The Star’s 10 most-read stories of 2014
1. Royals offered freebies to move “Marlins Man” from front row during World Series
A private suite and free World Series goodies were not enough to entice 58-year-old Miami lawyer Laurence Leavy, aka “Marlins Man,” to move from his seat at Kauffman Stadium for the World Series. Leavy, in his bright orange Marlins attire, was hard to miss behind home plate.
2. Take a virtual ride on the world’s tallest water slide at Schlitterbahn
Delayed openings kept eager riders from experiencing the thrill of Verrückt, the world’s tallest water slide at Schlitterbahn in Kansas City, Kan. While the thrill-seekers waited, they took a virtual ride through this video.
3. Police find 11 hidden cameras in KC woman’s apartment above Freaks Tattoo parlor
A friend visiting a 25-year-old woman’s apartment noticed a smoke detector that looked just like one from the box of spy cameras he had seen in the basement of the business where they both worked: Freaks Tattoo at 4101 Troost Ave. The woman called police, unleashing an investigation that revealed her apartment was rigged with 11 cameras, including four in her bathroom, recording her every move.
4. KC restaurant Voltaire drops “epic” response on Yelper’s complaint
When the West Bottoms restaurant Voltaire wouldn’t bend its policy and do take-out, a customer took to Yelp to complain. But it didn’t end there. Voltaire’s cheeky response was picked up by such sites as Uproxx and Eater, a national network of blogs covering restaurants, bars and nightlife. Eater’s post had more than 8,700 Facebook likes by 12:30 p.m. the next day.
5. Judge rules that Kansan who provided sperm to lesbian couple owes child support
Topeka resident William Marotta argued that he had waived his parental rights and didn’t intend to be a father after donating his sperm to a lesbian couple. Shawnee County District Judge Mary Mattivi rejected that claim, saying the parties didn’t involve a licensed physician in the artificial insemination process and thus Marotta didn’t qualify as a sperm donor, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported.
6. Snarky in the Suburbs: When homecoming dates go viral, we need some old-school medicine
913 columnist Sherry Kuehl struck a chord with readers on the new ritual of teen boys elaborately asking a girl to homecoming. “The long-term implication is that it impedes the teaching of a life lesson all girls should master sooner than later. Men, as a general rule, are not gifted romantics,” Kuehl wrote.
7. Man with history of anti-Semitism jailed in fatal shooting of 3 at Johnson County Jewish centers
Officers arrested suspect Frazier Glenn Cross — an Aurora, Mo., man better known as F. Glenn Miller — in April after two people were killed outside Overland Park’s Jewish Community Center and another at a Jewish assisted living facility.
8. Don’t expect Jeb Bush to face Hillary Clinton on the 2016 presidential ballot
After attending a private event with political expert Charlie Cook, Star columnist Steve Rose reported comments by the analyst. According to Cook, Clinton will most certainly run, while Jeb Bush has a slim chance of gaining the Republican nomination.
9. Chumlee lives! ‘Pawn Stars’ cast member victim of death hoax
The rumor of the “Pawn Stars” cast member’s death apparently came from a story posted on a website called EBuzzd. The story, later recanted, said that Chumlee died of an apparent heart attack at the age of 31.
10. Suspect held in Hailey Owens’ death as Speingfield, Mo., mourns a tragedy close to home
After news hit in February that 10-year-old Hailey had been abducted near her home, students learned that their outgoing friend — the girl known to help kindergartners hang up their coats in the morning — had been murdered.
This story was originally published January 6, 2015 at 1:53 PM with the headline "The Star’s 10 most-read stories of 2014."