Boston’s Ridiculous Year

Twenty thirteen seemed like someone was trying to cram a decade’s worth of drama into a single year. Maybe we can take it a little easier in 2014? Just for a change. Here’s what went down.

Dennis Lehane

Photo via AP

JANUARY

Dennis Lehane searches for his lost dog, Tessa. The reward: an appearance in his next novel.

FEBRUARY

For once, predictions of crippling snow come true when winter storm Nemo hits. Bostonians shelter in place.

MARCH

The Boston Phoenix goes down in flames.

Menino announces he’s not running for reelection; launches the first wide-open mayoral race in decades.

The FBI says it knows who pulled the Gardner heist, but names no names.

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Photograph by Scott M. Lacey for “The Shoes We Wore

APRIL

The unthinkable occurs.

kevin spacey photobomb boston

Photographs via Christina Sander

MAY

After Kevin Spacey photobombs some randos, we feel free to chuckle again.

Boston Strong raises $30 million in one month.

JUNE 

The Bruins lose the Stanley Cup; curiously, no cars are injured.

JULY

The city’s fireworks display goes off without a hitch.

AUGUST

After 16 years on the lam and an expletive-laden trial, Whitey Bulger is finally found guilty of murder, extortion, and general psychopathy.

Glen James

Photo via AP

SEPTEMBER

Glen James finds $40, 000 and turns it in, gets Internet famous.

Aaron Hernandez is arraigned.

10.7.2013-boston-rtmap-copy

Photo via MBTA

OCTOBER

The MBTA unveils a new map redesign.

Cars are flipped after the World Series win. Boston’s back, baby.

Tessa is still missing (no one wants to be immortalized by Lehane?).

duck-boat

Photo by Olga Khvan for “Red Sox Parade

NOVEMBER

The Red Sox ride duck boats through Copley.

The city picks a new mayor.

harvard university gate

Photo by Lisa DeCotis

DECEMBER

Harvard evacuates four buildings after receiving a bomb threat, which turns out to be a hoax by a student who didn’t want to take his finals.