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Poll takers weigh in on the biggest stories of 2018

During the month of December, we conducted four online polls, asking readers to vote on what was the biggest local story of 2018, who the local artist of the year was, who the local athlete of the year was and who the local newsmaker of the year was.
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The City of Prince George Emergency Reception Centre welcomed thousands of evacuees in August. The Central Interior wildfires were the top story of 2018, according to The Citizen’s online poll.

During the month of December, we conducted four online polls, asking readers to vote on what was the biggest local story of 2018, who the local artist of the year was, who the local athlete of the year was and who the local newsmaker of the year was.

For the biggest local story of 2018, the Central Interior wildfires and evacuees was the clear winner, taking 57 per cent and 304 votes.

A distant second was the City of Prince George managers' wages and overtime policy, taking 30 per cent and 157 votes. The opioid, fentanyl crisis came in at eight per cent with 42 votes and last was the Prince George Spruce Kings banner and league final playoff run with five per cent and 28 votes.

The total number of votes cast by readers was 531.

Jack Grinhaus and Lauren Brotman, the writer/director and actress of Theatre Northwest's Hedda Noir, won the local artist of 2018 poll, taking 47 per cent and 195 votes. Shelby Meaney, the star of the Judy Russell productions Cabaret and Legally Blonde, took 32 per cent with 133 votes. Carla Joseph, for her Art Battle victory and her work with the Northern Indigenous Artist's Collective, took 17 per cent and 70 votes, while Andrew Burton, a CBC Poetry Prize finalist, took five per cent with 19 votes.

There was a total of 417 votes cast.

For local athlete of the year, Sarah Beaudry, a Winter Olympics biathlete, squeaked out the win.

Beaudry received 37 per cent and 130 votes over Stanley Cup winner Brett Connolly, with 36 per cent and 126 votes.

Slipping into the mix with 18 per cent and 64 votes was Jared Young, the Chicago Cubs minor league player of the year, while Ethan de Jong of the Prince George Spruce Kings took five per cent with 19 votes and Vasiliki Louka of the UNBC Timberwolves basketball team, took four per cent and 15 votes.

There were a total of 354 votes.

Connolly lost another close race for newsmaker of the year, finishing second with 38 per cent and 154 votes. Meany was the winner, hauling in 42 per cent and 171 votes. Kyle Sampson took eight per cent and 34 votes for his successful run for city council and his work for PWB spearheading the first Cariboo Rocks The North. Rounding out the newsmaker of the year category were Young (seven per cent, 29 votes) and Chief Dominic Frederick of the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation (five per cent, 20 votes).

There were 408 votes cast.

Remember, none of these surveys were scientific polls.

The first online poll of the new year is what would you most like to see happen in 2019.

Choose from: Justin Trudeau wins re-election bid; Justin Trudeau loses re-election bid; Donald Trump removed from office; Donald Trump remains in office; John Horgan calls a provincial election; or John Horgan doesn't call a provincial election.

To make your vote count visit www.pgcitizen.ca.