CUMBERLAND — Economic disasters and bitter Congressional battles not-withstanding, the inauguration of President Barack Obama remained the most memorable 2009 event for many of the locals and holiday visitors hanging out downtown on Saturday afternoon.

“That’s the biggest thing for me. It was the historic significance of having our first black president,” said Debbie Weizenegger of Burlington, Vt., who was visiting family over the holidays.

“The first year of our new president,” said Ed Steele of Carpendale, W.Va. “It’s a year of presidential change, and that’s always a major event.”

But while most viewed Obama's inauguration as the most significant news of the year, not everyone saw it as a positive event.

“The big event that impacted me the most was Obama taking office and his indecision about the war in the Middle East,” said Cumberland resident Michael Wilson. “My son’s over in Iraq right now. I think we should either get out or fight the way, one way or the other.”

“The big thing for me is Obama and all the things that he’s changing or trying to change,” said Beth Stonestreet of Clearville, Pa. “That’s the biggest news, though it's not necessarily positive.”

Coming in a close — and also controversial — second, the push for health care reform got several mentions as the most memorable news of the year.

“I think it’s major, both for the way it’s going to affect me personally and the way it will affect the country,” said Elizabeth Williams, visiting from Tampa, Fla. for the holidays. “I think it will continue to be important. We’ll probably look back in 10 years and say, ‘Why didn’t we do this sooner?’”

“Finally, they’re talking about it,” said Laurie Deckers of Frostburg, who also named health care reform most memorable of 2009. “It’s something that should have been taken care of 20 years ago.”

Health care reform was also foremost on the mind of Shirley Giarritta, proprietor of Connoisseur Interiors & Gallery on North Centre Street.

“We seem to automatically expect the government to educate our children,” Giarritta said. “I’m not generally in favor of the socialization of many things, but why shouldn’t health care be like that?”

In the region, December’s 2-foot snowfall was the most memorable event of the year, said Brian Dickey of Ellicott City. But he named health care reform as the top story in the national news.

“That’s just going to linger for a long time, in my opinion,” Dickey said. “I think there will be even more changes and adjustments down the road.”

Of course, it’s not just politicians and policy reform that make memorable news. Sometimes, it’s scandals that take us by surprise.

“I think the biggest news of the year was probably Tiger Woods,” said Cumberland resident Jean Wegman. “I just couldn’t believe he did it. Everyone thought that he was just this great all-American guy. He let everyone down.”

And there’s yet another way of looking at the news in 2009.

“Nothing happened,” said Terry Shewmaker, a part-time resident of Cumberland. “The biggest news this year was political deadlock and partisanship. It’s hard to get anything done anymore.”

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