Top 10 stories of 2021

RITZVILLE — Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, 2021 was an eventful year.

From vaccines to droughts to elections, a lot of things happened around East Adams County. Here is our Top 10:

Hot and dry — Last April, meteorologists were warning that a drought was on the horizon. And by late June, temperatures were hitting well above 110 degrees in the region. The temperature here soared well above previous records, with some residents reporting a blistering 111 degrees. The all-time high recorded in Ritzville was 112 degrees on Aug. 5, 1961.

Vaccination debate — The national debate over wheth...