Nunatsiaq Online’s most clicked-on stories of 2012

Go on. Take another look. The launch of Nunavut’s new licence plate design March 6 generated our eighth most-read online story of 2012.

Our first news story on last year’s devastating rowhouse fire at Creekside Village in Iqaluit, which started Feb. 26 and continued for many hours into the early morning of Feb. 27, was our third most-read story of 2012. On Feb. 27, readers visited our site in record numbers to follow our coverage, generating 14,850 visits and 47,484 page views. (FILE PHOTO)

This picture, which Maggie Cruikshank of Akulivik posted on her Facebook page, became part of our most-read online story of 2012.

Which online news stories did Nunatsiaq News readers click on the most in 2012?

Get ready for some surprises.

As revealed by Google Analytics, here are the 10 online news stories that last year attracted the greatest numbers of readers.

1. Oct. 12: Nunavik woman recalls encounter with hairy bigfoot

Did she or didn’t she? After freelance contributor Justin Nobel interviewed Maggie Cruikshank of Akulivik about her encounter with a black, hairy bigfoot creature, online readers visited our site in droves. That made it not only the most-read story of 2012 by a wide margin — it’s our most-read story ever.

2. Nov. 30: Nunavut RCMP to charge 16-year-old boy with murder of young woman

Another Nunavut tragedy. Our second most-read story reported the laying of a first degree murder charge against a 16-year-old Igloolik boy in connection with the violent death of a 26-year-old woman.

3. Feb. 27: Fire destroys Iqaluit rowhouse block, scores evacuated

The third most-read story was the first of many generated by the devastating fire that began late in the evening of Feb. 26 at a rowhouse unit in Iqaluit’s Creekside Village. This story, along with others published Feb. 27, generated record numbers of visitors. On that date, 9,212 of you made 14,850 visits to our site, generating 47,484 page views.

4. June 4: Canadian North fires boozing Dash 8 pilot

The story reports the dismissal of a Canadian North pilot caught drinking and flying.

5. March 20: Igloolik man dead, Nunavut RCMP member injured after March 20 shooting

This story reported on a firearms incident that turned deadly.

6. March 18: Armed man shoots at two Nunavut RCMP members’ homes

In another dangerous firearms incident, a 22-year-old Kimmirut man was arrested after firing numerous rounds at two staff housing units occupied by RCMP members.

7. Oct. 19: Kingston police issue new request for help in finding missing Nunavut man

Readers in Nunavut and Ontario responded with grave concern when the Kingston police department sought information about the disappearance of a young Pangnirtung man who had been attending St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ont., but no avail. On Oct. 28, police identified a body found in the Cataraqui River near downtown Kingston as that of Ken Kilabuk, 23.

8. March 6: GN launches new license plate

Readers flocked to this online story, which reported on Nunavut’s new pastel-shaded licence plate — and in the story’s comment section, just about everyone said they hated it.

9. Feb. 29: Quebec newspaper articles outrage many Nunavik Inuit

Many Inuit reacted with anger when La Presse, the French-language Montreal daily, published a major exposé on Nunavik’s social dysfunctions. In the days that followed, Nunatsiaq News received permission from La Presse to translate the series of articles into English so that Nunavik and Nunavut readers could judge their content for themselves.

10. May 22: Arctic rivers add toxic mercury to the Arctic Ocean: new research

Of all the environmental stories we covered last year, this one attracted the most attention.

Honourable mentions

Here’s a list of five stories that didn’t quite make the top 10, but attracted large numbers of readers in 2012.

• April 16: Norterra executives tight-lipped about talk of First Air purchase

• April 19: Iqaluit hospital gunman held under Mental Health Act

• Sept. 28: Former Nunavik cop jailed 18 months for sexual assault

• Dec. 23: Six-month-old child dies in crash near Sanikiluaq airport

• Feb. 16: Nunavut’s Hope Bay: who killed the golden goose?