The list of the most-read push alerts from KGW for 2018 serves as a reminder of some of the most shocking stories that broke over the past year, from the Hart family's tragic demise to the stolen airplane at the Seattle airport.
Two of KGW's 10 most-read push alerts were about the Hart family crash, as readers followed the story closely with each tragic development. The most-read alert was about the stolen plane at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Other stories on the list were nearly as stunning, like the Oregon woman who had 14 worms pulled from her eye, and the sad story of a different family that died after crashing their SUV into a river along the California coast at the same time and near the location of the Hart family crash.
Here's a look at the 10 most-read KGW push alerts:
1. Reports of hijacked plane crashed in Washington
DATE: August 10, 9:34 p.m.
THE STORY: Richard Russell, 28, a former Horizon Air employee, took a Horizon Air Q400 Turboprop from a cargo area at the north end of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on August 10. Without communicating to air traffic controllers, he cut off another airplane and then managed to get the plane onto the runway and airborne. F-15s were scrambled out of their base at Portland International Airport to intercept the plane. Russell was recorded as having multiple conversations with air traffic controllers who were trying to talk him into landing. Russell flew it for over an hour before crashing it on Ketron Island. Russell was killed in the crash. An FBI investigation found that Russell crashed the plane intentionally.
2. Own a Mac, iPhone or iPad? A major security flaw means you need to do this now
DATE: January 5, 7:05 a.m.
THE STORY: The "major security flaw" was found by security researchers, who reported that a broad flaw in Intel and other chips could allow hackers to access data previously thought to be secure. The solution? Allow your computers and phones to automatically install software updates and patches as they're released. Every major software company pushed out updates to fix the problem.
3. Sarah Hart sent a 3 a.m. text to a friend two days before the Hart family's SUV was discovered at the bottom of a California cliff
DATE: April 11, 3:25 p.m.
THE STORY: Cheryl Hart, who identified herself as a friend of Sarah Hart, called 911 in Clark County on Monday, March 26, worried because she hadn't been able to reach Sarah since receiving a text message from her at 3 a.m. two days earlier. Hart told the 911 dispatcher at 1:15 p.m. on March 26 that Sarah sent her a text message saying she was feeling sick, wouldn't be able to work, and might have to go to the doctor. Cheryl Hart said she hadn't been able to reach Sarah or Jennifer after receiving the text message. Sarah's text was sent hours after Child Protective Services visited the Hart family home in Woodland on March 23 to follow up on a call from neighbors reporting that the six Hart family children were not being fed.
RELATED: What we know about Hart family crash
4. 'This will be the wildest weekend of weather we've had all year': Check out Matt Zaffino's latest snow forecast
DATE: February 16, 6:56 p.m.
THE STORY: The "wildest weekend of weather" began Sunday, February 18, when the West Hills in Portland were hit hard with snow. On Tuesday night, downtown Portland ended up with three inches of snow, while the West Hills got more than 5 inches. More than 8 inches dropped in some areas, including Yacolt and Sandy. A third snowstorm in four days arrived Wednesday night, and icy roadways and ramps had traffic at a standstill on Interstate 205, from Interstate 84 all the way south to Sunnyside Road, on Thursday. On Friday morning, Portlanders woke up to record-low temperatures, including at Portland International Airport where a Feb. 23 record of 24 degrees was recorded. The prior record for the date was set in 1993. Portland Bureau of Transportation officials said the agency used about 90 tons of road salt on 12 designated routes over the weekend through Wednesday.
5. ‘I probably don’t have much time left,’ dying student says in 911 call, ‘so tell my mom that I love her if I die’
DATE: April 12, 9:11 a.m.
THE STORY: Kyle Plush, a high-school tennis player in Ohio, was supposed to play in a match on April 10. He was in his van, reaching to get his tennis gear when he was pinned by the third-row seat. He made two 911 calls, the first at 3:16 p.m., and was on the phone with dispatchers for nearly six minutes, based on call recordings. While officers were in the parking lot, searching for the van, Plush made his second 911 call, at 3:35 p.m. "I probably don't have much time left," he said, this time talking to a different dispatcher. "Just tell my mom that I love her if I die. This is not a joke." In that second call, Plush gave more specific details of the van he was trapped in, including its color, make and model. That information was never relayed to officers on the scene. At 3:37 p.m., the officers closed the incident and went back into service. Plush's family found his body in the van about five hours later. Body cam videos showed that the officers drove around the parking lot and never got out of their patrol car. At one point, an officer could be heard saying on the video, “I don’t see nobody, which I don’t imagine I would.” In November, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters said no criminal charges would be filed in the case.
6. Hart family SUV's on-board computer shows vehicle stopped at pullout, then accelerated off the cliff. 'Pure acceleration all the way', CHP says.
DATE: April 1, 7:53 p.m.
THE STORY: In one of the most shocking developments of the Hart family crash story, the California Highway Patrol said during a telephone press conference with the media late Sunday, April 1, that the Hart family SUV's on-board computer showed the driver, Jennifer Hart, stopped their GMC Yukon at the pullout and then accelerated over the cliff on Highway 1 near Westport, California, a distance of about 70 feet. The CHP spokesperson described it as: "Pure acceleration all the way."
RELATED: What we know about Hart family crash
7. Doctors pull 14 worms out of Oregon woman's eye
DATE: February 12, 8:17 p.m.
THE STORY: Abby Beckley went horseback riding and fishing in Gold Beach, Oregon, a coastal, cattle-farming area, in August 2016. After a week of eye irritation, Beckley pulled a worm from her left eye. "I pulled that worm out and I just was shocked. I was absolutely shocked," Beckley said. "I stared at it and it was alive." Over two weeks, doctors removed 13 more. The worms were translucent and each less than half an inch long. After they were removed, no more worms were found and Beckley had no additional symptoms. Doctors said Beckley's was the first known human case of a parasitic infection spread by flies.
8. Arrest warrant issued for former CEO of Portland nonprofit
DATE: March 20, 2:06 p.m.
THE STORY: Clayborn Collins, 50, served as chief executive of the now-defunct Emmanuel Community General Services, located at Emmanuel Church in North Portland. The nonprofit provided a variety of services related to gang violence, prisoner reentry, domestic violence and parenting. An arrest warrant was issued for Collins, accused of embezzling roughly $70,000, on one count of aggravated theft. He turned himself in on March 26.
9. Inside the Oregon Coast's newest luxury resort
DATE: March 2, 4:30 p.m.
THE STORY: Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa, a new luxury resort on the beach just north of Pelican Brewing at the southern base of Cape Kiwanda, officially opened its doors in January, but it celebrated with a grand opening in March. The 33-room lodge includes 18 cottages, the restaurant Meridian and Tidepools spa.
10. Family disappears on road trip from Portland to Southern California
DATE: April 10, 2 p.m.
THE STORY: No, this wasn't the Hart family. It was the Thottapilly family, who all died after their SUV plunged into a rain-swollen river in Northern California, near where the Hart family had plunged over a cliff. The family was traveling from Portland to their home in Santa Clarita, California when a strong storm dumped rain on Northern California. Searchers found the bodies of father Sandeep, 42, mother Soumya, 38, and their two children, 12-year-old Siddhanty and 9-year-old Saachi.
Jared Cowley is a digital producer at KGW. You can reach him on Twitter @jaredcowley.