The top 10 most viewed stories on CBC Hamilton in 2012
It's been a busy year for the city of Hamilton. From the passing of Hamilton icon Lincoln Alexander to groundbreaking research coming out of McMaster University, there was rarely a dull moment in Steeltown.
Here are the headlines that attracted the most readers on the CBC Hamilton website in 2012:
10. Hamilton dad takes school board to court over religion
Back in September, a Hamilton-area father took the public school board to court for allegedly failing to accommodate his Christian religious beliefs.
Steve Tourloukis, a local dentist and father of two, wanted the Hamilton-Wentworth District School board to give him advance notice of lessons, activities or materials that he deemed unfit for his kids.
This included lessons that conflicted with his views on marriage, family and human sexuality.
The board suggested Tourloukis homeschool his children if he didn't like the curriculum.
Read about it here.
9. Hurricane Sandy expected to bring rain, wind and flooding to Hamilton
Hurricane Sandy lashed Southern Ontario with rain and high winds in late October. Trees came down, basements flooded and winds gusted to almost 100 km/h in some areas.
Luckily, no one was injured, and the city was spared most of the brunt of the volatile weather.
To read more about the storm, click here.
8. Hamilton Y takes a shot at breaking basketball world record
Back in October, Hamilton YMCAs were part of a worldwide initiative called the World Hoops Challenge.
It was a worldwide event in which YMCAs in more than 80 countries came together to try and break the Guinness World Record for most people attempting shots on a basketball net.
The decision on whether they broke the record comes in January. Check out the story here.
7. McMaster study shows video games actually help eyesight
Your mom was wrong — not all video games are bad for you.
A study conducted by researchers at McMaster University indicates that playing first-person shooter games can help improve the eyesight of people with conditions like amblyopia or cataracts. CBC Hamilton spoke with Terri Lewis, a vision scientist who was part of the team that conducted the study in September.
To read what she had to say, click here.
6. McMaster researchers fighting cancer with viruses
In October, the Terry Fox Foundation made a donation to McMaster to help the university become part a nation-wide team studying how viruses could be used to treat different types of cancer.
Dr. Johnathan Bramson, director at the McMaster Immunology Research Centre, was floored by the promising preliminary results.
To read what he had to say, click here.
5. Lincoln Alexander, Canada's 1st black MP, dies
In October, Hamilton's Lincoln Alexander, Canada's first black MP, died. Linc was considered by many in the city to be a national treasure, and Hamilton mourned his passing during a state funeral held at Hamilton Place.
In 1968, Alexander became Canada's first black MP and he was re-elected in 1972, 1979 and 1980. He was the country's labour minister from 1979 to 1980 and served in the House of Commons until 1985.
That year, Alexander was appointed Ontario's 24th lieutenant governor. He held the post until 1991, focusing on youth and education.
Read more about the life of Lincoln Alexander here.
4. McMaster ranked 5th best university in Canada
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings included McMaster as the fifth best university in Canada when they were released in October.
"McMaster University has a strong performance across the board and is actually internationally recognized as one of the best universities in Canada," said Phil Baty, the editor of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
Read more right here.
3. Niagara Falls plunge survivor in stable condition
In May, a man became one of only four people to survive a plunge over Niagara Falls.
The man jumped of his own accord, and was dramatically rescued on Victoria Day.
Read about it here.
2. McMaster grad helps knit 2,500-foot sweater for airplane
The runner-up for most read story on CBC Hamilton in 2012 goes to Yarn Bomb Yukon, which knitted a giant sweater for a 70-year-old DC-3 airplane that rests outside the Yukon Transportation Museum.
Knitters from across North America sent in "granny squares" to make a form-fitting tea cosy to hug the close to 2,500-square-foot aircraft.
You can read about the undertaking here.
1. Hamilton band creates viral video sensation
And the No. 1 most-read story on CBC Hamilton in 2012 comes courtesy Young Rival, whose video for "Two Reasons" blew up on YouTube and Reddit back in October.
The video is a collaboration between the band and Michigan artist James Kuhn — who created a series of elaborate face-paintings set against the band's music.
The track is from the band's newest record, Stay Young. It's undeniably catchy — something that helped it along on its viral video journey.
Read the story behind the song here — and have a look at the video below.