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Jules Vasquez reporting
January began the news year with what would be a recurring story: a drug plane crashed and burned in the north.

We saw a woman Police Constable go to court, charged For Fareed Ahmad's Murder

And later in the month, we saw another unusual face accused at court, as extradition Proceedings Begin For attorney Andrew Bennet,

In February, hearts swelled when two missing NICH rangers were found after 48 hours lost in the bush behind Caracol.

But the second month of the year also brought waves of sadness when Hermelinda Pinks Emanuel was killed by her husband in a murder suicide,

And, another ugly recurring theme started to appear in the news - as a 12 year old was killed in a street murder.

Later in the month - history was made when 8 lawmen, soldiers and a police officer were charged for murder.

At the end of the month, Guatemala's foreign Minister visited Belize for the first time, taking part in a ceremony at the OAS office in Benque Viejo.

In March, the PUP surprised the UDP in Municipal elections when it won in two towns, and took over the UDP's crown jewel, Belize City

And while politics was a brief distraction - the slaughter of the innocents continued with Alyssa Nunez - the 17 month victim of sexual and physical abuse so violent that she died days later from head trauma.

That same week, 12 year old Treshawn Gough was murdered in a gang rivalry.

And later that month, the violence turned from children, as two women were killed in a ruthless home invasion.

A surge of crime so strong, it forced the teachers Union to rally against it.

And while the teachers protested, a city gangster was honoured by his own on Mayflower Street in a riotous funeral

In May, the after shocks of a seismic political shift at City Hall started to be felt when the City Administrator was sent home.

In June, we were all shocked to our senses when three children perished in a house fire. Investigators later found that the house had no back door or stairs.

June also marks the end of the cane season - and ASR/BSI says the future is in exporting Direct Consumption sugars to CARICOM.

In July, our Foreign Minister made many question their sanity, or his sanity when he famously said:

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"Something has got to be crazy with you."

A crazy fire in August, left almost 100 people homeless in San Pedro

And fire investigators found that it was caused by arson.

August started with a story most of us still have trouble comprehending - in Seine Byte a 7 year old committed suicide.

And homicide was the case for Richard Foster, the Emmy winning Australian film-maker who was killed in a robbery at his home near the Belize Zoo.

Nationalism reached a fever pitch in August, when Belize's national women's volleyball team made history with a silver medal at the Central American championships - and they won it right at home, in a nail biter against Guatemala.

That nationalism played well in mid-November when Taiwanese President Tsai made a two day visit to Belize. And while she was greeted with grace

Another President, the president of NICH Sapnah Bhudrani came under heavy internal fire in August - and it culminated in her being suspended by Cabinet decree. She was later re-installed when no wrongdoing was found.

But there was no Cabinet decree to pay the Universal award of over 90 million dollars. For the first time ever in the House of Representatives, the "nay's" had it.

And August was also the end of the major drive of the re-registration campaign. Turnout was below what was expected, even if I did get to re-register in a sleeveless shirt.

Out. Of control City Crime was the story in September, when the state enacted a state of emergency on the Southside - locking up close to one hundred men on the first day.

They were locked up for 30 days before being released.

But it's the cops where were the criminals in September when two lawmen

Were charged in connection with landing a drug plane in Blue Creek with over a thousand pounds of cocaine on board.

Police say the cargo was valued at 7 million US dollars.

And September ended again with great sadness when, for the second time in three months, three children and an adult perished in a house fire. Again, the house had no back door.

In October, the hardships that teachers in rural areas must endure was brought vividly to life when 7News travelled to Graham Creek village in Toledo.

And when the Ministry didn't get the message - not to mess with hardship allowances - the teachers staged a protest in Belmopan - which brought the ministry hurriedly back to the negotiating table.

November was tragic for the police when one of their own, PC Osbourne Martinez was killed while responding to a robbery in progress. He didn't have on a bulletproof vest.

The police did make some good news in mid-November when they intercepted and burnt another one thousand pounds of cocaine - but in this case no arrests were made.

And 9 Belizean journalists went to the Hague in the Netherlands - to learn more about this court to which Belizeans may or may not take the Belize - Guatemala dispute.

In December, the titan of the Credit Union movement, Jane Usher died at the age of 101.

And...Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales visited Belize for the first time in an official capacity. He came for a SICA Summitt.

And 10 days ago, the year ended with the same kind of news it began with, the landing of a drug plane, but this time it wasn't the north; it was the south, a mennonite farm near Barranco village. Something tells us that this kind of news will continue into 2019.