We get it鈥� some days the news cycle is fast and busy, making it easy to miss some of the great stories that come from all across B.C.
So we鈥檝e compiled a list of the most wacky and quirky stories that stood out in 2018. From a stuffed toy dog prompting an emergency break-in, to a festival-goer deciding to dive into a manure pit at a nearby farm, we hope these stories create just as many smiles and laughs for you as they did for us.
Spokane man enlists 50,000 box fans to blow wildfire smoke back to B.C.
Thick wildfire smoke from the B.C. Interior travelled cross-border this summer 鈥� touching a nerve for one man from his home in Spokane, Wash.
Caleb Moon said he鈥檇 had enough with the smoky skies, enlisting fellow residents to place box fans on their roofs in order to blow the smog back to 鈥渢hose Canucks鈥� in B.C.
From what we saw in the days that followed, despite his mathematical calculations, the smoke stuck around.
Festival-goer releases cows, dives into manure pit on Agassiz farm
Don鈥檛 worry, the cows are back safe at the farm. But a pair of farmers in Agassiz were left dumbstruck after a man believed to be from a nearby electronic music festival unleashed a number of heifers from a farm.
The man was spotted by the farmers, sunburned and wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and talking to one of the cows.
To add to the chaos, the man decided to jump into a manure pit. Luckily, he was OK.
From hot dog to not dog: stuffed toy prompts car break in
A Victoria couple had an unpleasant surprise when they came back to their car and found a window smashed in. But this isn鈥檛 a story of a break in, or grand-theft auto.
In the heat of summer, the BC SPCA was reporting upwards of 450 calls about dogs in distress stuck inside hot cars.
But turns out, a stuffed animal inside the car, which goes by the name Rory, caused some confusion for a different couple nearby who had seen a dog in the car. After finding it unresponsive, they called the police and were told to smash in the window.
Duct tape used to haul boat nets driver hefty fine in Abbotsford
It might have been cheaper to pony up the money for a professional to get the job done.
A driver was handed a $2,000 fine after Abbotsford Police Const. Harv Mangat spotted him towing a sailboat on a tiny trailer 鈥� with no brakes and a handmade third axle 鈥� while sitting on pallets and tied together with duct tape.
This wasn鈥檛 even the first DIY hauling project Mangat came across in July. A week earlier, the officer pulled over a small car transporting wood and brush 鈥� tied down with a garden hose.
"Is there a problem officer?"
鈥� Cst Mangat APD (@CstMangat)
Me: Are you serious?
"I assure you it's safe, I tied it down with an old garden hose"
Singing secretary at B.C. elementary school goes viral
It was a farewell students at a Maple Ridge elementary school will not soon forget. As the children headed for the doors to start their summers, secretary Cathy Barrington offered up her best rendition of Eta James鈥檚 At Last over the loudspeaker.
And the kids loved it.
A video posted on social media by a parent went viral, showing the students cheering as they crowded around the front desk.
鈥楬onour system鈥� fridge at Vernon farm dishonoured by theft
Someone got a little greedy, allegedly taking advantage of a system at a family farm in Vernon that trusted its customers in using an 鈥渉onour system鈥� to pay for organic goodies.
According to police at the time, a suspect 鈥� who the farm nicknamed 鈥減refers smokies鈥� 鈥� allegedly took a dozen eggs without putting payment in the jar. A few days later, $100 worth of organic meat went missing. There were four more thefts after the initial report to police.
A 39-year-old woman and 44-year-old man were arrested but later released.
Yay or neigh? Cowboy the miniature horse predicts Elk Valley elections
Forget pollsters or political analysts 鈥� in the Kootenays all it takes is a miniature horse, some hay, tape and pictures of each mayoral candidate.
This year, one of the biggest local news stories was the municipal elections, which saw a number of changes to city councils. The Fernie Free Press kicked it up a notch when they enlisted Cowboy to offer his predictions.
B.C. men charged after allegedly stealing $1,400 worth of butter
Alleged butter thieves were caught in the oven of justice after in Coquitlam this year. Two Vancouver men, ages 23 and 25, were charged after a large amount of butter worth $1,400 was stolen from a grocery store.
At the time, Cpl. Michael McLaughlin with Coquitlam RCMP said things like meat, cheese and baby formula can easily be sold on the black market.
鈥淥n the other hand, it鈥檚 possible these suspects were choosing the wrong way to get a head start on their Christmas baking.鈥�
Dog banned from B.C. dog park for 鈥榚xcessive鈥� barking, running
With the wacky and quirky come the downright headscratchers, and Cameron the Shetland sheepdog being banned from his favourite park is no exception.
The nine-year-old dog and his owner received a hand-delivered letter from Langley City officials, stating a six-month ban due to a complaint from a nearby resident.
The ban was later reversed, under some conditions.
Luxury car calls 911 to impaired driving crash
鈥淏asically, his car called 911 on him,鈥� was how Princeton RCMP Cpl. Chad Parsons put it.
According to police, the RCMP received a call one July evening from BMW Assist, a free telematic roadside service, alerted officers to a crash where the car鈥檚 airbags had deployed.
At the scene, police found signs of impaired driving.
鈥榃orld鈥檚 Most Extreme Grandpa鈥� hails from Trail
If 2018 came up short, at least we have 91-year-old John Carter. The senior-turned-YouTube-sensation from Trail in the Kootenays turned heads with his weightlifting, belly flops and positive outlook on life that鈥檚 nothing short of contagious.
Black Press Media got to chat with the star himself about the making of a viral video behind his day-to-day lifestyle that has since been viewed more than 150,000 times.
鈥淎ll I can be is just really pleased, you know鈥� And say that I am John Carter, and I am an extreme grandpa.鈥�
