Life has been slowly returning to normal in Lowell, and the most popular articles on Lowell’s First Look in May covered a mix of topics. Overall, our website was viewed 15,646 times in May, and our Facebook page reached 6,408 people in the past 28 days.
Based on website views, here are the most popular articles from May 2020.
5. The ABCs of Lowell History: A is for Alton
This new feature is being provided courtesy of the Lowell Area Historical Museum and offers a glimpse into the interesting – and sometimes forgotten – people, places and events that have shaped our local history. The first installment was a hit with readers and featured Alton, a bustling community center north of Lowell that disappeared when a railroad depot was located elsewhere. Watch for new articles in this series every Wednesday.
4. Lowell Area Community Center Committee Seeks Public Input
People have been clamoring for years for a pool in Lowell, and a group of volunteers has been working diligently to see whether it might be possible to build one as part of a community center. They asked residents to complete a survey last month to determine what people would like to see in a community enter and how much they would be willing to pay to use it. The survey is now closed, and the results are being tabulated.
3. Planning Commission Recap: Two Recreational Marijuana Facilities Approved
The Lowell Planning Commission spent a marathon session reviewing and approving two recreational marijuana facilities for W. Main Street. Unfortunately, the wrong Zoom meeting link was posted on the city website so the votes were invalid. The Planning Commission will hold new public hearings and take new votes during their June 8 meeting.
2. Canfield Gift Card Promotion Pumps $54,000 into the Local Economy
Greg Canfield felt fortunate his business, Canfield Plumbing & Heating, has been able to continue providing services during Michigan’s stay-at-home order. However, he knows other businesses haven’t been so lucky. To help Lowell retailers and restaurants, Canfield offered to match gift card purchases of up to $50 made during the last two weeks of April. Overall, Canfield Plumbing & Heating spent $25,000 matching sales, and it’s estimated approximately $54,000 total was spent on Lowell gift cards as part of the promotion. It was a generous offer and a positive story that became the second most-read article on Lowell’s First Look for May.
1. Scenes from Lowell: Flood of 2020 Edition
It seems like every few years, the Grand River has a moderate flooding event. So of course the river flooded this spring because apparently 2020 has decided everything that could go wrong will go wrong. This wasn’t a record-setting flooding event, but it was enough to close roads and cause some damage to neighboring homes.
Did your favorite article make the list? Tell us which story you liked best by leaving a comment below or on our Facebook page.
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