South Tampa Patch's Top 11 Stories of 2011

Here are the 11 most-read stories on South Tampa Patch in 2011:

1. , Aug. 2: The 2011 hurricane season may have (thankfully) fizzled out for the Tampa Bay area, but when a storm threatens, local residents know it's wise to pay attention.

2. , Sept. 15: The city's first food-truck rally, modeled after popular events in other big cities around the country, had South Tampa residents talking — and their mouths watering.

3. , Aug. 20: The boys of Palma Ceia/Bayshore brought home the 2011 Junior League World Series Championship, beating China 2-1.

4. , Sept. 27: Police arrested and charged five people in the death of Richard Lee Blackman after officials said they went into his Interbay Boulevard home to rob him before setting it on fire.

5. , Nov. 28: Patch Legal Corner columnist Jeremy T. Simons looked at the fallout from the Jerry Sandusky scandal and what Florida law says about the responsibility to report suspected child abuse.

6. , Nov. 29: Sheriff's deputies said the man walked into a North Dale Mabry Highway bank and handed a teller a demand note before fleeing with cash.

7. , Nov. 25: A Plant High School student who had been reported missing had actually been staying with a friend in Orlando and made it back home safely for the holiday.

8. , Nov. 9: Outdoor ice skating in Florida? Thanks to a partnership between the Tampa Bay Lightning, Friends of Tampa Recreation, Inc. and the City of Tampa, it became a reality this fall.

9. , Aug. 27: The Plant High football team may have lost this early season contest, but the Panthers had the last laugh by going on to win the Class 8A state championship.

10. , Nov. 23: It was a scary few days for the parents of 16-year-old William "Dean" Damon, but as you've already seen, this story had a happy ending.

11. , Sept. 26: Patch's preview of the first food truck rally had people excited, and our coverage of the actual event got foodies' attention, too.