arts Center and the Darwin Martin House.
Smaller organizations will be able to apply for grants from an annual pot of $500,000.
David Egner, who heads the foundation, said the rationale was simple: "Arts are economic development."
– Mark Sommer
Other stories that shaped the year
There were, of course, more than just 10 stories of note this year. A recounting of the year in news would be incomplete without recalling the tragic increase in gun violence across the country. Buffalo was no different. The community was rocked in July by the shooting death of 3-year-old Shaquelle Walker Jr. after a gunman opened fire on a gathering on Donovan Drive near the Ferry Grider Homes. In October, Dequan I. Richardson and Jonay B. Robinson were charged with murder in connection with Walker's death.
Hundreds of lawsuits were filed alleging childhood sexual abuse under the auspices of the Child Victims Act, with the single largest target in the state being the Buffalo Catholic Diocese. Other community groups including the Boy Scouts of America and teachers in multiple public school districts were also named.
And in sports, the Buffalo Sabres pressed the reset button yet again after a miserable 2020-21 season. A roster overhaul culminated in the trading of disgruntled captain Jack Eichel to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in November amid a dispute between Eichel and the Sabres over how to treat his injured neck. The team has pinned its hopes on a young roster that's shown flashes of promise under new coach Don Granato.
