If it was variety you were looking for among the top stories this past week at www.rapidcityjournal.com, you're likely disappointed.

The end of the hotly contested Democratic presidential primary and the continuation of a long, wet spring dominated the home page here at the Journal and drove record traffic to the site.

It was Hillary Clinton's win over Barack Obama, the developments of widespread flooding throughout the Hills and storms that led up to the storm that squeezed out all but one other story in the top 10, which was about a man injured by a passing train.

Here's a brief wrap up of the week that was.

Top Five Stories

1. Floodwaters drive residents from homes, strand others in their homes

When the lead includes widespread evacuations, sloppy wet basements, failing dams and people trapped in their homes, the story is going to catch readers' attention.

The bad thing about Thursday's story chronicling flooding throughout Lawrence and Butte counties is that it remains a developing story, with streams swelling with rains that were expected to subside - a bit.

2. Flooded access roads prompt voluntary evacuations in Box Elder

It was one long, scary day in Box Elder where some residents were awakened in the wee hours of Thursday morning to be evacuated as Boxelder Creek overflowed into Prairie View Estates and flooded out residents there.

Although the evacuation was voluntary, the threat of continued rains and more flooding kept many residents out of their homes into today.

3. Storms bring significant flooding, funnel clouds

Here's another lead that likely caught readers' attention, but more after the fact than at the time it went live on the site.

Journal writer Andrea J. Cook wrote: "Last month was the wettest month on record in Rapid City, and despite the way June is starting out, it isn't likely another record is in the making, according to National Weather Service technician Bill Cecil."

Since that story, it's almost as if Mother Nature was taking the NWS' Bill Cecil's statement as a challenge.

4. Some evacuated in Belle Fourche as flooding expands

Much of the same as other parts of the region, Butte County found itself knee deep in water and fighting back a rising tide of floodwaters.

Like Box Elder, evacuation of homes from the low-lying Jewett Subdivision quickly drove home the point that the situation was serious. That, and the fact that no travel was advised on all roads in and around Belle Fourche and the worst may be yet to come as streams were expected to continue to rise into today.

5. Obama stresses differences between himself and policies of Bush-McCain

It seemed as if Barack Obama might never make a swing West River. But with the end of the presidential primary season culminating Tuesday with South Dakota's election, the charismatic candidate did make it to Rapid City, speaking to about 2,700 people at a packed Pennington County Event Center.

With all that build-up, it was a Spearfish middle school student that stole the show when seventh-grader Steven Cady hit the candidate with an insightful question about immigration policy.

The rest of the top 10 includes:

6. Mom proud of teen's moment with Obama

7. Hail storm floods parts of Hermosa

8.Hillary Clinton takes it to the wire, seeks support in 11th-hour Rapid City stop

9. Man injured in train incident

10. Clinton win a blow to S.D. Democratic leaders

Top Five Videos

1. Flood Watches

A precursor to Thursday's flooding, videographer Tim Appel caught images of a downpour that temporarily flooded Rapid City's main travel routes as the workday began Wednesday. In retrospect, Rapid City may have gotten the best of the weather over the past week when it comes to the central and northern Black HIlls and surrounding areas.

2. Obama at the Firehouse

The rock star persona of candidate Barack Obama was in full view of patrons Saturday at The Firehouse when he made a surprise stop at the downtown Rapid City pub and eatery.

3. Major Flooding

Thursday's flooding in Lawrence County was the real deal as the crack crew of Appel, senior reporter Steve Miller and photo editor Ryan Soderlin braved the elements to bring the story to Journal editors.

4. Clinton Stops at Tally's Restaurant

It amounted to a farewell stop for Hillary Clinton and husband Bill after a two week blitz in which the candidate and the former president visited Rapid City and the surrounding area seven times to campaign.

The campaign may have fallen short nationally, but locally, South Dakotans rewarded the candidate's drive, voting for her 55 percent to 45 percent over Obama.

On Monday, when she visited downtown diner Tally's, the percentage of Hillary supporters may have been even higher.

5. Obama Speaks in Rapid City

The presumptive Democratic nominee's oratory skills are caught on camera.

Best Rapid Replies of the Week

Nothing gets the Rapid Repliers like the ongoing story of Rapid City native's Becky Hammon's controversial decision to play for Russia in the upcoming Olympic games in Beijing. Here is but a small sampling of the offerings.

Open your minds on 06/05/2008 04:39:30 said:

"I'm disappointed Becky won't be playing for Team USA. But answer this question for me: did Team USA want her in the first place? I saw names like Leslie, Taurasi, Sparks and others, but no Becky on the original roster. We're talking about one of the best players in the country that wasn't even WANTED by her olympic team. I don't question her patriotism at all. I do question the choices made by Queen Anne Donovan and her elite WNBA sisterhood.

Check out the comments by ESPN analyst Nancy Lieberman in that article and you'll see the other side. Becky is in the prime of her professional career, a place where she won't be four years from now.

Close your mouths and open your minds."

why on 06/05/2008 03:25:23 said:

"would ESPN want to highlight this? It is just giving this young lady more attention. I don't care why she has been this disrespectful decision. She should just stay in Russian and maybe look for homes for anyone that supports this decision. What a slap to our Country and especially the military that fight for all of us including traitors like Becky."

Poll of the Week

Want proof that Rapid City Journal polls are neither scientific or indicative of South Dakota in general? This week's top poll covers both of those bases. Hey, at least it's fun.

Which Democrat would you vote for in the primary?

Clinton 48 percent

Obama 52 percent

Editor's pick

Marta Olson-Rangitsch's new cooking blog, Cyber Saute, is among the first of a series of soon-to-be community blogs coming to the www.rapidcityjournal.com and is one of the most energetic.

Check it out here.