Members of the news media swarm around Barb Thompson as she exits the courthouse after the inquest jury concluded her daughter's death was homicide. / Courtesy photo by Bradd Reynolds
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
I think it’s a little bit lame to write about the top news stories of the year after the year has ended and a new one has already begun.
But I’m going to do it anyhow.
I got busy the past several days and, I can’t bring myself to forego a look-back.
Ronda Reynolds, case
Once again, I can’t say for sure exactly what the most read news stories were on Lewis County Sirens, because if they are ranked somewhere in my web sites statistics, I still haven’t found that part.
But I can see the numbers for what people are searching for on the Internet when they end up on the news site.
Overwhelming, the October coroner’s inquest into former trooper Ronda Reynolds’ death in Toledo in 1998 comes out on top, with the startling outcome of her husband Ron Reynolds and his son, Jonathan Reynolds, being named responsible.
Search terms like “Ronda Reynolds”, “Ron Reynolds”, Barb Thompson” and “coroner’s inquest” number in the hundreds, and hundreds and hundreds.
Not too far behind is news about John Allen Booth Jr. and his triple murder trial last month, where prosecutors said he executed David West Sr. 52, 16-year-old David West Jr., 16, Tony E. Williams, 50, of Randle, and tried to do away with Denise Salts, then 51, at the West’s Salkum-area home.
Kayla Croft-Payne, still missing
Based on reader searches, the next most popular story was the missing Kayla Croft-Payne from Vader, who more than a year after she vanished at age 18 remained much on many people’s minds.
The fourth most sought out story was about Robert Maddaus who last February was found guilty of murder as he tried to recover cash and methamphetamine stolen from his Rochester trailer home. He was sentenced to life for the death of Shaun Peterson, who was found handcuffed and fatally shot on Capitol Way in Olympia in November 2009.
Next it’s kind of a tossup (based on reader searches) between three stories:
Kenneth Varner, arrested in April for allegedly helping his father – James E. Varner, 49, a former Washington state trooper – carry out a suicide plan in Packwood five years earlier and making it look like homicide so the family could collect insurance money. Charges were dismissed in October following a deal in which the now 35-year-old son pleaded guilty to first-degree theft in an unrelated case. He was sentenced to time served – about six months;
Ronald A. Brady, convicted
Laura L. Hickey, the the 25-year-old Centralia woman accused of decapitating her premature newborn in a trailer park in March. Her trial is currently scheduled for next month;
Ronald A. Brady who was convicted in July of manslaughter for fatally shooting suspected burglar Thomas McKenzie of Morton outside his Onalaska house.
So those are the top several stories readers were looking for when they came to Lewis County Sirens.
However, all that still doesn’t really tell me what people have read the most or enjoyed reading the best, because the majority of visitors have bookmarked Lewis County Sirens and presumably just look over whatever news appears on the homepage.
What I do know for sure, is the news site has grown so much richer with the increase of readers commenting and adding their opinions. A whole other set of dialogue – sometimes even more spirited – has swelled on Lewis County Sirens Facebook group page.
And traffic to Lewis County Sirens has grown tremendously.
A year ago at this time, Lewis County Sirens’ number of readers was approaching the circulation of the local daily newspaper here. The number of readers has more than doubled since then. I like that.
I’d sure appreciate hearing what readers liked, didn’t like or would hope to see written about in 2012. Myself, I’d like to see more guest columns in the coming year, because more voices are more interesting.
Feel free to send me a note or comment.
Your news reporter,
Sharyn L. Decker
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
If you like the idea of a “like” button, how about a “dislike” button as well?
@Morning Coffee – LIKE! All of the above (or as posted below!).
I guess I’m a little late to read and comment on this, but I do have a couple suggestions for Lewis County Sirens.
It would be fabulous to have a “like” button on each person’s comment because soooo many times I’d like to agree with what a person has said, but kinda feel like I’d be wasting your resources by “posting” just to say I like someone else’s comments.
Also, the conversation (via comments) seems so vital to the success of this website, that I’d like to be able to easily and quickly go to a link that shows all comments made during the prior 24 hrs, instead of just the most recent 4 or 5 that is alotted for the space in the sidebar. Maybe just add a link at the bottom of the sidebar to “expand to all comments”
And thirdly, I’d like a way to track comments to my comments. There is no way to know if someone is addressing me based on a comment I previously made.
Best regards to you.
No worries SSG, I just wanted to make the point that this isn’t over, not by a long shot. The only way us citizens have any real power is either through the courts, “lawsuit, recall” or though the ballot box. All are available, and all are or have been considered. There is an election coming up in 3 years, and they will go by quickly. If this case isn’t resolved by then, then this issue will be part of that election process. Especially in the Sheriff’s race, whether Mansfield runs again or not. As far as the prosecutor is concerned, he has the ability to conduct independant investigations, and call a grand jury. He has options available to him, not just waiting for the Sheriff to do something.
I do appreciate that many people worked very hard to right this terrible injustice and you are right Mr. Hays there is still much to do, and you people who did work on it must have been terribly frustrated. As long as this took it is still a start even if they never pursue this further at least part of the truth is out there. I never have been perfect and I thought the character assassination of Rhonda Reynolds was a shameful thing. As a Mother my heart went out to her Mother all these years. I know it is not over but Barb Thompson never gave up and I have to admire that. I have experienced the death of a child. There are no words, but her journey has been almost unimaginable to me, and yet you all perservered as best you could in the face of a cold blooded killer. This verdict though not the ideal one is better then the ridiculous suicide verdict that has stood for so long, forgive me if I seemed glib, it was unintended. Also I did not want to name names but I did feel you and Jerry Berry worked very hard so forgive me if you felt lumped in with the “Lumps” so to speak. I hope this is carried further but I still think it is a start.
Recall the sheriff and the prosecutor
Sunshine Girl:
While two juries of Lewis County citizens have concluded that Ronda Reynolds did not commit suicide, there is still a huge injustice here, because no one has been prosecuted for her murder. And, even worse, this murder is not being actively pursued by either the Lewis County Sheriff’s Dept. nor the Lewis County Prosecutor’s office. In fact, Lewis County Sheriff Steve Mansfield refuses to even recognize that Ronda was murdered, instead taking the stand that she committed suicide.
I, Jerry Berry, Barb Thompson, Royce Ferguson and others have done all we can do. It is up to the citizens of Lewis County to now demand from the sheriff and prosecutor to do their jobs and actively pursue her murderer(s).
I think you’re getting too big for just a crime page. You might just feature a major crime on the main page. And just headlines for the low life crime Such as drugs, car accidents, robberies, etc.
You might try some regular Feature sections:
People and places of Lewis county.
Government.
The east end.
About the only thing I can see that I would change is adding a feature on here to put the daily list of mugshots from those who get busted (a few major newspapers post them online, too). But, that would probably be too much work to add on to what you already do, which is an outstanding job of reporting the news to us faster than any other local source.
Thank you!!
Sharyn,
Thank you for reporting local news accurately and free to the public. You do a fine job keeping factual news available. I have heard on more than one occasion the local radio news refer your site as their source for a top story. Nicely done.
Sharyn,
I tend to read the local ‘sirens’ articles you write – despite being able to read similar information in our local paper – because I’ve discovered that you are often able to include additional tidbits of information in the articles. From a reader’s standpoint, it ‘feels’ like you have a rich, ongoing relationship with many of the local law enforcement, and you share those little ‘extras’ with us. Thank you for taking us up close to some of the more dramatic doings in our (formerly) sleepy little village. Good job!
Again, ditto Free Air. Thank you Sharon for doing what you do, and doing a good job at it. Thank you for the “look back” at 2011 – I’m glad that you decided to do it.
This area has needed a news outlet like LCS, and it is the first place I go for news.
I agree with Free Air. You are doing a great job with Lewis County Sirens. I check it on a daily basis. I really enjoy your coverage of the “bigger” trials in Lewis County (IE: John Allen Booth, Coroner’s Inquest). It’s clear to me that you are very dedicated to your work.
Keep up the good work!
The story I was happy about was the Rhonda Reynolds, I can finally quit frettin about the biggest miscarriage of justice in Lewis Co. I have ever seen. I watched this from the begining and my heart just went out to her mother. I was so outraged at the way the whole thing was handled. It was so obvious from the start it almost seemed like something from a bad movie, I wished for her mothers vindication almost as much as she did. After reading Ann Rules book, ( she felt as I did) I was even more frustrated. Having seen Glade Austin in action in the 70’s I knew if he was involved there would be problems. So I was very happy to see that finally the verdict was homicide. Sure took them long enough. If all our law enforcement was as lame as the ones involved in that case we would be in big trouble here in Lewis Co. I know it is not a closed case but I still feel it was a start and in some ways a finish
I think your doing a fine job of reporting the news, let alone running the show by yourself!
Well Done!