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7. A 35,000-square-foot grocery store, Sullivan’s Marketplace, is currently being constructed in the Colonnade Crossing development off Highway 30

8. Charlotte Fant Pegues, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Mississippi, was indicted by a grand jury on 10 counts of animal cruelty.

On Nov. 21, a 20-year-old male University of Mississippi student jumped off the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in an apparent suicide.

An Ole Miss student removed from Phi Delta Theta for actions at protest

9. Torrence Peterson, a University of Mississippi student was struck by a vehicle while crossing West Jackson Avenue.

5. On Aug.20, Jeremy M. McNeal, 28, of Sardis, was killed in a wreck at the 7/9 roundabout.

Based on total page views, the top 10 stories in 2024 were mostly about tragic events, crime and Ole Miss news.

The reason why some stories generate more views than others can depend on several different things. A story with a regional interest is often picked up by other news sites and social media pages and shared with a larger audience. Some stories have more of a gossip element and studies have shown traditionally that stories involving crime, death or mayhem will also gain more traction.

Total page views for the Oxford Eagle as of Dec. 30 was 2,192,926 with a total of 1,080,800 active users.

The top story for 2024 for page views was a tragic story. On Nov. 21, a 20-year-old male University of Mississippi student jumped off the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in an apparent suicide. The story was short with details few, but it still has garnered 37,879 views.

The other top nine stories per page views were:

2. University of Mississippi buys Scruggs home: In May, the University of Mississippi purchased the former home of Dickie and Diane Scruggs. Located on Faulkner Woods Place, the 10,176-square-foot home sits on about 9 acres of property on the campus’s border. The university purchased the home and the surrounding acreage for $10 million. A recent appraisal showed the property being worth more than $17 million. Page views: 32,294

3. UM fraternity placed on interim suspension for alleged hazing: The University of Mississippi placed the Mississippi Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta Theta on interim suspension in September after videos of a hazing incident began circulating on social media. Page views: 19,851
4. Mississippi observes Confederate Memorial Day as an official state holiday: A brief story in April explaining that Mississippi is one of four states still observing Confederate Memorial Day as an official state holiday. It is celebrated in Mississippi on the last Monday of the month. This year, it is on April 29. Page views: 16,905
5. One dead, one severely injured in Highway 7/9 wreck: On Aug.20, Jeremy M. McNeal, 28, of Sardis, was killed in a wreck at the 7/9 roundabout. McNeal was from Como and lived in Sardis. Another passenger, Shuntez J. Smith, 31, of Hernando was severely injured from the crash and transported to a local hospital. Page view: 15,875
6. Ole Miss student removed from Phi Delta Theta for actions at protest: In May, about 30 people gathered on the campus to protest Israel’s attacks on Gaza, and demanding the school’s divestment from companies linked to Israel’s military campaign. They were met with hundreds of counter-protesters. A video of a student making monkey noises and gestures toward a black female protester surfaced and quickly went viral. The fraternity later announced the student was removed. Page views: 14,904
7. Site plan approved for new grocery store in north Oxford: New business stories are always popular reads and in September one new business story was the seventh most visited story for the year. A 35,000-square-foot grocery store, Sullivan’s Marketplace, is currently being constructed in the Colonnade Crossing development off Highway 30. According to city planning staff, Sullivan’s Marketplace is expected to enhance convenience and support continued growth in northern Oxford. Page views: 14,756
8. UM Vice Chancellor indicted on animal cruelty charges: In September, Charlotte Fant Pegues, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Mississippi, was indicted by a grand jury on 10 counts of animal cruelty. Her husband, Terry Pegues, was arrested on Aug. 8, also on 10 charges of animal cruelty after deputies found dead and malnourished dogs on property owned by the Pegues. The two are awaiting trial. Page views: 12,929
9. Man hit by vehicle on Jackson Avenue in CCU at NMMC: Torrence Peterson, a University of Mississippi student was struck by a vehicle while crossing West Jackson Avenue on Aug. 24. After suffering from critical injuries, he was eventually released from the hospital. Page views: 12, 514
10. Two charged after raid on CBD stores in Oxford: Tony Barragan, owner of Hybrid CBD and Relief Relief, and James Funk, owner of Slackers Supply were arrested in September and charged with the sale of a controlled substance after local and state law enforcement officers executed multiple warrants in Oxford stemming from an investigation concerning violations of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act.

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