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As we prepare to welcome 2022, here's a look at the stories you made the most popular on The 016 in 2021.
No. 15: Bar planned to replace legendary Dive Bar in Canal District | October 26th
The Dive Bar closed in November 2019 amid the anticipation of the building of Polar Park.
No. 14: Restaurant to open new Shrewsbury Street location on Thursday | November 9th
Pepe's Italian Restaurant moved from its longtime home on Franklin Street.
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No. 13: Park Ave eatery opens its doors | August 9th
The "multi-cuisine" Shack opened its doors at the corner of Park Ave. and Pleasant Street.
No. 12: Worcester man hits the lottery ... again | December 18th
John Gregarczyk of Worcester (above) scratched a lottery ticket worth $1 million. He also did it in 2008.
No. 11: Shrewsbury St. restaurant going into hibernation | January 14th
An unfortunate recurring theme in 2021 was how the pandemic hurt Worcester restaurants. Brew City (above) bounced back, though, and reopened.
No. 10: Shrewsbury mother and daughter found dead inside home (1:59) | March 20th
An unspeakable tragedy struck close to Worcester. Authorities later concluded the mother killed her daughter and then took her own life.
No. 9: Local restaurant closes all 3 locations because of COVID-19 | January 7th
Prior to Brew City temporarily closing, The Fix -- with locations in Worcester, Leominster and Marlborough -- closed temporarily.
Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
No. 8: State board recommends Worcester attorney be disbarred | October 12th
The Board of Bar Overseers wrote that Abby R. Williams, also known as Abigail R. Williams, “intentionally deprived several clients of their money from personal injury settlements” by “fraudulently inflating case expenses.”
No. 7: Lincoln Plaza getting new tenant | November 3rd
Just in time for New Year's resolutions, Planet Fitness plans to open at the site of the former W Fitness gym (above).
No. 6: Worcester restaurant wants to know who took its kegs | May 25th
In one of the oddest local stories of the year, 2 men made off with empty kegs from a gated area outside Antonio's Pizza on Chandler Street. The kegs were later returned.
No. 5 : New restaurant opens at Lincoln Plaza | June 8th
Lincoln Plaza's momentum continued when Torito Mexican Restaurant (above) opened in the space formerly occupied by Ruby Tuesdays.
No. 4: Large crowds welcome Lincoln Plaza's newest stores | April 25th
With great fanfare, HomeGoods and T.J. Maxx (above) replaced the former Staples and Barnes & Noble locations.
No. 3: Popular Worcester diner, closed during pandemic, is for sale | June 15th
The pandemic claimed the popular Blanchard's 101 Diner on Cambridge Street in Worcester (above).
No. 2: Here's what's replacing Crown Bakery on Gold Star Blvd. | January 5th
A Brazilian meat market took over the for iconic Scandinavian bakery.
No. 1: COVID claims brother, sister from well-known Worcester family | January 24th
The most-read story on The 016 in 2021 was the heartbreaking story of Francis Bafaro and his sister, Theresa Bafaro, who died a little over 2 weeks apart.
What else is happening in and around Worcester? Click here or keep scrolling ⤵️
In The News
>WEATHER: Mark Rosenthal's 7-day forecast (1:19). High of 37 today in Worcester
-Bundle up: Worcester area to get cold blast from the polar vortex
>TOP OF THE NEWS
-Worcester honors 6 firefighters who died in warehouse fire 26 years ago (:41)
-Final review clears officer in fatal March shooting in Boylston
-I-290 bridge over Lake Quinsigamond set for "massive resurfacing"
-McGovern Liquor Store building in Greendale sold for $1 million
-TODAY! Radio Worcester (8:06): Bank celebrates 1-year anniversary with 10-cent gas promo
-Road closure on Main Street 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday
-Plans to add bike lanes on Pleasant Street in Worcester
-Museum of Worcester taps arts leader with deep local roots
-T&G Santa's helpers for December 3rd
-Woman charged after allegedly accelerating S.U.V. at ex-husband’s wife in Charlton
-Aislinn Doyle: December 4th School Committee Meeting agenda preview
-Aislinn Doyle: Worcester Public Schools in Brief for November
-Worcester Public Schools Check-in: What families should know by December
>DINING OUT: Worcester restaurant to celebrate fourth anniversary on Saturday
-ICYMI: Worcester remembers 26th anniversary of deadly Cold Storage Warehouse fire
-Mpox cases confirmed in Worcester; 2 patients hospitalized at UMass Memorial
-Worcester pizza shop offers price paid in "Home Alone" 35 years ago
-Sprawling historic building could soon disappear from I-290 landscape
-See the rest of the day's Worcester news
>HOLDEN (brought to you by Lamoureux Ford): Holidays in Holden Friday and Saturday
-Unique Happy Thanksgiving wishes from Lamoureux Ford (:29)
-Holden police introduce new officer, Darian Spencer
>THE BURBS (brought to you by North End Motor Sales): Wild chase through Shrewsbury streets leads to fentanyl bust
-Scottish Highland bull has been on the lam in Uxbridge since August
-Gardner man sentenced to life in prison in 2017 murder
-Leicester woman arrested for violating restraining order at Cumberland Farms
-Worcester Walks: Westborough trails a relief from hectic holidays
-Sculpt Pilates has come to Sutton
-Spruce Street Golf League crowns champions
-Police logs for Shrewsbury, Grafton and Westborough
>BARS & BANDS: The Mayor's Live Music List for Thursday
-The Silverbacks return to rock out at the White Eagle
>SHOWTIME: "A Christmas Carol" gets a new look in Hanover production
-100 FM The Pike (15:21): Worcester's Alicia Witt on her new Christmas album and balancing music and acting
-Last Call: Art DuBois, poet and human services professional
>OPINION: Janice Lindsay: The thread of holiday meaning
-Unity Radio's Unity in the Community (57:21): Pamela Taylor, Realtor
>OBITUARIES: Tribute to Worcester man who passed away at age 100
>SPORTS: Why Patriots are the NFL’s best team despite easy schedule
-Patriots' Kraft, Belichick among Hall of Fame finalists
-NFL Week 14 schedule, TV and announcers
-Holy Cross men’s basketball cruises to home victory against Northeastern
-Holy Cross women's basketball falls to Harvard
-Holy Cross football team adds 10 during early signing period
-West Boylston primed for trip to Gillette Stadium to play in fourth straight Super Bowl
>NATIONAL: Florida speedboat crash leaves 3 Mainers dead
-America's most-used password in 2025 is one word
-Tragic: Parents accused of cutting baby out of daughter's womb
>NEW ENGLAND: Brian Walshe murder trial Day 3 analysis (29:45)
-Search resumes for man seen clinging to side of boat in Merrimack River
>COLLEGES: Holy Cross Professor Playlists: André Isaacs
-Worcester State's Juan Davila is charting a path from Worcester to the world
-UMass Medical School students build equity, health and community at Worcester Earn-A-Bike
>TRAVEL (brought to you by Fuller RV & Rental): 6 island getaways that won’t break the bank
-Escape to a Winter wonderland at Banff’s Sunshine Mountain Lodge
>BUSINESS: Saint-Gobain opens doors to new Worcester headquarters building
-How's the economy? Let W.B.J. know by taking the 2026 Economic Forecast survey
-LPL Financial Research: More keys for markets in 2026. LPL market outlook sneak peek
-Private employers cut 32,000 jobs last month – hiking odds of interest rate cut
>SHOPPING: A budget-friendly holiday. Managing gift expectations
>HEALTH: W.H.O. warns backsliding on measles elimination as coverage falls
-7 deaths, more than 700 serious injuries linked with diabetes glucose monitor errors
>HOMES: Can you afford a "starter home" in the Boston area? Housing report says only 15% of renters make enough
>FOOD: Ocean Spray investigating water-filled cranberry sauce cans
>TV/STREAMING: Trailer for new Netflix doc, "The New Yorker at 100" (2:14)
>MOVIES: The 100 best comedy movies of all time: Critics' pick
>CELEBRITY: Beloved HGTV star Hilary Farr breaks silence on "devastating" health rumors
>ANIMALS: Cat who can’t groom himself falls asleep during bath time (1:32)
>HISTORY: Author James Patterson makes bombshell claim about Marilyn Monroe's death
>GOOD NEWS: Army veteran, double amputee sets several world records
-Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Christmas tree farm ripped for selling "horrific" spray-painted firs
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