'Prime' cuts: Best of 2007 - The 'Prime News' team looks back

(CNN) -- From "Don't tase me, bro!" to a particularly strange car chase, from Anna Nicole to Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, the staff of "Prime News with Erica Hill" looks back on their most memorable moments of 2007.

Lisa Sileo, writer:
• Erica Hill's interview with the farmer who saved his life by cutting off his own arm with a pocketknife. He nonchalantly talked about getting "the meat off the bone."

• Singing along to Bobby Brown's greatest hits ("Every Little Step", "My Prerogative" anyone?) in the Loft on the day the troubled singer once again landed in the headlines.

Jonathan Anker, senior writer:
• Miss Teen South Carolina's geography-deficient, painfully rambling pageant Q&A moment, for reminding all of us of the value of a good education. And the value of YouTube.

• Our story about a Maine middle school dispensing birth control to students also really stuck out this year. A lot of times, we talk about how parents need to face reality regarding what their kids are up to. But, when someone finally tries an innovative approach to confronting it, there's intense backlash and outrage. The dueling good intentions behind this story made it one of the year's most controversial and compelling. Birth control debate

Erica Hill, anchor:
• "Skankoween!" Who could forget Mike's segment on slutty Halloween costumes for little girls? We were all appalled that anyone would send their kids out in some of these ensembles, but no one summed it up better than G (as we affectionately call Galanos) with that oh-so-catchy word: Skankoween.

Chris Willig, writer:
• My best moment of '07 (at least in the two months I've been writing for Prime News) had to be waiting for the release of Major League Baseball's Mitchell Report. A pre-list was going around on the Internet that named all sorts of high-profile players, but it wasn't accurate. Basically, I spent half my morning speculating who was going to be on the list and who wasn't, and the other half reading the actual report and listening to the press conferences. Read about the steroid investigation

Barbara Hammond, producer:
• My fave Prime News moment was Mike Galanos, being the inquisitive anchor that he is, asking a couple of swingers how exactly their lifestyle works: "Is this orgy style, or are you just pairing off with another couple?" Watch the swingers' interview

Alan Kain, technical director:
• The 2007 story that sticks out in my mind is the release of Genarlow Wilson from prison. We covered that event live on Prime News (watch the video) and it was nice to see a conclusion to a story where common sense prevailed, instead of the usual mind-boggling "kid suspended for bringing steak knife to school" craziness. Speaking of craziness, the "Don't tase me, bro!" story always brings a smile to my face.

Grayson Thagard, production assistant:
• It's cheesy, but my best working moment in 2007 was just being assigned to work with the "Prime News" crew. After eight years in Operations (the technical side of things), I'm beyond lucky to have been offered the chance to work with a group willing, gracious and patient enough to teach me everything I need to know about Editorial!

• My favorite story ... or my favorite image anyway is from August: The Duct Tape Bandit. ( See gallery »)

Stephanie Todd, executive producer:
• The death of Anna Nicole Smith was not only a tragic story with so many angles, but a very challenging one for us because we covered it every day for over a month. Just when you thought it couldn't get any weirder, in comes Zsa Zsa's husband! (Prince Frederic von Anhalt, later spotted bound and naked in his SUV, claiming he was robbed.) I was intrigued because of the circus factor, but saddened because the people who "claimed" they cared about Anna Nicole let her get so out of control. As a new mom, I felt the most heartache for that precious baby girl! She'll never know her mama. Details on Anna Nicole Smith's death

• Speaking of, my single favorite on-camera moment had to be Erica welcoming the birth my baby boy on the show! Seeing his little face on the big, on-set screen made my entire family so proud!

Katy Rogers, producer:
• My favorite moment was just last week, when I opened my prize in the holiday gift exchange. A set of shiny new handcuffs ... courtesy of my desk mate Betsy. Those set the tone for my entire holiday.

Betsy Hunter, writer:
• July Fourth: The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. There was no better place to watch than the Prime News Loft. Takeru "The Tsunami" Kobayashi's stunning "reversal" (for the uninitiated, he threw up in his mouth) and Joey "Jaws" Chestnut's 66-dog triumph was some of the most exciting live TV I've ever seen. Kurt boiled us our own hot dogs on a none-too-safe-looking hot plate, and what made it on TV was absolutely priceless. I'd always been against competitive eating, but as of that day, I'm a believer. I even have a favorite pro eater now: Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, the 100-pound wonder. Read more about the "gutsy" competition

Brad Tachco, producer:
• OK, my favorite moment of 2007 was the addition of the bells to the Prime News Loft. You'd think they'd only be good for short-order cooks who want servers to know the food's ready for pickup. But, they've proven surprisingly versatile for the news biz, too. Nothing has added more fun to our workday. Big props to Kurt Kasting for bringing them in.

Kurt Kasting, producer:
• My favorite story of the year wasn't a particularly "important" story, it was a story that shows you how, even if you think you've seen it all in the news business, you haven't. We cover plenty of live car chases on Headline News, and they are usually pretty exciting. But this one was unique because of what happened during the chase. You may remember it.

With cop cars tailing him all across town at high speeds, the suspect decides he needs a smoke. So he actually pulls into a gas station, orders a pack of Marlboros, pays the cashier, then jumps back in his truck to resume to chase. Priceless.

By the way, like all people in car chases, he was eventually caught.

Robyn Sjogren, senior writer:
• I'm the "woman behind the curtain" -- the one who reads all the viewer e-mails. Many times, they have cracked me up. Love reading the best ones out loud to the whole team.

• Cooking up the Prime News Sexytime Casserole! Recipe: cooked whole wheat pasta, shredded cheese, ground beef, and tomato sauce. Bake at 350 for a sexytime treat! E-mail to a friend