2017 Brought Indianapolis Patch And These Top Stories

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — It's been just over five months since Indianapolis, Carmel and Fishers Patch were launched to metro and suburban audiences. Depending on who you ask five months can seem like a short period of time, but for others they can seem like they were never-ending. Never-ending is a suitable way to describe the news myself and the Patch staff have brought you through these three Patches, while adding Noblesville and Zionsville Patches into our daily rhythm (if there is such thing as a 'rhythm' in news).

While you've gotten to know your local Patch these last few months, it's become a bit more evident Indianapolis Patch readers enjoy stories or content that's surprising - yet could happen to them. Okay maybe that's redundant. But what I mean by this is, yes the stories they read most did cause a few head shakes or wide-eyes, but these were pieces that involved - or could involve - ordinary people. Shockingly enough, I'm not talking about major crime stories either. Whether they were filled with appealing photos and features of Wow! Houses, video and details of a child who prevented a carjacking, alarming facts about a new snorting substance or a product we buy at the store, or an exciting list of upcoming events - you enjoyed these the most - and I thank you. I will take this into consideration for 2018, as I continue to appreciate the diverse interests and audiences surrounding Indianapolis Patch.

Christmas Day Champion:

9-Year-Old Boy Foils Indiana Carjacker With Pellet Gun: Recent headline-maker Larry Larimore basically said "not today!" to a man who was trying to carry out a robbery and carjacking of Larimore's dad's truck. If you didn't read the story, the video tells its own story. The young boy whipped out a pellet gun and aimed it at the suspect's - 32-year-old Ollie Dunn- head, who fled and took off in Larimore and his dad's friend's Chevrolet Trailblazer. A chase and phone call to police led to Dunn's crashing of the vehicle, and arrest.

Consuming Chaos:

The New Snortable Stimulant: Coco Loco: People were turning a blind eye to their daily cup(s) of coffee and were considering - or trying - a new snortable stimulant powder called Coco Loco. Because it's being marketed as a dietary supplement and not a drug, the FDA cannot regulate the product. But remember, coco powder and chocolate are normally consumed via mouth, not snorted through the nose.

Indiana Meijer Stores Recall Select Produce Due To Listeria Risk: Grocery shopping and cooking are a big part of the holidays, especially the week of Christmas and Thanksgiving. Meijer had to put a halt on select packaged store brand products sold in several state including Indiana, due to the products' containing apple slices possibly tainted with Listeria. The recall applied to all stores.

Community celebrations:

New Year's Eve Events Across The Indianapolis Area: You've enjoy seeing all the local and unique upcoming New Year's Eve events, and the popular 2017 Downtown Indianapolis Veterans Day Service, Parade. I've been happy to provide them for you. Here's to more in 2018.

City Providing Live Christmas Tree Disposal Sites: After all the celebrations are done and the decorations come down, here's where to bring your live trees - a list which gained a lot of traction and therefore hopefully these sites will see lots of recycled trees.

Wow! Houses:

Remember this Wow! House in Indianapolis? What about this one? Homes on the water or homes with vacation-style features seem to be favorites for readers, especially with the photos. During a year of big news, images and details of picturesque homes for sale outside of the downtown crowd can bring a nice break to the business of each day, and fascinating content to share with friends and family.

Let me know which pieces you liked best and would like to see more of in 2018. If you haven't yet, sign up for Patch's free daily newsletter and Like/follow the Indianapolis Patch Facebook page. It's your way to choose your news. I'd be happy to hear from you: rebecca.bream@patch.com

Thanks for an exciting 2017!

Photo credit: Kristin Borden