Norwood Year In Review: Top Stories Of 2017

NORWOOD, 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 Norwood stories of 2017:

10. BJ's Gas Station, Wendy's Planned For Rt. 1 Office Building Site

With the office building that sat at 1420 Boston-Providence Highway gone, a gas station and fast food restaurant will take its place.

The zoning board of appeals heard a proposal this summer to split the three-acre site into two for a Wendy's that is estimated to be 2,100 square feet and a BJ's gas station will include only the station and a small kiosk for the attendant.

9. Not Rock Solid: Crook Tries to Break Into Store With Boulder

If it was Festivus, this guy might have some problems with the feats of strengths.

On Feb. 10 at about 3 a.m., police responded to an alarm at Pam's Market on Pleasant Street. When officers arrived, it was apparent someone tried to break in, but a search of the area was unsuccessful, police said. In surveillance footage of the incident, the suspect attempted to throw a 10-pound rock at the door, but needed four attempts to get the boulder though the door. After breaking a hole in the glass door, the suspect continued his attempt to gain entry before being scared off by a vehicle at the residence behind him, police said.

8. Owner of Norwood Business Sentenced For Multi-Million Dollar Tax Evasion Scheme

The owner of a Norwood business was sentenced in July for evading federal income taxes and defrauding the Commonwealth of Massachusetts of millions of dollars in connection with the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Raza Ali, 56, of Hopkinton was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Boston to a year and a day in prison and two years of supervised release. Ali was also ordered to pay a fine of $30,000; restitution to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the amount of $28,072,946; and forfeit all property involved in the offense, including a warehouse-full of tobacco products and over $160,000 seized during the investigation.

7. New England's Largest Volume Liquor Store Coming To Norwood

The selectmen voted in June to approve a liquor license transfer from Wine X Press to Yankee Spirits. The new store will be located at 942 Boston Providence Turnpike, behind the Honeybaked Ham building. Selectwoman Helen Abdallah Donohue abstained from voting due to her family's ownership of a liquor store.

On their website, the company says they carry 7,000 wines, 3,500 spirits, and 2,600 beers.

6. New Brewery Coming To Norwood

Speaking of alcohol, the selectmen approved a pouring permit in February for the Percival Brewing Company, located at 83 Morse St. The brewery will be able to operate a tasting room and offer small samples of their products.

Owner Filipe Oliveira said the samples would be limited to a flight of four 5 oz. glasses that can be used to sample four beers on tap. No customer will be allowed to purchase more than four samples during a single visit. Larger glasses, cans, and bottles of beer will not be available for purchase at the brewery.

5. Alleged Norwood Grinch Faces Theft Charges

An alleged Grinch tried to steal Christmas from Norwood and now faces charges, police said

Nakia Gunter, 43, of Norwood, was arrested Tuesday and charged with larceny of items worth less than $250, four counts of receiving stolen property worth less than $250 and receiving stolen property worth more than $250. He was arraigned Wednesday in Dedham District Court and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

During the investigation, Gunter initially denied the thefts, but police allegedly found several packages in the vehicle that did not belong to Gunter, including packages for the Earle Street and Peasant Street homes. A search of his home turned up more stolen goods, they said.

4. Norwood Schools Have a New Superintendent

In March, the school committee voted 4-1 to appoint David Thomson, the assistant superintendent of the Blackstone-Millville school district, as the new superintendent, pending contract negotiations.

Committee member Michele Eysie Mullen, who voted against Thompson, said information she learned about him concerned her, leading to her recommendation of exploring the possibility of an interim superintendent.

Committee member Myev Bodenhofer said she liked Thompson's enthusiasm. The committee was also impressed with the assessment of Thompson from his co-workers.

3. Norwood Woman Refuses to Hide Heroin Addiction in Obituary

It would have been simple to publicly call Teresa Grasso's death as sudden or unexpected, but that's not what she wanted. She wanted it to be know how she died if she suffered a relapse. Sadly, that is what happened on Feb. 27 when the 30-year-old Norwood resident passed away from a heroin overdose.

A Norwood native, Grasso was a Norwood High School cheerleader and a volunteer before her struggle with heroin became too much, according to her obituary.

2. Norwood High School Leaving Bay State Conference

It's an issue that has divided the school committee and members of the Norwood sports community. In June, the committee voted 3-2 to apply to the Tri-Valley League. The school has since been accepted to the league and granted their release from the Bay State Conference. Since the vote, residents who want to stay in the BSC have come to school committee meetings to try to stop the move, but the Mustangs look to be closer to TVL play than ever before.

1. A New General Manager

Here's a story that comes around once every four decades. John Carroll announcedin July that he would retire from the general manager position in December. He had spent nearly 40 years in the position, first starting the job in 1978.

The search led the Norwood Board of Selectmen to Adams Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco, who Adams Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco. When choosing Manzzucco, board members said they hope he stays around for a long time.