2019 Year in review

What our readers ‘liked’ in 2019

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[January 10, 2020]  In 2012, Lincoln Daily News jumped on the Facebook bandwagon. Realizing that this was not a ‘trend’ that was going to fade into the woodwork, staff acknowledged that Facebook could be a vehicle for driving the public to our daily publications. So with that as our primary goal, we started our “page” and started posting daily snippets from the current editions.

We learned some things very quickly. For example, when it comes to Facebook pictures definitely speak louder than words. While we created a variety of posts, the ones that got the most attention included a photo.

In some ways, this helped us to redefine what we used as photos in our daily editions, and made us more aware of the picture content. While cute and pretty pictures were popular, the pictures we wanted to bring to Facebook were those that bore some significance to a story that was also featured in our daily edition.

We learned that photos of kids always get a lot of attention. We love that because upholding the youth of Logan County is important to us. While it is a bit cliché the truth will always be that our children are our future, and we want to brag up those who do well.

We also found that pictures and stories that grab at the heart are valuable, as well as the ‘hard news.”

So, looking back at 2019, we decided it was time to boast a little bit about our Facebook presence, and to do it through our daily photo posts. But in trying to narrow down what to post according to criteria such as most hits or engagements or likes or comments, we found that there were too many to put into one year-end story. So, we decided that the best we could do was to give you a slice of what you liked.



For example, we talked earlier this week about the photo of the grass “God loves you” carving on the hillside between Mount Pulaski and Lincoln brought meaning to the lives of Myron and Sharon Fehr of Canada. That Facebook post garnered 22,862 hits, 187 shares, and 42 comments. Those numbers constituted our all-time record high to a Facebook post.

The second high of the year was a photo posted on September 17th of Mayor Seth Goodman. The photo itself was not all that remarkable, but the topic it was attached to was one that concerned many of our Logan County residents. The photo brought in 11,811 hits and 88 comments.

The story behind the photo was that of Goodman being left to break the tie on the aldermanic vote to allow recreational marijuana to be sold within city limits. The aldermen were split 4-4 and Goodman voted yes to allow.

On the whole the comments that came with this post were oppositely black and white. People were either strongly opposed to the decision or they were strongly supportive of the decision, but on Facebook at least, it appeared that most were supportive. The theory behind their support was similar to that of the city aldermen who voted yes; it is here anyway, buyers will buy it somewhere, so why should Lincoln not reap the benefits of the tax revenues.

Those who were opposed were also of the same camp as those in the city council who voted against it; that it was a step toward lowering our standards as a community and embracing immoral living.

Another high ranking photo in 2019 was this artist rendering of the newly proposed YMCA that is slated to be built in 2020. Posted to Facebook on February 21st, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital Administrator Dolan Dalpoas had addressed the Lincoln City Council sharing plans to build a new ALMH Wellness Center/YMCA.

This post garnered 11,285 hits and 102 comments from readers. The vast majority of our readers were excited to see this and noted they were looking forward to utilizing the new facility.

Though far from being a “feel good” story, this photo posted on June 10th was connected to a heartwarming story that was attached to a heart breaking tragedy. When Allissa Martin fell from a parking garage in St. Louis and sustained fatal injuries, the Logan County community mourned for a young woman they held in high regard. This procession traveled from the Logan County Correctional Center to Fricke Calvert Schrader Funeral Home in a show of love and respect. Martin was a corrections officer at the prison. The procession was made up of dozens upon dozens of vehicles driven by members of local law enforcement including local correctional officers, county, city, and state police agencies. It showed us all that within our community there is a second community, a close-knit family that bond together to serve and protect.

On Facebook, there were 8,708 hits on this post and many comments regarding Martin, her kind heart, and also many comments showing love and concern for the family she left behind.

In addition to these top hit-getters, there were several other photos that got a lot of attention. In no particular order, all the rest listed in this article were well visited with more than 3,000 hits per picture.

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The first of these came about in October.

When Rachel Marten and her daughter Karina joined Mandee Dexter with her daughter Faith, and Alex Williams and her son Harry at an October Lincoln City Council meeting, they were there to address Down Syndrome awareness in Logan County. All three moms with their beautiful children were well received by the council and by Facebook also. In the 6,025 hits on these photos, the comments were all very much in support of the moms and kids. We hope that this is a living demonstration that our community does not stereo-type its citizens and does recognize the beauty and the potential of every person regardless of what others might consider to be disabilities or disorders.

Another heavy hitter in October was this picture of a puff ball taken at Kickapoo Creek Park this fall. More than 4,000 Facebook readers found this picture and caption interesting and responded with posts about their own hunting and eating experiences.



What some of us at LDN learned about these big poofs was that they are edible, and not only that, many of our local residents have known that for a while, and enjoy hunting and cooking these mushroom like fungi.

When this photo of Lincoln High School Basketball Coach Neil Alexander and Railer Basketball player Jermain Hamlin posted in June it garnered a lot of interest. In this particular photo it was announced that Hamlin would represent Railsplitter Basketball and Lincoln in the 2019 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Basketball game. Hamlin also got a lot of interest later in the year when it was announced that he would be playing basketball for the Fighting Illini at the University of Illinois. Hamlin has done well at UoI and gets special mention regularly in Jeff Mayfield’s Monday Mutterings in LDN.

Sticking with the sports theme and adding to it the ever popular Facebook topic of our kids, this picture posted in September received a lot of attention. Young Joseph is giving Tim McDougal a run for his money when it comes to the title of the number one Railers fan. The evening he was invited onto the football field at a Railer game was one of the most exciting and rewarding times he has had at a game. On Facebook comments were warm and congratulatory as everyone enjoyed seeing the beaming face of the young man out on the field with the game officials.

And finally we end with this picture posted to Facebook on April 25th. The barred owl taken in Kickapoo Creek Park by Curtis Fox was a favorite on that day, getting the attention of nearly 4,000 Facebook readers. It also brought in 15 comments, 21 shares, and 148 emoji responses, all positive.

It is a cool picture and the story behind it. Curtis had been walking the park for quite some time trying to find the barred owl that supposedly lived there. When he got the shot and emailed it to the LDN editors his excitement was clear, as he went ‘all caps lock” on us saying ‘I GOT IT!”

Well he got it alright, and there were plenty of readers who were happy that he did.

So, Facebook has become a part of our news reporting agenda though we see it more as a great way to bring the community together to enjoy and comment on our photography, there are still times when we know that looking at the pictures sparks the curiosity and brings readers to our website, and in the end, for us at LDN that is what it is all about.

[N SMITH / LDN FACEBOOK PAGES]

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