As 2019 comes to a close, we're looking back at what made headlines.
And by that, we mean our most-read stories. We did a deep dive into our analytics to see exactly what resonated with our readers.
This list may surprise you. You may agree or disagree with it. Regardless, let us know in the comments below.
***Warning: The second photo in this story has been blurred; it still may be graphic to some readers.***
Prince George, northern B.C. power outage caused by lightning strike
A ball of fire seen looking east from the top of University Boulevard in Prince George .(via Jess Fedigan)On Sept. 11, almost the entire City of Prince George and other communities across the north lost power. Thousands of homes in the city were left in the dark for roughly 90 minutes after a suspected lightning strike caused a massive outage across northern B.C. The strike caused several transmission circuit failures in places like Fort St. John, Terrace, Burns Lake and Quesnel. What was visible across the city were the flames from the Husky refinery flare-up, which happens during a sudden shut-down to depressurize equipment.
Prince George woman claims friend bit part of her lip off
A blurred photo of the injuries. (via Facebook)On Jan. 25, a Prince George woman named Kennedy Barker allegedly had part of her lip bitten off by her friend after an altercation at a home on North Nechako Road. A 26-year-old woman named Hailea Kowalchuk was arrested at the scene and charged with aggravated assault, assault and failure to comply with a probation order.
Two people dead following Highway 97 crash north of Prince George
Highway 97 on the east side of McLeod Lake, just south of Whiskers Point Provincial Park entrance, looking south. (via Drive BC)A fatal crash on Highway 97 killed two people this past summer. The incident occurred on June 30, around 5 p.m. Sunday night, when a northbound vehicle crashed head-on into a southbound transport truck, roughly 12 km south of McLeod Lake. The highway was closed for nearly 11 hours. There were three people inside of the passenger vehicle; two were found dead when first responders arrived while the third was flown to hospital. The driver of the transport truck was not injured.
Someone is $55 million richer after Lotto Max jackpot finally sees a winner
(via OLG)In April, someone in Oshawa, Ont. won the $55-million Lotto Max jackpot, and a lot of people in Prince George were interested. It quickly became one of our most-read stories of the year. Turns out that someone was 35-year-old Dwayne Williams from Whitby, Ont. The married, father-of-two says he plans to invest, buy a luxury car and travel to Europe.
Suspects identified in three northern B.C. deaths
Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmelgesky. (via BC RCMP)On July 23, news broke that the two teens who were first considered missing in northern B.C. were actually suspects in the death of three individuals. At the time, police informed the public that Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, both from Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, were to be considered dangerous and were last seen in northern Saskatchewan, but were believed to be near Gillam, Man., nearly 1,100 km northeast of Winnipeg. A lengthy manhunt ending in the suicide of both suspects ensued.
Seventeen-year-old arrested for impaired driving causing bodily harm at major Prince George intersection
(via Shutterstock)On March 23, emergency services and Prince George RCMP were called at roughly 4:15 a.m. to a report of a full-sized pickup truck involved in a single-vehicle collision at the intersection of Highway 97 and Highway 16. RCMP said all three females in the vehicle, including the driver, sustained serious injuries, with one in critical condition. Police arrested the driver, a 17-year-old Prince George resident, for impaired driving causing bodily harm.
Notorious northern B.C. animal abuser found guilty of breaching probation
Catherine Adams (grey sweater). (via Red Deer/Lacombe Rural Community Crime Watch)A notorious B.C. animal abuser was found guilty for breaching her probation, according to B.C. Court Services records. Catherine Adams and her mother, Karin, were convicted of animal cruelty in 2015 following an SPCA investigation, which included a 20-year ban on owning animals. She received 15 days in jail, a six-month conditional house arrest, and two years' of probation for that offense. On July 4, 2018, the SPCA once again found 16 dogs in distress on a property in Quesnel. Catherine's trial for breaching her probation orders started on May 16, 2019; Adams represented herself and entered a plea of not guilty. On July 16, Adams was found guilty and was scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 26 for a pre-sentence report. On Nov. 26, she was sentenced to seven days in jail and two years of probation.
Prince George’s Treasure Cove Casino was a prize on 'The Price Is Right'
A trip to Prince George was a prize on the Nov. 12 episode of 'The Price Is Right' on CBS. (via Facebook/ Prestige Treasure Cove) The classic television show 'The Price Is Right' on CBS showcased a little bit of Prince George, featuring a trip to B.C.’s northern capital as a prize. During the Nov. 12 episode, a contestant from Placentia, California won a six-night stay at the Prestige Treasure Cove Casino Hotel in Prince George. The contestant also won limo transportation around the city and a $500 dining credit to the Grand Trunk Tavern. However, the show mistakenly showed a picture of Lake Louise, Alta. To enhance the original prize, a number of Prince George businesses stepped up and offered activities like a backwoods ATV tour. To not disappoint, the casino will be flying the winner to Lake Louise, on a six-hour helicopter tour.
FDA warns of 16 dog food brands potentially linked to canine heart disease
(via Shutterstock)In July, it was announced that 15 dog food brands were being investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; it was suggested they were associated with a potentially fatal canine heart condition. More than 90 per cent of the products in the cases reported were labeled "grain-free" while 93 per cent of the reported products contained peas and/or lentils.
Shaw reports large scale service outage in Prince George, northern B.C.
A stock image from The Canadian Press. When the internet goes down across town, it’s a big news story. Everyone wants to know why. At 1:11 p.m. on June 10, Shaw Communications said it was experiencing a "very large scale" service outage across B.C.'s north and central Interior. That included internet, television, and home phone services in Prince George, Quesnel, and Williams Lake for both residential and business connections. At the time, Shaw technicians said damage to a fibre cable was the root cause of the service outage. Everyone was back online by 9:18 p.m. that evening.
Bonus: Moose on the roof
Our 11th most-read story of the year was this moose video.
