2024 Rewind: The year’s 15 most-read stories on TheRecordNorthShore.org
With another year coming in, let’s remember how we got here.
Fortunately, in a digital newsroom, we have quick access to recall the stories that impacted our community in 2024. From the good times to hard times, the tough discussions to the joint successes, The Record North Shore provided public-service reporting to keep you informed.
Relive the 15 most-read stories of 2024 on TheRecordNorthShore.org below.
The Record’s half-year investigation shed light on ongoing turbulence among management staff at the Wilmette Park District, as well as the fallout from one manager’s departure and death, which included internal guardrails placed around the executive director.
2. Jogger’s phone reportedly stolen at gunpoint in Wilmette (May 4)
An armed robbery in broad daylight stunned Wilmette earlier this year. By June, police had arrested two teenagers for the crime.
3. Iconic Winnetka home may face wrecking ball (April 3)
The fate of the grand Clement Stone Mansion is still up in the air and demolition is still on the table.
4. Car accident in North Carolina kills two, including Wilmette teen (April 9)
The news piece about the tragic death of a local teenager who was attending school on the East Coast. A few days later, we ran a tribute piece on RJ Fox.
Another tragic story of a young person’s death. Family and friends share their thoughts about Eileen Sheahan and her impact.
6. Wilmette commission not fine with Small Cheval’s sign (Jan. 12)
Readers were very interested in the progress of Small Cheval in 2024. This was the top story of a bunch, in which Wilmette’s appearance review commission requested a toned down version of the restaurant’s sign. It all ended well as the Village Board backed a scaled-down version in June.
7. Downtown Wilmette is about to re-Fuel (Dec. 11)
The most recent story on this list, we reported on an incoming Wilmette restaurant that is a like a spinoff of one that recently departed (see that story below).
8. How Wilmette turned its downtown into a dining hotspot and a community hub
With everyone (including other municipalities) enjoying and talking about downtown Wilmette’s activity, reporter Cleo Pool found out more about it, detailing the decisions, policies and moments that occurred to lead to the area’s growth.
9. Woman dies after sailboat capsizes in Lake Michigan near Winnetka, officials say (June 17)
A woman (later identified as Cristen Bolan) was pronounced dead after being pulled from the lake and transported to Montrose Harbor.
10. No more Fuel for downtown Wilmette (Sept. 10)
A note on the front window of Fuel was the first notice that the longtime Wilmette restaurant had gone out of business.
11. St. Francis spoils Loyola’s historic night under the lights in Wilmette (Sept. 14)
Loyola Academy football is a three-time state champ, so this one came as a shocker, especially on a historic night at their Wilmette stadium.
12. New Trier High School goes into ‘brief’ lockdown for student ’emergency’ (Sept. 5)
Police response to local schools get our antennae up. In this case, first responders assisted with an emergency that kept students and staff in place for a brief amount of time.
13. Newest One Winnetka project is all but done deal (March 24)
The much anticipated — and previously troubled — One Winnetka development received important public approvals early in the year. With the Village’s blessing, the project is set to begin demo and construction in 2025.
14. Vandalism, trespassing allegations intensify public-vs-private beachfront controversy in Winnetka (July 18)
A deep dive into a year’s worth of police calls related to the giant-sized construction site at 205 Sheridan, where a resident was ticketed for trespassing over the summer.
15. Attempted car theft leads to gunfire in Winnetka, police say (May 27)
This fast-developing story was a shocker on Sheridan Road. A homeowner exchanged gunfire with one of up to four burglary suspects in the middle of the night. The homeowner gave his firsthand account to The Record a few days later. The incident, though, remains under investigation and no arrests have been made.
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Joe Coughlin
Joe Coughlin is a co-founder and the editor in chief of The Record. He leads investigative reporting and reports on anything else needed. Joe has been recognized for his investigative reporting and sports reporting, feature writing and photojournalism. Follow Joe on Twitter @joec2319
The Record is a nonprofit, community news site from former editors of 22nd Century Media
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