2011 in review: Our editors' top stories

2011 turned out to be a very busy local news year in Decorah.  Which stories did our decorahnews.com reporters think were the most significant?

10) NICC President Dr. Penny Wills takes a new job in Arizona and is eventually replaced by Calmar Provost Dr. Liang Chee Wee.

9) Injured Luther College football player Chris Norton returns to campus to take classes, is named honorary captain at halftime of Luther football game, then wins the "Courage in Sports Award."

8) "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" rehabs a West Union home, with many Decorah volunteers working and several contractors from the Decorah High School project playing key roles

7) Longtime Decorah City Manager Jerry Freund announces his retirement, to be replaced eventually b Adel City Administrator Chad Bird

6) Work begins on the renovation of Decorah High School, with construction crews making good time, thanks in part to mild fall weather

5) Members of the 322nd Engineering unit based in Decorah leave in January for deployment in Afghanistan.  The soldiers will return home some time in January of 2012.

4) Luther College builds a wind turbine on a bluff overlooking the school—a sign, college officials say,of the school's commitment to sustainability.

3) Norway's King Harald and Queen Sonja visit Decorah and Luther College

2) Eaglemania strikes the world as Internet video of the eagle's nest draws millions of viewers, becoming the most popular streaming video on the entire Internet.  Later, volunteers put a GPS unit on one of the eagle chicks to track its movements.

1) President Barack Obama visits Decorah in August, giving a speech at Seed Savers and staying at the Hotel Winneshiek.