2019 MI Recap: Snow Day Video Goes Viral, Amish Ubers Now A Thing

MICHIGAN — The year is winding down and as we head into 2020, there’s a lot that happened over the past 12 months that got us talking.

As we close out 2019, we’re looking back at some of the top headlines that readers reacted to - the news that put Michigan on the map nationally and the stories that made us feel - feel joy, feel angry, feel a sense of community. For various reasons, these are some of the stories readers were most interested in around Michigan.

Let’s recap year and see what 20 kinds of news had the state buzzing.

The inevitable news

So far, this winter hasn’t pummeled us. But let us not forget the massive winter storm that hit in the beginning of 2019, making it some of Michigan’s biggest news for the entire year last year. How big? Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency. Even the Detroit Zoo closed down.

The unbelievable

In the bizarre and frightening news that came out of Michigan in 2019, it was discovered in a state investigation that a daycare worker was stabbing kids with thumbtacks, sometimes while hugging them.

The big issues

Oftentimes hot topics on the national stage unfold right here in Michigan and that’s exactly what happened when ICE raided a Dearborn restaurant. Immigration officers didn’t get very far though.

The sensational stories

It’s a great thing when Michiganders go viral for all the right reasons. Remember when last year’s seemingly ordinary snow day turned into a day of YouTube gold? This school district lit up the internet with their fun announcement and we loved it.

The stories that made us proud of our own

This Metro Detroit native was doing big things in 2019. Check out the American beatboxing champion from Rochester Hills and the huge ambition he has in the works.

The unthinkable stories

This story was a parent’s worst nightmare when police said they found an Oakland County toddler had been living for several days with her mother’s corpse. Police suspected an overdose.

The outlandish

A Farmington Hills woman was the victim of a dog-napping during a walk last spring. Little 5-pound Hennessey was snatched up and driven away.

The stories that make us dream

We love a good real estate story to get us dreaming about our futures. It really got locals talking when Michigan’s real estate market produced a $7 million boat house. We also buzzed about Aretha Franklin’s house up for sale, Jack White’s mansion and Kid Rock leaving Detroit in 2019.

The news we didn’t want

Metro Detroit lost not one but two children to dog maulings this year. Together we mourned Emma Herndandez and 4-year-old Benjamin from Hazel Park.

The news that made us proud

Our local students and families often take center stage in community news and the students in Dearborn did just that with their holiday food drive. They collected more than 60,000 foodo donations for local families. Way to go!

The news that made waves

Vaccinations were a hot topic in Michigan as more than a dozen got sick with measles in Oakland County alone.

The news that warmed our hearts

Everyone got the feels when this kindergartner in Michigan invited his entire class to come to his adoption hearing in court. We love their tiny faces peering over the bench and handmade heart signs.

The news of those we lost

The Grosse Pointe community grieved when two young boys died in a house fire. Families all across the community set out hockey sticks and candles to honor the boys the nights after their death.

The stories that made our skin crawl

It happens every summer. A spider from our nightmares makes its way to Michigan and bites someone. This teen got the worst from a brown recluse. Let us also not forget the family who found this monster in a bag of grapes.

The news of an end of an era

Cobo got a new name. You either accept it or it will be Cobo forever. Don’t even get us started on the Pontiac Silverdome.

The new of those we honor

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell has worked all year to bring forth legislation that would honor the Abbas family, the local family with Dearborn ties that was tragically killed in a drunk driving crash while on vacation.

The stories that made us chuckle

Two words: Amish Uber.

The stories that made us rethink living in Michigan

A deadly mosquito virus swept the state this summer, with the sixth death announced by state officials this fall. It killed people, horses, dogs and wolves. There was also the news of the West Nile Virus making its way through Oakland County. Winter doesn’t seem so bad now.

The news from the Big 3

It was a tough year for auto workers. Thousands of Ford workers faced layoffs in 2019 as white collar workers lost their jobs during a company “redesign.” GM also had a smaller round of layoffs later in the year. Then, some 50,000 workers went on strike in news that swept the nation.

The news a majority of Michiganders waited for

Michiganders voted in recreational marijuana and by the end of 2019, the business is gearing up for what looks to be a successful run.

The Michigander who won the year

The Michigander of the Year award (if there was ever such a thing) just might go to Tyler Fisher of St. Charles. He caught a record-breaking bigmouth buffalo weighing in at 32.01 pounds and measuring 38 inches.