The countdown to 2022 with this year’s most-read ARLnow stories continues today.
Falling just outside of the top 10 were the freak tornado that tore through Arlington and a story that stirred up patriotic feelings in ARLnow’s commentariat and which received national attention: Marines rescuing a stranded car during torrential downpour.
15. BREAKING: NWS confirms tornado ripped through North Arlington neighborhoods (July 2 | 22,382 views)
An EF1 tornado, an exceedingly rare weather event for Arlington, uprooted trees and trampolines and tore siding and shingles off houses as it moved from the City of Falls Church through Waverly Hills and Lyon Village before crossing into D.C. The twister had maximum winds of 90 mph.
14. DEVELOPING: Arlington police aware of ‘non-specific, unconfirmed threat’ this weekend (Oct. 29 | 23,236 views)
Police departments increased police presence throughout Northern Virginia after hearing of an unspecific, unconfirmed threat to shopping centers. Some outlets reported the threat was tied to the terror group ISIS and Arlington police investigated a suspicious vehicle outside Fashion Centre at Pentagon City but found no threat.
13. Four bridges connecting Va. to D.C. will be closed starting Tuesday (Jan. 15 | 26,235 views)
Ahead of the inauguration of President Joe Biden, a number of bridges connecting Arlington to D.C. were closed for additional security. Biden’s ceremony, days after the storming of the U.S. Capitol, featured historic levels of security.
12. Local TikTok star arrested amid spat with restaurants (Aug. 10 | 30,656 views)
Here we first encountered Arlington resident Crystal Briscoe, known on TikTok as Coco, who was arrested for ignoring a court order not to talk about a local restaurant employee on social media. A judge later found fault with the order and charges against her were dropped. In the videos leading to her arrest, Briscoe described alleged harassment by employees of two Columbia Pike bars: Rebellion on the Pike and The Celtic House Irish Pub & Restaurant.
11. NEW: Viral video shows Marines helping stranded driver during Thursday’s flooding (Sept. 17 | 34,101 views)
A group of Marines in their dress blue uniforms trudged through floodwaters to help a stranded motorist along Columbia Pike, near the Pentagon, after a storm. During the rescue, documented in a viral TikTok video with nearly one million views as of today, the driver called it “the most American thing ever.”