Apple Valley 2011 Year in Review: Eye-Catching Stories

Remember these stories from 2011? Some shocking, some touching, others bizarre or simply novel, they made readers look twice.

A Mexican gray wolf escaped its enclosure at the in June, and zoo staff shot and killed the wolf; discussion about how the incident occurred and its handling followed for many weeks. Blogger Dave Mindeman after the incident happened.

Brentyn Edwin Krueger was charged with felony theft for allegedly inhaling $1,800 worth of freon from neighbors' air conditioning units to get high. The story was picked up by regional and national media, and was included in a Saturday Night Live "Weekend Update" segment. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 21.

Apple Valley resident Kathy Ganzer got a big surprise when a wild turkey broke through her living room window and plopped down on the family's sofa.

Michael Richard Fessler was charged with misdemeanor mistreatment of an animal after he threw his wife's dog across a room, breaking its pelvis, after he said the dog repeatedly defecated indoors. Fessler was convicted of misdemeanor mistreatment of an animal in October.

Some unfamiliar wildlife wandered into Apple Valley in May, when three residents reported seeing a black bear in their yards.

Nate Johnson of Apple Valley proposed to girlfriend Jennifer Hudspeth, a South Dakota TV news anchor and Miss Minnesota 2007, while she was on air.

Another proposal: At the finish line of the Minnesota Zoo Tiger Tracks 5K, Stephanie Lubahn said yes to boyfriend Colin Macrafic's marriage proposal, and Apple Valley Patch was there to capture the moment.