Lottery mania, restaurant’s covid fight, surprise celebrity show top our most-read stories of 2022

More people visited PLN’s website in 2022 than in any year since we launched in 2010.

The increased viewership came during a year of change for us, as we partnered with Local News Now, an Arlington-based publisher dedicated to serving online independent local news sources like ours. The website received a fresh look, features like an events calendar, and an option to share announcements, press releases, and Real Estate listings.

Each year about this time, we look back on the most-viewed stories on our website for the year.

These aren’t editors’ picks, or the stories we had hoped were the most viewed. We often hope stories about people doing good things in the community, like donating to charities or providing clothing and food for the homeless, will be the most read. Sometimes they are, but most times not.

Despite this, we strive to deliver a well-rounded view of local news in our communities. I hope you agree and become a member to support us so we can continue that work.

If you disagree or want to comment on our coverage and tell us how we may improve, my email and comments section is always open. Thank you for your continued support.

Here are the top 10 most-viewed stories on PLN in 2022:

1. Winning Powerball ticket sold in Haymarket, historic drawing tonight (769,534 views)
In November, when Powerball fever gripped the nation with the largest jackpot in game history, a winning Powerball ticket was sold at a gas station in Haymarket, Prince William County. (Read more)

2. I-95 north, south down to one lane starting Sunday, July 10 through early Friday, July 15 (40,263 views)
Ongoing highway work on Interstate 95 at the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg kept drivers on their toes, and many were sitting in delays in 2022. (Read more)

3. Winning Mega Millions tickets sold in Gainesville, Stafford (26,924 views)
As inflation rose on just about everything from groceries to gas, people in our area lined up to play for record-setting lottery jackpots in 2022. This is the second lottery-related story on our end-of-year list. (Read more)

4. ‘Poison’ front man Bret Michaels plays surprise set in Manassas (26,751 views)
Bret Michaels, the lead singer of “Poison” and, more recently, the “Bret Michaels Band,” played an unannounced show in Manassas on October 22, 2022. (Read more)

5. 53 miles of I-95 closed, Dumfries to near Kings Dominion (26,354 views)
One of the biggest stories of the year came at the beginning of the year when outgoing Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam left thousands of drivers were left stranded on Interstate 95 between Dumfries and Carmel Church after a powerful snowstorm. (Read more)

6. New hot chicken shack in Manassas requires customers to sign a waiver (18,992 views)
A new restaurant “hot” spot opened on Liberia Avenue in Manassas in 2022 that had people both talking and reaching for a cold glass of water. Hangry Joe’s Chicken Nashville-style chicken restaurant with a Korean twist replaced Strofi, a Mediterranean quick-service restaurant that opened in 2018. (Read more)

7. Work ongoing to open Amazon Fresh grocery store in Prince William County (17,573 views)
The region got its first Amazon Fresh grocery store in 2022, located about five miles outside Manassas. The store opened in June. (Read more)

8. First Watch Cafe to open in old Bonefish Grill in Woodbridge (17,108 views)
A newcomer to the local restaurant scene, Florida-based First Watch, opened in what had been a Bonefish Grill on Prince William Parkway in Woodbridge. (Read more)

9. Gourmeltz wins, its liquor license restored: ‘We aren’t paying a dime’ (15,678 views)
The David vs. Goliath covid-era battle between restaurant owner turned Virginia State Senate candidate Matt Strickland, and the Virginia Government spilled over into 2022. (Read more)

10. Woodbridge waiter met with gun after dine-and-dash (12,484 views)
After someone walked out without paying the bill at Uncle Julios at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center in Woodbridge, the waiter took it upon himself to stop the dine-and-dashers. However, he was met with cold steel. (Read more)