2017 a busy year for stories in Yuma County

It’s tough to choose the Top 10, given all the news this year

Every year on Dec. 31, the Yuma Sun publishes the top 10 stories of the year for Yuma County, as selected by our newsroom.

It’s always fascinating to go back through the year and review the stories that had the biggest impact on our community.

In 2017, President Trump paid a visit to Yuma. And that story alone is tremendous – but also in 2017, Preston Strong was sentenced to death in the murders of six people on La Mesa Street.

There were a variety of bright spots, such as new businesses opening, a new city hall in Somerton, positive road construction projects, a new F-35 squadron at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and Z Fun Factory and Waylon’s Water World getting new owners. The USNS Yuma is now in service, Yuma unveiled plans for a new proposed downtown university, and Facebook tested a solar drone out at Yuma Proving Ground.

But there was sad news as well. Lives were lost to car crashes, Marines headed to Yuma for training were killed in a crash, and several prominent Yumans passed away, too.

Businesses closed their doors, a new minimum wage took effect, and there were a few high profile court cases this year.

After years of investigation, the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office finally learned the real name of a murder victim known only as Angel Baby.

And Yuma County was not immune to political turmoil either, with State Rep. Jesus Rubalcava and Sen. Steve Montenegro resigning, and State Rep. Don Shooter under investigation for sexual harassment allegations.

It was an exciting news year Yuma, and it’s hard to narrow it down to the top 10. What would you choose, readers? Let us know. Share your thoughts online at www.YumaSun.com, or send us a Letter to the Editor at letters@yumasun. com. And, be sure to pick up the Sunday edition of the Yuma Sun to see which stories made the top 10!

DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OR NOT?