Top Stories in Newton for 2013

With so many stories in Newton in 2013, picking the top five can be difficult.

Newton Patch looked at the most read stories, and also mixed in a couple that had major impact, or that were unusual occurrences. 

Here are the top five, in reverse order:

5. In October, Newton firefighters dealt with a perhaps unprecedented two multi-alarm fires in the city in one night. The first was a three-alarm fire on Nahanton Street and then they battled a two-alarm on Crafts Street in which a resident had to be saved from the third floor.

4. New projects seem to be popping up every day in Newton. The future home of Wegmans, Chestnut Hill Square on Rte. 9 opened in November and the Alderman approved the next big project near the Riverside MBTA station.

3. News that the AMC Chestnut Hill Theaters were closing caught the eye of many in and outside Newton. The Showcase Super Lux came in to provide an option for movie lovers.

2. The Boston Marathon Bombing was the biggest news in the Boston area in 2013. Besides having the race wind through Newton, the city had ties to the bombing suspects. A family friend from Newton urged Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to turn himself in.

1. The top news story was a tragic one, when residents were on the search for a missing Newton North student. Unfortunately, her body was found in the woods in Natick after she took her life. A short time later a Newton South student took her life. The suicides prompted a lot of discussion in Newton, and reflection from current and past students - including this blog from a Newton North grad.