Spy Ships, Blue Moon: Top Stories of January

This past month, Patch readers in the Charlotte and Lake Norman area were most curious about NASCAR, spy ships and blue moons. They were captivated -- and for a few days, held captive by -- a winter storm that dumped as much as 6 inches throughout the region, and kept schools closed for three days. Then there was the news about Elton John’s forthcoming visit, a brazen ambush of officers as they stood outside a police station, and so much more.

Here are the articles that Patch readers were most interested in last month:

• NASCAR: 6 Things To Look For In 2018 Season: A new year means there's a brand new NASCAR season looming, right around the turn in the track. In many ways, not much has changed for the motorsport that began as a way to showcase the driving prowess of Southern moonshine bootleggers in the late 1940s.
• Russian Spy Ship Spotted 100 Miles Off NC Coast: Russian espionage became an up-close reality this week in the Tar Heel state after a Russian spy ship was spotted about 100 miles off the North Carolina coast. The ship, named the Viktor Leonov, is equipped with spy gear aimed at intercepting communications signals and was seen in international waters about 100 miles southeast of Wilmington, according to a CNN report.
• Snow Possible In Charlotte As Governor Declares State Emergency: North Carolina's governor declared a state of emergency for the eastern portion of the Tar Heel state Wednesday as Winter Storm Grayson began making its presence known along the Carolina coast.
• See Super Blue Moon Turn Red Plus Lunar Eclipse View In NC: For the first time in more than a century, a blue moon, supermoon and total lunar eclipse "blood moon" will happen on the same day. That celestial trifecta will happen in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Jan. 31. Whether North Carolinians will be able to see the lunar eclipse, especially, and the supermoon depends on where you live and the local weather forecast.
• Farmer’s Almanac: More Winter Weather Ahead For NC: North Carolina has endured its share of brutally cold temperatures and snow storms this winter. But with the recent mild temperatures and ample sunshine of late, the worst is likely behind us, right? Not so fast, say the folks at The Farmer's Almanac, who say winter isn't done with us quite yet.
• Elton John 2018 Farewell Tour: NC, SC Dates: Elton John, perhaps one of the most iconic pop stars in the world, will soon embark on what will be his last concert tour, he announced Wednesday. But for his fans in the Carolinas, there is reason to celebrate. The Rocket Man has scheduled dates in North Carolina and South Carolina.
• North Charlotte Domestic Shooting Leaves Sheriff’s Deputy Dead: A homicide investigation is underway after a Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office deputy was shot and killed in an incident involving his wife, who is also a MCSO deputy, in north Charlotte Monday afternoon in what Charlotte police are describing as a case of domestic violence.
• Armed Murder Suspect Shoots CMPD Officer Outside Police Station: The murder suspect at the center of a regional manhunt was shot and killed late Thursday night after he attempted to ambush police at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Headquarters in uptown, shooting one officer in the leg.
• 2018 Income Tax Season: Filing Begins In North Carolina: North Carolina taxpayers can submit their Federal tax returns starting Monday, Jan. 29, and officials are warning employers and payroll staff about Form W-2 phishing scams.
• Traffic Accidents Pile Up In Charlotte Metro Area: Charlotte police responded to nearly 200 traffic accidents, by 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, more than double the number of accidents reported on a typical day, the department said as it advised area residents to stay off the road.

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Photo: Russian warship Viktor Leonov enters the bay in Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, March 24, 2015. The Russian warship, one of the fleet's Vishnya-class ships generally used for intelligence gathering, was docked in the harbor Tuesday, coinciding with a visit to Cuba by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)