Anytime you compile a list of the top items, best whatevers and greatest whosits, you place yourself squarely in the crosshairs for criticism. Such is the case with the list of top stories from 2010 compiled by the staff of the Times-Journal.

And, in all honesty, some of those who would offer criticism of the list, the stories selected and where those stories were ranked, work right here in the Times-Journal building.

It was never a goal to garner 100 percent agreement with the stories selected or the reporting of the impact those stories had on our communities in 2010, but rather it was our goal to reflect on some of the larger stories of the year, the ones we felt had the largest impact on the lives of the greatest number of people.

Did we list the election of a new governor on the top 10 stories of the year? No, in fact, we almost listed the fact neither candidate came to Selma until just days before the election, practically ignoring the Black Belt’s largest city during their campaigns.

What about Sen. Hank Sanders’ election to a seventh term in the Alabama Senate. Did that story get consideration? Yes, it did. But, Sen. Sanders is a fixture in the state senate and his re-election, without any competition, paled in comparison to other stories throug the year.

What this exercise in looking back was intended to do was to reflect on a largely positive year in Selma, Dallas County and the Black Belt and spark further discussion among you, our readers.

Happy New Year to all of you and we can’t wait to see what stories await us in 2011.