It is rare that a family facing gritty issues such as those faced by Ali Nowotny and her father, Craig, let the public in. But when they do, it's both inspiring and rewarding to see how people react.

Through most of last week and into the weekend, readers followed the Rapid City teenager's trip to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and the steps toward brain surgery to remove a tumor and the girl's beginning steps of recovery.

The series has been one of the most positively followed series the Journal has undertaken. Even the often cynical, highly critical trenches known as Rapid Reply were largely free of sniping and very enthusiastic and supportive of the Nowotny family and their efforts to get Ali home to South Dakota by Christmas.

Of course, there was plenty of other, less inspiring news over the week.

Two of the most read stories of the week involved pedestrians hit by vehicles along a stretch of Fifth Street south of downtown Rapid City - one a fatality and the other the finding of a suspect in a hit-and-run accident from the previous week.

And there was the news of an arrest in the fatal shooting of a woman in Spearfish.

But it was good to see at least a little holiday cheer in the Christmas week.

Top Five Stories

1. Pedestrian killed near cathedral

Bad weather, a blind hill and mid-block pedestrian crossing turned tragic a week ago today when a man crossing Fifth Street to attend church at Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in south Rapid City.

The man was later identified by family as 85-year-old John Langenfeld.

2. Spearfish man arrested after fatal shooting

Stories such as these aren't common in towns such as Spearfish.

Police responding to reports of shots fired found one woman dead and one woman injured at a Spearfish motel. They later found the suspect - Shane D. Bell of Spearfish - outdoors in the bitter cold and suffering from hypothermia. The woman that was killed was found in his motel room.

The story continues to fold, and as it does, I'm sure more will be heard about what happened Sunday night.

3. Police say hit-and-run suspect, vehicle found

After offering up a $1,000 reward and the passing of a week, police were able to make an arrest in the hit-and-run case in which a Dakota Middle School student was injured as she crossed Fifth Street near the school.

In reality, this story and the ensuing one identifying the suspect as 48-year-old Matthew E. Mitchell as the suspect combined to be the most read story of the week. Police were given a tip about a vehicle that matched the description of the sought after crash. The vehicle had been abandoned off Sheridan Lake Road on the west side of town.

4. Rapid City businessman sentenced for tax offense

Jail time and more than $7,000 restitution for a Rapid City vacuum cleaner businessman Johnny E. Maclin caught the attention of many a reader the past week. He was sentenced in both Butte County and Meade County.

5. Success: Surgeon removes Ali's tumor

If the Ali Nowotny series numbers were combined, it would easily be the most read part of www.rapidcityjournal.com over the past week.

The story everyone was waiting for, though, was the story on what the outcome of the young Nowotny's surgery was. And though her recovery will continue for weeks and months, it was good news for Ali and her family, who returned to White Lake in time to celebrate Christmas with the extended family.

Top Five Videos

1. Ali Nowotny is in recovery

Of three videos following Ali Nowotny over the past week, this is the one reader's were waiting for as well. Ali looked a little haggard but otherwise good after brain surgery, the outcome readers had been rooting for and praying for all week.

2. Olympians Visit Rushmore

World-class figure skaters and gymnasts took a little time out before the big show on Tuesday to visit the Shrine of Democracy, putting on a little bit pre-show show for visitors there.

3. Ali Nowotny prepares for surgery

In leading up to the surgery, Ali Nowotny steels herself for the potential outcomes of the procedure. That includes some memory power. Photographer/videographer Kristina Barker captures Ali's courage and unshakeable faith for readers to see.

4. Ali Nowotny's hair journey

This video has been part of the Top Five Videos of the Week previously, but being part of the "Ali's Journey" package online, viewers returned to it to hear in Ali's own words her outlook on the life-altering surgery she would undergo to remove a brain tumor.

5. Extravagant Holiday Lighting 12-15-08

As I said earlier in the week, Joe Lanoue's Christmas Light Display is my favorite. The music, the lights, the faux river - it's all good.

Rapid Reply of the Week

Normally, I look for the humorous or contradictory statements from Rapid Reply over the past week to include in this segment of The Fives Week in Review, but this week, there was one that really caught my attention that was neither.

A kind message during the holiday week to the suffering is oh, so appreciated, especially on Rapid Reply. This comment came in on the story about John Langenfeld's tragic death in a vehicle-pedestrian accident.

sad but accepting on 12/24/2008 01:24:51 said:

"John would very much want prayers for the young man that struck him…that was the kind of person that John was. John loved his faith, family and was really "one of a kind"( there are stories to back this one up!) He will be missed by so many-family, friends and all those at the Cathedral.

I would imagine that John is, at this moment,in the next world, asking questions to the previous Vatican representatives. Questions such as "So what were you thinking to change the Mass to english?? that really upset me!" Or making comments like "nuns really looked better in the old habits"! And I also would imagine that Peggy, his beloved wife who died many 22 years ago would be telling him, "Now, John…Let it go"…

Please have empathy in your heart for the young man that hit John. And you really don't need to pray for John- he is perfectly fine right now! Send those prayers to the family or the person driving the car."

Poll of the Week

Usually, I list the poll with the most votes cast over the past week. But that's kind of missing the point this past week as we continue up to the culmination of our ongoing series of polls determined to pick readers' favorite Christmas movie/show.

There's still time to vote as "A Christmas Story" and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" remain in a hotly contested battle. And "It's A Wonderful Life" isn't lagging behind that much either.

As of 4 a.m. Friday morning, the results are as follows.

What is your favorite Christmas movie/show? (Finals!)

It's A Wonderful Life

226 23 percent

A Christmas Story

307 31 percent

A Charlie Brown Christmas

146 15 percent

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

314 32 percent

Editor's Pick

Christmas Lights in the Hills 2008

Hey, if you don't get out this week to see the pretty lights, at least you have Tim Apple's project detailing some of the best in show around the Rapid City area. It also includes some of the best Christmas Light Shows nationwide and locally.

Check it out and have a cup of egg nog while you're at it.