We take a look at the headlines that gripped, inspired and infuriated our readers in 2014

January:

Heavy rains cause flood to threaten parts of town.

Motorists beware – social media campaign launched which will ‘name and shame’ inconsiderate drivers.

Long-time Advertiser journalist, Estella Naicker bids farewell to readers.

SA’s youngest doctor calls Newcastle home and we had the opportunity to find out what makes him tick.

R80-million was secured to revamp the Memel road, which had over the years become synonymous with potholes.

Is the R14-million Ingogo Clinic deserted? We investigated to give residents the answers they were searching for.

Utrecht Municipality sued for being ‘incompetent’ – AfriForum found out some officials aren’t fully qualified for their positions.

Majuba College students got fired up over bursary disputes.

February:

A community awards winner used her prize money to make crèche uniforms, proving she was the most deserving winner.

Experts expressed their fear the ‘choking game’ could return in local schools.

Mayor to be ousted? A faction within council made their voices heard as they shouted for the mayor to be removed.

RTI Inspector Raymond Oosthuizen reaps his second award for his outstanding work and innovation.

SA’s dumbest criminals? Some bumbling criminals were busted as they tried to make off with a safe.

Gerespekteerde en geliefde dokter, Kobus Pottas, sterf.

Dubious directors killing funeral industry – a look at some of the funeral directors in town exploiting the grief of others.

Out with the old green book and in with the new ID card, South African identification documents go state-of-the-art.

An ailing electricity infrastructure received a welcome boost after a refurbished power substation upped power supply in suburbs.

Some fashion conscious thieves made off with beauty and hair products, leaving many thinking they were in need of a makeover.

March:

‘Rocky’ born to be a true fighter – a shocking story of a severely abused dog which was rescued by the SPCA.

Burglars left a disgusting surprise in the form of faeces in a classroom.

Residents get funky for CANSA Shavathon.

Municipal workers protest illegally – promise indefinite strike.

Open doors for liquor stores on Sundays – new KZN liquor laws under the spotlight.

During the annual budget speech, Mayor Afzul Rehman announced there would be no annual increase on rates.

Rocky, the abused dog, finds love, affection and a new home. We dropped in to see how he was doing.

The pupils charged with beating their Dannhauser classmate to death were released on bail.

National Heritage site, O’Neill’s Cottage reopened with a mighty ‘Hurrah!’, after a major revamp.

A fierce mother attacked a cornered bicycle thief, determined not to let the man get away with her property.

Health MEC justified the rationalisation of health care facilities in Newcastle – we had a look at what he had to say.

April:

A dog at business premises attacked a woman, who sustained serious injuries.

A global team of ArcelorMittal employees spent a few weeks erecting homes for residents in Blaauwbosch.

After a spate of business robberies, residents began suspecting a syndicate was at work.

Newcastillian claims to have found ‘cure’ for HIV; we had a look at what he had found out.

Miss South Africa, Rolene Strauss hails from Volksrust – we find out what made her the person she is today.

We report on the outrage stemming from the community after publishing an article about a woman who was attacked by a dog.

Duncan Vermeulen, a young boy who underwent many operations to fix his legs, took his first step in eight years.

Police take action against protesting municipal workers – we were there and captured the action with our cameras.

A robber who was attempting to flee after taking young girl’s cell phone, falls into the Ncandu River and drowns.

Charred animal remains found in an alley in the CBD; we went out to investigate their origin.

Following ongoing strikes by municipal workers, one business has nothing but maggoty refuse for three months.

Another shocking tale of animal abuse, this time it’s a troubling tale of two pups.

May:

An angry municipal manager serves up justice as he brings down job sellers with the SAPS.

‘Waar is ons councillor?’ – Fernwood residents have their say regarding poor service delivery.

Childhood innocence tainted by prostitution – Paterson Street Park comes under the spotlight for the rampant prostitution and nefarious activities that is ongoing in the area.

A dog that was struck by a car, was not disposed of by authorities, but the dead dog was left to rot on the street corner.

After the long awaited rehabilitation of Bridger Street bagan, a wet blanket was thrown over businesses when contractors struck a water pipe.

We notice bike theft is on the up, and take a closer look.

Newcastle Mall introduces a clamping system for illegal parking.

Health ‘scare’ at Madadeni Provincial Hospital – a resident tells her shocking tale of bad treatment.

After three days, a kidnapped boy was safely reunited with his family.

Uncut grass, litter, broken fences and an apparent lack of supervision were just some of the grave problems which plagued Hardwick Street Cemetery.

The sudden death of a 12-year-old boy sparked outrage from the community

June:

One of the suspects in the Tim Green murder case was sentenced to life.

Officials announced plans to build a medical university in Newcastle.

A flash fire at a petrol station fire claimed one life and injured another person.

A local policeman passed away in a tragic collision. His 14-year-old son was also injured in the crash.

The body of newborn baby was found and being carried around by a stray dog in Madadeni.

Sewage flows into river from a leaking manhole and we took a look at the impact this had on the river.

Four people were injured in a scaffolding incident at ArcelorMittal.

‘Agents’ attempt to have municipal manager and the mayor removed – we asked why.

After almost a year of no progress, the Dean Korb and Greg Ihlenfeldt murder investigations were questioned.

We bid farewell to Bruce Douglas, a longtime journalist at the Newcastle Advertiser.

July:

Construction finally began on the notorious Memel road.

A resident called ‘Oom Jopie’, took a stand against prostitutes in the CBD.

Millions were paid to a man after he was wrongfully imprisoned due to a clerical error.

A local businessman narrowly escaped losing hundreds of thousands in a bank transfer scam.

We took a look at the lives of the homeless living on Sutherland Street.

The Newcastle SPCA responded to cyber bullies who took to criticising them on social media.

A shocking and brutal murder of a young girl who was raped, stabbed and burnt, made headlines.

The Department of Health was ordered to pay an oSizweni mother millions after a judge ruled it was negligent.

Dead fish were discovered in Ncandu River. We launched an investigation to find out why

August:

Signs with missing or incorrect street names came under the spotlight.

Newcastle resident was brutally beaten at a restaurant in Bloemfontein.

Residents’ anger boiled over after sky high municipal bills left many a budget in tatters.

In one night, alleged arsonists torched four cars in the upper suburbs.

During a Wild West-style shootout, an Utrecht resident was shot by ATM bombers as they fled the scene of the crime.

A young man died in an accident at ArcelorMittal.

Plans for possible fracking, a procedure where natural gases are mined through drilling, raised eyebrows.

The Department of Health announced a R1-billion injection for Newcastle hospitals.

A new policy for informal traders or hawkers could bring change to the businesses in the CBD.

We reported on a case of animals that were rescued from a chained hell.

A father and grandfather were arrested for molesting their daughters and granddaughters respectively.

Not for better or worse – wedding photography competition sparked controversy.

September:

The man accused of kidnapping a 12-year-old Newcastle boy was caught in Bethlehem.

The Newcastle SAPS offered a reward for information regarding bike thieves.

Sky-high municipal bills sparked a petition for residents who want prepaid meters.

Park of shame – Paterson Street Park came under the spotlight again for the rampant prostitution problem.

A sad farewell to Dr Jai Singh, who passed away at a young age in his home.

A Pakistani national was stabbed and killed on Allen Street in broad daylight.

‘My sons did nothing wrong’ – mother defends her sons after her eight-year-old daughter fell from a second story window.

Mayor, Afzul Rehman was dubbed ‘ringleader of council circus’ after a shouting match in council.

A community pays tribute to Walter Butt, music teacher and choir master who passed away after a short battle with cancer.

A plane crash near Newcastle that claimed two lives, made national headlines.

The mayor suggests a name-and-shame campaign for Paterson Street Park perpetrators, in a bid to discourage the patrons of prostitutes.

October:

Residents were up in arms after an alleged ritualistic killing of 11 chickens at Hardwick Street Cemetery.

Whose park is it anyway? Paterson Street Park comes under the spotlight again, this time because officials kept shifting the blame.

Bike thieves struck again and again, as the two-wheeled mania continued.

Closing the drapes on illegal drag racing – the municipality installs speed bumps on the newly opened Draper Street that turned into an impromptu drag strip for illegal street racers.

No ‘knock-offs’ in Newcastle – police take a stand against counterfeit goods, cracking down on businesses.

The Safe CBD project was launched, placing guards in the CBD to tackle crime hotspots

Newcastle Library announced plans to offer services for the blind in the near future.

The community was shocked after a son hacked his mother to death after an argument in Madadeni.

Four teenage boys were caught after they vandalised the oval track bathrooms

The community again banded together to find two missing Newcastle girls.

Cocoa’s battle of the bulge – the tale of a small dachshund’s weight loss programme.

November:

A father’s anguish – the story of how Robin Hughes will return to Newcastle after 38 years, to place a headstone on his daughter’s grave.

Bumps will bar the bold – are speedbumps a necessary evil? We investigated the speed deterrents and the legality of their placement.

Rumours spread as ANC regional committee underwent big changes.

‘Ons gaan jou mis, boeta’ – A tribute to Werner Botha, a 19-year-old resident who passed away in a car accident.

The search for black gold – we delved into an illegal coal mine in oSizweni.

Ncandu River poisoned – is it nature’s cry for help? We highlight the plight of our river that has become severely polluted.

Creatures on the chopping block? Controversy was sparked by a social media post claiming an Asian person had wanted to buy kittens to serve as food in a restaurant.

December:

Vandals on the loose – we took a look at the wave of vandalism taking place in the suburbs.

Hijacked, raped, stabbed and still standing strong – Alison Botha tells her tale of horror, and inspires others.

A home for Oscar – Advertiser staff rescue a homeless dog with heartwarming consequences.

ATM bombers strike in Pioneer Park, shocking residents.

After some heavy rain and wind, a tornado was spotted forming over Newcastle.

‘We’ve had enough’- Barry Hertzog park residents have their say regarding communal homes, some with more than 20 people living in one house.

One traffic officer for every 10 684 people – we take a look at the shortage of traffic police in Newcastle.

Volksrust lass, Rolene Strauss wins Miss World beauty pageant.