Online Trolls, COVID's Toll, Cicadas Return: Biggest 2021 Stories

ILLINOIS — For most people, it's been a rough couple of years, and 2021 was no exception. With COVID-19 still casting a long shadow over everything from work to school to our leisure time, Illinois didn't quite see the return to normal we'd hoped this year.

But Illinois forged ahead in 2021, sending kids back to classrooms and adjusting the way we work and play. And the news kept coming.

From political controversies to the return of the 17-year cicadas to stories that tugged on our heartstrings, here are the biggest Illinois Patch stories of 2021.

Trolls Wrongly Accused Retired Firefighter Of Capitol Riot Murder

More than a dozen people from Illinois have been arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol. But days after the riot, an Illinois man found himself wrongly accused. Social media trolls falsely identified a man spotted on surveillance video wearing a "CFD" stocking cap during the riot as a retired Chicago firefighter.

Though online trolls branded him a "terrorist," and accused him of being involved in the fatal beating of U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, David Quintavalle was actually grocery shopping and celebrating his wife's birthday in Chicago while the insurrection attempt was happening.

In reality, the "CFD" on the cap stood for Chester Fire Department, and the FBI identified the man in the video as a Pennsylvania resident.

The retired firefighter got angry, threatening phone calls thanks to the misinformation spreading on Twitter. "This story has f----- my life up," Quintavalle told Patch after an internet mob falsely accused him.

Obituary Blames Illinois Woman's Virus Death On The Unvaccinated

The family of an Illinois woman didn't mince words in her obituary — and they didn't hesitate to say who they blame for her death: the unvaccinated.

Candace Ayers, a Springfield, Illinois, woman who was fully vaccinated, died of the virus in September. While her husband, also vaccinated, also caught COVID-19 but recovered, her family believes health conditions including rheumatoid arthritis caused her to suffer more severe symptoms.

Family members have said they believe Ayers caught the coronavirus while on a 4-day trip to Mississippi in mid-July to visit a friend whose spouse died of the virus.

Bolingbrook Girl, 15, Dies 2 Days After COVID-19 Diagnosis

A suburban family was in mourning after 15-year-old Dykota Morgan, a healthy, athletic high school student, died two days after testing positive for COVID-19.

After her death, her parents urged other families to get their teens vaccinated.

"I really just don't want any other parents to go through this," mom Krystal said. "People need to know that their kids need to get vaccinated. It's important."

Billions Of 17-Year Cicadas Will Emerge In Illinois in 2021

The year 2021 brought the return of 17-year cicadas, also known as Brood X, to Illinois — but not the Chicago area.

According to the University of Illinois, Brood X can be found largely in four counties: Clark, Crawford, Edgar and Vermilion. The United States Forest Service also lists Iroquois and Wabash counties as part of their range.

If you missed out on Brood X, though, take heart: Brood XIII, another 17-year cicada brood, is expected to emerge in Northern Illinois in 2024.

Foot Of Snow, -25 Wind Chill Possible For Some Areas: IL Weather

As of Christmas Eve, Illinois still hadn't had a measurable snowfall — a new record. But last winter, there was plenty of snow to be had.

At the end of January 2021 — a decade after 2011's "Snowmageddon" — a snowstorm brought more than a foot of snow to some areas, including nearly 13 inches in Romeoville.

As the area was digging out, bitter cold swept through the area, with wind chills hitting -20 degrees.

Coronavirus Restrictions Lifted In Parts Of Illinois

After months of stay-at-home orders, mask mandates and remote schooling, several Illinois regions saw a decrease in COVID-19 cases that allowed for restrictions to be loosened in mid-January 2021. That included allowing some indoor fitness classes and lower-risk youth sports.

Mayor Calls For Kim Foxx To Resign After Sixth-Grader's Death

Days after 12-year-old Cire Robinson was killed in a crash that police say was caused by a drunken driver who was nine times over the legal limit of alcohol, elected officials lashed out.

Oak Lawn Mayor Sandra Bury and village trustees called for the resignation of Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx.

A judge said driver Daniel Regalado's blood alcohol content of .457 was the "highest I have seen with an individual who is still alive."

According to court records, Regalado was out on bond in connection to three other felony charges at the time of the accident. In December 2015, he was charged with 17 felonies related to an attempted murder charge, but the Cook County State's Attorney's Office dropped the charges in March 2017.

"This beautiful, young and innocent girl was riding in the car with her daddy," Bury said. "She was slaughtered by a man who should not be out on the street with multiple pending felony charges [and] dozens of police reports.

Coaches Knew About 'Widespread' Sexual Assault: Lawsuit

According to a civil rights lawsuit, two boys were pinned to the ground by their fellow football players and assaulted with a broomstick until it snapped in half.

"The subject hazing rituals and traditions are a form of bullying and have been part of the culture of the Plainfield High School Football Team for years," the lawsuit states. "The teams' coaches have sanctioned the rituals. Indeed, the Plaintiffs are but a fraction of the students who have been physically and sexually assaulted pursuant to this hazing ritual."

COVID-19 Vaccination Locator Launched As Illinois Begins Phase 1b

As COVID-19 vaccines began to roll out, first to front-line workers and those over age 65, the State of Illinois launched a vaccine finder website for residents.

"As federal supply is currently limited and every state in the nation is facing a shortage, I urge all eligible Illinoisans to check back regularly for available appointments — and in the meantime, mask up, keep our distance, wash our hands, and remember we'll stay healthy and safe if we look out for each other," Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement announcing the launch of the site locator.

The website came two weeks before Pritzker made his state of the state address, promising an end to the pandemic.

"I know it's hard right now. I know you and your family, no matter what your circumstances, are struggling," he said in February. "And I know that, just as a year ago, when you needed me to be honest and tell you that this pandemic was going to affect your daily lives — right now you need someone to honestly tell you that it's going to end ... The marathon has been long, and I believe there is one more leg left to run. It requires patience and perseverance and courage to battle the last attacks of an invisible enemy. But it is going to end. That is something I promise you."