This week, the Times-Gazette is looking back at 2006 by counting down the top 10 news stories of the year as voted by a panel of T-G staffers. Here are the stories revealed so far:

10) Eastern European students spend months in Shelbyville as temporary workers; some run into financial trouble

9) BCMC gets permission to build new hospital

8) Veterans Memorial Plaza completed and dedicated; statue is defaced later in year

7) Beloved T-G columnist Dick Poplin dies

Now, we continue with the next two entries:

6) Hours before scheduled execution, Holton allows appeal (41 points)

For most of the time since Daryl Holton killed his three sons and his stepdaughter in 1997, confessing to the crime and claiming to police that they were better off dead than living with his ex-wife, he has seemed resigned to his fate and has taken little if any action to assist his own defense efforts.

However, the weekend before his scheduled Sept. 19 execution, he allowed his attorney to file a handwritten petition to the U.S. Supreme Court asking to resume the appeal process. The execution was halted, and the case returned to the court system, with the Federal Defender Service claiming Holton is incompetent to make decisions about his own defense and the state claiming that he is, in fact, competent and aware of the consequences.

Jeff, Amanda and baby Jacob Tesmer were reunited in November when members of Battery B of the 1-115th Field Artillery returned to Shelbyville after serving in Iraq. (T-G file photo) [Click to enlarge]

5) National Guard troops return from Iraq (50 points)

Thanksgiving week brought a number of Bedford County families much to be thankful for -- the safe return of soldiers from the local National Guard unit after 14 months in Iraq. Soldiers greeted their families at a special events in Calsonic Arena on the Celebration grounds. Local concern for the troops had been strong throughout their tour of duty, and an estimated 1,000 family members and well-wishers attended the "welcome home" celebration.

"I said I'd get you back," said Capt. Ted Webb, "and that, we've done." Among the returning troops were decorated soldiers, including four Purple Heart recipients.

The troops were dismissed at 11:25 p.m. on Nov. 21.

Top story suggestions were solicited from the T-G news staff. A ballot containing 29 story possibilities was circulated to 12 different T-G staffers, each of whom selected his or her top 10 choices. Ten points were awarded for a first place vote, nine for a second place vote and so on.

Original reporting by staff writer Clint Confehr contributed to this story.

FRIDAY: Elections change the face of Bedford County government.