The buzz of 2014: Our top ten stories of the year

From campus crime to national news, 2014 was a rollercoaster of events, and The Cougar was there to deliver it all to UH students. Here’s our collection of the top ten most read stories of 2014:

1.  Body found at stadium construction site

Just two months before the opening of TDECU Stadium, a UH student died after falling 60 feet from the stadium scoreboard. Her death was ruled a suicide. The story was constantly updated, and a vigil was held for the student a few days later.

2. Body found at Cougar Village II

With 41 comments discussing this sensitive situation, this was one of the most widely discussed stories of the year.

3. Body found at The Vue on MacGregor

This was the first of two nearby deaths in the month of November. However, this incident occurred outside of campus, located at the Vue apartment complex.

4. Reign of daylight saving time may soon come to an end

Opinion staff writer Eileen Holley discusses the history and opposition to daylight saving time in her piece. From its original intention to how it affects people today, the question begs to be answered, “Should daylight saving time be eliminated altogether?”

5. Another Wednesday, another abandoned ship filled with cannibalistic rats

Editor-in-chief Cara Smith, who was then an Opinion senior staff writer, explores the history behind the Russian ship, Lyubov Orlova. From its travels to Canada to being set loose out in the sea, nobody is sure if the ship still exists.

6. Possible son of Michael Jackson crawls from woodwork

At the time when Opinion columnist Alex Meyer’s piece was published, it was rumored that the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, had fathered another child years prior to his three children the world has come to know. Allegedly, Brendan Howard “really is his son.”

7. Ferguson shooting exposes racial profiling, police brutality

It was one of the biggest stories in the nation: 19-year-old Michael Brown was shot by Officer Darren Wilson after he allegedly had his hands in the air. Opinion columnist Rama Yousef discusses the ever-present race issues in America as the nation’s spotlight fell on the violence in Ferguson, Mo.

8. UH to propose mandatory freshmen on-campus living

One of the biggest Student Government Association stories of the semester was the mandatory proposal for freshman to live on campus. Currently, an on-campus housing scholarship will be available to freshmen for the 2015-16 academic school year.

9. Haston calls out UH over TDECU Stadium, Hofheinz renovation

SGA President Charles Haston called out the Department of Administration and Finance for “failing to honor portions of the referendum that was voted on by the student body.” In addition, the department did not present in front of the Student Fee Advisory Committee, as all fee-funded organizations and departments are required to do.

10. Working her way up: UH student becomes Texans Cheerleader

This UH student also works as a Houston Texans Cheerleader. We asked her how she balances the two.

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