Signs point to 2025's top stories

This time of year always reminds me of my first professional job.

I graduated from Central Michigan University in December 1981 and started at the Pioneer the week between Christmas and New Years.

The Pioneer is in Big Rapids, about an hour from Mount Pleasant, home of CMU. I didn’t know anything about the town, other than a visit or two.

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I had two significant assignments right off the bat, both of top priority and both very timely:

— Write the Year in Review stories.

— Get liquor for the company's New Year's Eve party.

The second task I could do blindfolded, but the first one threw me for a loop. I began work on Day 360 of the year. Why am I writing the wrap-up stories?

Because I’m a punk rookie and that’s what ice-in-their-veins editors do to green reporters. I’m ready to tackle the journalism world and this guy has me poring over newspapers to read up on events that occurred while I was still partying through my senior year in college.

That task served two purposes. One, I became quite familiar with the county’s issues in a very brief time. Two, I declared I’d never write year-in-review stories like that ever again.

And I never did.

Here’s why: The year/review story is generally what newspapers do to fill up space as the year winds down. Other than breaking news, it’s quiet as a mouse on all the major beats. Well, we can’t just have big white splotches of nothing in the newspaper, so we’d fill it with year-in-review stories.

While I certainly understand the reasoning, I’ve always been conflicted with the concept. I get the idea of reminding folks what happened these last 12 months. What bothers me is how we decided the top stories.

See, what I learned at my first job is that a big story doesn’t sit in a vacuum. It has wings. It has legs. It takes on a life of its own.

And the really big stories, the ones that reach Story of the Year status, well, those should resonate well beyond the current year. That’s what makes a big story a big story…it continues, and its impact grows bigger.

Here’s an example. Dave Vincent being elected Sheriff was the 2024 Story of the Year, in my book. Nothing came close to that. The events that took place — two candidates dropping out to support a third — were unprecedented in Citrus County. The community gelled to defeat an incumbent who openly battled with citizens whose political affiliations differed from his.

How do we know that Vincent’s election was a big story, more than simply a historical snapshot? Let’s look at this year. He took office in January. Since then, I haven’t heard one single complaint about the sheriff or the way he’s running the agency.

Instead, Vincent STILL gets the biggest applause in any room, he’s the most sought-after speaker for community groups, he has an outstanding relationship with the County Commission, and he shows up in uniform at anti-Trump protests to make sure participants aren’t hassled. 

Vincent’s election was the 2024 Story of the Year because of how 2025 shaped up. His election will be felt for years, if not decades. It will change the way candidates run for office in 2026. Vincent’s one-community focus has many of us thinking the same way.

Now. You may totally disagree with my assessment of Sheriff Vincent, and that’s fine. Doesn’t change the fact that his election in 2024 and taking office in January is a very big story that continues to breathe.

Looking back these last 12 months, I have my favorites. Some are actual blogs, others are themes.

Before going there, though, I want your thoughts.

Normally, when newspapers ask readers to rank the year’s top stories, they provide a proposed list from which to choose. I’m not doing that. I’m leaving it totally open.

Just Wright Citrus readers are on the ball. You don’t need any prompts. 

What stood out this year? What occurred that you’ll point to and say, “See, this is when the trouble and/or good stuff started.”

Keep in mind my challenge. Top stories should have shelf life.

So, have at it. What’s your Citrus County 2025 review look like?

Have a jolly Monday, friends.

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