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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. --  From tornadoes to political storms, it's certainly been a year of ups and downs in the Ozarks.  Here are the top 20 local stories of 2012, listed in no certain order of importance, as recalled by KY3 News.

1. Missouri Hotel fire displaces 185 residents;
2. A tornado carves a path from eastern Stone County through Branson, damaging the "strip" and downtown hotel, and lifting in eastern Taney County;
3. Tornadoes strike Dallas and Barry counties, killing two people;
4. One-year memorial in May of Joplin tornado;
5. Drought leads to crop failures, water shortages in communities;
6. Two Springfield councilman and mayor resign for different personal reasons;
7. Springfield voters approve controversial E-Verify ordinance; council later strikes it down after a judge rules most of it was illegal;
8. Springfield city council decriminilizes possession of small amount of pot after issue is brought to it by initiative petition, later reverses decision as allowed by City Charter;
9. Springfield City Council tables controversial bill making it illegal to fire an individual from a job, or deny them housing, based on his or her sexual orientation, appoints task force of citizens to bring a recommendation before the council;
10. Local economy and unemployment rate improves; numerous companies take note of the resilient local economy and set up shop, or expand presence, in Springfield, including Walmart Markets, Five Guys Burgers, CVS, HyVee;
11. The revamped U.S. 65/U.S. 60 interchange in southeast Springfield fully opens after three years of construction;
12. Springfield tallies a record 15 murders for the year;
13. William Jones is charged with murdering his 14-year old stepson, Trevor Reynolds;
14. Willard teenager Khighla Parks is kidnapped and murdered; man is charged with dumping her body in Truman Lake after she died near Buffalo, but Dallas County prosecuting attorney has charged no one for her murder;
15. Five people are indicted in Taney County for the murders in April 2011 of Greene County residents Rusty and Rebecca Porter; one person charged is Rusty's uncle;
16. Christopher Collings is sentenced to die for the murder of 9-year old Rowan Ford in Barry County in November 2007;
17. James Duke is found guilty of the murder of his high school classmate, Cody Ray, in March 2010;
18. Plane crash in Willard kills five people: John Lambert, Robin Melton, Grayson Lambert, Joshua Lambert, and McKinley Lambert;
19. Branson entertainer Andy Williams passes away at age 85; and
20. The end of the world didn't happen on Dec. 21 as some feared because of an ancient Mayan calendar.

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Here are the top 10 most-viewed stories (not including photo galleries) on KY3.com in 2012, as compiled by digital editor Chris Brewer.