Each year Performance Radio News leaves it up to you, our listeners, in deciding what story, what event, was the most significant in Huron and the surrounding area for the past year. In 2014, you left no doubt as to what was the biggest story of the year. An overwhelming 79-percent of listeners said the June 18th Jerauld County tornado outbreak was the 2014 Story of the Year. The single supercell thunderstorm produced an EF-2 tornado which sliced through the southeast side of Wessington Springs and an EF-4 tornado that leveled a farm southwest of Alpena. The National Weather Service confirmed at least 10 twisters from the storm….
Wessington Springs Mayor Melissa Mebius said on June 22nd, four days after the storm, her town wasn’t going down without a fight…
The second biggest story of 2014 was Dennis Meyer replacing Gary Will as Huron police chief with seven percent of the voting. Meyer was named chief on November 13th….
Third on the list was a fire at the Tailgate Restaurant in March that turned out to be criminally set. An arson investigation concluded two women with ties to the building were behind the crime. Both pleaded guilty to their respective roles. The Tailgate arson received six percent of listeners votes. Fourth was the South Dakota State Fair surpassing 200,000 visitors with three-percent and tied for fifth was the change in State Fair managers and the staged armed robbery of the North Star Corner pantry in January. Performance Radio News thanks everyone who took part in deciding the 2014 Story of the Year.