Friedman's closing was top Facebook story
The following stories posted on the Butler Eagle's Facebook page had the highest views in 2017:
1. Friedman's closing its doors.
Total Reach: 136,631
Unable to resolve supply problems with wholesale supplier Merchants Distributors (MDI), Friedman's Freshmarket announced it would close all three locations in late January after being open for 117 years. Friedman's filed a lawsuit against MDI, which the Eagle has been following throughout the year.
Full story published Jan. 20
2. Cold Reality: Power for some may be out until Sunday
Total Reach: 129,574
Two weeks before Thanksgiving, the Eagle reported the aftermath of a snowstorm that struck Butler County and left more than 37,000 residents with Central Electric Cooperative and West Penn Power without electricity for almost a week.
Full story published Nov. 17
3. Apparent suicide claims student at SRU
Total Reach: 116,794
Slippery Rock University police investigated the death of a Slippery Rock University freshman found Dec. 12 on Wally Rose Field on campus. The death was believed to be a suicide.
Full story published Dec. 13
4. Flash flood strikes Zelienople: Business, residences left with mud, water
Total Reach: 115,622
On the night of July 2, the Eagle reported on a massive storm with wind-driven rains that toppled trees, downed wires, flooded basements and closed streets in locations around Butler County. The hardest hit area was Zelienople, flooding homes and businesses, including over a foot of water on Main Street.
Full story published July 3
5. Help wanted: Local dairy farmers are struggling and they have a way for you to pitch in
Total Reach: 98,359
Dairy farmers in Butler County, many of whom are struggling to stay open, urge consumers to buy local to help keep some of these multigeneration operations alive.
Full story published March 14
6. Pittsburgh shooting suspect moved to Butler prisonTotal Reach: 97,939Three days after Robert Bowers was arrested and charged with shooting and killing 11 people and wounding six others at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill on Oct. 27, he was transferred to Butler County Prison.Full story published Oct. 317. Robbery suspect bolts from policeTotal Reach: 72,547Christopher A. Gratzinger was wanted on a warrant after he fled from state troopers on Feb. 27 after police arrived at his home in Chicora to arrest him in connection with an overnight robbery. Butler police had been looking for Gratzinger since 10 p.m. Feb. 27, when they say he held up a convenience store at knifepoint and made off with money and cigarettes. He was arrested later.Full story published Feb. 278. Six staff at jail fall ill, rushed to ER: Cell searched before illnessTotal Reach: 57,971Six people at Butler County Prison, including four correctional officers and two prison nurses, were sent to Butler Memorial Hospital Aug. 14 after three of the officers came in contact with an unknown substance while inspecting an inmate's cell. The substance in later Eagle reports was identified by Joe DeMore, warden, as synthetic marijuana, sometimes known as K2 or JWH.Full story published Sept. 259. Butler County battles the coldHumane officer pleased with county's responseTotal Reach: 57,726Since being sworn in as the Butler County humane police officer, Janice Lawniczak responded to 53 cases of animal abuse or neglect, 98 percent of which were due to the extreme cold weather. Most people she visited said they were unaware of the anti-tethering law or noted that their dog had never been inside the house.Full story published Sept. 2510. Three injured in Route 422 accident in Summit TownshipTotal Reach: 53,544At least three people were injured in a three-vehicle accident that closed Route 422 in both directions for about an hour and a half.Full story published Jan. 4Follow the Eagle on Facebook to keep up-to-date on breaking news and interesting local stories.
