The 10 most-read New Brunswick stories of 2017

As we say goodbye to 2017, we're reminded of the busy, endlessly fascinating year in news now coming to a close.

New Brunswick has had its fair share of compelling, moving or outright weird stories and below is a list of the 10 most-read stories from the past 12 months. Enjoy.

1. The lobster with the Pepsi tattoo

It's a sight Karissa Lindstrand won't soon forget, nor will hundreds ofthousands of curious readers from across the country:A live lobster with a Pepsi can image tattooed on the claw.

"I can't say how he got it on," Lindstrand said. "It seemed more like a tattoo or a drawing on the lobster rather than something growing into it."

A few theories were floated, but Fundy baykeeper Matt Abbott believed one thing to be sure: garbage infiltrates even the deep waters of the bay, where the lobster call home.

Read the story: Grand Manan fisherman finds lobster with Pepsi can imprinted on claw

2. Want to buy a dream home?

Lottery homes selling quickly and for hundreds of thousands under value

7 years ago

Duration 0:56

So you've won a lavish $900,000 house in the Hospital Home Lottery. Now what?

The annual Hospital Home Lottery always garners lots of interest in the grand prize, an almost$1 million home. Who wouldn't want to live in a stunning, cavernous house?

The past nine winners, that's who. Steep insurance, taxes and upkeep costs has led winners to sell within weeks of the draw and below listed value. In March, Shirley Barton resold the $900,000 home in Rothesay she had wonfor $565,000.

Read the story: Why Hospital Home Lottery winners keep selling their homes at fire-sale prices

3. Radio host fired

Maria McLean was fired from her job as a radio host in Grand Falls. It happened one hour after sharing her struggles with mental illness andgiving her supervisor a doctor's note stating that she needed two weeks off work to adjust to her new medication.

The radio station is owned by Bell Media, part of the larger Bell family known forits Bell Let's Talk fundraiser for mental health initiatives. Bell has denied McLeanwas fired because of mental illness.

Read the story: Grand Falls radio host says Bell Media station fired her for mental health issues

4. 'The thing in the woods'

What was that thing in the woods?

7 years ago

Duration 0:53

55 years ago David McPherson discovered a 400 lbs box in the woods. What it was remains a mystery.

A mysterious "thing" found in the woods of Lutes Mountain near Monctonpuzzled a New Brunswick family for half a century. The case of the odd box David McPherson Sr. came across while scouting timber in 1962 was passed to his son, who still pored over old photos 55 years later in search of clues.

The box wastaken away by the military, leaving the family without answers. However,not longafter the story was published,the mystery was solved.

Read the story: 'The thing in the woods' still puzzles Moncton-area family after 55 years

5. Do you want an apology with that?

AMcDonald's restaurant in Saint John made headlines thisSeptember after a 12-year-old boy was told he couldn't pay for his junior meal with the change he saved on his own.

Tim Beckpresented a Tupperware container full of loose change, but, according tobystander Jerry Cromwell, the clerk wouldn't take more than $5 in change for the purchase.

Cromwell covered the cost of meal and said the restaurant owes the child an apology. To top it off, Beck insisted Cromwell take his change as repayment.

Read the story: McDonald's owes apology to child who saved up change, says fellow customer

6. Cindy McCormick

The death of a well-known Saint John dentist and mother of two was met with shock and grief in New Brunswick, nearly 5,000 kilometres from where shemurdered.

According to police,Cindy McCormick, 46,was killed by her partner Bobby Kaine, a 52-year-old Saint John firefighter, while the couple was inAlberta in October. Kaine'sbody was found in a vehicle west of Lake Louise, hours after McCormick's body was discovered at a nearby hotel.

A close friend of McCormick's vowed to never remain silent again about unhealthy relationships or signs of domestic violence.

Read the story: 'I will never not speak out again': Cindy McCormick killed in murder-suicide, says friend

7. Dangerous blizzard

It just wouldn't bea topstories list in Canada without a weather story. A powerful blizzard pummelled the East Coast in mid-February, dropping more than two feet of snow in parts of the province and shuttering schools, roads, businesses, you name it.

Even plows were pulled from the highways. FormerCBCmeteorologist Brennan Allen described the storm as "a dangerous, potentially life-threatening blizzard."

Read the story: Parts of Atlantic Canada pummelled by blizzard as travel warning remain

8. 'He smoked him'

A Saint John senior pleaded guilty to chargesrelated to an extreme road rage incident in February, and chances are you've seen the crime. The widely circulated video thatmade waves on social media earlier this year captured the moment when the man deliberately ran down a pedestrian with his SUV.

The story began in Grand Bay-Westfield before turning into a road chase, which ended in the hit-and-run on the city's east side.

Read the story: 'He smoked him': Saint John senior deliberately ran down pedestrian

9. 1 game, 9 head injuries

A Monctonhigh school football team was forced to forfeit a match in October after nine players suffered head injuries, at least four of which showed signs of concussion. ThecoleL'Odysse Olympienswere losing 35-0 to the TantramarTitans when they stopped the game.

The Titans coach saidhis team was playing football within the rulesand was not penalized for any wrongdoing.

"They were outmatched, that's as simple as it was," Scott O'Nealsaid."That's how football is."

Read the story: High school football game ends after 9 players suffer head injuries

10. Unneighbourlybehaviour

Feuds between neighbours arenot uncommon, but this spat over an unmowedlawn in Riverviewcaught the attention of CBC readers this summer.

Kevin O'Brien was sick of looking at his neighbour's overgrown lawn, saying it hadn't been mowed in months. The neighbour, Jennifer Greene, said it's not that simple. The town said long grass isn't illegal. What would you do?

Read the story: 'He hasn't mowed it this year': Riverviewman wants something done about neighbour's lawn