A Look Back At 2013 In Wakefield

As 2013 comes to a close, it’s time to take a look back at some of the things that happened in Wakefield during the year.

The town welcomed a new superintendent of schools this year, Dr. Stephen Zrike, who started on July 15th.  Early in 2014, Wakefield residents will have the opportunity to hear Zrike’s findings after half a year on the job. A community forum is Wednesday, January 15 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Dolbeare School’s library. 

Back in May, Evan Kenney, a 19-year-old college student and Wakefield High School graduate, won a school committee seat in the town election.

In the police/fire section, the beginning of 2013 saw a fire at the vocational school that damaged the wood shop area. Check out this photo gallery from that night here.

Toward the end of 2013, in mid December, the police department bid farewell to its K-9, Leo, who was diagnosed with an inoperable tumor and was put down after seven years of service.

Early in 2014, former Wakefield resident John Burbine is expected to go to trial on dozens of charges involving the sexual abuse of children. Late this year, Burbine made news when he offered to undergo chemical castration in exchange for sentencing leniency. In October, Burbine’s motion to suppress some evidence in the case was rejected.

In early August, several people were injured when a car crashed through the front of  local dance studio. 

Back in July, town residents still had plenty of things to do on the 4th of July – but the longtime parade, a favorite local tradition, came to an apparently permanent close with volunteers unable to keep the event going.

Back at Thanksgiving time, Benjamin Mohla, 21, a 2010 Wakefield High School graduate, died in an accident on I-89 in Vermont.  

Finally, on Christmas Eve of 2013, Mike Angelo passed away. The coach, news photographer and school district employee was widely liked and hailed for his contributions to the town. View his obituary at this link.