In case you wondered.  Last week's dramatic events involving a chase of a felon who shot two Spokane deputies was a big deal with area online news companies.

We asked how much those events affected the companies' news sites.

Here's what we learned, based on self-reported numbers. (We don't subscribe to the tracker sites that can scoop recent data, for a fairly high fee.)

KXLY.com reported an 83 percent spike in unique visitors for that Tuesday, compared with other Tuesday.

KHQ.com (also owned by the same company that owns The Spokesman-Review) reported a 9 percent total spike in unique visitors, over the Tuesday site average.

Spokesman.com reported a 12 percent hike in unique visitors above the Tuesday daily average.

KREM did not respond to an invitation to provide numbers.

Steve Herling, who’s been GM  at KXLY TV, in Spokane, for 28 years, steps down on Jan. 1. Station VP Teddie Gibbon will take over in the GM role.

Notably in a business where longevity is rare, Herling must really have liked his job. He’s been with the station’s Midwest-based corporation,  Morgan Murphy, for 41 years.

Herling will step down but continue focusing, as “senior VP,”  on other Morgan Murphy projects, he told us in an e-mail.

He said he’ll help oversee the plans to develop the 13-acre Radio Park commercial development project on Regal Road on the South Hill.

“There are some other holdings that we are looking at developing as well.  I will also continue our legislative efforts primarily in Idaho,” he wrote.

KXLY TV’s Teddie Gibbon, who’s been vice president and station manager, will move into the general manager’s job effective in January. Formally, she’s taking that job with Spokane Television, Inc., the company that operates KXLY TV.

Gibbon, who’s 46, takes over for Steve Herling, who’s retiring. Herling will work for the company as a consultant. Gibbon declined to say what changes or goals she might be undertaking for KXLY’s news coverage.

She’s worked at KXLY since 1982. Her favorite TV show:  “Dancing With the Stars.”