AP
Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP
Fairfax County Police; 草莓传媒/Kristi King
草莓传媒 was given a sneak peek at听the summer lineup at the always popular Virginia amphitheater. With big names such as听Sheryl Crow, The Beach Boys, Peter Frampton with Cheap Trick and Little Big Town, readers were excited to get the inside scoop weeks before tickets went on sale. One Facebook commenter said: “Strong line up this year! I bet Weird Al sells out.” (Associated Press/Shizuo Kambayashi)
Associated Press/Shizuo Kambayashi
When news broke the 29th location of听Primanti Bros. would be听in Maryland, readers were off-the-charts excited about the idea of having the Pittsburgh staple open nearby. While it’s not as close to D.C. as some had hoped (it’s in Hagerstown), most were excited about the idea of winning free sandwiches for a year at the store’s opening. On Facebook, many readers started suggesting听locations for Primanti’s 30th and possible 31st stores, one commenter noted:听“Please come to Northern Virginia, specifically Fairfax. Please.” Because of the reaction to the news they were opening, 草莓传媒 decided to send a reporter to cover the grand opening, as well. You can see photos and read that story: (草莓传媒/Michelle Basch)
草莓传媒/Michelle Basch
Readers were outraged for the Vienna, Virginia, man who claimed he had been repeatedly mocked and insulted by an anesthesiologist while he听was sedated during a colonoscopy. A Fairfax County jury awarded the patient $100,000 for defamation, $200,000 for medical malpractice, and $200,000 for punitive damages. One person on Facebook commented: “I suspect this happens a lot.” (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
In late April, NBC Washington’s Jim Vance announced he would be stepping down as the co-anchor of the 11 p.m. news. Later that same week, the Foo Fighters took everyone by surprise when they released a video entitled “Jim Vance, we鈥檙e gonna miss you.鈥� In the video, following one of Vance’s more famous newscasts, Springfield, Virginia, native Dave Grohl appears with听tear-streaked makeup. On Facebook, one commenter noted: “Jim Vance is D.C.!” (Screenshot via YouTube)
Screenshot via YouTube
What is there to say about this story? This was one of our most popular stories on听social media because it combined two of most everyone’s favorite things: cookies and wine. Eric Nagel, founder and partner of the Wine Club Group, says pairing wine with Girl Scout cookies is a great way to experiment with the different ways wine tastes when paired with different foods. One of our commenters on Facebook agreed, leaving the following note: “A little sugar, a little wine – life is good!” (Courtesy Central Track)
Courtesy Central Track
A few months after announcing her plans for D.C.’s first cat cafe, Kanchan Singh reported听that she had surpassed her Kickstarter goal — by a lot. The campaign had an original goal of $15,000. It raised almost $36,000 from more than 700 backers. The story was so popular that 草莓传媒 went to the cafe in August to see how听things were going. Based on the crowds, it was safe to say, it was going well. (You can read more:听) (Courtesy Facebook)
Courtesy Facebook
Apologies to Virginia residents for this one, but it wasn’t our study. Real estate company听compiled a list of the 10 most boring places in Virginia, and a few D.C.-area locations made the list. Loudoun County鈥檚 South Riding was No. 2 on the list, while Fairfax County鈥檚 West Springfield ranked No. 5. One person on Facebook left the following comment: “I live in South Riding and we are a traffic nightmare in addition to being boring.” Well, there you have it. (Getty Images/iStockphoto/dayice)
Getty Images/iStockphoto/dayice
Courtesy @shaunhin/Twitter
In late January, wrote one of his most-read columns of the year. From the column: “Congratulations; you鈥檝e fallen for it. You鈥檝e been duped. The NFL got you again. With two full weeks to try to keep you entertained before the Super Bowl, the powers that be have听manufactured the non-story of the New England Patriots allegedly deflating game balls during the AFC Championship Game to stay at the top of the sports-headline heap.” The column fanned the debate among Pats fans and non-fans alike. The column was shared 1,200 times on Facebook alone. And this Facebook comment perhaps sums it up: “Yes it IS cheating. But more importantly, get a life. Who cares. Go Pats!!” (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)
AP Photo/Rick Osentoski
They鈥檙e cute, they鈥檙e cuddly and they鈥檙e the reigning stars of YouTube, but, as it turns out, cats are also carriers of a dangerous parasite. We wrote about a study in June 2015 that found听Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) — a cat-carried parasite — has been linked to mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Our cat-loving readers cried foul. One commenter on Facebook wrote: “Undoubtedly a smear campaign by canines (smiley face emoji).” (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
This story about America’s beloved national bird came during a particularly nasty cold and snowy spell for the Mid-Atlantic. Readers fell in love with the eagle who became covered (up to its听beak) with snow, as it refused to leave its nest and two eggs. Despite being so blanketed听with snow that only its head听remained exposed, the bald eagle was stoic.听Occasionally, as the eagle鈥檚听beak became听covered, it moved听its head for room. But other than that, the national bird remained steadfast. (Screenshot/Pennsylvania Game Commission)
Screenshot/Pennsylvania Game Commission
Our most popular story on social media is a story about job openings. When we posted this story in July, it really struck a nerve with our Facebook readers. We even received phone calls in the newsroom asking about how they could apply for听the job. The story was eventually shared 21,000 times on Facebook. This comment was echoed in some variation in the 242 left on the Facebook post: “This is a great opportunity!!!” (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)
AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File
