Boiling an entire year of news coverage down to a list of just ten is no easy task. In attempting this, we are sure to leave out a story you think deserves to be included, and we may have added a story you think deserves to be forgotten.
To come up with the ten listed below, CBS 5 Anchor Michael Benny looked over the number of clicks the stories got here at CNYcentral.com he also used the news judgement of the staff to help.
You can click on the links in the story headlines to go back into our archives and read more. Please note, this list is just a start, as we look back at the year that was, so please let us know what you think of it. Did we get it right? What did we miss?
Here, in no particular order, are the Top Ten News Stories of 2010:
10. MegaBus Crash
In September, Central New York was in disbelief - how could the driver of a double decker bus have missed the warning signals on the Onondaga Lake Parkway? The bus slammed into the low bridge, killing four people. The Onondaga County District Attorney will be seeking criminally negligent homicide charges against the driver.
9. Penn Traffic Vanishes, Tops Arrives
In May, the dust finally seemed to settle on the biggest supermarket shake-up in Central New York. In one final bankruptcy, P & C Supermarkets went away. While some of them closed for good, Tops took over most - promising a two-year, $90 million capital improvement program.
8. Ann Marie Buerkle To Congress
In the Republican "wave" that swept the GOP into control of the House, Ann Marie Buerkle won the 25th Congressional Seat race, declaring victory weeks after the election because the race had been too close to call. Buerkle will sit on three committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Foreign Affairs, and Veterans affairs.
7. Jenni-Lyn Watson Is Found
She was the biggest topic of conversation during the Thanksgiving holiday. The Liverpool college student was the subject of a nationwide search, which gained major traction on the internet. Days later, her body was found in Clay - her ex-boyfriend charged with murder.
6. Shooting At NY Mills Cell Phone Store
In May, we all learned the true value of the cliche, "being in the right place at the right time." Rome police officer Donald Moore was off-duty when he shot and killed a gunman at an AT&T store. The gunman had a history of trouble with the employees, and had been banned from the store.
5. 81 Shut Down In Syracuse
The major highway through the city of Syracuse was closed for weeks in March because a troubled building threatened to crumble onto the highway. The dramatic closure of Interstate 81 led to a standoff of sorts with Albany over who would pay for the cleanup.
4. Bridgeport Crash Kills Teen, Injures Woman
May 24th changed many lives in Central New York. It is the day prosecutors say a Syracuse teenager drove drunk and far too fast, trying to pass cars on Route 31. The car crash that resulted killed a popular Liverpool teenager named Victoria Deverso, and changed the life of a woman who was hit head on. Peggy Blume continues her recovery.
3. Oswego Ambulance Corps Under Scrutiny
The main service for taking people to the hospital in Oswego spent most of the year under a microscope. The City of Oswego had to pay a fine after the NY State Health Department found dozens of violations at the fire department.
The Health Department's investigation found 38 emergency medical services providers failed to complete pre-hospital care reports on 178 occasions. There were also allegations the ambulance service refused to transport some patients to the hospital.
2. Syracuse Violence Takes Young Lives
In the last two months of 2010, violence in Syracuse seemed to take a terrible upswing, with two troubling cases involving the deaths of young people. A toddler, Rashaad Walker, Jr., was shot to death in what police called a gang-related shooting. Also, a high school standout basketball player was shot to death. Former Henninger High school star athlete Kihary Blue spent days in the hospital before passing away in December.
1. Stephen Strasburg Plays to Huge Crowds
In June, it was a series of sold out games at Alliance Bank Stadium, as The Nationals brought Stephen Strasburg to Central New York. Strasburg, the first overall pick in last year's First-Year Player Draft, wowed the crowd before he was called up to the majors.
Again, please give us your input on the list. We know some things that may seem obvious were left out. The snowfall for the month of December, the arrival of big named restaurants and store chains like Chipotle and Urban Outfitters. What stood out for you in 2010? Leave a comment below as we prepare to bring you all the news about to unfold in 2011. Happy New Year!
