Top 10 Most-Read Stories on Annandale Patch in 2012

Originally, I was going to post the top 12 most-read posts on Annandale Patch in 2012. However, the top 12 included two or more stories related to the same story or included a story that wasn't completely central to Annandale (like our number 10, Walmart Workers May Strike Over Black Friday Hours).

So instead, we will settle for the top 10 most-read posts on Annandale Patch in 2012. It doesn't sound as nice as top 12 of 2012, but it works.

10. Surprise Derecho Storm

The unexpected derecho storm that struck in June and left close to 12,000 Annandale residents without power actually ranked just outside of our top 10 most read stories (derecho related stories ranked 11 and 12). Businesses including grocery stores were left in the dark and downed trees blocked roads and hindred Dominion Virginia Power and Verizon's efforts to restore service to customers. It took a week for power and phone service to be restored to all Annandale residents. You can read all of our stories on the derecho here on Annandale Patch.

9. Hurricane Sandy in Northern Virginia

By the time Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Northern Virginia, the National Hurricane Center downgraded Sandy to a Post-Tropical Cyclone. The storm brought rain and wind to the area and left 2,000 Annandale residents, and around 200,000 residents in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, without power.

8 and 7. Sex Trafficking and Annandale Massage Parlors

Although it was originally published in late November 2011, our three-part series on sex trafficking ranked as the seventh most-read story on Annandale Patch in 2012. This is largely due in part to our eighth most-read story about Susan Lee Gross, former owner of the Annandale massage parlor Peach Therapy, pleading guilty to charges of prostitution and money laundering.

6. Homicide-Suicide in Annandale

The bodies of two Falls Church residents were found dead in an SUV in the driveway of an Annandale home in late March. The bodies were later identified as 40-year-old John Jackson, a former sergeant with the Fairfax County Police Department, and his 13-year-old daughter Alexis Jackson.

5. Springfield Mall Announces All Stores Will Close

In order to begin renovations to transform Springfield Mall into the planned Springfield Town Center, the mall announced in March that it would close all stores except the anchor department stores such as Macy's and JCPenney. Demolition on the mall began in late November.

4. Annandale Mother Reacts to News of Woodson Senior Bryan Glenn's Death

Our fourth most-read story is connected to our 14th most-read story about Woodson High School senior Bryan Glenn. Glenn was reported missing for almost a week before his body was discovered in Thaiss Park in early October. In a blog post, Annandale resident Nicole Dash shared her perspective on the story.

3. Annandale Says Goodbye to Fuddruckers

After 27 years at its location on Backlick Road, the Annandale Fuddruckers closed its doors on April 29. Annandale Patch confirmed reports of the beloved neighborhood restaurant's closure on March 13 along with the news that Walgreens purchased the property. The Fuddruckers building has remained a presence in Annandale, but Walgreens recently began showng signs of moving into the property a few weeks ago.

2. Bomb Threat at Annandale High School

In the early hours of the morning on March 30, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) responded to a bomb threat at Annandale High School (AHS) which closed the school for almost three hours as buses were rerouted elsewhere and frustrated parents struggled to get updates from FCPS. A 19-year-old former AHS student from Burke, Marco Antonio Verduo Toledo, was eventually charged with felony threats to bomb and criminal trespass.

And the number one most-read story is...

1. Discrimination Complaints Against FCPS and the Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education launched a formal investigation into complaints filed by the Fairfax County branch of the NAACP alleging Fairfax County Public Schools discriminates against black, Latino and disabled students through the admission process for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

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