Tuesday January 2, 2018

Someone told me recently I don't talk enough about the process of starting this site, or the journey it's been. And it has been a trip, full of great moments, great people, and, inevitably, some mistakes. But I'm proud of our first year. Starting a news site like this in one of the most difficult media environments in history is a challenge, but

as I said when we launched

, we are in it for the long haul.

These pieces are 20 highlights from our first year. Most are "evergreen" - meaning they are just as relevant now as when they are written (if we had gone by raw traffic half of the top 10 would have been solar eclipse articles driven by Google searches - but that's no fun.) Enjoy, and as we do some reflecting on 2017 and look forward to 2018, feel free to hit reply if there's anything you'd like to see us covering or if you have any other suggestions. We're doing this for you.

Navigator full story: Our Most Popular Articles Of 2017

Tuesday Weather 🌡Mostly clear, high near 13, but wind chills as low as -19. ☀️❄️

Navigator Originals ✏️The Best News Of 2017 That Put Smiles On Our FacesThe news wasn't all bad. If you want more reasons to be optimistic and to feel good, check the long read at the bottom.Columbus Underground Posts A Photo Of A Confidential State Informant For The Hell Of It, ApparentlyThis genuinely surprised and disappointed me, and it goes beyond this headline. It's difficult to understand the thought process that went into this Columbus Underground article.The Best Sledding Hills In ColumbusThe snow we have on the ground is 100% not going anywhere for at least the next week, so this is a timely article. And even if the thought of outdoor activities is a big no, this might be a nostalgic trip for you if you grew up in central Ohio.

Around Town 🏘Hopefully you're ok with all the 2017 retrospectives, because here's one more from my favorite Columbus blogger: Breakfast With Nick's 2017: A Year In Breakfast. It's a fantastic way to catch up on what happened with the early morning Columbus food scene over the past year. [Breakfast With Nick]Here's what the Ohio legislature did in 2017. I can't imagine anyone being impressed, regardless of party alignment. [WOSU]After that link you're going to need a palate cleanser. How about the 2017 year in dogs from We Rate Dogs? This has quickly become a short year end video I look forward to every year. [Twitter]Some changes coming with the new year. You'll soon be able to text 911. [10TV]And Ohio's minimum wage was bumped 15 cents on January 1st. It's now $8.30 an hour. [NBC4]

Coming Up 📆🎭 1/3-14: The Phantom of the Opera🎶 1/5: courtship.🖼 1/6: Gallery Hop🎤 1/6: Kate Voegele & Tyler Hilton w/ Leslie Dinicola🎸 1/6: Avatar🏒 1/7: Blue Jackets vs. Florida Panthers🏞 1/7: Bison: Behind the Scenes at Darby Creek Metro Park

Longread ❤️You might feel cynical when you see an article like this, and think there's no possible way it can be substantial or be real. But give it a chance.If you’re feeling despair about the fate of humanity in the 21st century, you might want to reconsider.Future Crunch: 99 Reasons 2017 Was A Great Year

Something to say? Hit reply - we read it all.- James