At first glance Freemasonry and whisky may not appear to be earth-shattering News topics.
But according to visitors to the Advertiser’s website at www.wellingtonadvertiser.com, they were two of the most popular online topics in the county in 2015.
Online News reporting has revolutionized the industry, providing numerous benefits to both readers and News providers, not the least of which are ease of use and the ability to offer News in a more timely manner.
But beyond its obvious benefits, the internet also affords media outlets the invaluable ability to dissect what, when and how readers are accessing information online.
Analytics can offer insight into just about anything media outlets are seeking – and often, as is the case for the Advertiser in 2015, some of the results can be surprising.
The following is a summary of the articles that received the most page views per month on our website in 2015.
January
Public health issues hepatitis A warning about popular restaurant.
Popular local eatery Marj’s Village Kitchen closed its doors, perhaps for good, after an employee’s hepatitis A infection led to an urgent vaccination campaign by the local health unit.
Many were saddened by the closure of the restaurant, which was popular with locals and visitors alike due to its great food and friendly service.
February
History hidden in plain sight: Freemasonry exhibit explores truth and myth.
The Wellington County Museum and Archives opened a new Freemasonry exhibit, aiming to assuage some of the misunderstanding and evoke a newfound appreciation for the organization. By all accounts the exhibit was a success.
March
OPP conclude investigation into body found at car fire.
The Wellington County OPP investigated a body found at a car fire near Belwood on March 16. After investigation and examination, police declared the cause of death was not suspicious and they did not release the name of the deceased.
April
NBC’s Heroes Reborn will be filming in Fergus next week.
Several scenes for NBC’s highly-anticipated, 13-episode miniseries Heroes Reborn were filmed in Fergus over several weeks starting on April 14.
Filming included interior and exterior scenes at the Fergus General Store on St. Andrew Street West.
May
Gun scare turns out to be school project.
Some in the Advertiser Newsroom were shocked people would venture outside a school with replica guns without first informing the police, but that appears to be exactly what happened in Fergus on May 8.
When police received a complaint of students walking towards Maranatha Christian School possibly carrying guns, numerous OPP officers attended and the school was locked down.
It turned out the students involved were actually filming a school project using pellet guns as props.
June
Teachers expand job action.
The union representing 76,000 elementary teachers in the province announced teachers will not book field trips for the 2015-16 school year as part of expanded work-to-rule strike action that began on June 1.
The union would continue to ramp up rhetoric and strike action until a deal with the province and the school board association was reached on Nov. 2.
July
Mapleton CAO no longer with township.
This article about Mapleton Township CAO/clerk Patty Sinnamon was posted on July 2, the same day her departure was announced.
Sinnamon, who was with the township since 1999 and prior to that with the Village of Drayton, later confirmed she was fired, but she did not offer any other details.
August
Centre Wellington natives open area’s first craft distillery in Guelph.
After more than a year of hard work and determination, three Centre Wellington natives opened Dixon’s Distilled Spirits on July 31. The craft distillery, the first of its kind in the Guelph and Wellington area, is operated by Vicky and Jeremie Dixon and Kevin (Chevy) Patterson on Elmira Road North in Guelph.
September
Large fire destroys Erin home; family ‘saved’ by smoke detectors.
Family members were still in shock and visibly upset when the Advertiser arrived on the scene the morning after a devastating house fire on Sept. 7 on the 1st Line northwest of Ospringe
Three members of the family were in bed when smoke detectors alerted them of a fire in the garage. All three, plus four pets, managed to escape the two-storey home unharmed thanks to working smoke detectors, but the house was completely destroyed.
October
Fergus group raising money for refugee family.
Concerned countries, individuals, groups and businesses across the world declared their intentions to welcome refugees from Syria, where an ongoing civil war and the spread of the Islamist extremist group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
Wellington County was no different, with many people stepping up to help out, including a group of community members called Under the Same Sky that planned to bring a refugee family to Fergus.
November
Two dead after Eden Mills house fire.
This was one of the strangest stories of the year, considering both the incident itself and the OPP’s inexplicable failure to provide any information about the deaths.
On Nov. 20 emergency responders were called to a house fire “with people trapped” inside on Lowrie Lane in Eden Mills.
No major damage was visible from the front exterior of the house, but police said Susanne and Trevor McNally, both residents of the home, were pronounced dead at hospital.
Despite obvious public interest in the high profile case, several OPP officials stated they will not release any more information about the deaths.
(The Advertiser will continue to look into the matter).
December
OPP conducting “death investigation” north of Erin.
Police declared this death a homicide within two days of the incident.
On Dec. 17, after being called to brush fire in a small wooded area next to Wellington Road 124 just north of Erin village, firefighters discovered a body at the scene.
The victim was later identified as Frederick John Hatch, 65, of no fixed address. Police say he arrived in the area on Dec. 16 or 17 from eastern Ontario. The cause of death was not released by police.
On Dec. 21 the OPP announced in a press release that police “have exhausted efforts to locate next-of-kin” and asked “anyone known to the victim to come forward.”
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