Looking Back at the Most-Watched Stories of 2021 in Texas

From the historic winter storm that left millions of Texans without heating or electricity, to the latest twists and turns in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic -- there were plenty of stories keeping North Texans tuned in to NBC 5 in 2021.

Here's a countdown of some of the most viewed articles and videos of the year on NBCDFW.com.

NBC DFW's Most Viewed News Articles of 2021

10. ‘COVID Arm' Describes Side Effect Some Experience After COVID-19 Vaccine

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As more and more people got their first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, more and more pictures of skin reactions to the vaccine popped up on social media. These pictures were first-hand accounts of what's now being called COVID arm. The reaction has been mostly associated with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Health experts aren't sure what caused the reaction, but patients should feel confident that it's a positive response that the immune system is reacting as it should. Doctors said, aside from being itchy or tender, the reaction appears to be harmless and tends to go away on its own after a few days.

As more and more people get their first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, more and more pictures of skin reactions to the vaccine are popping up on social media.

9. 4 Hurt After Student Opens Fire During Fight at Timberview HS in Arlington

Four people were hurt during a shooting at Timberview High School in Arlington in October. Arlington police said there was a fight between students on the second floor of the school when one of the students pulled out a gun. That student, identified as 18-year-old Timothy George Simpkins, was taken into police custody after a manhunt across North Texas. Simpkins was booked into the Arlington City Jail on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. A total of four people were hurt, including two students and two adults.

Many parents learned about Wednesday’s shooting at Timberview High School through frantic text messages or calls from their children. NBC 5’s Katy Blakey caught up with parents who rushed to the scene but were kept away from the campus until they were reunited with their children.

8. Texas Grocers Prepare for a Busy Week as Billions in Food Benefits Distributed

Grocery stores in Texas prepared for a big week in May of 2021. More than $2 billion in pandemic food benefits for Texas families with kids in school were loaded onto Lone Star Cards. The money was meant to make up for lost access to free or reduced-price school meals due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 school year.

More than $2 billion in pandemic food benefits for Texas families with kids in school will get loaded onto Lone Star Cards this week, starting Monday.

7. Woman Arrested After Crashing Into Liquor Store, Pedestrian, Parked Vehicles: Irving Police

A woman was arrested in June after she drove into an Irving liquor store and hit a pedestrian while trying to hit someone else with her vehicle. Police said Annie Williams, 58, had been in a domestic disturbance with a male and tried to hit him with her car, and in doing so drove into the store. She backed up to try to hit him again, but instead hit a pedestrian and four parked vehicles, police said. After leading police on a brief pursuit, Williams was booked into the Irving jail and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, evading arrest, DWI and criminal mischief, according to jail records.

6. COVID-19 Tracker: What We Know About the Virus in DFW and Around Texas

NBC 5 has been tracking every new COVID-19 case, death, and recovery reported by the local and state health departments since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in North Texas in mid-March of 2020. Our COVID-19 Tracker gives a visual representation of all this data, giving you a clearer, factual picture of the effects of the virus in your community.

5. Charley Pride's ‘Secret' Son Contests Will

A legal battle stemmed from the December 2020 death of Grammy-winning country star Charley Pride, with a "secret" son contesting the estate of country music’s first Black superstar.

There’s a battle brewing over the estate of Grammy-winning country star Charley Pride, fueled by a son few knew existed.

4. 6 Killed, Dozens Hurt as 130+ Vehicles Collide on ‘Sheets of Ice' in Massive Fort Worth Pileup

A massive crash involving more than 130 vehicles on an icy Interstate 35W in Fort Worth left six people dead and dozens injured. It came at the beginning of a historic winter storm that dropped freezing rain, sleet and snow across Texas, leading to widespread power outages that resulted in more than 200 deaths statewide.

At least six people have died and dozens more were injured in a massive pileup involving at least 133 vehicles on the North Texas Express toll lanes in Fort Worth early Thursday morning that occurred after overnight sleet made for treacherous driving conditions.

3. North Texas Investor Uses GameStop Gains to Help Sick Children

Grapevine-based GameStop rose to global Reddit fame in 2021, with investors bringing so-called meme stocks to sky-high levels. For one North Texas investor, who wished to remain anonymous, the profits delivered an opportunity to bring some happiness to patients at local hospitals for children.

Wall Street has been rattled this week by an organized campaign by small investors to take on large hedge funds by driving up shares of GameStop and other struggling retailers. Michael Moe, CEO of the Silicon Valley investment platform GSV, explains what average investors should take away from this Wall Street battle royale.

2. North Texas Family Welcomes Rare Set Of Twins

North Texans joined in celebrating one family's big milestone -- the birth of a rare set of twins. The babies are monoamniotic-monochorionic twins, which means they developed in a single amniotic sac and shared a placenta.

A North Texas family is celebrating the birth of a rare set of twins. The babies are monoamniotic-monochorionic twins, which means they developed in a single amniotic sac and shared a placenta.

1. Gov. Abbott Signs Executive Order Directing All State Agencies to Prepare to Challenge ‘Federal Overreach'

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) early in the year came out swinging against any "new green deal" type of legislation, directing all state agencies to prepare to challenge any federal action that threatens the Texas energy industry.

NBC DFW's Most Watched News Videos of 2021

5. Mom Caught on Cam Tackling Peeping Tom

A Lake Jackson, Texas, mother tackling a peeping tom was caught on police dashcam. Phyllis Pena took down a man accused of looking into her 15-year-old daughter's room at seven in the morning.

4. Charley Pride's ‘Secret' Son Contests Will

There’s a battle brewing over the estate of Grammy-winning country star Charley Pride, fueled by a son few knew existed.

3. North Texans Share Videos of Brillant Fireball Lighting Up the Sky

New videos obtained by NBC 5 show several new views of a fireball dropping over North Texas Sunday night and exploding.

2. Aerial View Shows Massive Fort Worth I-35W Pileup

NBC 5’s Texas Sky Ranger flew over the deadly vehicle pileup on I-35W in Fort Worth. Video shows multiple crashes along the highway and rescue efforts by fire and police.

1. Graphic Video Shows Cars, 18-Wheelers Collide on Icy I-35W in Fort Worth

WARNING: Graphic video shows 18-wheelers and cars colliding on Interstate 35W after an overnight winter storm left a thin sheet of ice on the elevated stretch of highway.