HOUSTON—The Bayou City had its fair share of eye-catching headlines in 2008.

From harrowing hurricanes to horrific murder trials, plane problems to prom dresses, news from the Houston area had everyone talking – both locally and beyond.

So as the year comes to a close, take a moment to revisit the top 11 stories of 2008 from KHOU.com and 11 News:

Hurricane Ike makes landfall

HOUSTON—Rescuers in boats, helicopters and high-water trucks set out across the flood-stricken Texas coast Saturday in a monumental effort to reach tens of thousands of people who stubbornly ignored warnings of “certain death” and tried to ride out Hurricane Ike.

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Flight carrying members of Congress makes emergency landing

HOUSTON -- A Continental Airlines flight carrying seven members of Congress from Houston to Washington was forced to make an emergency landing after it lost cabin pressure Tuesday afternoon.

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Day care worker accused of kidnapping toddler

HOUSTON—A woman accused of abducting a 2-year-old girl from a day care center Friday afternoon has been charged with the toddler’s kidnapping. Investigators say the suspect, 21-year-old Raeshala Rhylette Morris, had recently been hired at the day care. When another employee went to the restroom, Morris, who was still in training, left with the toddler, according to officers.

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Skimpy prom dress lands teen in cuffs

HOUSTON—Rather than an evening of dancing and hanging out with friends, a Madison High School senior's prom night ended in a confrontation with school officials.  Marche Taylor was escorted out of the prom in handcuffs after officials said her dress was inappropriate.

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Police question teen about fetus found on plane

HOUSTON—Authorities are questioning a juvenile about the fetus found aboard a Continental jet at Bush Intercontinental Airport on Sunday afternoon. The unidentified girl is 14 years old.

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Continental jet has near miss with 'rocket'

HOUSTON -- Jet pilots aren’t used to sharing their airspace, so you can bet a rocket will get some attention. Continental Flight 1544 was flying at 5,000 feet about 11 miles east of Bush Intercontinental Airport after takeoff Monday morning when the pilot called the tower to report an object headed toward the plane. The pilot described seeing a fast-moving object with a thick smoke trail nearing his airspace.

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'Baby Grace' laid to rest

HOUSTON—After a long journey from Ohio to Texas and back, the girl known to the world as Baby Grace was laid to rest Wednesday. Her funeral was at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church, where hundreds gathered to prove just how much she was loved.

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Conroe daughter convinces President Bush to pardon her dad

CONROE, Texas—A Conroe man can thank his daughter—and her homework assignment—for his presidential pardon. Danny Pue was among 14 people pardoned by President Bush Monday afternoon.

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Toddler trapped in room during brutal dogfight in Friendswood

FRIENDSWOOD, Texas—A Friendswood baby was rescued from her bloody room Monday morning after a terrifying ordeal involving two fighting dogs. “The parents left the baby by itself, please get somebody over here,” said the frantic neighbor who called 911.

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Adult diaper spill blocks traffic on West Loop ramp

HOUSTON – Traffic was slowed to a halt Thursday morning after a tractor-trailer dumped adult diapers all over a freeway ramp. It happened on the West Loop southbound ramp to the Katy Freeway.

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Shepherd found guilty in grisly murder of Aggie coed

HOUSTON—A Harris County jury on Thursday found Tim Shepherd guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Tynesha Stewart, last spring. Shepherd was convicted of strangling Stewart at his apartment, dismembering her body, burning her remains on his patio grills and throwing them in a dumpster.

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