Year-in-Review: Petersen Pool, Wamps Win State Titles, Red Line Woes, Deadly Car Crash

In June, one person was killed after a serious car crash on Quincy Avenue. The crash shut down the street as police investigated the incident.

That story would go on to become the most viewed post on Braintree Patch in 2015.

In 2015, Braintree Patch readers clicked on posts about the Wamps winning state titles, the winter that wouldn’t go away, the decades-long effort to construct Petersen Pool, and a Red Line train that left Braintree without a conductor.

Here are the top 10 stories for 2015 on Braintree Patch:

1. One Dead in Serious Car Crash on Quincy Avenue - In June, Police responded to a fatal crash on Quincy Avenue. The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office told NECN they believe one person died and the other victims were hospitalized and are expected to survive. Quincy Avenue at Pleasant View Avenue was initially closed but was reopened at 10:16 p.m.
2. Braintree High Named One of America’s Top High Schools by Newsweek - In August, Newsweek released its annual list of the top public high schools in America for 2015.Among 19 Massachusetts schools to make the list was Braintree High School, coming in at number 451. Dover-Sherborn Regional High School was the highest ranked school in the state at number 16.
3. Snowmageddon 2015 - During one of the worst winters in history, very few places had it worse than Braintree. With nearly 100 inches of snow and millions from free cash spent on snow removal, Braintree joined Hingham, Weymouth, and Quincy in requesting a waiver in the state to hold less than 180 school days. After, the waiver was denied, school officials assigned a project that would count as a school day.
4. Petersen Pool Moves Closer to Reality - It might have taken over five decades, but tugboat captain August Julius Petersen is finally getting his pool. In May, Mayor Joseph Sullivan announced plans to create a complex at Braintree High School that would include the pool, two hockey rinks, and an indoor multi-sports area. The plan still needs the approval of the planning board, but construction is expected to begin in 2016.
5. Braintree Wamps Win Girls’ Basketball and Baseball State Titles - At Braintree High School, all they do is win. In March, the girls’ basketball team cruised to a second consecutive MIAA Division 1 title. Not to be outdone, the baseball team would win the Super 8 title in June. Even down the road at Archbishop Williams, the girls’ basketball team won the Division 3 championship.
6. A Battle for an Uber Ban - What started as a request from Braintree Best Taxi became a month-long debate over the difference between a traditional taxi service and transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft. In May, the Board of Licensing Commissioners voted to issue a cease and desist letter to any driver for a TNC who was picking up customers in Braintree without a hackney license. The vote drew praise from the taxi industry, but criticism from Uber and Lyft supporters. In July, Town Clerk Jim Casey admitted to never sending out a letter because he could not find a way to enforce the restriction. By September, the board voted to back away from the issue until the state passed regulations for TNCs.
7. Organizing for Safer Sidewalks - With snow and ice making a simple walk on the sidewalk dangerous, one Braintree woman did her part to clean up the downtown area. In February, Braintree Patch talked with Crystal Evans, who along with 50 volunteers, cleared snow and ice from the sidewalks and bus stops in South Braintree Square.
8. Frustrations Over School Conditions - During budget season, contentious exchanges between the school committee became a regular part of the discussion of the fiscal year 2016 school budget. Things escalated in April after the creation of a Facebook group by Braintree parents and the publishing of photos depicting what appeared to be mold and poor conditions at Ross School. Days later, then-Superintendent Maureen Murray gave a passionate defense of the school system and denied the possibility of mold, since the rug in question was on top of tile.
9. Red Line Woes - For riders of the Red Line from Braintree, it wasn’t the best of years. Early in the year, the MBTA was unable to remove snow from the tracks, leaving the line closed for days. Then in December, a train left Braintree one morning without an operator, rolling through Quincy before workers shut down the third rail and stopped the train just past North Quincy. The operator of that train would be fired.
10. Braintree Hires New Superintendent - After Superintendent Maureen Murray announced her retirement in 2014, the search for her successor took an unexpected turn. In April, the school committee voted to halt the search after deciding the two finalists were not the right fit for the school. Shortly afterward, the search would restart after discussions with candidates that did not apply during the initial search. In July, Pembroke Superintendent Frank Hackett was voted to be the new head of schools. During the transition period, Peter Kurzberg returned as the interim superintendent.

Honorable Mentions

• Boston Woman Faces Assault Charges After Parking Lot Beating
• Easton Motorcyclist Killed in Braintree Collision
• Four Arrested for Operating Heroin Delivery Service in Braintree