A Boy's 9-1-1 Call, Prostitution Sting, Wife Stabbed to Death: 2015 on Waltham Patch

WALTHAM, MA - Twelve-year-old Luke Fournier was home sick from school when he heard strange noises around the house on a weekday afternoon. The boy kept his cool, remembered what to do in a situation like this, and hid in a closet waiting for police to come. Waltham Patch readers clicked in to listen to this cool-headed boy call while a burglar invaded his home.

It was among the top stories that had Waltham residents talking this year on Patch.

Court cases, deaths, restaurants opening and closing, survey rankings and more. In Waltham this year, readers clicked on stories about local hospital rankings, election results, the unexpected passing of a young woman, a prostitution sting and homicide.

What Waltham stories resonated with you this past year? Leave your comments in our comments section below.

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

1. MA Hospital Safety Rankings: How Does Your Hospital Rate? The independent hospital watchdog The Leapfrog Group released its safety score findings for hospitals nationally. How did Mass. do? In Massachusetts, patient scores were reported for 58 hospitals in the state. More than half earned an “A” grade, with all of the remaining except for one earning a “B” grade.
2. LISTEN: 12-Year-Old Calls 9-1-1, Cops Catch Alleged Burglar on the Run
   A young boy, at home sick, called 911 to get Waltham police to the scene of a potential house-break. Listen to a recording of the call here. Twelve-year-old Luke Fournier was home sick from school when he heard strange noises around the house on a weekday afternoon.
3. Why Was There a Helicopter Flying Over The Neighborhood? National Grid’s doing some work over the next week or so, and it involves flying. Don’t be alarmed by the helicopter. New Englanders may have noticed increased helicopter activity as National Grid undertook its twice-a-year helicopter inspection of more than 2,900 miles of high-voltage transmission lines in Massachusetts.
4. Gloria Santiago, of Waltham, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014. She was 42.Gloria was a lifelong resident of Waltham and a 1991 graduate of Waltham High School. She worked as a dental assistant for Dr. Paul Lombardo in Burlington. She also worked as an administrative assistant at Sapphire Salon in Waltham.
5. Waltham Election Results: McCarthy Re-Elected, Vidal City Councilor: Waltham voters re-elected Jeannette McCarthy as mayor and Carlos Vidal made history by becoming the city’s first Hispanic City Councilor.McCarthy received 6,076 votes to challenger Thomas Stanley’s 4,948.
6. Waltham Man Accused of Stabbing Wife to Death: The 51-year-old man was arraigned and held pending a bail hearing. A 51-year-old Waltham man was accused of stabbing his wife to death at their 204 Clocktower Drive residence.
7. Waltham Man Charged in Prostitution Sting: A Waltham man was among nine arrested by Burlington police in a prostitution sweep. During the operation, an undercover officer was approached by an alleged human trafficker, who attempted to “recruit” the officer to work for him.
8. VIDEO: Fire at Florist on Moody Street, Waltham: Firefighters battled a three-alarm fire at a business on Moody Street. the three-alarm fire happened at 240 Moody St., which is Anderson Florist.
9. Waltham Restaurants: 3 Opening Soon, 1 Expanding
   Boston Magazine urges diners that now’s the time to ‘eat in Watch City.’ Posting its road map to what’s happening and what’s new, Boston Magazine featured Red Bird on Moody Street as a destination for “globe-hopping comfort dishes.” It also pointed out that Moody’s Delicatessen and Provisions was expanding.
10. Waltham Teen Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy, Weapons Charges, For Planning Fatal Robbery Attempt: A Waltham man pleaded guilty to charges in connection with his role in a failed robbery. A Waltham man pleaded guilty today to charges in connection with his role in a failed robbery plot last year that led to the death of a Waltham teenager, said Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.