From Putin’s “purple hands” to “B**ch! I’m Gonna F**king Slap You,” this year’s news as covered by The Dallas Express has had no shortage of interesting moments.
The Dallas Express published over 9,500 stories in 2022. The top 10 stories from the past year at The Dallas Express accounted for a combined total of nearly 1.2 million page views and span city, state, and national news.
As 2022 comes to its conclusion, the following 10 stories were the most viewed in the last 12 months for “The People’s Paper.”
#1 Putin’s ‘Purple’ Hands Raise Health Concerns
By Mark Hebert – Staff Writer
The Russian president’s hands appeared to turn purple during a meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in November. A Kremlin spokesman denied that Vladimir Putin was critically ill.
Leaked audio from May appeared to show that Putin had blood cancer. Experts say the marks on his hands could be from intravenous drips or Botox injections. U.S. intelligence officials allegedly told Newsweek that they think Putin was treated for “advanced cancer.”
#2 Missing Toddler Found with Man in Texas Motel
By Elsa Feltl – Intern
An AMBER Alert was issued for a missing 3-year-old girl in Houston, Texas. She was found with a man in a motel room. The suspect, Holman Hernandez, resisted arrest but was eventually taken into custody. No weapons were found at the scene of her discovery on August 21.
#3 U.S. Citizens Crossing Border to Mexico in Record Numbers
By Jesus Enriquez – Staff Writer
The number of Americans granted permanent residence in Mexico increased by 48% from 2019 to 2022. A total of 8,412 U.S. citizens were issued temporary resident visas in the first nine months of 2022. This is an 85% increase compared to the same period in 2019. An estimated 1.6 million Americans are living in Mexico, according to the U.S. Department of State.
#4 Cruise Ship Carrying 800 COVID-Positive Passengers Docks
By Mark Hebert – Staff Writer
A cruise ship carrying 800 COVID-19-positive passengers docked at Sydney Harbor in Australia. The Majestic Princess had roughly 4,000 passengers on board when it landed in Sydney. Passengers who tested positive for COVID were isolated within 24 hours of disembarking. Health officials in Australia said on November 11 that a 47.3% increase, up to 54,661 cases of COVID-19, had been reported in the previous week.
#5 Report | COVID-19 May Be a Bioweapon
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) concluded that COVID-19 may be linked to a Chinese bioweapons program, though the report does not suggest the release of the virus was intentional. General Zhou Yusen, who worked on coronavirus research, died shortly after filing for a patent.
The findings imply more culpability on the part of the Chinese Communist Party and highlight the alleged failures of the Intelligence Community to share pertinent information with the American public and their authorized representatives.
#6 Judge Denies Anesthesiologist Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz Jr. Release
By Josh Carter – Staff Writer
Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz Jr. was accused of doping hospital IV bags, resulting in multiple life-threatening medical emergencies and one death at the Baylor Scott & White Surgicare Center in North Dallas. A federal judge denied his motion for release on November 18, sending the anesthesiologist back to jail to await trial. Federal prosecutors said Ortiz was a flight risk and needed to stay in federal custody because he had a history of committing crimes.
The Dallas Express first broke the news that Ortiz was affiliated with the surgery center in September, after the facility had temporarily shut down upon the discovery of the apparently tainted IV bags.
#7 Declassified Documents Reveal Bush, Cheney 9/11 Reactions
By Noah DeGarmo – Junior Staff Writer
The National Archives made public 31 pages of 9/11 Commission notes taken during an interview with former President George W. Bush and then-Vice President Dick Cheney on April 29, 2004.
Bush recalled giving Cheney authority to authorize shooting down a plane if necessary. In his memoir, Bush wrote that he and Cheney initially thought the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 resulted from a shootdown order. Bush stressed that he personally requested a report on Osama bin Laden’s threats against the U.S. Both discussed pressing Saudi Arabia to take stronger anti-terrorism measures.
#8 Biden Official Charged with Felony Theft
Sam Brinton, the deputy assistant secretary for spent nuclear fuel at the U.S. Department of Energy, was charged with stealing a woman’s luggage at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. Brinton allegedly removed the bag’s identification tag, concealed it in a handbag, and then “left the area.”
Brinton was allegedly seen in airport surveillance footage carrying another person’s luggage. If convicted, Brinton could face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
#9 Third Drought-Exposed Body Found in Vegas’ Lake Mead
By Jonathan Richie – Senior Staff Writer
A third body was discovered in Lake Mead outside of Las Vegas. The reservoir’s water levels have dropped to historic lows as the region suffers its worst drought in decades. This was the third body found since May, leading police to launch more comprehensive investigations.
#10 ‘B**ch! I’m Gonna F**king Slap You!’
By Jonathan Richie – Senior Staff Writer
A panhandler reportedly accosted and violently threatened a woman at a gas station in Dallas. The man allegedly yelled, “B**ch! I’m gonna f**king slap you!” as she tried to fuel her car. The woman jumped in her car and drove away from the scene. A similar incident occurred in District 14 in July.
The Dallas Express thanks you, our readers, for choosing us as your source for fact-based news. Happy New Year, Dallas, and we look forward to reporting the next year of events for you.
