It’s been a newsy year in Issaquah and Sammamish. City councils debated retail pot stores, Klahanie residents said ‘no’ to annexing into Issaquah and families suffered the tragic effects of heroin.

The Reporter’s staff put together a month-by-month roundup of the highlights of news stories it covered in 2014.

But what drew the attention of our readers? Here are the 10 most read news stories on the Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter website in 2014, according to our analytics. Similar stories have been omitted to avoid redundancy.

1. Family and friends remember Dani Cogswell: Readers responded to the initial report of a 22-year-old former Skyline cheerleader’s death by accidental overdose, but an article featuring interviews with Dani Cogswell’s loved ones became the most-read story of 2014.
2. A son’s death, a mother’s anguish: The story of Conchita Velasco, whose son Kevin had been released from rehab for less than two days when he was found dead from an apparent heroin overdose.
3. Two dead after car crashes into Lake Sammamish home: A family dinner turned deadly after Carol Fedigan’s Jeep drove into her home on Lake Sammamish, killing her husband and son-in-law and injuring her daughter and grandson.
4. ‘Women of Persia’ honors strong, powerful women:  Blakely Hall became host to Iranian artist Farshad Alamdari and his paintings of influential Persian women.
5. Costco planning big expansion in Issaquah: The initial news that Costco was working with city government to add 1.5 million square feet to its HQ raised some eyebrows, but plans were approved handily in the fall.
6. Lucky Home brings Gilman Village to full occupancy
7. Old Albertson’s site will be home to Value Village
8. Tent City leaving Sammamish | City Council adopts moratorium on homeless encampment permits
9. Sammamish records first murder in history | Two suspects in custody
10. Metropolitan Market to anchor Town Center in Sammamish | Plans call for opening in late 2016

– Craig Groshart, Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter