PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The year began with a snow storm. There were protests, sports highlights, horrific crimes, an eclipse and a deadly Amtrak derailment.
Here are some of the Top Stories of 2017, presented chronologically:JANUARY
A snow and ice storm walloped the entire region for the second time in a month. Snow and freezing rain hit Oregon on December 8, 2016, and another round shut down a large portion of the region in early January,
FEBRUARY
A “Not My President” protest on President’s Day ended with the arrests of 13 people, Portland Police Bureau said. Rallies were held around the country as the nation observed the day.
APRIL
March Madness spilled into April for the Oregon Ducks, but they came up short against North Carolina. But it was fun while it lasted.
APRIL
A 69-year-old man sitting in a booth in Denny’s was intentionally set on fire by another man in a startling and horrific act of violence. DeShaun Swanger was arrested and is going through the criminal justice system. Scott Ranstrom, the man who was burned, is recovering.
MAY
On a sunny Friday that kicked off Memorial Day weekend, 2 men were slain and a 3rd seriously wounded after standing up to a man who was verbally harassing teenage girls, one in a Muslim hijab. Jeremy Christian was arrested and charged with murder.
AUGUST
Look! Up in the sky! The sun is being blotted out by the moon! Wow! This is so cool!
SEPTEMBER
On September 2, the fire near the Eagle Creek Trail in Cascade Locks erupted near the already-burning Indian Creek Trail — a 1,090-acre fire which was only 10% contained — sending a massive plume of smoke and visible bright flames over the Columbia River Gorge, forcing the evacuation of hikers, campers and residents in more than 100 homes.
NOVEMBER
Sixteen of the top college basketball teams are in Portland for the tip-off of the PK80 tournament that began Thanksgiving Day.
Duke, Michigan State, Florida, North Carolina and Gonzaga are among the teams who played in the holiday weekend tournament at the Moda Center and Memorial Coliseum.
DECEMBER
An Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off an I-5 overpass south of Seattle and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing at least 3 people and injuring about 100.