Year In Review: See Biggest Patch Stories Across Massachusetts In 2024

MASSACHUSETTS — From the much-hyped Karen Read murder trial, to historic teacher strikes, to an election that may have changed everything, there were plenty of must-view Massachusetts news stories in 2024.

Patch brought them to you in-depth at the hyper-local level up through the statewide news breaks.

As we look to turn the calendars to 2025, here are a few of the stories that captivated readers most throughout the last year and could have lasting impacts into the next year and beyond.

Karen Read Verdict: Judge Forced To Rule After Jurors Fail To Agree

A judge declared a mistrial in July in the case of Karen Read, the Mansfield woman charged in
connection with the 2022 death of her police officer boyfriend John O'Keefe.

For five days, the jury deliberated the two scenarios put forth in court: Did Read, 44, kill O'Keefe by hitting him with her Lexus and then leaving him to die in a snowstorm after a night out drinking; or was Read framed by the fellow police officers with whom O'Keefe fought that night?

"We find ourselves divided by fundamental differences in our opinions," the jurors said in a note to the judge.

Teacher Strikes Divide Cities, Towns, Keep Students Of School Weeks

After Newton teachers hit the picket lines for 11 days in January, three North Shore districts closed the classrooms for that duration — and even longer — in November as educators sought to solve what they called the "crisis in our schools" through stands for better pay and more support, while cities and towns cited finite funding and a lack of appetite for property tax increases for limiting wage increases.

In the end, both sides declared victories following the resolution — while it was ultimately the students who lost in the short term with all missed days having to be made up during vacations, Saturdays, and sometimes a combination of both.

• 'This Strike Was About All Of Us': Marblehead Teachers Reach New Deal
  
• 'Wave Of Change': Beverly Teachers End Historic Strike After 12 Days
• 5 Beverly Saturday School Days To Make Up For Teacher Strike Days Lost
  
• Newton Teachers Reach Agreement To End Longest MA Strike In 30 Years

Braintree Theater Stabbing Suspect Indicted In Plymouth Stabbing

The man charged in a Braintree theater stabbing in May was indicted on separate charges in Plymouth County related to a second series of stabbings at a McDonald's.

The accused went into one of the theaters without paying and stabbed four girls, unprovoked and without warning, police said. He then fled the theater in a black SUV, according to police. The girls, ages 9 to 17, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and were taken to hospitals for treatment, police said.

MA Re-Elects U.S. Sen. Warren, Rejects Tip Wage Reform, Psychedelics

Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren has won a third term in the Massachusetts U.S. Senate race against Republican challenger John Deaton in a race the Associated Press projected shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. on Election night.

The AP projected Vice President Kamala Harris as the winner against former President Donald Trump in the race for the state's 11 electoral college votes, while voters were split on the five statewide ballot initiatives.

Massachusetts wound up being on of the biggest triumphs for the vice president in a night she ultimately failed to become the nation's first woman president. Harris won 63 percent of Bay States — although Donald Trump carried far more cities and towns than he did in 2020 — and outpaced Warren, who earned about 60 percent of the vote.

Massachusetts voters supported increased authority for the state auditor over the state legislature, the elimination of the standardized MCAS as a high school graduation requirement, and an increased ability for rideshare drivers to unionize. Voters were against the legalization of
psychedelic drugs for medical purposes and a minimum wage proposal for tipped workers that opponents said could threaten the current system they prefer.

'We Did It!': Celtics Win 18th NBA Championship

On a team defined by championships, in a city well-worn with crowning parades, it was always going to take a title for Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to ascend to the stratosphere they have been collectively climbing toward ever since first becoming teammates seven years ago.

After Arrest, Suspect To Face Murder Charge In Killing Of Mother, Daughter

A suspect wanted in the killing last week of Chasity Nuñez and her 11-year-old daughter, Zella, was captured in California, according to Worcester police.

Dejan Belnavis was the subject of an interstate search involving local and federal law enforcement across New England. He was arrested after a motor vehicle stop near the San Diego Zoo just before 6 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, just under a week after the mother and daughter were shot along Lisbon Street.

'Second Largest Fish In The World' Spotted Off MA Coast

Though it is the largest shark that lives and feeds in the waters off New England, the basking shark is 'harmless and considered a gentle giant of the ocean,' according to the New England Basking Shark and Ocean Sunfish Project.

Backyard Apartments Now Legal Across MA: What To Know

State leaders were celebrating Gov. Maura Healey's signing of a sweeping new housing bill this summer that contained $5.1 billion in spending authorizations, but also law and policy changes that could change the state's housing landscape.

One key piece of the law allows accessory dwelling units, also called in-law apartments, by right in every community in the state in single-family zones. ADUs can come in many forms, including basement and attic apartments, additions onto existing homes, or small cottages separate from a main home.

North Andover Brush Fire Consumes Over 150 Acres; Homes Damaged

The Sharpeners Pond Road fire in North Andover consumed over 150 acres as one of several large wildfires that sparked amid this fall's extreme drought across the North Shore and Merrimack Valley.

• Smoke Alert: North Shore Fires Cancel Salem Outdoor School Activities
• Danvers, North Andover Declare State Of Emergency As 500+ Acres Burn
  
• 'Severe' North Shore Drought Conditions Fuel More Brush Fire Concerns

FBI, Homeland Security Provide Update On Drones In MA Skies

Massachusetts residents are among what federal agencies said are thousands of people who have filed tips related to increased drone sightings across the Northeast.

Officials with the FBI and Department of Homeland Security say they may have an answer for what's behind the increased sightings of mysterious aircraft and lights in the skies over Massachusetts and nearby states: absolutely nothing unusual.

Investigation Opened Into Death Of MA Police Recruit During Training

Authorities are seeking answers after a Massachusetts State Police recruit suffered a "medical crisis" and died during a defensive tactics training exercise in New Braintree.

Worcester's Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, died one day after the training session during which he was hit and injured and became unresponsive.

Nibi The Beaver Will Officially Stay In Captivity, Governor Says

Nibi, the domesticated beaver who gained viral fame after state officials ordered her immediate release, will remain at her home at Newhouse Wildlife Rescue after Gov. Maura Healey issued a permit Thursday designating her as an educational beaver.

"Nibi has captured the hearts of people in Massachusetts and around the country — including mine," Healey wrote, adding that she will "inspire folks to protect our natural world."