Most-Read Middlesex County News of 2016

Middlesex County, what a year 2016 was! If anyone thinks life is boring here in Central New Jersey, they should simply start reading more of the Patch. Here are some of the saddest, funniest and just plain wackiest stories in Middlesex County of the past year:

Just after Christmas in 2015, someone dropped off a dog at the Woodbridge Animal Shelter that had been given to them as a Christmas gift. Christmas Present Pet Surrendered at Woodbridge Animal Shelter (After Easter, people dropped off baby rabbits at the Woodbridge Shelter, too: Unwanted Easter Bunnies Dropped Off at Animal Shelter)

In January, a South Brunswick couple found themselves snowed in after the wind drove 24 inches of snow against their front door. Helen Yin said they didn't shovel because they had received many warnings from their Princeton Manor homeowners’ association, "saying, 'Don’t shovel, it is a liability, we will do it for you.'" Read that story: South Brunswick Couple Snowed In, Literally

In February, a Rt. 18 pet store in East Brunswick was raided by the state ASPCA after 267 charges of animal cruelty were filed against it, including that they kept the bodies of three dead puppies in a freezer in the back of the store. Three Dead Dogs Found in Freezer of Pet Store, NJSPCA Says

Then in March, the Township of East Brunswick stepped in and unanimously voted to revoke the license of the store, Just Pups, to wild cheers from the audience. East Brunswick Revokes License of Just Pups

The availability of cheap and plentiful heroin is a major problem in the New Jersey suburbs. Many families are affected by addiction. In April, a young man from Middlesex borough talked to Patch about how he became addicted. 'Heroin. It Wants You Dead but it Will Settle for Miserable'

In May, a New Brunswick couple was charged with improperly disposing of the body of their newborn infant son and lying to the police about what happened to the baby. Couple Charged As Police Search For Newborn Baby's Body

Who could forget that gold medal-winning Olympian Laurie Hernandez hails from Old Bridge? The petite gymnastics star wowed at the summer Olympics in Rio, along with this complete list of the 2016 Olympic athletes from New Jersey: Meet the 35 Olympic Athletes From New Jersey

In Woodbridge, a teacher at the local high school was fired after he linked to materials supporting a 9/11 conspiracy on his website. Woodbridge History Teacher Officially Fired After 9/11 Conspiracy Links

Bears were seen all over Middlesex County this year, from a bear cub seen in South Brunswick in April to one spotted roaming Woodbridge Township in June. Later in June, a cat scared away a bear sitting in a South Brunswick driveway, eating birdseed. Cat Scares Away Bear in South Brunswick

Remember Pokemon Go? It's not quite Middlesex County, but in August, a Linden man and woman told police they were robbed while sitting in their car playing the game. 2 N.J. Residents Robbed At Gunpoint While Playing Pokémon Go: Police

In late September, a fisherman in Raritan Bay pulled in a fluke that looked unlike anything he's ever caught before: You've Got to See What He Caught in Raritan Bay

That's one way to celebrate: In November, a South Brunswick teen was arrested three times in five days while celebrating his birthday. All of the arrests were drug- or alcohol-related. South Brunswick Teen Celebrating Birthday Arrested 3 Times in 5 Days: Police