Looking back at most viewed online stories of 2012

Crime, local reality TV celebrities, school district drama and new shopping and entertainment options accounted for the majority of most-read stories at HesperiaStar.com for 2012.

The most viewed story of the year was “Middle schoolers plot mom’s murder,” which ran in May. Some 450 online views behind that was the “Hesperia’s ‘Barter Kings’ brace for reality show fame,” which came out in late June but picked up the heaviest traffic during July and into August.

Here are the three most viewed stories for each month. To read each of these stories — along with new articles posted throughout the week — visit www.HesperiaStar.com and search the headlines below.

January

• Owner of Boulder Creek Ranch dies

• Movie theater, Walmart coming to Hesperia in 2012

• HUSD settles gender discrimination suit

February

• Father, son attack clerk after debit card is declined

• More marijuana munchies: Elementary students eat pot Thursday

• HUSD police chief Mike Graham fired

March

• Booster funds scandal hits Hesperia High

• School board meeting dissolves into shouts, name-calling

• Hesperia home burns near closed fire station

April

• Sexually violent predator released in Hesperia

• Authorities investigate Hesperia shooting

• Making the grade: 12 Hesperia restaurants get perfect score

May

• Middle schoolers plot mom’s murder

• Senior prank goes too far

• Marijuana on the Mesa

June

• Death of classmate colors Hesperia Christian graduation ceremony

• Abused Hesperia runaway flees to Pomona police

• Man, young boy pulled from aqueduct die

July

• Hesperia’s ‘Barter Kings’ brace for reality show fame

• Hesperia man dies in rollover after running over his wife

• Hesperia couple linked to string of vehicle burglaries, other crimes

August

• Largest Stater Bros. in IE opens in Hesperia

• Walmart Supercen-ters’ openings delayed slightly

• Two Victorville men arrested in DJ’s shooting

September

• Hesperia Walmart opening pushed to late September

• Student killed skateboarding to school

• Woman killed pushing empty wheelchair on Bear Valley Road

October

• Dismembered body burned in Hesperia

• Body found in Hesperia

• Kinky Palace may look to Victorville, Hesperia

November

• One step closer for Ranchero interchange

• Final gang suspect identified in home murder attempt

• Bentley on track to be unseated from HUSD board

December (as of Dec. 26)

• New theater almost ready for show time

• Popular meat market ready to close

• McKinney terminated without cause