The first decade of the 21st Century ended Dec. 31.Because of that, the Eagle is publishing a look back at major events that occurred in the past 10 years.Each year will run in one day's edition. This is the ninth and final installment of the series and focuses on 2008.——Change swept through Butler County in 2008. Among the most important developments was significant business growth.Westinghouse Electric set up shop in the Cranberry Woods Business Park, bringing in nearly 3,000 employees.GMAC and East Resources, an oil and gas production company, also brought in new jobs Cranberry, each adding more than 200 workers.Business growth also occurred in Clinton Township, where MEDRAD opened a new manufacturing plant in the Victory Road Business park.The county's unemployment rate didn't rise above 4.5 percent. That number rose to 8 percent in 2009.——Butler County Community College in April started construction of a $6.2 million Student Success Center.The building, which consolidated a number of offices and student services, opened last fall.——During the presidential race, former President Bill Clinton in April campaigned for his wife Hilary in Cranberry Township.The November election was record-breaking in the county. More ballots, more than 91,500, were cast than in any other election.Registration hit 121,730 voters, which set another record.Former Democratic state Rep. Frank LaGrotta in February pleaded guilty to conflict-of-interest charges for hiring two relatives.He was sentenced to six months of house arrest, probation and community service as well as ordered to pay a fine and restitution.——Major fires claimed lives and destroyed buildings throughout the year.During a March 5 fire at a Pine Township, Mercer County, duplex, firefighter Brad Holmes died from injuries he received while trying to rescue Patricia Andrews-Smith, who also died.A March 10 fire destroyed Pennsylvania Collision Parts in Zelienople, causing $6 million in damage.A May 10 arson consumed both the former AAA building and Beecher's Gelato and Gourmet Coffee on South Main Street in Zelienople.Excell Mineral Plant, a Clinton Township fertilizer business on Saxonburg Boulevard, burned down July 7. While the facility was rebuilt, its 15 employees were temporarily relocated to the company's Winfield Township plant.——A chemical spill at Indespec Chemical in Petrolia led to the evacuation of 2,500 people within a three-mile radius.——The remnants of Hurricane Ike hit the county in September. While there was some structural damage due to strong winds, downed utility lines caused massive power outages.Thousands of customers lost electricity for days.——Labor issues were prevalent during the year with a teachers strike.The 185 teachers in the South Butler School District went on strike for 18 days in October. The teachers, whose last contract expired in June 2008, walked out of the classroom again in the fall of 2009.Both sides remain at an impasse in negotiations.——In government, two political newcomers began their terms as Butler County commissioners.Republican Dale Pinkerton and Democrat Jim Lokhaiser joined Republican incumbent James Kennedy to comprise a new board.——The county hired Rycon Construction of Pittsburgh to finish construction of the new county prison on South Washington Street.The more than $40 million project was stalled late in 2007 when A.G. Gullen Construction, the former general contractor, left the job site over a payment dispute with the county.The prison opened in 2009.