Take a look below at the most-read news stories of 2011. Do any of the stories surprise you? As the year comes to a close, do you have anything else to say about any of these stories? Let us know in the comments section.

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10) Brentwood Parks Director Ousted From City (Dec. 9)

The Brentwood Board of Aldermen voted to fire former parks director Michele Frankowski after she had a heated argument with city administrator Bola Akande. The board was divided 4-4 in firing Frankowski, but Mayor Pat Kelly broke the tie, electing to terminate Frankowski's employment.

9) Chris Seemayer is Still Collecting Benefits From Brentwood (Oct. 12)

Former Brentwood city administrator Chris Seemayer, who pled guilty to stealing nearly $30,000 from the city he ran for more than two decades, started collecting benefits from the city after his resignation in March.

8) Water Street Cafe Features Vintage Drinks and Unique Menu (May 11)

One of Maplewood's newest restaurants drew a lot of attention on Patch. Since it opened in January, Water Street has gained a lot of buzz in the St. Louis foodie community.

7) Overtime Pay Scandal Plagues Brentwood Fire Department (July 16)

An investigative story from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ended up setting up the community dialogue for the remainder of the year. The story angered plenty of Brentwood residents, but sparked a former elected official to defend the former fire chief in a Letter to the Editor, which remains the site's most popular opinion piece.

6) Buffalo Wild Wings to Open in Brentwood (Aug. 8)

People, apparently, really love chicken wings. Enough said.

5) School Board Candidates Divided on Administrative Pay (March 31)

Candidates seeking a seat on the Brentwood Board of Education met in a candidate forum in March to share their ideas with the public.

4) MRH Head Coach Suspended During Postseason (Nov. 2)

This was a tough beginning for the Blue Devils this football postseason. Head coach Brandon Gregory was suspended without pay on Oct. 18 for an incident with a student, and is expected to return to the district on Jan. 3.

3) Assistant Chief: "Not a Good Ending" (March 20)

A tragedy on Bremerton Road drew the attention of many residents in Brentwood. I struggled with publishing this story, but with multiple police cars and SWAT vehicles blocking a road for six hours, I couldn't ignore what happened. I hope I made the right decision in informing the residents.

2) Keith Herring Named Brentwood Football Coach (Feb. 24)

It seems like ages ago when some Brentwood residents were outraged by the hiring of football coach Keith Herring. Herring took over the team amid controversy about the Brentwood School District's hiring process. Some residents felt their voices weren't heard through the hiring process, while district officials countered that they made the best choice for the job. Since then, Herring has been credited by most folks in Brentwood for turning the football program around. His team won the districts and nearly upset Maplewood Richmond Heights in the postseason. Look for continued success from Herring when football returns next year.

1) "Open Carry" Law Drew E-Debate From City Council (March 29)

When an incident involving the open carry of a firearm at Walmart was brought to the attention of Maplewood City Council, council members opted to ban the practice in the city. It's not surprising that this story (which tallied 65 comments) remains the most read story on the site. Stories on Patch about the vote went viral through the guns rights communities.