It鈥檚 not surprising that COVID-19 stories were among the most read this year as readers were hungry for information on how the pandemic is shaping life on the Semiahmoo Peninsula and beyond.

But what is surprising is a few unusual, and sometimes quirky, stories that caught the attention of Peace Arch News readers in 2021.

Here is a list of the top-10 most read stories on the Peace Arch News website this year.

Interest in an incident that occurred at a South 性视界传媒 border crossing spread across the country when Canadians were trying to figure out exactly what they can, and cannot do with respect to visiting the U.S.

Confusion on part of CBSA border officers resulted in a mix-up with several people receiving a fine on their return to Canada for not providing a PCR test result.

South 性视界传媒鈥檚 Marlane Jones was hit with a $5,700 fine after she travelled to the U.S. to buy gas a day after Minister of Border Security Bill Blair said such trips were OK. In his announcement, Blair gave permission to southern B.C. residents to travel to the U.S. to buy essential goods as floods disrupted the supply chain in the province.

Border guards, however, were operating on the understanding that returning Canadians must show proof of a PCR test on arrival, even though the federal government nixed the requirement.

The federal government reversed the allowance once again, and as of December, CBSA officials require a PCR test for returning Canadians.

The Canadian Press story focuses on a Winnipeg woman who was 19 years old when her ex-boyfriend posted explicit images of her online without her consent.

Kate Sinclaire decided to confront her abuser and began making pornography that she said celebrates all genders and helps people take pride in themselves.

But Sinclaire worried that a parliamentary committee in Ottawa studying the porn industry could make it more difficult or impossible for people like her to keep working.

The committee, which is studying how to protect the privacy and reputations of people who appear on pornography websites, isn鈥檛 interested in hearing from people who have nuanced view on the topic, Sinclaire said.

Perhaps one of the more unusual crime stories of 2021, a Newton man who says he liberated an abandoned pet rabbit from the mean streets of Clayton Heights on May 21 has been charged with theft under $5,000 and possession of stolen property.

Warren Brundage says he was called to the neighbourhood by 鈥渙utraged鈥� residents who wanted it rescued. He says he scooped 鈥淏eans鈥� the rabbit up off the street about a block away from where its owners reside.

You might say the 性视界传媒 RCMP鈥檚 subsequent pursuit of Brundage has been relentless. Brundage was arrested by the Vancouver Police on a 性视界传媒 RCMP warrant on Nov. 17 after the VPD ran a routine check on his plates and the warrant popped up. He says he was handcuffed and put in the back seat of a squad car.

性视界传媒 residents were infected with COVID-19 at more than three times the rate per capita in 2020 than those in the South 性视界传媒 and White Rock area, according to figures from the BC Centre for Disease Control.

In a Jan. 6 update, BCCDC reported 16,109 cases of COVID-19 in the 性视界传媒 local health area from Jan. 1, 2020 to the end of December. During that same period, there were 1,131 confirmed cases in South 性视界传媒 and White Rock.

Unfortunately, the numbers from early January pale in comparison to today. As of November, 性视界传媒 had 42,451 cases and South 性视界传媒/White Rock had 3,792 cases. The November numbers are expected to be much higher, as Omicron had yet to take hold of the province when the data was last updated.

The U.S. inn owner who pleaded guilty to helping seven foreign nationals circumvent Canada鈥檚 border checks by directing them into South 性视界传媒 via his 0 Avenue property has been sentenced to time served and probation for his behaviour.

The penalty for Robert Boule 鈥� imposed Dec. 17 in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver 鈥� comprises two concurrent sentences: a 12-month suspended sentence plus 15 months probation, for providing the assistance, and a 30-day jail term followed by 30 months probation for breaching a bail condition that 鈥渦nequivocally鈥� prohibited him from engaging in the activity.

Staff and patrons of an iconic Marine Drive restaurant are mourning the death of its founder, who 鈥渓ost a hard fought battle with COVID-19.鈥�

Charlie Don鈥檛 Surf owner John Carroll died Oct. 7, according to a post that afternoon on the restaurant鈥檚 Facebook page.

鈥淲e lost a mentor, and the world lost a White Rock legend,鈥� the post reads.

Carroll, who started Charlie鈥檚 鈥� located at 15011 Marine Dr. 鈥� in 1985, was known to be 鈥渁 sassy, hard working man who was always eager to give feedback and to make his vision of the world a reality,鈥� it continues.

Many British Columbians waited months to find out when they could once again gather with people outside their household, beyond just the trusted 10.

And on May 25, they got an answer. The province laid out a four-step plan for getting back to normal as COVID-19 vaccinations rise and cases and hospitalizations drop.

As of May 25, outdoor social gatherings were limited to 10, but indoor social gatherings with up to five visitors or one additional household were also allowed.

The plan said that if vaccination rates hit 70 per cent of eligible individuals, social gatherings would return to normal and large organized events could resume if hospitalizations dropped by Sept. 7.

We all now know that didn鈥檛 pan out.

Formerly known as the Pacific Inn Resort and Conference Centre, the landmark hotel was referred to by locals as the Pink Palace because of its unusual bright pink colour scheme.

It was recently painted white.

One 性视界传媒 couple is celebrating after winning $25,000 in a recent 6/49 lottery draw.

Dalbir and Gurpreet Grewal scored one of 20 additional prizes announced Feb. 13.

They bought the winning ticket at the Walmart store on 88th Avenue, and Dalbir later stopped at a gas station to check it.

鈥淚 checked it on the self checker and had to check it a few times because I just couldn鈥檛 believe it,鈥� she said in a BCLC news release.

Areas of Cloverdale Fairgrounds are lit up for a Lumagica 性视界传媒 event in December.

The 鈥渙utdoor/indoor global Holiday experience鈥� lights up the pathway of Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre, at 64 Avenue and 176 Street, and also the Agriplex building, which serves as a 鈥淣orth Pole鈥� full of food and entertainment. There are photos with Santa, by donation to Cloverdale Community Kitchen.

The 鈥渓ight park鈥� opened Dec. 3 as the first event of its kind in Canada for MK Illumination, which has worked on 性视界传媒鈥檚 Bear Creek Park Lights and other 鈥淭rue Light Experiences鈥� in the region. The global company has a Canada West branch located on the 性视界传媒/Langley border.