How you voted: Our most-popular stories from 2014

Last updated: January 5, 2015 - 4:46pm


There was no shortage of news around here in 2014, and it's time to take a look back at what our readers thought were the most important stories of the year. We've been keeping a running tally of what our subscribers have been reading online all year. We've also asked you to tell us what you think the biggest local news of the year was. Let's take a look at how readers voted in the polls, and then what you read on the screens of your computers and smartphones. The "biggest" stories weren't always the most popular. In fact, the story that was voted the biggest -- by far -- didn't even crack the top 10 in terms of what stories subscribers actually read last year. What's more, three of the top four vote-getters also failed to make the list of most-read stories. Without further ado...The voteThe arrests of Maria Sanutti-Spencer and father Anthony "Rocco" Franklin for the assassination-style killing of Frank Spencer was the runaway winner in our online poll. The story pulled in some 69 percent of the votes cast between Dec. 31 and Jan. 4. In a distant second was the controversy in Bloomsburg that was stirred up after a lesbian couple was turned away from W.W. Bridal. That sparked months of debate about gay rights and the need for local law to protect residents with minority sexual preferences. The story drew 9 percent of the vote. Third place went to a local story that went viral: Bloomsburg University student Jake Close, wanted on a fugitive warrant, agreed to pose for a Press Enterprise photographer and answer a question for our "Your Opinion" feature. The decision helped to land him in jail. The question he answered was about whether the Washington Redskins should change their name. His offering: "I think they should keep the same name, but change the mascot to a potato." The July 7 story picked up 7 percent of the vote. Next on the list might be our feel-good story of the year. Millville funeral director Ted Bunnell was nearly killed in October, when a car pulled out in front of his Harley-Davidson and he crashed into the side of the vehicle. Bunnell's family was braced for the worst, but Ted made a recovery that even doctors were calling a "miracle." When we caught up with him on Nov. 8, he was up and around, offering thanks to family and friends at a fundraiser to help cover his bills. The story drew 6 percent of the vote. Two others tied with 4 percent: The deaths of two young kids in a Valentine's Day accident on an icy Route 487; and the April 20 fire that destroyed popular Danville eatery B.J.'s Streak and Rib House. The final story to collect votes was the April arrest and eventual conviction of popular Vo-Tech teacher Gary Beveridge for the indecent assault of a female student. That picked up 2 percent of the vote.What you readWe also took a look back at our website statistics for the year to see what the top-performing stories from our daily edition were. Noticeably absent is the story about the arrest of Sanutti-Spencer and Franklin. Also missing are the stories about the fugitive "Your Opinion" respondent and the "miracle" recovery of Ted Bunnell. Here are the top 10 headlines by readership and the dates they appeared: * "Two Kids Die" -- Feb. 15 * "WNEP'S Sidoni gets engaged" -- March 22 * "Dive to death"-- July 20 * "Auctioneer killed" -- March 12 * "Mom gets prison for abortion" --Sept. 6 * "Bridal shop refuses gay couple" -- Aug. 8 * "Danville eatery burns" -- April 21 * "Woman sorry for gun vendor" -- June 30 * "Elysburg biker dies" -- June 30 * "Man shot in head" -- Nov. 3 What's your story? Call John-Erik Koslosky at 570-387-1234, ext. 1306, or email him at john-erik.koslosky@pressenterprise.net.

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