‘Blood Moon’ eclipse was albanyherald.com’s most-viewed story in 2014

ALBANY — The most-read stories of 2014 on The Albany Herald’s web site covered a wide range of topics from the weather, the moon, burying a three decade grudge and the mysterious death of an Albany physician.

Here’s a look at The Herald’s Top Ten Web stories for 2014.

1. ‘Pink Moon’ turns ‘blood moon’ red in full lunar eclipse

The more or less “official” nickname for tonight’s full moon is the Pink Moon, but in the wee hours of Tuesday morning it will take a decidedly reddish-orange hue when a full lunar eclipse turns it into a “blood moon.”

The celestial show is one of two full lunar eclipses this year, but people all across the continental United States will have a prime view of tonight’s eclipse — provided, of course, that the weather cooperates.

2. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is predicting eastern U.S. ‘refriger-nation’

ALBANY — You might want to chop a little extra firewood this fall. It looks like Southwest Georgia, along with the eastern two-thirds of the nation, will be a “refriger-nation” this winter.

At least, that’s the way the weather forecasters at the Old Farmer’s Almanac see it. In fact, the predictions for the coming winter may be leaning a bit on the warm side of what actually hits.

3. Video of school fight leads to investigation at Monroe

ALBANY — Dougherty County School System Assistant Police Chief J.C. Phillips confirmed Friday that the department is investigating a cellphone video of a Monroe High School assistant principal breaking up an altercation between two female students.

The video shows a man, identified as assistant principal Joey James, wading into a scuffle between two females in the school lunchroom and yanking one of the girls to the ground, effectively ending the fight.

4. CARLTON FLETCHER: Burying a 30-year-old UGA hatchet

We all get those calls, the ones that we later describe as “from way out in left field.”

I got one this week that was from much farther out than left field. It wasn’t even in the stadium or in the vicinity of the stadium. It was one of those Twilight Zone-level calls.

I recognized the voice instantly. If you’ve been a sports fan in Georgia for the past 30 years or so, you would have recognized it, too. That the owner of that voice, former University of Georgia football coach Ray Goff, would be calling me to talk about something I’d mentioned in passing in a recent column had to rank in the Top 10 among the unusual things that have happened to me in a life filled with pretty unusual occurrences.

5. School Board terminates Monroe assistant principal’s contract

ALBANY, Ga. — With three members absent, the Dougherty County School Board voted 4-0 Wednesday at a disciplinary hearing to terminate the contract of Monroe High School Assistant Principal Joey James.

School Board Members James Bush, Velvet Riggins and Milton “June Bug” Griffin were absent from the hearing.

In April 2011, James was charged with two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery against a paraprofessional. At that time, he was the principal at Southside Middle School.

He was suspended twice for a total of 25 days with pay as a result of those charges.

6. MARY BRASWELL: Looking back at life in 1914, 1939, 1964 and 1989

As 2014 comes knocking, here is a look back at life 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.

1914

— The Ford Motor Co. increased wages from $2.40 for a 9-hour day to $5 for an 8-hour day. Ford went on to sell 248,000 cars the same year.

— The first everyday items made from stainless steel were available to the public. The first items of the new ‘rustless steel’ were most cutlery.

— Traffic cones were invented by Charles P. Rudabaker.

— In Washington, DC, the first stone of the Lincoln Memorial was put into place.

— “Tarzan of the Apes” by Edgar Rice Burroughs was first published.

— The Great War (WWI) started. President Woodrow Wilson declared the United States as neutral.

7. Former Albany mayor, businessman arrested in gambling bust

ALBANY — Former Albany mayor Dr. Willie Adams Jr. and Albany businessman and real estate developer Robert Nelson “Bob” Brooks were among 14 people arrested on gambling charges Monday night, investigators say.

Mark Pro, assistant special agent in charge with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, said that following a long-term investigation, a search warrant was executed at a suspected gambling house at 2650 N. Jefferson St. around 8 p.m. Suspects present at the address were charged with illegal gambling and transported to the Dougherty County Jail, Pro said.

8. Georgia back-to-school sales tax-free weekend starts Friday

ALBANY — Retailers are preparing to handle an expected increase in crowds during this weekend’s sales tax-free holiday, which allows residents to receive a tax break on back-to-school items such as supplies, computers and clothing in advance of the new school year.

The tax holiday is slated to begin at 12:01 a.m. Friday and conclude at midnight Saturday. During this period, certain items purchased by shoppers will be exempt from the 4 percent Georgia sales tax and any other local sales taxes.

9. Bravo, Haley: Albany native makes cable TV debut Monday night on ‘Jersey Belle’

ALBANY —No doubt the folks back home Monday night will be saying, “Bravo, Haley.”

That’ll be for Haley Young, a former Albany resident and owner of a fitness facility in Birmingham, Ala., who will be making her television debut at 10 p.m. Monday on the Bravo cable television network. She’s one of four women from the Mountain Brook suburb of Birmingham who will be starring with former New Jersey resident Jaime Primak Sullivan in a new reality show titled, “Jersey Belle.”

10. Albany Police say the deceased suffered from a possible gunshot wound

ALBANY — Dr. Thomas “Tom” Paschal was found dead in his Third Avenue residence Tuesday night in what Albany police were investigating Wednesday as a “suspicious death.” Authorities said he may have died from a gunshot wound.

Officials with the Albany Police Department said Wednesday that they received an anonymous 911 call at 7:25 p.m. Tuesday asking authorities to go to Paschal’s home at 715 W. Third Ave. for a welfare check. Paschal has been physically disabled since the late 1980s, when prosecutors accused his then-wife of placing a debilitating drug into his home intravenous device.