1. Wildcats win!

Oak Harbor High School’s football team brought the community together as never before on its march to the state 4A title, captured Dec. 9 in the Tacoma Dome with a 21-14 win over Bothell.

2. War on Terror

The ongoing war has a huge impact on thousands of island residents. Whidbey Island Naval Air Station squadrons have been busy in and near Iraq and Afghanistan. Ceremonies at the base have awarded a number of Bronze Stars to war heroes. Families have felt the tragedy of war. Oak Harbor resident Theresa St. Pierre lost her son, U.S. Marine Kyle Brown, 22, to a sniper in Iraq. U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Megan McClung, daughter of Michael and Re McClung of Coupeville, died in a roadside bomb attack in Iraq.

3. OHHS bond

Voters in May overwhelmingly approved a $54 million bond to remodel the high school, and plans for the new athletic stadium approved last year were unveiled.

4. Weather

The year that began with a big windstorm on Super Bowl Sunday ended with a huge snowstorm in late November and debilitating windstorm in December.

5. Environment

North Whidbey resident organized against a major new shopping center in the countryside south of town, battled a major rezone of the Fakkema farms into residential plots, and otherwise fought to preserve open space and Garry oaks.

6. Revitalization

The City Council kept downtown redevelopment dreams alive with planning money, and major mixed use projects were proposed on Fidalgo Avenue and Pioneer Way.

7. Election

The November election gave us a new county commissioner, sheriff and assessor.

8. New CHS

Construction started on the new Coupeville High School.

9. County wins

Island County scored its first victory over the Whidbey Environmental Action Network in long-standing fight over critical areas.

10. Go by air

Kenmore Air’s first flight to Seattle took off from the Oak Harbor airport in May, returning a badly-needed air link to our transportation system.