The “Real” top local news stories of the year

Our local daily newspaper has published its list of the top local news stories of the year.   As usual, the paper concentrated on law breakers. lawsuits and state issues.

Here are the real “local” news stories of 2012 – – in no particular order.

Of course the election was the top story.   We’ll let others comment on the national stuff, we’ll talk about the local election news.

Cathy Wolfe and Sandra Romero retained their county commission seats despite good efforts on the part of their opponents.   Just goes to show that you can’t defeat an incumbent Democratic woman in Thurston County.

Lets not forget that we had a local angle on the state election.   Thurston County Auditor Kim Wyman was elected Secretary of State, becoming the first Republican woman elected to a statewide office.  She’s also the only Republican statewide office holder anywhere on the West Coast.

Another top story was the Olympia Planning Commission’s efforts to take our shorelines back to the stone age by doing away with all development within eye sight of the water.  I can’t believe I’m saying this – but thanks to the moderation of the Department of Ecology, the City of Olympia has been able to come up with a more “reasonable” measure.

There have been rumors for months that some cities in California have been emptying their jails of miscreants and buying them bus tickets to head north.  Some recent findings by law enforcement have found some truth to that rumor.

While we’re on the top stories of the year, lets not forget our little friend the Mazama Pocket Gopher whose listing as an endangered species will create havoc among south county property owners.

And, lets not forget the weather.  We started 2012 with a major snow, ice and wind storm.   Then it rained for 200 days and 200 nights until late in  August when we started an 86 day drought.  Just normal Washington weather.

I’m sure you can come up with your own top stories, but these are mine.