Top Stories 2014: Ebola Scare, Hannah Graham Case, Re-Opening of Shopping Center, First Lady Comments on Race

Happy New Year! Before we plunge into 2015, we’re taking a quick look back at 2014.

Some of our top stories across Northern Virginia included the Ebola virus scare at the Pentagon parking lot, the grand re-opening of Springfield Town Center, the tragic case of UVA student Hannah Graham, the arrest and charging of Charles Severance in the Alexandria murders, comments about race, made to People magazine, by first lady Michelle Obama about her trip to a local Target, the nixing of the Columbia Pike streetcar, new businesses opening and more:

Health Scares

• A woman who said she had recently visited west Africa and became ill at the Pentagon prompted an Ebola scare that turned out to be false: UPDATE: Woman Taken Ill at Pentagon Does Not Have Ebola, Health Officials Say
• A virus scare: Children in Northern Virginia Test Positive for Enterovirus D-68

Politics

• The first lady’s recent comments about race — involving her visit to a local Target store — had people scratching their heads: People Magazine: Michelle Obama Had ‘Racist’ Experience at Alexandria Target
• A stricken-looking Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette nixes streetcar after voters go for anti-street car candidate: Arlington County Board Chair Ends Columbia Pike Streetcar Project
• A Republican running as an Independent shakes up Arlington: John Vihstadt Wins Election to Arlington County Board
• A man some called a presidential contender ends his political career in disgrace: Former Gov. Bob McDonnell Found Guilty

Tragedy

• Tragic incident involving a mother of three in Arlington: Woman Dies After Being Struck by Dump Truck Near School
• A horrific fire claims the life of a mother and the daughter she tried to save: Fatal Fire: Arlington Mom, Daughter, 7, Perish in Fire
• A horrible end to what her family called “every parents’ nightmare’: Medical Examiner’s Office Identifies Remains as Missing UVA Student Hannah Graham
• A woman dies at the hands of a reportedly jealous boyfriend in a murder-suicide in Arlington: Services Scheduled for Kristy Flowers
• A sad day in Alexandria, after a mother, wife, music teacher is shot on her doorstep: Ruthanne Lodato Funeral: Hundreds Say Goodbye to Beloved Alexandrian

Crime

• A top story in Alexandria in 2014: Charles Severance Charged in Alexandria Murders
• And we’re not making this up: Reston Woman Arrested at Jail in Arlington Drunk, Naked
• Another naked story? Yep: Naked Man Takes Police on Chase at Bar Crawl
• In Del Ray, trick or treat: Gunman Demands Kids’ Candy on Halloween Night in Alexandria
• Two Springfield lawyers, husband and wife, arrested for torturing the wife’s former boss and his wife at their McLean home: Report: Two Lawyers Charged in Torture, Stabbing, Home Invasion in McLean
• Stabbing at Ballston Metro station: Man Stabbed, Seriously Injured, at Ballston Metro
• Leafy Reston, hotbed for bank robbers? Reston Sees Fourth Bank Robbery in a Month
• An arrest in the Hannah Graham case: Police Charge Jesse Matthew with Abduction, Intent to Defile, in Hannah Graham Case

Business

• The Silver Line metro opening: Ribbon-Cutting: The Silver Line Opens
• The grand “re-opening” of Springfield Mall as Springfield Town Center: Your Photos: Springfield Town Center Grand Re-Opening
• A new restaurant is coming to Reston: Glory Days Grill Opening Soon in Reston
• Pedal power comes to Alexandria: Cycling Studio Coming to Del Ray
• The Kingstowne-Rose Hill area is excited about a mega-grocery store coming their way in 2015: Wegman’s Starts Hiring for Hilltop Village Location
• More grocery store news, in Alexandria: PHOTOS: Sneak Preview of New Safeway in Alexandria
• Foodies were on alert at this news: Chef Will Artley Pops Up in Alexandria
• Alexandria had lots of restaurant news in 2014 including: New Steak Restaurant Coming to Old Town Alexandria
• Vienna residents love new restaurants too: New Restaurant Coming Soon to Vienna

Good News

• An Alexandria area man lights up the holidays again: Holiday: Tis the Season for Collingwood Lights
• Your Photos: 2014 Del Ray Halloween Parade

This is not an all-inclusive list. But if we forgot a news story important to you, please send an email to: maryann.barton@patch.com. If we wrote about it, we’ll dig it up and add it to the list.

PHOTOS: Springfield Town Center rendering courtesy of Vornado; Hannah Graham photo courtesy of Charlottesville Police Department; Ebola virus image courtesy of CDC; Michelle Obama and President Obama, White House photo