The proof is in the numbers. People come to Inlander.com for a multitude of reasons — for hard-hitting journalism, reader-written rants and tips on what's happening this weekend. But when it comes to viral sensations, the stories generating the most clicks tend to involve elements of culture and conflict, injustice and outrage. At least that was true of what trended in 2018.
By Daniel Walters, 11/29/18
The story about Jeremy "Mr. Christmas" Morris and his epic battle with his Hayden, Idaho, neighbors over his outlandish Christmas light show quickly shot to the top of the charts.
2. "North Idaho man hurls racial slurs, profanity at teenagers getting ice cream at McDonald's"
By Mitch Ryals, 7/18/18
This actually involved another Hayden man, Richard Sovenski, who was charged with a hate crime after an incident under the golden arches. (Sovenski was recently found guilty of misdemeanor battery, but not the hate crime. See story on page 20.)
3. "In North Idaho, leaders brace for rapid population growth"
By Wilson Criscione, 1/11/18
The two previous stories about Idaho followed this January report detailing growth in the Gem State, largely driven by people leaving California and other Western states for Idaho's cheap cost of living and conservative politics.
4. "'Tweaker Blast' Facebook pages expose the ugliness of Spokane — in more ways than one"
By Daniel Walters, 9/6/18
The article detailed efforts on social media to shame and out homeless and vulnerable people and, in the view of organizers, sound the alarm about what's happening on Spokane's streets.
5. "How Spokane's downtown bar scene is reacting to a local chapter of Proud Boys"
By Samantha Wohlfeil, 11/29/18
We introduced Spokane to its new chapter of the Proud Boys, the controversial right-wing men's group, and how downtown businesses were grappling with their presence.
6. "Native American women go missing at shocking rates; these women want to change that"
By Samantha Wohfeil, 2/8/18
We spotlighted efforts to call attention to the missing and murdered indigenous women throughout the U.S. and Canada (using #MMIW).
7. "She worked for years to escape her past, but a routine letter from the police sent her back"
By Mitch Ryals, 5/14/18
The article detailed how one woman worked to turn her life around, only to have the horrors of a previous rape come rushing back.
8. "Local bar owner tells woman 'this isn't the immigration center,' then points toward the door"
By Mitch Ryals, 2/7/18
The story captured an ugly situation inside a Garland District bar.
By Daniel Walters, 10/31/18
The report dug into the attempted hacking of Fuse, the liberal advocacy organization that sent the Rachel Maddow Show an audio recording secretly taken from a Cathy McMorris Rodgers' fundraiser.
10. "After the 2018 Spokane Women's March was suddenly canceled, activists scrambled to resurrect it"
By Daniel Walters, 1/5/18
The story detailed how local activists rose to the occasion to save Spokane's Women's March.
