Snowiest Winter on Record, Anti-Fluoride Plan Flushed, Body Pulled from River: Top Concord News of 2015

CONCORD, MA — Concord in 2015 saw the snowiest winter on record, the flushing of an anti-fluoride plan, and a body pulled from a river.

These and more were among the 10 most-viewed local stories on Concord Patch this year.

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• Most-viewed Concord story this week: Concord Could Hit 70 Degrees Christmas Eve

Readers were also interested in several regional stories, including a pizza delivery driver who earned more than $20,000 after he was harassed and a drone footage that showed the region under 100+ inches of snow.

Without further ado, these are the 10 most-viewed local stories on Concord Patch in 2015:

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10. Concord Police Arrest 4 for OUI

Concord police typically make one or no OUI arrests a week. Last month, they also arrested four people in a week on OUI charges. Of the four people arrested last week, three were 25 or younger. One was a teenager and one had a previous OUI charge:

9. Missing Concord Girl Found Safe

Concord police said she ran away from her Garrison Road home at about 4 p.m. They launched a multi-agency search and contacted the FBI. Police said she may have been planning to travel out of state.

8. Whole Foods Opening Near Concord

“Sudbury is such a quintessentially New England town and we are so excited to develop a store that celebrates the rich history of the area,” said Laura Derba, president of Whole Foods Market’s North Atlantic region, in a statement. “We are eager to get this project underway and to get to know our new neighbors and learn how we can best serve as community partners in Sudbury.”

7. Concord Ranked in Top 20 MA Suburbs to Raise Children

Niche, which ranks U.S. communities and colleges, this week released its ”2015 Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in Massachusetts.” Concord was No. 19. The rankings were based on age demographics, school ratings, crime rates, affordable housing, child care, libraries, and grocery stores, among other factors.

6. Dead Woman Pulled from River in Concord

A kayaker made the discovery near Nashawtuc Road.

5. Concord Voters Flush Plan to Remove Fluoride from Drinking Water

The fluoride ban was proposed by resident Shelley Moors, who claimed fluoride causes health problems. Her idea was presented as a “clean water resolution” (Article 34) during Town Meeting Sunday. The measure failed to pass.

4. Man Hit By MBTA Train in Concord, Walks Away: Officials

Concord police reported the incident at about 3:30 p.m. MBTA said the man suffered minor injuries and did not require treatment.

3. Middlesex County Prostitution Sting Nets 9 Arrests

The sting was conducted last week involved an undercover officer posing as a prostitute. She placed online advertisements and the men responded, meeting up with the officer for what they thought was a sexual encounter, police said.

2. Concord Man Dies After Choking at Restaurant

Police said they received a 911 call at about 2:20 p.m. that the man was choking outside Tailgaters on Great Road. Rescue personnel found him unresponsive and performed CPR. He was transported to Emerson Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

1. This Was the Snowiest Winter on Record

The snow has wreaked havoc on the region, shutting down the MBTA, causing roof collapses, and forcing school officials to cancel classes—sometimes for as many as seven days.