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This New Year's Eve, as the year comes to a close, we decided to do something different to look back at the biggest Utah stories of the year--we let you, the viewers, vote for the Top 10 Stories of 2010.
Number10:
A Chevron oil pipeline that crosses Red Butte Creek leaked not once, but twice. In June a 800 barrel leak contaminated the waterway down to Liberty Park. The second leak, which took place four weeks ago, caused less damage but rekindled community anger.
Number 9:
Twenty five years after he was sentenced to death, Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed by firing squad. Gardner murdered attorney Michael Burdell during a failed escape attempt at the old Metropolitan Hall of Justice in Salt Lake City in 1985.
Number 8:
A Layton woman was accused of murdering her own children. Sun Cha Warhola faces two counts of aggravated murder after police found her 8-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter strangled to death in a bedroom.
Number 7:
A list of 1,300 supposed illegal immigrants was released to the public in July, raising fear among immigrants. Two state employees are accused, others are under investigation.
Number 6:
In a summer of conference shuffling, the University of Utah and Brigham Young University bolted from the Mountain West Conference. BYU went independent and the U headed for the newly-named PAC-12.
Number 5:
In February, a pesticide technician treated a Layton home for a vole infestation. Four-year-old Rebecca Toone and her 15-month-old sister Rachel died less than three days later. Investigators determined the technician applied large amounts of pesticide too close to the home.
The company agreed to fines; the technician faces two counts of negligent homicide.
Number 4:
It was a dangerous year for law enforcement. In January, Millard County deputy Josie Greathouse Fox pulled over a drug suspect and was shot and killed.
In April, Sevier County Sgt. Franco Aguilar tumbled over a 250 foot bridge and died while helping a motorist.
In June, Bureau of Indian Affairs officer Joshua Yazzie rolled his patrol car and died.
In August, Kane County deputy Brian Harris was shot and killed chasing a burglary suspect.
Last month, Utah State park ranger Brody Young was shot by a man in a Grand County parking lot just outside of Moab.
Number 3:
Shooting practice at Camp Williams sparked the Machine Gun Fire that scorched 43 acres above Herriman. It forced mass evacuations and destroyed three homes. The National Guard accepted the blame.
Number 2:
In May, police searched for 4-year-old Ethan Stacy, reported missing in the middle of the night by his mother and step-father. Their story unraveled and police later say Nathan Sloop beat and tortured the boy for days, while his mother Stephanie did nothing to stop it.
The newlyweds were charged with killing Ethan and burying him up Ogden Canyon.
The Number 1 story of 2010:
Elizabeth Smart finally got justice. Eight years after he kidnapped Smart and held her captive for nine months, a federal jury convicted Brian David Mitchell. Mitchell will be sentenced in May. Smart returned to France to finish her LDS mission.
E-mail: jboal@ksl.com
