Here is a look back through the CHS coverage of Capitol Hill in 2010. We’ve collected the “most important” Hill stories of the year. There are 33, it turns out. They are listed below in no particular order though some of the year’s biggest stories are included up top. We based our “importance” measurement on stories that were viewed and commented on the most during the year. It’s an arbitrary list. Even more arbitrarily, we selected what we feel were the biggest 2010 stories for a poll that you can weigh in on. You might disagree with the set we chose. You might also have some suggestions for stories we didn’t include, or, gasp, forgot about. Let us know in comments. Also, here’s a look at the top stories from 2009. Thanks for being part of CHS. Happy 2011. (Looking for something to do to ring in 2011? Here’s our on-Hill list.)

More of our year in review coverage:

• CHS 2010: Capitol Hill development year in review
• CHS 2010: Capitol Hill food and drink year in review

Most important Capitol Hill stories of 2010

1. In a story that illustrated the vulnerabilities that come with a technology-focused, interconnected environment, CHS covered a wave of credit card fraud reports on and around the Hill that federal investigators eventually tied to a breach of the point of sale system at a single Capitol Hill restaurant. Here’s our first post on the wave that we first noticed just days after it started before Halloween. Here’s our most recent significant update that ties many of the pieces we reported this fall together. Federal investigators this week tell us that no arrests have been made related to the breach and that the investigation is ongoing.
2. Also restaurant related, Capitol Hill’s food and drink scene was a whirlwind of activity. We haven’t tallied the comings (and a few goings) from the year yet — but we did recount the Hill’s year in food and drink here. The Hill’s small and local business economy continued its transition toward food and drink dominance.
3. More food and drink — but, really, this is a story of development, land use and neighbor rights. The Volunteer Park Cafe saga has to make this list, too, even though it will play out into 2011. Our latest significant update is here. In the meantime, the Cafe hasn’t skipped a beat, most recently scoring a glowing write-up by the New York Times. You can read more about the group of neighbors who want more limits placed on VPC here http://vpneighbors.wordpress.com/.
4. When we received the first few text messages about the horrible crime, we thought people were trying to trick us. An axe murder on a snowy late November Monday morning? On Capitol Hill? The tragedy of the 15th and Union hatchet murder continues into the New Year. 
5. Another tale of food and drink, not murder, makes our list. CC Attle’s uprooting from Madison and settling into a new home on East Olive Way is remarkable for the change it brings to an icon of the Hill’s gay bar scene and the street CC’s will now call home.
6. Even with continued gentrification, the Hill continues to be a home for dissident viewpoints and protest. The tradition continued in 2010. This protest against police brutality is representative. Note the march happened in April, months before the controversy over the police killing of JT Williams.
7. The battle between the artist who created the Hill’s loved but litigious Broadway Steps sidewalk art and a photographer who ran afoul of the artist’s aggressive defense of his copyright also will drag on into 2011… and beyond.
8. Controversy over the new Summit/John park’s skate dot feature had us, again, looking at the intersection of public good, neighbor rights and good places to shred.
9. 2010 was a year of massive planning on the development front. We recounted the biggest Hill development stories of the year, here. The 7-story 230 Broadway project is a good symbol for 2010’s development direction eliciting everything from enthusiasm and hope for a revitalized Broadway to disappointment and frustration with the seeming progression of very large, unattractive construction in the heart of the Hill. Demolition of the block to make way for the project is expected early in 2011. Our most recent update on a speedbump in the project’s progress is here. Meanwhile, the overhaul of the old Jade Pagoda building is another good story from this part of the Hill’s 2010 in review.
10. Deserving of its own entry, the People’s Parking Lot will be lost to progress.
11. Off-Hill development made some news. To give you a sense of just how vital some big box retail is to every day life, news that a Target will open downtown was one of our most-viewed stories of the year.
12. Capitol Hill is a pioneer in many things. Including Seattle’s latest street paint feature, the bike box.
13. Slats is dead. Long live Slats.
14. Cal Anderson’s courts were formally opened to “alternative sports” like dodgeball and bike polo and fixie juggling and junkie dancing.



15. A kid went to juvenile hall for holding up an East Union couple who went on a strange, twisted odyssey through Seattle to recover their stolen pit bull puppy — and the ripped-off $1,500 reward money they had put up for the puppy’s return.
16. The Capitol Hill Block Party became more culturally significant — and more impactful to the neighborhood as organizers scrambled to add a third day to the big and getting bigger music event.
17. CHS is a community driven site. The greatest example of this in 2010 was this post — Regarding Unsecured House at 502 Belmont Ave E —  in which a resident helped kick off a process that lead to the elimination of a problem house on a problem property. Sad the cool old house was so neglected it had to be torn down. Cool that CHS got to play a little part in helping neighbors improve their neighborhood.
18. #snOMG, we had a very snowy Thanksgiving week.
19. The story was pretty much made for TV news: Capitol Hill student maced and mugged of iPhone and gingerbread house while waiting for bus. But, one, it actually happened and two, it portrayed some of our fears about the safety of Capitol Hill streets in a year when muggings and hold-ups have jumped.
20. The Obama mural was replaced.
21. Cal Anderson spy cams. The cops wanted them left on. The City Council said get the cameras out of Cal Anderson Park. For now.
22. In a year of belt tightening, one of our most read budget related posts was this story about worries the Volunteer Park Conservatory would suffer City Hall’s axe. Conservatory wasn’t touched. But the rest of the city’s services were hit with significant cutbacks.
23. Elliott Bay Book Co. moved from Pioneer Square to Capitol Hill. A video store moved to the Hill from Pioneer Square. An adorable flower shop moved from Pioneer Square. Sorry, Pioneer Square.
24. Ada’s, a “technical bookstore” opened.
25. The Broadway Building opened. Blick Art moved in.
26. The War Room was re-born.
27. The First Hill streetcar became the Pioneer Square-First Hill-Capitol Hill streetcar and will travel down Broadway when it opens for service in 2013.
28. The Melrose Market opened and instantly became an amazing food, drink and shopping destination on Capitol Hill bringing new life on the Hill’s edge with downtown.
29. It was a summer of street fairs.
30. The Sound Transit light rail construction will continue for years. How about this for a 2010 milestone? Sandy void paranoia.
31. Capitol Hill commuters prepared for big changes to 520.
32. Russian spies were flushed from a Capitol Hill apartment building.
33. Bliss Soaps, Museum of Mysteries, Broadway News, Tiempo, Anne Bonny, Cafe Septieme…