Dedham Year In Review: Top Stories Of 2017

DEDHAM, MA — The year is almost in the books and needless to say, 2017 had some notable stories.

If you were looking for something to talk about, there was not a lack of topics and issues. Below are the top 10 Dedham stories of 2017:

10. MBTA Patriots Train Nearly Leaves Fan Stranded In Dedham

The point of the commuter rail to Patriots games is so fans can avoid the nightmare that is Route 1 on game day. To avoid that, however, means trusting the MBTA to get you there without any major issues. The Oct. 1 trip to Gillette Stadium from Boston was anything but perfect, with the train breaking down in Dedham, worrying fans that they were going to miss opening kickoff for the game against the Panthers.

9. 128 Bandit Arrested

A bank robbery suspect known as the "Route 128" bandit and his alleged accomplice were arrested this week, Boston police said Thursday. Paul Landrum, 48, of Dorchester, has been charged with armed robbery and various motor vehicle infractions. He is alleged to have robbed a bank in Dedham and several more.

8. Person Killed By Train At Dedham's Endicott Station

A man was struck and killed early by a Commuter Rail train near Endicott Station in Dedham, Transit Police confirmed. Foul play is not suspected, police said.

7. Dedham Police Officer, Boston Marathon Bombing Hero Suddenly Dies

A member of the Dedham Police Department who was also a hero in the days after the Boston Marathon passed away in February. The Dedham Police Department announced that Officer Robert Chermesino died. No cause of death was given.

6. Dedham Sears Closes

The store closed in late July, but the auto center will remain open.

5. Chick-fil-A Opens Dedham Restaurant

The restaurant known for their chicken sandwiches and waffle fries opened their Dedham location on Route 1 in October. As part of the celebration, the company offered free Chick-fil-A for a year for the first 100 people to camp outside in anticipation for the opening.

4. Displaced Puerto Rican Families Coming To Dedham

As Puerto Rico continues to recover from the devastation left by Hurricane Maria, displaced students are enrolling in the Dedham Public Schools, according to Superintendent Michael Welch.

Welch wrote in a 30-day update to parents that FEMA reserved 34 hotel rooms in Dedham through mid-January for families displaced by the hurricane. Since October, 24 students from the island have enrolled in Dedham schools and six to eight more families were expected.

3. Bomb Threat At FOX 25

Staff at WFXT FOX 25 were forced to abandon a November newscast after their Dedham building was evacuated for a bomb hoax.

Dedham Police said they received a call around 5 p.m. that indicated bombs were at the building. The Dedham-based station tweeted at 5:20 p.m. that it was temporarily going off the air while the building was evacuated.

A search of the building found no potential explosive devices. By 6:38 p.m., staff at building was let back in.

2. Dead Woman Found in Dedham ID'd as Boston Resident

Anyanwu-Corbin, who died at the age of 22, was reported as missing to the Boston Police Department by a family member in February 2016. She was born in Nigeria and moved to Boston 4-5 yeas ago. She had various addresses in Dorchester, Roslindale, and Hyde Park and worked in retail.

Her remains were found in Dedham in April. Police do not know how she disappeared or the cause of her death.

1. Amazon Opens Bookstore In Dedham

Plans for the store were first revealed in September 2016 and the store opened in February. In additional to books, the store offers Amazon products like the Kindle eBook reader, Fire TV devices, and Echo.