In 2016, in our opinion...

Dumb Criminal of the Year - Hash-burglar Jalen Gomez of Detroit ordered hash browns at Burger King one September morning, drew a gun and demanded money. He fled on foot to a nearby bus stop, and was promptly arrested and charged on multiple counts.

Fond Farwell - Maryanne Cornelius, Novi's venerable and long-time city clerk, retired after many years of dedicated service. Enjoy retirement Maryanne, you deserve it!

Genius of the Year - University of Michigan Senior and Novi HS grad Mike Jocz was recognized several times for excellence on and off the field. He's a mechanical engineering major with a near perfect GPA, and a walk-on to the football team too!

Good News of the Year - The Suburban Collection Showplace posted a 35% increase in attendance at the new Michigan State Fair, announced plans for yet another expansion, and even hosted the president-elect. It just keeps getting better.

Heros of the Year - Novi PD and FD saved several people from Heroin overdoses using Naloxone. Well done, and we're pretty sure many families are thankful too.

Newcomer of the Year - Judge David Law was appointed to the bench after the embattled Judge Dennis Powers resigned following a highly publicized series of debacles. Judge Law then ran for and won that same position, and has been instrumental in restoring dignity to our beleaguered court.

New Businesses of the Year - Primanti Brothers restaurant began welcoming hungry customers, and American Girl and the Container Store all opened in the Town Center this year. Novi also welcomed X-Golf and AirTime, both in Fountain Walk, and Nordstrom Rack in West Oaks.

Strange But True - On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Novi Schools Asst. Superintendent R.J. Webber tweeted on an official, public account, "... allow our kids to learn directly from the actions/images of the oppressor." Wow.

Touchdown of the Year - Novi HS senior Robby Heil, the football team's hydration manager with Down syndrome, scored in front of a huge crowd in a play that made national news.

Traffic Nightmare - The total closure of I-275 for rebuilding caused enormous traffic jams for months. Then, just when we thought it was safe to travel down Haggerty again, MDOT shut down M-5 resulting in even worse jams.

Tragedy - Five illegal Mexican teens and young men were killed in a horrific fire in the basement of a home owned by the owners of Novi's Kim's Garden restaurant. All were said employed at the restaurant.

Very Important Visitor - President-elect Donald J. Trump visited Novi in September, drawing a huge, enthusiastic crowd to the Showplace and setting the stage for his surprise victory in Michigan.

Weird News of the Year - Twelve Oaks Mall was evacuated in August when a smash and grab robbery was mistaken for shots fired - a rumor spread rapidly over social media. The bandits were of course promptly busted by Novi's finest, but the mall lost a lot of business as it was locked down the rest of the day.

Winner of the Year - Novi science teacher Brian Langley won the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, and a trip to the White House.

Have a safe and enjoyable New Year, and all the best for 2017, from your friends and neighbors at Novi.org.