Top 10 stories as chosen by the people who matter … you!
Observing the tradition of hometown newspapers across the country and across the decades, the Reporter looks back at the top stories from 2021 as we close out the year. This time, we let our readers decide which stories mattered the most. The following list was compiled from our website, ReadTheReporter.com.
In the spirit of Hoosier native David Letterman, we are counting down our Top 10 list from No. 10 to No. 1.
– 10 –
The 10th most-read item on our website this year was a June 26 column by Scott Saalman entitles “Joe Aaron is dead, and I don’t feel so good myself.” Now here’s a guy who reminds us of that box of chocolates simile from Forrest Gump: you never know what you’re going to get. Scott sometimes gives us high comedy, sometimes he tugs the heartstrings and brings a tear to the eye, and sometimes he pushes the envelope so far it annoys people. And that, dear readers, is exactly the way a good columnist should be. You can revisit his most read column of the year at tinyurl.com/HCR22web10.
– 9 –
Number 9 is a sad moment in the County’s history this year, when Hamilton Southeastern High School Student Jake Reibel, 16, died in a single-vehicle accident on Interstate 94 near Chicago in February. We would prefer not to have tragic news on this list, but it was a story that generated an outpouring of community support. You can read the full story at tinyurl.com/HCR22web9.
– 8 –
The 8th most read story dates back to January when Old Town Companies construction began on the parking and residential project on the west wide of the White River in Noblesville. Called “The Village at Federal Hill,” this project was reporter to be bringing 118 apartments, with 90 parking spaces set aside for residents and 210 space for public use. You can read all about it at tinyurl.com/HCR22web8.
No. 8 story on ReadTheReporter.com: The Village at Federal Hill will consist of two apartment buildings, a parking garage, a restaurant, and office space. (Rendering provided by Old Town)
– 7 –
Coming in at number 7, we had an exploration of how Indiana’s property taxes compare to other states across the country. The article included a breakdown of the state’s property tax data showing that 12.3 percent of the state’s general tax revenue comes from property taxes. You can read the whole story at tinyurl.com/HCR22web7.
– 6 –
In 6th place we have another column, this time by Sylvia Gordon, which explores one of the many frustrations with Medicare plans. Sylvia does a fine job of untangling these topics for our readers, but this particular one resonated with more people than any of her others have this year. You can read all about it at tinyurl.com/HCR22web6.
– 5 –
Number 5 comes from our news-gathering partners at WISH-TV Channel 8’s reporter Jasmine Minor, when she looked into what you need to know about Indiana’s permitless carry law. As of July 1, 2022, Hoosiers who are eligible to purchase a gun in Indiana no longer have to apply for a license to carry a firearm. Read all the details at tinyurl.com/HCR22web5.
– 4 –
Number 4 gets Fishers back on this list, this time with some good news. American Structurepoint earned the Grand Project Award for engineering excellence from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Indiana for the State Road 37 and 126th Street interchange project in Fishers. This particular project was part of the larger plan to relieve traffic congestion along the SR 37 corridor in Hamilton County. Well done on the award, and thanks for less traffic frustrations all along that road! Read more at tinyurl.com/HCR22web4.
– 3 –
Number 3 is about a different kind of apartment development in Carmel. Back in January we had a story about “North End,” Carmel’s first apartment housing community that integrates a dedicated portion of apartments for residents with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Completion is scheduled for fall of 2023. Read all the details at tinyurl.com/HCR22web3.
– 2 –
The second most popular item on our website this year was from our old friend Gregg Montgomery at WISH-TV, when he brought our readers the news that the Santa Tour was going to continue, as it did during the pandemic, in place of the traditional Christmas parade in downtown Noblesville. Mayor Jensen and his staff later announced they would bring the Santa Tour through the traditional parade route, though with some changes. You can read Gregg’s original article at tinyurl.com/HCR22web2.
– 1 –
And our No. 1 most popular story of 2021 is … Paul Shaffer, can you give us a drum roll please? …
In early August we visited the Dairy Queen at 798 S. 10th St. for their last weekend of operation, as did countless people from across the county. That was the last location in the county offering Dilly Bars and Buster Bars that were made on-site, rather than being shipped in from somewhere else, and people flocked to the store to get as many as they could. That last blast of community support for the place that held so much nostalgia for so many was truly a sight to behold. You can read all about it at tinyurl.com/HCR22web1.
No. 1 story on ReadTheReporter.com: In August, Reporter Publisher Stu Clampitt visited the Noblesville Dairy Queen – famous for its hand-dipped Dilly Bars – before it was demolished to make way for the new Pleasant Street. (Reporter photo by Stu Clampitt)
Social media followers’ picks
We know not all our readers find us on our website. A growing number prefer to get just the highlight from social media in bite-size bits and then click for the full story if they are interested enough or have the time in our now-hectic world for the deeper details. The following are stories behind the top posts on our social media account this year.
– 10 –
The Hamilton County Reporter named Westfield junior Samantha Brown as its 2022 Girls Golf Player of the Year, and thousands of people read the story. Well done, Brown. You can read all about it at tinyurl.com/HCR22social10.
– 9 –
In July, The Reporter wrote a little story about Ernie Taylor, a 94-year-old man living just across the county line on SR 32 westbound. Ernie has a large yard filled with hundreds of sculptures, and he told The Reporter he was having a bit of trouble maintaining that lifetime of work. As soon as that story hit the page, the community responded in a huge way. A social media group of Westfield women started pushing the idea of helping Ernie, and the next thing we knew, CertaPro Painters of Indianapolis was organizing volunteers, Sherwin Williams was donating paint, and 200 folks showed up to repaint everything they could in one day. Read our original story at tinyurl.com/HCR22social9a, and see the what true volunteerism looks like at tinyurl.com/HCR22social9b and tinyurl.com/HCR22social9c.
– 8 –
We all know Janet Hart Leonard is a great columnist, but when she tried her hand and straight news reporting this year, she hit the top 10 list with her article on Jane McFarland’s return to Noblesville First Methodist Church for an evening of song and sharing memories. Read all about it at tinyurl.com/HCR22social8.
– 7 –
Coming in at number 7 is a story about how Hamilton County Parks addressed the critical deficiency of parkland in Hamilton County, as defined by Indiana DNR, by acquiring land for one new park and will further develop one of its existing parks. Read more at tinyurl.com/HCR22social7.
– 6 –
Our friends at WISH-TV Channel 8 brought us the 6th most popular story we shared on social media in 2022. Noblesville High School Senior Sammy Dohnert is interning at Reggie’s Motorworks in Noblesville, and she’s loving every minute of it. Read more at tinyurl.com/HCR22social6.
– 5 –
At number 5, in October we had the story of how Carmel Police Department’s K9 Jax got his bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Read more at tinyurl.com/HCR22social5.
– 4 –
The announcement that there would be no traditional Christmas parade inspired editorial cartoonist Tim Campbell to put this little panel together, and oh, did the community ever respond. There was love for the humor, there was anger, there was consternation, and there were phone calls to the publisher. Thanks, Campbell. Well done!
– 3 –
At number 3, the headline was, “From Sheridan High to the Moon, Macy Mullen may help us get there.” With the massive reach this post had, we are thinking she might take this little newspaper there, too. Read about how Sheridan graduate Macy Mullen contributed to the success of the Artemis I launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla., at tinyurl.com/HCR22social3.
– 2 –
Coming in at number 2, the Nickel Plate Express took riders on a ride back to the 1920s for a murder mystery dinner theater experience in October. The ride sold out quickly and almost immediately, people started asking when the next one would take place. (Hint: it’s in February, it will take you back to the glorious and strange time knowns as the 1980s, and you can find an ad to get tickets in every Wednesday through Saturday edition of The Reporter). Read all about a 1920s murder on rails at tinyurl.com/HCR22social2.
No. 2 story on social media: (From left) Movie flimflam man Eddie Fitzwarren, madame Holly Fitzwarren, jewel thief Ruby Keyhole, call girl Betty Jean Call, occasionally deceased entertainer Gloria Call, killer reporter Franklin Fontano, club owner Eugene Williams and the hostess with the mostest Emily Reynolds. Everyone is pointing at the killer, who seems surprised to see Gloria alive again at the end of the night. (Reporter photo)
– 1 –
And our number one social media post of the year was about how Deputy Dunn gives a hoot. No, it’s not a pollution PSA, it’s a short little piece about an animal control officer saving an injured owl, complete with a photo. Well done, Dunn. Read more at tinyurl.com/HCR22social1.