For better or worse, 2017 has been a monumental year. By now you've probably seen the commercials putting this year to rest--but not yet! We want to spend the final days of 2017 reminiscing on some of the stories that went viral here on the home front.
The launch of our community-fueled Wanna Know Idaho series gifted us with spunky questions that helped tell the stories of this place we call home. From passenger trains to freeways to holiday etiquette tips, we've thoroughly enjoyed using your voices to add color to our airwaves and we look forward to all your questions in the new year.
2017 brought the loss of a political icon in Idaho: Cecil Andrus. The news team here at Boise State Public Radio worked around the clock to curate archived audio and photos in an attempt to create an obituary that would do the former governor justice.
From there, we launched into the fall season with reporting on our quarterly news series, Legacy Of Hate. This four-part series followed the history of white supremacy groups in Idaho and the ripple effects they've created that still linger.
Some KBSX staff favorites from throughout the year have really taken us on an adventure. We tasted Idaho's famous finger steaks at many food joints in Boise claiming to be the best. We made a trip to the old mining town of Atlanta to watch a community rally together after a harsh winter to preserve its historic past. We even traveled west over the border to chase dust devils through the Oregon desert.
All in all, it's been quite the year. What were some of your favorite stories from 2017? Here's a list of the top 10 most-viewed stories on BoiseStatePublicRadio.org:
- (#10) Idaho Governor And Attorney General Threaten To Sue Trump Administration: No top 10 list would be complete without a political story, so here's this one from June when Otter and Wasden threatened to sue the Trump Administration if it did not end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
- (#9) Ada County Declares Disaster Ahead Of Weekend Storm, Boise To Focus On Downtown Snow Removal: We don't want to say anything to jinx the winter we're currently in, but it's not shocking to see this story on the list after last year's unprecedented snow.
- (#8) Instagram Dedicated To Memes Pokes Fun At All-Things Boise: If you're into memes and have yet to stumble upon this gem, well, you're welcome.
- (#7) Idaho Man Lands Near-Record Fish And An Even Better Story From The Boise River: They say seeing is believing, right? Well then check it out--this picture is worth ... 19.25 pounds.
- (#6) Traffic Tips For Navigating Idaho Eclipse: The only thing that may have attracted more media coverage than the actual eclipse itself was the anticipated traffic leading to and from the event. Scenes of backed-up highways in neighboring states ignited a fear in the Gem State that never really came to fruition.
- (#5) East Idaho City Ditches 'Worst Flag In North America': The 'Proud to be Pocatello' flag never quite captured the pride of the southeast Idaho city. At least not like the new one does.
- (#4) Boise State Professor Preps Towns For Once-In-A-Lifetime Eclipse: Reported back in February, this story really got out ahead of all the eclipse hype and paved a path of curiosity and interest that would ramp up in the months to come.
- (#3) Idaho Bucket List: The 75 Things All Idahoans Should Try (At Least Once): Ah yes, it was only a matter of time until this story appeared on the list. A resident of the top-performing statistics on our website, the Idaho Bucket List is a timeless story full of colorful ideas and adventures for Idahoans to try, both natives and transplants.
- (#2) The Things That Draw People To Boise (And What Pushes Them Away): Given the recent numbers from the U.S Census Bureau that make Idaho the fastest-growing state in the nation, it comes as no surprise that people might be Googling things related to an Idaho move now more than ever.
- (#1) Today Show Published An Eclipse Map That Skips Over Idaho. Wait, What?! This of course took off on social media as fellow Gem Staters couldn't decide if they should be upset Idaho was forgotten by national media yet again, or excited that perhaps no one would inundate the state for the celestial spectacle.
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