Our neighborhood saw it all in 2017; tragedy bumped into excitement, but schadenfreude may have ruled the day. This #FBF, we look back at the 10 most-read online stories of the year.
Lisa Moya (formerly King) poses for a portrait at Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, on Oct. 6, 2015. (Photo by Danny Fulgencio)
A sure way to attract attention is to write about the East Dallas schools the neighborhood supports so well. Leadership transitions at Woodrow Wilson High School dominate our top 10 list, and the removal of the Woodrow dance teacher was the most read story of 2017.
Woodrow’s many principals also made for popular reads, and the exit of Steven Ewing after one year (and after he said the school was a perfect fit) made its way to many a smartphone. The story announcing his replacement, Roxanne Rodriguez-Cheek, from nearby Lipscomb Elementary, brought a sigh of relief.
The final school story to make the top 10 was the tale of how an unlikely source led Lee Elementary to its new name.
East Dallas is an area in real estate transition, and there are few things our readers like more than an opening or closing story. When Sugarbacon Proper Kitchen closed after less than a year in Lakewood, haters rejoiced and lovers lamented. The possibility of a six-story apartment complex on Oram to replace Teter’s Faucet Parts got everyone clicking, and a new retail and restaurant development at Garland Road near Easton piqued the interest of thousands of neighbors.
Three neighborhood institutions rounded out our most popular stories of the year. Nostalgia for the Moon Mansion on Haskell clocked in as the second most read story of the year, and the controversial change in Wilshire Baptist Church’s policies toward LGBT members intrigued many an East Dallasite.
Finally, the passing of neighborhood legend Vicki Thompson, who had her hand in nearly every Lakewood tradition that we love, caused neighbors to tear up. She will be missed.
Vicki Thompson laughing
