Unlike previous years, when the Top 10 most-read stories on the Source was dominated by business-related articles, 2020’s list is more of a mixed bag.
There is still a heavy emphasis on business posts, as COVID-19 intruded into the list like it did virtually everything else from March to the present.
Which is exactly what affected the most-read pieces of the year. Here’s the list:
- Two Silver Spring Businesses Closed for COVID-19 Restriction Violations: Palisades Lounge and the Cabana Hookah Lounge, both on Georgia Avenue, were temporarily shut down in July for violating the county’s COVID-19 restrictions on local business operations.
- Governor Issues Stay-at-Home Order During COVID-19 Emergency: Larry Hogan (R) issued the first stay-home emergency order due the pandemic on March 30, citing a nearly 400 percent increase in cases despite earlier restrictions.
- Department of Energy Helicopter Spotted Around Silver Spring: Unusual, and unusually low, flight activity in the area in October prompted a number of residents to ask what was happening. The answer was a Department of Energy survey of background radiation as agencies began preparations for the presidential inauguration.
- “This is a warning. These flights are not normal air traffic for this area.” An article related to the one above that ran about a month later provided more information about a different set of helicopter flights that appeared to be military training exercises, or flight time practices.
- Eggspectation Has Permanently Closed: One of the first occupants of the Downtown Silver Spring complex shut its doors in September. The closing was not COVID-related.
- Snider’s Sold to Local Group of Food Market Operators: News about this long-time local favorite caused a stir on neighborhood listservs, especially after the initial posting about a buyer turned out to be incorrect.
- Police Investigating Assault, Carjacking Foiled by Stick Shift: A story that was equal parts alarming and amusing; none of the three suspects in the case could drive the car they were trying to steal.
- Starbucks at Silver Spring Metro Permanently Closed: A late entry into the Top 10, as this announcement came right after Christmas and was immediately widely read.
- Hair Cuttery in Ellsworth Place Shuts Down: The parent company of this salon had shut the doors on more than 800 outlets, including this one, by June as part of bankruptcy proceedings that began in January and continued in March.
- Strosniders Silver Spring Store Sold to Local Hardware Group: Another of the original tenants of Downtown Silver Spring that opened in the first phase of the redevelopment; this local favorite was sold to the owners of the Takoma Park Ace Hardware (who also operate others in the area).
Lest readers think that 2020 was all a downer, we note that the opening of Sweeteria Dessert Café in October just missed making the Top 10.
In the meantime, we’re grateful to all our readers, and Happy New Year from the Source.
Photo by David Lay