Some headlines from 2016 that I forgot

Mark White is Editor of The News Journal.

Ever wonder why newspapers, television stations, magazines and other forums run end of the year reviews and top 10 lists around New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day each year? There are actually a few different reasons.

One BIG reason is that the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day traditionally is a slow one and this helps us fill space or airtime or whatever the case may be. (It’s one of those things we aren’t supposed to admit though so don’t tell anybody…LOL.)

Of course, another reason is that it’s interesting to go back and reflect on the events of the past year. As I flip back through each issue of the year starting in January, I’m always amazed at how much stuff went on that I forgot about through the course of the year.

Here are a few examples of some headlines that I had pretty much forgotten occurred when I started putting together our top 10 list recently and these didn’t even make the final cut this year.

• Two professional kayakers go over Cumberland Falls – March 16 edition.

• Officials believe squirrel that attacked two CMS students caught – March 30 edition.

• Woman rescued from burning home – April 6 edition.

• Same sex partners sue to get new birth certificate – May 11 edition.

• Road department helps rescue trapped dog – June 22 edition.

• Report: Whitley at high risk for HIV outbreak – June 29 edition.

• Naked man hit by train told police he had ‘done some ice’ – July 13 edition.

• Kitten rescued by firefighters, towing service worker – Aug. 3 edition.

• Jail minister accused of smuggling contraband – Aug. 24 edition.

• W’burg man indicted for stealing lawyer’s truck – Sept. 21 edition.

You get the idea.

Our sports editor, Trevor Sherman, is running his top 10 list in sports this week, and you will be viewing our top 10 list for news in next week’s edition of the News Journal.

Now for a few other thoughts before I conclude this column.

• One sad thing that always comes up when I work on the year in review is remembering people that passed away during the year. We lost a lot of good people in 2016. Williamsburg lost two former police chiefs in Chuck Davis and Russell Jones. Whitley County High School JROTC founder Sgt. Starling Powers, and Calvary Missionary Baptist Church founder Fred Powers are two others, who passed away in 2016. I was proud to call all four of these gentlemen friends.

• Came down with a relatively minor, but annoying infection last week. The only good thing I can say about getting sick around Christmas time is that it keeps one from gaining so much weight around the holidays.

• The last few years my wife and I have been the ones hosting Christmas dinner for both of our families. We usually do my family on Christmas and her family a few days later. When the host encourages you to take home all the leftovers you want, I can assure you that they mean it. It is fewer leftovers that we have to eat the next day and the next day.

• One great thing to look forward to in 2017, no presidential election.