Roundup: Top 5 Stories of the Year

1. Water Balloon Fight Soaks Whole Neighborhood

When I got an email from a reader asking if I'd come out to a neighborhood-wide water balloon fight a few weeks ago, my initial reaction was "Oh heck yes!" And I'm glad I did. The water balloon fight in the Boroughs neighborhood of Uniontown now is in its 15th year and is as much fun as you'd imagine it to be.

2.

Patch ad manager Brandon Tidd really showed what he was made of when he reported live from a fire at Microtel Inns and Suites May 25. Brandon sent me photos, videos from the scene as firefighters from around the county battled a blaze .

3.

Erick Howard, a  grad and two-time Mr. Football recipient, was found guilty on several charges after tying up a young couple and robbing them at gunpoint in their North Canton apartment. North Canton Patch followed Howard's trial this year.

4.

A North Canton resident got a big surprise when he opened up a package delivered to his house and found a Care Bear packed full of marijuana. The package was addressed to someone the man didn't know.

5.

It's safe to say the community was taken aback when Michael Gallina announced his retirement from the field of education in April. North Canton Patch broke the news by running a district-wide email in which Gallina described the turmoil over accepting his new position and leaving the district.

Editor's note: The top 10 stories were chosen based on web traffic.