This site's top-50 'hits' in 2018

The end of the year means news outlets cull the preceding 12 months to hit readers with a series of their "top" stories, but how is one report more important than another?

For 2017, YourArlington avoided such subjective "grading," and it does so again in reviewing 2018 in Arlington.

Here are the site's top-50 "hits" -- 30 news stories and 20 opinion pieces, listed separately, These listings are based on how many times each was viewed, as recorded by the site host's server. The number of total hits, as recorded Dec. 30, 2018, is after each headline.

Four entries are not included, because they were first published earlier than 2018.

Overall, the listings reflect the broad range news and opinion involving Arlington residents.

NEWS: from Town Day (No. 1) to a controversial tweet (Nos. 2 and 3) to the beer garden (4) to the town election (5) to a successful Arlington High musical (6) to sports (7) to a new business (8) to the ouster of Father Nick (9).

OPINION: This year's list has the expected -- candidates' night, long an annual reader draw, comes in at No. 4 -- but No. 1 is baffling: Why did a simple notice from local Democrats attract so much notice? Perhaps it reflects residents' strong support, or maybe readers in Red states want to see what a Blue Mass. town is up to. Meanwhile, remember the flap over Colonia Days? It's No. 8.

Yes, this list is a moving target: It was compiled Dec. 30, 2018, and some of the numbers will increase as you look at the entries. The numbers in this listing are based on the count provided by host SiteGround. See monthly site totals since 2008 here >> 

Top 30 'hits' for news

1.) 5,515: 2018 Town Day: View from above ... 

2.) 4,918: Tweeted photo said to show AHS staffer draws police attention 

3.) 4.095: AHS athletics director weighs options after tweet probe concludes 

4.) 3,966: Last Aeronaut beer-garden for season held 

5.) 3,862: '18 town election: Curro reelected, Hurd wins, appointed treasurer backed in low turnout 

6.) 3,413: Arlington High School got hep in 'Wonderful Town' 

7.) 3,291: MIAA soccer: Nauset tops AHS boys, but game closer than it looks 

8.) 3,202: Adventure Pub advances as licenses OK'd 

9.) 3,181: Year since Father Nick ousted -- what has changed, stayed same? 

10.) 3,154: '18 fireworks at Robbins Farm and beyond

11.) 3,119: 1,000-plus attend beer-garden opening 

12.) 2,923: Grease fire at Shanghai Village causes estimated $150,000 damage

13.) 2,791: Film about Armenian Genocide signals '18 film-fest launch 

14.) 2,715: Police probe 11 home break-ins since September 

15.) 2,702: AHS vandalism suspects draw scrutiny; police release hate data 

16.) 2,587: How public, principal responded after homophobic graffiti found at AHS

17.) 2,511: Surprised by success: AHS sophomore wins concerto competition 

18.) 2,503: NAPA store closing: A family story 

19.) 2,479: 2018 annual Town Meeting: Relevant links to 4 sessions 

20.) 2,443: Unique foundation is 'guardian angel' for Arlington residents with cancer 

21.) 2,350: 396 hear DA candidates strive to define their pitches to voters 

22.) 2,279: Go with Lotus Flow: Fresh stretch in Capitol Square open 

23.) 2,263: LONG-LASTING BLOOD: Arlington entrepreneur seeks funding for cryopreservation 

24.) 2,245: Changes coming to Germaine Lawrence, treating girls since 1980 

25.) 2,240: Soccer: Boys win fourth straight shutout 

26.) 2,192: MIAA basketball Brighton upsets AHS in OT 

27.) 2,121: Estimated 1,000 attend climate meeting with Markey in Belmont 

28.) 2,119: Peretz chosen principal of Hardy Elementary School 

29.) 2,088: DrumConnection retail shop closes 

30.) 2,087: A new Hurd lays out his selectman priorities 

Top 20 'hits' for opinion

 1.) 5,731: Effort in town held to help reelect Elizabeth Warren 

2.) 5,377: AHS, Ottoson artists win 14 awards 

3.) 5,249: Friedman stands up for gender equality, addresses wage gap 

4.) 5,187: Candidates' Night, rarely a debate, informs -- and lets voters decide 

5.) 3,821: OPINION: 2 views of zoning-bylaw update

6.) 3,723: Varied views of Colonial Days 

7.) 3,602: Little Known. Wicked Important: Carter vs. Devaney 

8.) 3,546: Select Board? Really? Let's get it right 

9.) 3,367: OPINION on GUNS: Local youth, and all of us, should get involved 

10.) 3,265: CLIMATE-CHANGE RESPONSE: Cambridge residents' petition aims to protect public health, safety 

11.) 3,165: Facts to consider about town's ban on plastic bags 

12.) 3,118: Garballey vote for automatic voter registration 

13.) 3,102: Is it OK for doctors to commit addicted patients involuntarily for 72 hours? 

14.) 3,090: AHS athletics fees discussed 

15.) 3,062: Come out of the shadows, Hidden Reps 

16.) 3,047: Trump is wrong, CEO of immigrant-support group says   

17.) 3,017: April 3: Resident backs Curro 

18.) 2,982: Look up: Banner days for Mass. Ave., 2 poems in windows 

19.) 2,946: Resident cites many reason to back Mike Ruderman 

20.) 2,837: AHS student tells why building compost toilets in Ghana was memorable 

This site's top-50 'hits' in 2017

This year-end news listing was published Monday, Dec. 31, 2018.