The year in review

Since Nov. 8, the CN&R has been consumed with coverage of the Camp Fire. As you’ll see in our annual year-in-review package, the firestorm bleeds into several categories of the biggest local stories, including homelessness and the housing crisis.

The devastation wrought by the fire—the deadliest and most destructive in California history—is the No. 1 story of 2018. After all, it’s why the president of the United States dropped into Butte County, first to Chico and then to Pleasure—ahem, Paradise—to survey the damage. It’s also likely to be a top story for years to come, as the communities scorched by the flames make strides on the difficult and complex rebuilding and healing processes.

Still, there were many other noteworthy headlines over the past year. Familiar themes rose to the surface: officer-involved shootings, Chico Scrap Metal and cannabis, among others.

As always, in addition to the top 10 stories of the year, we’ve also compiled a list of other notable stories and our popular “What were they thinking?” picks.

Happy reading!