A lot has happened over the past year and recently we asked our readers to rate the top stories for 2003. What were the stories you ranked at the top of the list?

We all put Mother Nature in the top position. Headlines for stories on the "Great Ice Storm of 2003" and the tornado frequently appeared on page one. Few, if any, Lewis County residents were not affected in some way by the weather events in the first few months of 2003. What other stories did you rank at the top of the list?

Taking second position was the election of new officers in Lewis County and in Kentucky. Third place went to the implementation of a county mandatory trash collection ordinance, efforts on recycling and generally cleaning up the county.

Seventh place is occupied by news of some area doctors illegally prescribing drugs. Eighth place belongs to Vanceburg Mayor W.T. Cooper to locate a recreation lake at the mouth of South Lick.

Ninth place is based in agriculture with responders citing stories concerning tobacco, blue mold, West Nile Virus and mad cow disease among the top stories.

Rounding out the top ten were the stories concerning the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial and continuing accidents on the AA Highway.

Numerous mentions also went to national stories including the US involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster and the continuing battle against terrorism.

Deputy Mark Snedegar said the accident happened at the intersection of the AA Highway and Dry Hollow Road as a Summit minivan, operated by Danny M. Evans, 37, of Circleville, Ohio, was traveling west on the highway, and came up behind a tractor-trailer operated by Chris L. Burns, 21, of Garrison.

Snedegar said Burns was slowing and preparing to make a right hand turn onto Dry Hollow Road, and Evans apparently didn't notice in time to avoid hitting the rear of the trailer.

Snedegar said the trailer and minivan traveled about 96 feet following the impact.

Evans was pronounces dead at the scene by Lewis County Coroner Tony Gaydos.

Too many children in Kentucky are fat, and this is one way to eliminate their fattening temptations, said Rep. Tom Burch, the bill's sponsor. Obesity among children is becoming a threat to national security and creating more of a burden for the health care system, Burch said.

Many children are developing weigh-related illnesses at earlier ages, said Burch, a Louisville Democrat.

While the proposal was "watered down" compared to previous versions, it was a step toward helping children maintain healthy figures, Burch said.

With exceptions for seeds and nuts, schools wouldn't be allowed to sell sugary or fatty foods or drinks -- including chewing gum, potato chips and soda -- during the school day, under the measure the House passed on a 51-37 vote.

School districts would have to appoint food service directors who would oversee their districts' menus, under the proposal.

Some lawmakers who voted against the idea said it was unnecessary. Others worried schools would lose out on the money they make from selling food in vending machines.

Instead, children need to get more exercise and parents should do a better job monitoring what their children eat, said Rep. Charles Miller, a Louisville Democrat who voted against the measure. "When parents are buying french fires and hamburgers for their children all the time, then that's part of the problem," Miller said.

Still, Rep. Robin Webb, who voted for the proposal, said even parents who try to maintain healthy diets for their children can't watch them all the time -- especially at school.