The following are the most clicked on stories from 2012.
Going Postal
A police report on an alleged scuffle between two U.S. Postal workers in a parking lot in Monroe in June attracted thousands more unique visitors for the one article than Monroe Patch usually attracts to the site in an entire month. When an employee said he was sick and left early, the postmaster allegedly confronted him in the parking lot and grabbed him around the neck.
Newtown to Use Chalk Hill
At a dark time in the country following the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School which claimed the lives 20 children and six adults, Monroe's offer for Newtown to use Chalk Hill as a school brightened people's spirits. Monroe officials had been debating what to do with Chalk Hill for months, but the building was still available for Sandy Hook Elementary because of the lengthy process. First Selectman Steve Vavrek said, "We planned and planned — and it wasn't our plan. It was God's plan."
Pics & Clips
By choosing Pics & Clips on the homepage, readers can share their own photography on Monroe Patch by uploading their own pictures. This feature had the third highest click rate in 2012.
Fatal Crash at 110-111
A tragic one-car accident that claimed the life of Liam Callahan, 42, of 16 Totem Trail in Sandy Hook, owner of The Angry Pepper, a hot sauce company in Monroe, in September accounts for the next two most read stories of 2012.
Identity of Newtown Victims, Shooter
After hearing the crushing news of the Sandy Hook shooting, many readers clicked on a story on how police hoped to identify the victims and the shooter.
Eye of the Storm
When Hurricane Sandy blew into town, Patch provided constant updates and story links with news of the storm's damage on an article headlined: Monroe's Central Hub for All things Hurricane Sandy. It attracted readers, many living in homes without power, time and time again.
A House Fire with Fireworks
On May 18, a house on Judd Road in Easton burned to the ground within minutes. The home was stocked with fireworks, so Monroe residents living on "Mountainside" heard the constant whistling and pops of bottle rockets and other explosives. Christine Rose wrote a story with video and photos of the house engulfed in flames.
Rocky Road to the White House
Dr. Gary Rose, chairman of the Government & Politics Department at Sacred Heart University, shared his insights on the Presidential race between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney during a lecture at Edith Wheeler Memorial Library in September. Many readers embroiled in the hotly contested election clicked on the article.
Back to School
A story on how Sandy Hook Elementary School students are expected to attend their first classes at Chalk Hill in Monroe after the holidays attracted the 10th highest readership for 2012.
