From major flooding to a creepy clown citing and a heartbreaking story about a missing service dog, here are the Top 10 most-read web stories on windsor.ctvnews.ca in 2016.
A state of emergency was declared in both Windsor and Tecumseh after heavy rain wrecked havoc, causing roads and basements to flood. Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens declared a state of emergency because of flooding on Sept. 29. Soon after, Tecumseh mayor Gary McNamara also declared an emergency. Tecumseh officials say 190 millimetres of rain fell in the area in less than 24 hours.
2. Teen shares story of scary clown chase
A creepy clown in Essex has a teenager and his family on edge. It's an epidemic of scary clown sightings, first across the U.S., now Windsor-Essex residents are taking to social media to log local sightings, including an Essex teen. Kevyn Tousignante, 15, told CTV News two clowns chased him and a friend out of Big Hill Park on Oct. 7.
3. Tornadoes touch down in LaSalle and Windsor
Two powerful tornadoes rocked LaSalle and Windsor on Aug. 24, and fortunately no one was seriously hurt. Shortly after 7 p.m., first witness reports of a tornado came across social media. The City of Windsor also says they received reports of a tornado around 7:10 p.m.
4. Missing service dog found dead
An Ottawa family lost of their beloved service dog after it went missing in Essex County and was found dead. Jackie Hicks posted the news on Facebook on Oct. 16. “My heart breaks. With sadness I write that Sasha has crossed over the rainbow bridge. I am very sad to say she was hit by a vehicle probably two days ago and didn't make it,” said Hicks in the online post.
5. Ontario girl calls 911 saying she was forced to go on vacation with parents: police
Police have issued a stern warning to an Ontario teenager who called 911 saying she had been forced to go on vacation with her parents. Provincial police say a 15-year-old girl from Mississauga, west of Toronto, called the emergency line last Tuesday (Aug. 16) while at a rental cottage in Trent Hills, near Belleville.
6. University of Windsor student dies in Rankin Ave fire
A 19-year-old University of Windsor student has died following an early morning fire on Rankin Avenue. There was little left of the home at 227 Rankin Ave., after fire broke out around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.Neighbours say the home was fully engulfed and flames were shooting out from all around it.
7. Outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease
A scare for many parents in Windsor Essex, as there’s been an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease at a number of area daycares. The Windsor Essex County Health Unit has no details on how many children and which daycares are affected, because it is considered a non-reportable disease.
8. Family physician allegedly killed by her husband is originally from Tecumseh
A family doctor allegedly killed by her husband is from Tecumseh. On Dec. 2, Mohammed Shamji, 40, was arrested and charged at a coffee shop in Mississauga, a day after the body of Elana Fric Shamji, also 40, was found by a roadway north of Toronto, police said.
9. Windsor police investigating after video shows girl being bullied
Windsor police say they have identified the group of teens involved in a video showing a girl being bullied that has been circulating online. A teenage girl attended Windsor Police Headquarters with a family member to reported that she was a victim of an assault which occurred on Nov. 8, at about 5 p.m., in the 4800 block of Wyandotte Street East.
10. Minivan driver dies in fiery crash in west Windsor
A 35-year-old man died after a multi-vehicle crash in Windsor’s west end on Aug. 28. The fatal collision that took place at 11 p.m. Sunday at Sandwich Street and Prince Avenue. The mother of the man who died was at the crash scene on Monday morning. She says her son, Gerry Cloutier, was a cautious driver.
