Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Zander Frost, Chronicle Staff Writer
2022 was by far The Chronicle’s biggest digital year ever. Our Facebook and Instagram posts reached over 1.7 million people, over a million more than last year.
Multiple posts exceeded 100,000 people reached. The biggest exceeded 626,000!
We did more ‘hard news’ posts this year, responding to reader feedback.
Meanwhile, our digital subscriptions grew by two-thirds — from 6,000 when the year began to 10,000+ now.
All of this growth is organic, without “buying” audience or subscribers on the Internet.
Here are the Top 10 posts reaching the most individuals, starting with number 10.
10. Masked gunpoint robbery at Quaker Rd. Cumberland Farms
On Nov. 9, the Quaker Road Cumberland Farms store was robbed at gunpoint just after midnight by someone wearing a skull mask. Our Facebook post on the robbery had the 10th biggest reach of the year.
The 19th biggest post came a month later, on Dec. 7, when Isaiah N. Gregory, 22, of Glens Falls, was charged with the crime.
9. Car crashes into Davidson Brothers & Downtown Social
On Saturday morning, May 21, The Chronicle’s Zander Frost was first on the scene after a car crashed into Davidson Brothers outside dining area and through the window of Downtown Social. Fortunately no customers were around.
Police said a medical episode caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle exiting the roundabout. The driver and passenger were taken to Glens Falls Hospital — The Chronicle attempted but was unable to learn their condition.
8. Motorcycle strikes & kills LG man & youth at bike trail, Magic Forest
On June 12, horrifically, outside what used to be the Magic Forest theme park on Route 9, Lake George, a motorcycle “was heading north on Route 9 at a high rate of speed when it went off the east shoulder of the road and onto a paved bike path, striking a group of six pedestrians who were standing at the entrance to the bike path.”
Killed were James Persons, 38, and Quinton Delgadillo, 8, of Lake George. Quinton’s mother Jasmine Luellen, 30, was badly injured.
Subsequently indicted was Anthony J. Futia, 33, of Albany, on two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges. He was reportedly not licensed to operate a motorcycle.
7. Alfie the dog is lost; vacationers had left it at Glens Falls kennel
On June 22, a Pittsburgh family on a Lake George vacation returned from a boat ride to pick up their dog, Alfie, that they’d left for the day at GF-K9 on Warren Street in Glens Falls. The dog was missing.
On July 7, The Chronicle broke the story on our front page — and the Facebook post went hugely viral.
Sandra Miranda and Michael Catarisano refused to give up hope of finding the year-old toy Australian Shepherd. For weeks the search went on as the community rallied to help. Drones were used, a psychic was consulted, and Clifton Park Pet Search’s Josh Grassi arrived to play what proved to be a key role.
6. Rich Schermerhorn buys Water Slide World
Our Aug. 11 issue reported Rich Schermerhorn’s $3-million deal to buy the former Water Slide World property on the corner of Routes 9 and 9L just south of Lake George Village. As the Town of Lake George desires, he plans to build apartments and offices at the site.
Our post on Facebook not only went viral, it spawned a huge number of comments, ranging from fond memories of Waterslide World to criticism of Mr. Schermerhorn.
5. 49th Adk. Balloon Fest
On Sept. 22, we posted our coverage touting arrival of the 49th annual Adirondack Balloon Festival, much to the delight of festival lovers near and far, as the reach of the post made clear. The weather wasn’t great, but 2022 saw multiple successful launches. Next year: 50!
4. Alfie the dog is found!
Facebook readers responded mightily when on July 10 we reported the amazing happy ending of our lost dog story a week earlier. Alfie, a Pittsburgh family’s year-old Australian Shepherd missing since June 22 from a Glens Falls doggie day care facility, was found alive, skinny but well Saturday night, July 9, by Mike and Sherry Winfield in the backyard of their Peck Avenue home near East Field.
3. Drowning death of Onnex Thompson Hall, 6
On the afternoon of July 10, The Chronicle posted a State Police alert asking the public’s help in searching for a missing boy with autism who had “wandered off in the area of the Washington County fairgrounds.” Around 6:40 p.m., State Police shared the sad news that six-year-old Onnex Thompson-Hall was found drowned in a pond.
2. July 13: Adk. Balloon Fest will ‘return in full’
On July 13, The Chronicle posted that the Adirondack Balloon Festival “RETURNS IN FULL” in 2022. The post went so viral that we received numerous comments like this one from Denise Wilson Fletcher, who wrote: “It would be very nice if you would put what state it is in…when I go to your side [site] there’s no information so please add more.”
Bill Hunt replied: “No kidding! That’s 1200 miles E of us in WI !! We have balloon clubs a half hour away!!”
1. Lake George prom goers video, by Cathy DeDe
Our number-one, most viral Facebook post of 2022 took us totally by surprise. On May 1 we posted video that our managing editor Cathy DeDe made just walking the line of Lake George Prom goers in Shepard Park for the Grand March.
It was be our biggest post of the year, reaching more than 626,000 people.
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