2016 in review

Donald Trump upset Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. Top politicians in Nassau were charged with political corruption, and key officials in Suffolk were convicted of other crimes. A local pizza delivery man shot to fame on “America’s Got Talent,” while we mourned the deaths of iconic entertainers including Carrie Fisher, David Bowie and Prince. 2016 has been a dramatic year. Here’s some of what we’ll remember.

Long Island's top 25 stories

Top news stories

Long Island's top 25 stories

Political corruption charges that shook a county and a political debate that drew the eyes of the nation. Those were just some of the local stories that defined 2016.

James Carbone

Disappointments, debuts, farewells

Best and worst in entertainment

Disappointments, debuts, farewells

See what our critics have to say about trends, surprises, breakouts and letdowns that made up the year in pop culture.

Netflix / Curtis Baker

Relive 2016 in under 6 minutes

Video Year in Review

Relive 2016 in under 6 minutes

See the memorable moments and stories Newsday captured on video this year.

Top LI pictures of 2016

Photos for posterity

Top LI pictures of 2016

A father and daughter embrace after surviving a plane crash. A whale becomes stranded in Moriches Bay. See the stunning and emotional images taken on LI this year.

Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.

Matt Davies' cartoons of the year

Memorable takes

Matt Davies' cartoons of the year

The cartoonist says choosing this collection is a challenge.

Matt Davies

Newsday's notable covers of 2016

Front and center

Newsday's notable covers of 2016

See a collection of the most notable Newsday covers of the year, chosen by the editors, from January through December.

Top photos around the U.S. and globe

Home and abroad

Top photos around the U.S. and globe

Memorable images from the Dallas police shootings, the conflict in Syria, the presidential election, the World Series and more.

AP / Carolyn Kaster

Stories that were 'so Long Island'

Local flavor

Stories that were 'so Long Island'

From a surprise Billy Joel performance to a Dunkin' Donuts wedding, these stories will have you shaking your head and muttering, 'That's so Long Island.'

Newsday / John Paraskevas

LI kids who found fame in 2016

Jeopardy! Teen Tournament

LI kids who found fame in 2016

2016 was a good year to get 15 minutes of fame for these select few local kids, including a young quiz show contestant.

Jeopardy Productions Inc.

Long Island

50 Long Islanders we lost in 2016

Notable deaths

50 Long Islanders we lost in 2016

A member of 'The God Squad,' a police sergeant killed in a shootout, and a school principal who battled cancer are among the Long Islanders we lost this year.

Newsday / Thomas A. Ferrara

Long Islanders who made us proud

Making us proud

Long Islanders who made us proud

Read about a trio who rescued a father and his two children from their sinking boat and more tales of amazing feats and acts of kindness Long Islanders performed.

Newsday / Thomas A. Ferrara

LI celebs who made news in 2016

Famous LIers

LI celebs who made news in 2016

This year has been momentous for everyone, including some of Long Island’s favorite sons and daughters.

Invision / Jordan Strauss

Sports

That’s so 2016, the sports edition

Bizarre, unique stories

That’s so 2016, the sports edition

The year 2016 has been unlike any other.

EPA / Patrick B. Kraemer

Top sports photos of 2016

Picks of pics

Top sports photos of 2016

There are plenty of good photos taken each year at sporting events. Here are 46 we found particularly enjoyable.

TNS / Brian Cassella

2016 notable sports deaths

Passing on

2016 notable sports deaths

We said goodbye to athletes, coaches and personalities.

Getty Images / Ronald Martinez

Food

Best restaurants for cheap eats

Bargain bites

Best restaurants for cheap eats

It's been a banner year for cheap eats restaurants, with openings from Long Beach to Montauk inspired by cuisine from around the globe.

Daniel Brennan

Best restaurants for fine dining on LI

Winning meals

Best restaurants for fine dining on LI

Bay Shore was the big winner in 2016’s fine-dining sweepstakes.

Daniel Brennan

Biggest Long Island restaurant closures

Most notable closings

Biggest Long Island restaurant closures

This year’s closings included a pizza joint that was home to a 34-inch pie and a P.J. Clarke's spin-off that lasted barely a year.

Aaron Zebrook

The Island's best pizza: 10 pies worth the drive

Destination pies

The Island's best pizza: 10 pies worth the drive

This year, the list welcomes three new pizzerias, all of which make pies in the classic Neapolitan tradition.

Ryan C. Jones

The best cookbooks of 2016

Cookbooks galore

The best cookbooks of 2016

A great cookbook can keep you happily chained to your kitchen, or transport you to another place and time.

Newsday / Rebecca Cooney

Entertainment

Top 50 albums of 2016, ranked

Best music

Top 50 albums of 2016, ranked

It was the Year of the Surprise as Beyoncé, Kanye West, Rihanna, Frank Ocean all rolled out new albums with little to no notice.

Sony

26 of the best TV shows this year

Best TV shows

26 of the best TV shows this year

Critic Verne Gay ranks television's offerings in 2016 from 26 to No. 1, including a tie.

NBC/Justin Lubin

'Manchester by the Sea,' 'Allied' and more

Best movies

'Manchester by the Sea,' 'Allied' and more

See the movies critic Rafer Guzman is dubbing the year's greatest.

Amazon Studios and Roadside Attr/Claire Folger

They broke up in 2016

Celeb splits

They broke up in 2016

From Brangelina's split after 12 years together, to Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's breakup after a little more than a year of marriage.

AP

Stars who died in 2016

Celebrity deaths

Stars who died in 2016

Remembering the actors, leaders and icons we bid adieu, from Prince to Gene Wilder.

Getty Images / Vince Bucci

Newsday documentaries

The culture of speed on Long Island

Speed Racer

The culture of speed on Long Island

Some practice the sport of drag racing legally, but there exists a sub-culture of racers who do not. The consequences of those illegal street races have, at times, led to tragedy.

Fighter, activist, icon

Muhammad Ali

Fighter, activist, icon

From his outspoken demeanor around boxing to his political views, from his converting to Islam to his refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam War, Muhammad Ali is a transcendent cultural figure.

Business

Top companies to work for

Prized employers

Top companies to work for

The 25 best companies to work for are made up of a wide array of U.S. companies, including Airbnb, Facebook, Google and In-N-Out Burger.

Glassdoor

Worst jobs to have in 2016

The job market

Worst jobs to have in 2016

The list of the 10 worst jobs includes newspaper reporter, logger and taxi driver.

AP / Amy Sancetta

Mobile games you must play

It's a mobile world

Mobile games you must play

Our list of the best mobile games on the Google Play and Apple App Store right now.

Niantic

Lifestyle

'The Underground Railroad,' 'Swing Time' and more

Best books

'The Underground Railroad,' 'Swing Time' and more

2016 saw an embarrassment of riches on the literary front, in both fiction and nonfiction.

Doubleday

Best children's books

For the kids

Best children's books

The 10 best children's books of 2016 sure to engage any young reader.

Amazon

Produced by Joe Diglio, newsday.com staff