Another year has come and gone, so it's time to reflect on the stories that got your attention in 2013. For the purposes of this roundup, we did not include our most-read food stories because, well, we already covered that.
From the death of radio personality Kidd Kraddick to the continued missteps by Lululemon to an unbelievable acquittal for the shooting of a Craigslist escort, these are the most popular stories of 2013:
1. How to get into the State Fair of Texas on the cheap. This year, regular ticket prices at the State Fair ranged from $17 for general admission to $13 for seniors and children under 48 inches tall. But with all of the different options for discounts — detailed in this story by entertainment expert Alex Bentley — only suckers actually paid full price.
2. Lululemon at NorthPark takes oddly aggressive stance against Dallas charity. Lululemon Athletica at NorthPark Center was under fire in October for this window message: "We do partners yoga, not partners card." It was an obvious reference to the flagship fundraiser for the Family Place, which provides support for battered women and children. In the aftermath, Lululemon lied about an existing relationship with the beloved charity, then cut Family Place a check for $10,000 to make amends.
3. Texas jury acquits man who shot Craigslist escort after she refused sex. Ezekiel Gilbert met with Lenora Ivie Frago, 23, on Christmas Eve 2009. When she refused to have sex with him after he’d paid her $150, Gilbert said he was simply exercising his legal right in Texas "to use deadly force to recover stolen property during a nighttime theft," so he shot her in the neck and paralyzed her. (She died about seven months later.) A jury in Bexar County, near San Antonio, agreed with his defense and acquitted him of murder on June 5.
4. Kidd Kraddick fans start online petition to keep morning radio show on air. In the wake of Kidd Kraddick's untimely death July 27, his fervent fans — most of whom turned to social media to mourn and remember him — launched a petition July 30 to keep his morning show alive. Kidd Kraddick in the Morning returned to the air August 5.
5. Even a half-naked Jennifer Aniston can't save We're the Millers. Jennifer Aniston remains an enigma in the movie business. The seemingly ageless beauty keeps getting chances to prove her worth as a star — We’re the Millers marks her 26th movie — but the results show that maybe she shouldn’t.
6. Plano student arrested for viciously bullying special-needs teen. After months of investigating, Plano police arrested a student for viciously bullying Shea Shawhan, a special-needs teenager at Plano West Senior High. The cyber bullying took place mainly through text messages, which often contained threats of violence, rape and death. "There are no winners in this situation," Shea's mom, Keri Riddell, posted on Facebook after the October 29 arrest.
7. Texas A&M degree deemed more valuable than University of Texas diploma. Although they didn't face the University of Texas at Austin on the football field, Texas A&M and Rice can both claim victory over UT after being named the second and first most valuable degrees in Texas, respectively, according to Affordable Colleges Online. The results placed UT at a respectable third.
8. Dallas Craigslist hookup turns homicidal. Dallas police believed that Christopher Howard Beachum, 27, arranged a date with Gerald Canepa, 68, through Craigslist on March 15. Three days later, Canepa was found strangled to death in his South Oak Cliff home. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Beachum was the last person to communicate with Canepa in person and by phone. Beachum was arrested a few weeks later in Oregon.
9. Mutts Cantina in Uptown already has Dallas dog community growling. On its opening night, June 19, restaurant-dog park Mutts Cantina had already upset some pet owners with a restrictive policy that forbid certain breeds of dogs, including pit bulls. The breed ban was not the only issue raised about the viability of the park: Some observers called it a "madhouse," with people trying to get their dogs in and out of the lone entrance.
10. Surprises lurk inside the stately Park Cities home of Dallas Star Kari Lehtonen. From the street, the home of Dallas Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen looked like a perfectly proportioned Georgian fit for a president. Inside, it was full of surprises, including wallpaper on both the living room and dining room ceilings.
Surprised lurked inside the home of Dallas Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen.
Rowdy Cowboy is now open. Photo courtesy of Rowdy Cowboy 