DALLAS — Dallas-Fort Worth was certainly not wanting for major stories in 2023.
No, we had plenty to pick from this year. From historic World Series victories to winter weather that ground the region to a halt, our news coverage really ran the gamut in 2023.
Now, as we prepare to turn the calendar to 2024 and look back upon the year that was, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 stories our readers most clicked upon in 2023.
Join us in counting our coverage down below.
10. Prosper woman says she went into sepsis before she could get lifesaving abortion care
Date: December 14
Synopsis: Kristen Anaya and her husband Stephen went through two long rounds of IVF before she finally got pregnant. Then, suddenly, at 16 weeks, Kristen lost nearly all her amniotic fluid. Doctors told Kristen they needed to deliver her baby to keep her alive. But her child still technically had a heartbeat, and under Texas’ strict abortion laws, Kristen said doctors told her they had to wait.
9. $2 bill goal viral for fetching thousands in auction
Headline: "Heritage Auctions flooded with calls after news of two-dollar bill sold for thousands goes viral"
Date: November 13
Synopsis: During the fall, during an auction hosted by the Dallas-based Heritage Auctions, a $2 bill from 2003 with a low serial number went for $2,400 --and was then later resold for $4,000. As word of that windfall spread, the auction house started to get flooded with calls from people who had $2 bills in their possession and were wondering if they too could strike it rich.
8. USPS mail carrier dies on his route in 100-degree heat
Date: June 20
Synopsis: Eugene Gates, 66, died on June 20 while delivering mail on his route in Lakewood during the sweltering Texas summer heat. The heat index was above 110 degrees that day. Earlier in the year, he'd been written up by his bosses for pausing along his route. His death sparked conversations about the working conditions of USPS letter carriers -- especially once the autopsy report confirmed his death was heat-related.
7. Dog or coyote? What's the deal with that puppy police found and named Toast?
Date: March 11
Synopsis: After a Dallas police officer rescued a pup named Toast, rumors started swirling about whether she was a coyote or a dog. The DNA test took up to 14 days to determine the puppy's genetic makeup -- and, once the results came, we promptly released them to a captive audience.
6. NFL star linebacker Von Miller is arrested on domestic violence charges
Date: November 30
Synopsis: Nearly a week after Thanksgiving, police were called to a condo building in Uptown Dallas where police said star NFL linebacker Von Miller got into a verbal argument with a pregnant woman that escalated to assault. Miller, a Super Bowl-winning DeSoto native who currently plays for the Buffalo Bills, finally addressed the allegations almost a month later, calling them "100% false."
5. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones can't stomach his team losing to the 49ers in the NFL playoffs
Date: January 22
Synopsis: Another playoff game, another year in which the Cowboys failed to advance to the NFC Championship Game -- and, for the second year in a row, it came via a playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he was "sick" over the result. His team has not gone beyond the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs since January 1996. Here's hoping that changes in 2024.
4. Georgia QB Stetson Bennett is arrested in Dallas days after beating TCU in the national championship
Headline: "Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett arrested on public intoxication charge in Dallas, police say"
Date: January 29
On January 9, Stetson Bennett led Georgia to a 65-7 blowout win over TCU in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Not even three weeks later, he was arrested in Uptown Dallas on a public intoxication charge. According to his attorney, Bennett was in Dallas to train for the NFL combine and was trying to get into a friend's apartment, but was having trouble finding it and had the police called on him. Upon arriving at the scene, officers said Bennett smelled of alcohol, and took him into custody. Unfortunately, it was only the start of a rocky 2023 for the football player.
3. Yet another name-brand company ditches California for North Texas
Date: May 11
It was a common occurrence in 2023 for us to report on California companies announcing plans to move their headquarters to North Texas. Each one garnered substantial attention from our readers, too. But none piqued audience interest as the reveal that Cacique Foods, a family-owned Hispanic foods maker of cheeses, cremas, chorizo, and salsas, would be shifting its corporate headquarters to Irving.
2. McKinney woman finds workaround to sovereign immunity, gets police to repay tens of thousands in damage to her home
Date: March 17
In a landmark case, the the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found the City of McKinney, a governmental entity, liable to refund Vicki Baker after her property was destroyed by police. The city had previously avoided paying for those damages by claiming sovereign or governmental immunity, and stating that its officers and department were protected from damage claims for simply doing their jobs. Using a novel legal approach to sidestep governmental immunity claims, Baker's attorney believes he has found a blueprint to make innocent victims in similar matters whole again.
1. The Allen Outlet Mall mass shooting
Date: May 7
On May 6, eight people were killed when a gunman opened fire at the Allen Premium Outlets mall. WFAA dedicated countless hours and resources to our coverage of the tragedy, producing two televised specials on the loss. Not surprising, however, is the fact that our story remembering those who lost their lives -- including a security guard, an engineer from India and two elementary school students. -- resonated most with our readers.
