The five most-read stories out of the WGBH newsroom covered some of the year's most poignant political and social issues. Covering 2018's biggest stories — ranging from the midterm elections to profiles of greater Bostonians working to change their communities — we kept you up to date throughout the year. Here are the stories that most resonated with our readers.

1. Baker Cancels National Guard Deployment To Border, Citing 'Inhumane' Treatment Of Children And Families
In June, Gov. Charlie Baker canceled the deployment of Massachusetts National Guard troops to the border in light of reports about the Trump administration’s practice of separating immigrant children from families.

"Governor Baker directed the National Guard not to send any assets or personnel to the Southwest border today because the federal government's current actions are resulting in the inhumane treatment of children."
Lizzy Guyton, communications director for Gov. Charlie Baker

2. 7 Questions About The Nurse Staffing Ballot Measure
Should there be a legal cap on the number of patients assigned to one nurse? We looked at the context surrounding the issue, the data and the potential impact in order to give voters an informative look at the ballot question before Election Day.

"The issue has been debated for many years, but this year, the issue threatens to divide the medical community."

3. Boston Public School Teacher Wants City To Turn Off AC For Administrators
When Boston students suffered through a sweltering first day of school this September, one teacher challenged Mayor Marty Walsh to shut off school administrative offices' air conditioning until each school in the city had air conditioning installed. All Things Considered anchor Barbara Howard talked with the teacher, Michael Maguire from Boston Latin Academy in Dorchester, about his proposal.

"Today it was sweltering and oppressive. It got over 91 degrees — 91.6 degrees I think — and with a humidity level of over 60 percent."
Michael Maguire, teacher at Boston Latin Academy

4. The Men Who Fuel The Erotic Massage Industry
Part three of our five-part series, "The Business of Illicit Massage," examined the men who frequent illicit massage parlors in Massachusetts. We looked at what the typical profile of a parlor customer is, how much money they spend, and if they worry about getting caught.

"I spent anywhere from $100, which was probably the typical, to sometimes $200 ... I spent about $20,000 over those four years."
Tom, Boston-area resident

5. Green Card Bottleneck Splits Up Indian Families
When children of immigrants turn 21 and are no longer their parents' dependents, they face the prospect of having to "self deport" if they're still awaiting green card approval. The Nandrajog family faced that issue this year when their daughter, Meenakshi, turned down a full scholarship to the University of Massachusetts to attend college in Canada. We looked at why this policy especially affects Indian families.

"She is there, but she cannot even come to see us, because she needs a H1 visa stamp on her passport."
Harinder Nandrajog