A lot can happen in a year, and in 2012 a lot happened in Natick.

Patch has tried to be there every step of the way to help keep you informed of what's going on in town, and here are some of the biggest stories of 2012.

In no particular order:

1. Hollywood stars Kate Winslet, Tobey Maguire and Josh Brolin were in town this past August to shoot scenes for their film "Labor Day.' Residents watched as they filmed downtown, giving Natick the opportunity to see a movie filmed up close.
2. Shock. Dismay. Sadness. There aren't really any words to describe the feelings felt by so many at Natick High School, throughout Natick and in the boys' hockey team locker room when senior Justin Bailey died suddenly from natural causes. NHS hockey team manager may have come the closest to finding the words, when he wrote this moving tribute to his friend.
3. It what may have been the most controversial story of the year, Natick High principal Rose Bertucci announced in February that the school would be seeking a new mascot. No longer would they be the Red and Blue; rather, they would be looking for a new, permanent name. Many longtime residents wanted the school to return to its original mascot, Redmen, but because some people had deemed it offensive it was decided that Redmen would not be an option. There were some who were angry about this, but Bertucci accepted submissions for names, and a schoolwide vote led to the selection of Red Hawks as the new school mascot.
4. It's good to have nice, brave neighbors. That's what one young Natick girl found out two weeks before Thanksgiving when she found herself trapped in a smoke-filled room before her neighbor burst into the apartment and got her out. Natick Deputy Fire Chief Rick White said afterwards that if the neighbor hadn't done that they might not have gotten there in time.
5. In August, the Marion St. Bridge was deemed unsafe and closed. A major roadway that connects Route 9 with downtown Natick, it is expected that it will take two years for the bridge to be replaced.
6. After years of planning, the new state-of-the-art Natick High School opened this fall. The new building offers students and teachers access to unlimited technology and resources so that they can reach their full potential in learning.

What did we miss? Is there a story that happened in Natick in 2012 that you think should be listed here? Tell us in the comments.

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