Picking the top news stories of the year for 2020 are pretty easy … COVID-19, COVID-19, COVID-19.
The coronavirus pandemic dominated everything in 2020. It is easily the top news story of the year. However, there were other things going on too. Provincially, the snap provincial election which saw the New Democrats returned to power with a healthy majority was at the top.
Locally, the problems at City Hall this year, highlighted by several massive cost overruns on capital projects dominated news later in the year. This of course, led to the city and former manager Kathleen Soltis parting ways.
However, thanks to Google Analytics, we can tell you which of our stories you read the most over the past year. Here goes:
- Bridge sabotaged along the Morice West Forest Service Road: In February, support beams on the Lamprey Creek Bridge were cut and bolts loosened.
- Police look to public for answers to strange incident north of Topley: In July, police responded to a strange call of a barefoot woman, who appeared to be soaking wet, walking out of the bush. She then got into a truck driven by a man and they drove off. It was never discovered who she was or why she was in the bush.
- Three northern hospitals designated as primary COVID-19 hospitals. In late March, University Hospital of Northern B.C. in Prince George, Mills Memorial in Terrace, and Fort St. John Hospital were designated as the northern health facilities where most COVID-19 patients would be treated.
- Northern Health area cases of COVID-19 spread across the region; more than 850 tests conducted: Amid calls for Northern Health to release specific data of which communities had COVID-19 infections in early April, Northern Health said the virus was spread across the region.
Dispute leads to driver using car to push vehicle off highway: In July, in a bizarre road rage case, the driver of a car used his vehicle to push a truck across Highway 97 near Houghtaling Road and into the ditch. The driver was subsequently been charged.- Rustad comments on Wet’suwet’en/Coastal GasLink issue: In January, frustrated by a CBC interview which, he says, didn’t cover all his points, Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad commented on the issue, which was resulting in blockades across the country. He talked about when he was minister that Wet’suwet’en chief rebuffed every effort the provincial government made and that he had received a report that protestors had weapons caches and were expecting a confrontation.
- BC Hemp announces plans to build a bioethanol plant, bio-fuels facility, and ethylene plant in Prince George: BC Hemp announced its ambitious plans in May and that it had secured the 300-acre site in the BCR Industrial site at West Coast Olefins had abandoned.
- Northern Health currently has 16 adult critical care ventilators; 57 beds that are ventilator available: In March, Northern Health scrambled to ensure it had enough critical care facilities for an expected surge of COVID-19 patients.
- Have symptoms? Get tested for COVID-19: In April, Northern Health encouraged residents to do just that.
- Family and friends of Prince George resident diagnosed with ALS initiate fundraising effort in support of treatment: In December, we told you about Pat Caden who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease and the fundraising effort to help the 42-year-old father.
