As a year ends and another begins, it’s human nature to examine what occurred over the previous 12 months. Here at NBC 7 we do this as well.
What happened in San Diego in 2015? What captured our attention and yours.
So we decided to select our most captivating stories by measuring how much time our readers, on average, spent on each story. The more time you spent on a story this year, the higher up the list the story appears.
Without further ado, here are the top ten local stories that captivated our readers in 2015...
1. 29 Dogs Meant For Slaughter Arrive in San Diego
Images: 29 Dogs Meant for Slaughter Arrive in San Diego
Twenty-nine dogs meant for slaughter in South Korea arrived in San Diego on Sept. 17 after being saved as part of a Humane Society International rescue effort. The dogs, mostly aged 1 to 2 years old, had been slated to be killed in the Korean dog meat trade. Read the full story here.
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2. Sisters Hugged Before Dying in Crash
Two sisters were killed in a crash on Interstate 805 in San Diego in late November and one witness said he saw the pair hug moments after their car spun out, just before another vehicle hit their stalled car. Read the full story here.
3. Claps Fill Courtroom as Man is Sentenced to 247 Years for Murder
Applause erupted from the gallery of a San Diego courtroom in early November as a man was sentenced to 247 years behind bars for the murder of a Linda Vista man killed in his home two years ago.
“You’re a criminal. You’ll never see the light of day again,” a judge said to Joseph Anthony Hill, 46, the man found guilty in the murder of Sean O’Toole. Read the full story here.
4. Single-Engine Piper Plane Towing Banner Crashes on Carlsbad Beach
A single-engine Piper PA18 banner-towing plane crashed into a Carlsbad beach, narrowly missing beachgoers spending their Sunday by the shore. When the plane experienced a loss of engine power, it went down, flipping over and becoming partially submerged. Read the full story here.
5. Heavy Rain, Flooding as Sunday Storm Sweeps Through San Diego County
[G] Heavy Rain Causes Flooding in San Diego: Images
A heavy summer storm in July prompted a flash flood warning for parts of San Diego County. Thunder and lightning coated many parts of San Diego, and NBC 7 viewers sent in their captivating photos of the weather. Read the full story and see the photos here.
6. Amber Alert Issued for Missing 4-Year-Old
San Diego Police issued an Amber Alert for missing 4-year-old Wesley Hilaire, who they believed was abducted near Mission Bay in the early hours of a September Sunday morning. After hours and hours of combing through the area, police found the boy's body 100 yards off the shore in what appeared to be an accidental drowning. Read the full story here.
7. 2015 Opening Day Hats Contest
[USE] 2015 Opening Day Hats Contest
Big flashy hats were everywhere during Opening Day in Del Mar on July 16, one of summer's most anticipated events. NBC 7 captured some of the season's best at the NBC 7 Opening Day Hats Contest. See photos of the hats here.
8. Dramatic Photos of California's Drought
[SD] Dramatic Photos of California's Drought
2015 marked the fourth year of California's severe drought, and evidence of the drought could be seen in all corners of California. More than 97 percent of the state is now under some type of drought category. See some of the photos of the impact of the drought here and find our special California Drought section here.
9. Family Car Slammed by Wrong-Way DUI Suspect, 2 Killed
Two people were killed along Interstate 15 early one May morning when a wrong-way suspected DUI driver plowed into a car carrying a family of five near Scripps Ranch. One of the people killed in the crash was a mother who had been terrified of dying in a car crash. Read more on the tragic story here.
[G-2015] Celebrities Hit Comic-Con
The annual San Diego International Comic-Con 2015 brought costume-clad fans, gatherings, behind-the-scenes looks and, of course, celebrities, to San Diego for the popular convention. From Jennifer Lawrence to Jamie Lee Curtis to Will Smith to Ben Affleck, there was no shortage of star-studded appearances at the Con. See the celebrities who spent time in our city here.
11. Shots Fired in Bankers Hill, Residents Shelter in Place in 5-Hour Standoff: SDPD
A relentless shooter armed with a high-powered rifle terrorized a San Diego neighborhood in mid-November, opening fire on police officers and bringing air traffic to a halt before ultimately being taken into police custody. Read the full story here.
Do you remember one of our local stories that captivated you? Share it with us below in the comments.
