Once again it's New Year's Eve as the year 2025 will reach its conclusion and 2026 will begin. I'm sure that the upcoming year will once again say "hold my beer" to the previous one.
Last year started with a terror attack in New Orleans by man who drove his pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street, killing 14 people and injuring 57 others. Later in January, a fire in southern California spread into Los Angeles and destroyed over 16,000 homes and other structures. President Trump took office for the second time and unleashed the new Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, for short, which led to eventually significant cuts and 260,000 fewer people in federal federal government jobs. Cuts included the dismantling of the agency USAID. On January 29th, an American Airlines jet collided with a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter as it approached Reagan National Airport, killing everyone on the two aircraft.
The Trump administration cracked down on illegal immigration, sending ICE out to arrest people and by establishing detention centers such as "Alligator Alcatraz" in Florida. Trump also sent National Guard personnel to help law enforcement in several U.S. cities, and issued a whole bunch of tariffs. Under his direction, the U.S. bombed Yemen, intending to strike the Houthis, and Iran, joining Israel's efforts. Meanwhile in Gaza, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire, while the war between Russia and Ukraine continued without one. On June 14, two Minnesota state legislators and their respective spouses were shot in their homes. State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed. After the death of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church elected Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago, to succeed him. He took the name Leo XIV.
An object from interstellar space entered the solar system and was designated 3I/Atlas. Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on September 10th at a Turning Point USA event in Utah. Starting in September, the U.S. military started attacking suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. Starting on October 1st, the U.S. government was shut down for 45 days, the longest such event in history. Later in October, thieves broke into the Louvre museum in Paris and stole over $100 million worth of jewelry. In November, Congress passed and Trump signed legislation to release files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In December, a shooter killed two people at Brown University and a father and son killed at least 16 people at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Of course, no summary that I can write could ever be complete, so read more at On This Day, Britannica and History.
Among the people who passed away this year were actors Rob Reiner (allegedly killed by his son), Brigitte Bardot, June Lockhart, Diane Keaton, Claudia Cardinale, Robert Redford, Terence Stamp, Loni Anderson, Loretta Swit, George Wendt, Ruth Buzzi, Jean Marsh, Val Kilmer, Richard Chamberlin, Gene Hackman, Diane Ladd and Michelle Trachtenberg; sports figures Hulk Hogan, Dave Parker, George Foreman and Bob Uecker; musicians (or at least singers) Ace Frehley (Kiss), Tom Lehrer, Cleo Laine, Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath, solo), Chuck Mangione, Connie Francis, Bobby Sherman, Lou Christie, Brian Wilson (Beach Boys), Sly Stone, David Johansen (New York Dolls), Roberta Flack, Marianne Faithfull, Sam Moore (Sam & Dave), Rick Derringer (the McCoys, Edgar Winter Group, solo), Wayne Osmond (the Osmonds), Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul and Mary), Toby Myers (John Mellencamp's band), Garth Hudson (The Band), Chris Jasper (Isley Brothers), Robert John, Joey Mollard (Badfinger), Jesse Colin Young (the Youngbloods), Luís Jardim, George Kooymans (Golden Earring), Bobby Whitlock (Derek and the Dominoes), Roy Estrada (Mothers Of Invention, Little Feat), Mark Volman (the Turtles), Bobby Hart, Sonny Curtis (the Crickets), Chris Dreja (the Yardbirds), John Lodge (Moody Blues), Jimmy Cliff, Steve Cropper (Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Blues Brothers) and Tetsu Yamauchi (Free, Faces); political figures Dick Cheney, Alan Simpson, David Gergen and Carolyn McCarthy; scientist Jane Goodall; cartoonist Jules Feiffer; clothing designer Giorgio Armani; astronaut James Lovell; and base jumper/skydiver Felix Baumgartner.
For myself, 2025 included travels to eastern Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. Fortunately, due to various treatments, I have largely avoided the medical problems that I had in 2024. Naturally, I expect many more interesting times, both as a blessing and as a curse, in 2026. Happy New Year, everyone.
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