Duck Ramps, Rompers, Cone Weed: Patch’s Biggest Oddities Of 2017

CHARLOTTE, NC — Scrolling through our Charlotte area Patch sites, we found evidence that 2017 had some genuinely standout moments. Some of them made us giggle, some roll our eyes, and a few left us with our heads stuck in the clouds.

Below, we’ll look back at 2017 at some of the best stories featuring unique, heart warming and oddball moments from across the Patch network:

Washington Duck Ramp Irks North Carolina Lawmaker
When it came to the court of public opinion, a North Carolina lawmaker chose the wrong example as an example of wasteful government spending when he criticised a low-tech ramp to help ducklings in and out of the Capitol Reflecting Pool.

Rompers For Men: Charlotte Becomes Epicenter Of Summer Clothing Craze
When one thinks of male rompers -- you know, those one-piece ensembles that stirred major controversy across the land -- most would never associate it with a city known for buttoned-up bankers and NASCAR. Thanks to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, however, Charlotte became the unwitting fashion epicenter for the clothing craze this past summer. Thankfully, that moment has passed.

Fireball In The Sky: Meteor Streaks Across North Carolina
A meteor streaking across the night sky over South Carolina one April evening was spotted in surrounding states, including the Charlotte area, and generated a couple hundred phone calls from concerned stargazers and citizens, according to the American Meteor Society.

Total Eclipse 2017: Thousands Head To South Carolina For Big Moment
Patch took to the highway and joined columns of cars steadily pouring into South Carolina from back roads and interstates on Aug. 21, alongside other tourists ready to be "mooned" by the total solar eclipse passing through the Palmetto State. Our vantage point in downtown Newberry, S.C. did not disappoint, and our report even garnered a much appreciated love note from the town’s mayor.

NC Tar Heel Luke Maye’s Eyebrows Headed To Final Four
University of North Carolina freshman -- and Huntersville native -- Luke Maye instantly became a basketball legend this year when, in the final moments of the NCAA Tournament South Regional Final, he scored the winning shot over Kentucky, moving the Tar Heels to the Final Four. Then, his distinctively bushy eyebrows met Twitter. You can probably guess what happened next.

Drunk, Gun-Wielding 300-Pound Man In Kilt Pulled From Salisbury Roof
This past summer, a drunk 300-pound man wearing a kilt and tactical vest threatening to shoot people had to be pulled off a rooftop in Salisbury, N.C. with a fire department bucket truck. Go on, we dare you to try to resist clicking on the link.

Totally Nuts: Putter The Squirrel Has A Daily Ice Cream Habit
A fluffy tailed squirrel with an ice cream habit became a main attraction at a Holden Beach ice cream shop. This video is guaranteed to warm your heart, which might come in handy given the current arctic chill settling into the region.

'Cone Weed' Brings Out Holiday Spirit In North Carolina Town
The Christmas spirit came early this year in Huntersville, N.C., taking root on a strip of grass along the side of a back road. In perhaps what could go down as the smallest — and oddest — community holiday tree in the town's history, a weed growing through an orange traffic cone that steadily gained a following and, in the process, illuminated the heart of the community.

Photo via the Architect of the Capitol