Western News Story of the Year

The Western News staff has reviewed the leading news stories of 2012 and come up with a list. We would like you, our readers, to vote for the top news stories of the year. In the Dec. 31 edition, we will review the Top 12 stories of 2012. Here’s the list:

• Water rights: the concerns about striking a deal with the Tribes.

• New potential sawmill.

• Veterans Memorial/Park Committee sometimes contentious relationship

• District 4 to ask for mill levy for $350,000

• Hotel Libby gets historic status

• Stinger series: The ongoing unraveling of this private enterprise that took $17 million.

• New hospital construction begins

• Gloria Sprinkle’s saga after her 19-hour standoff with police

• Mort Curtiss saga

• Port Authority wins $10M judgment from mill fire

•  Forest Plan update

• Bonifas fatal shooting

• Sam Haley Rose anti-Montanore stance and subsequent arrest

• Welch kills husband Dec. 7, 2011, but year-long case. Trial is Feb. 19.

• Kinniburgh murder-suicide

• Cabinet View Volunteer Fire Department dissolution

• Montanore Mine — continuing struggles to get certified as a mine site

• Unsolved killing of Ernest Cleon Judd in the Yaak

• Mayor Don Banning of Troy is recalled

• Mike Cole is elected as new commissioner

• Riverfront Park rebirth