Charlestown's Most-Read Stories of 2012

There are only four days left in 2012, and as the new year approaches it becomes time once again to look back at the year that was—the Charlestown stories that shocked, stirred and sparked conversation around the community.

Here they are, the most-read Charlestown Patch stories of 2012:

1. Tobin Bridge Jumper Pronounced Dead on Scene—In March, a woman died after reportedly jumping from the Tobin Bridge. In May, another woman reportedly jumped from the bridge and later died at the hospital.

2. Residents Report Landscaper Attempting to Poison Dogs—In September, three dog owners recently Boston police that they had seen a landscaper on Medford Street leave what they believed to be poisoned hot dog pieces on the grass to be consumed by dogs in the area. Police later arrested the 53-year-old landscaper on charges of poisoning an animal.

3. City Employee Charged with Child Pornography—A Charlestown man working in the Boston Transportation Department was arrested in October and charged with possession of child pornography.

4. Bunker Hill Housing Development Drug Ring Raided in 'Operation Tourniquet'—Twenty people allegedly connected with the drug trade at Bunker Hill Housing Development were arrested in June in a police sweep dubbed "Operation Tourniquet." 

5. Police Bust Craigslist Dealer in Charlestown—Boston Police arrested a Malden man in April after an under cover police officer used Craigslist.com to arrange to buy marijuana from the man behind the 99 Restaurant on Austin Street.

5. Life Focus Center To Shut Down in June; —After the state announced in April that it would terminate Life Focus Center’s contracts after a state audit found that the center had misused taxpayer funds, the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services agreed to take over Life Focus Center’s functions, maintaining services for their clients, approximately 140 adults with developmental disabilities.

6. Two Men Charged With Taxi Jacking in Charlestown—Police arrested two men in Charlestown in May after they allegedly assaulted a taxi driver with a pellet gun, stole his vehicle and fled the scene.

7. Cooperative Bank Robbery Foiled by Good Samaritan—In June, authorities caught a Charlestown bank robber with a little help from an alert bystander.

8. —A woman walking home on Halloween night near the Phipps Street Burying Ground was hit on the back of the head, knocked out and had her sweater torn off, police reported.

9. Tavern on the Water Closes Its Doors—In November, Tavern on the Water in Charlestown announced it would not reopen next season.

10. Charlestown Foodmaster to Become a Whole Foods—Though rumors were in the air for weeks beforehand, it was October when Johnnie's Foodmaster officially announced it had agreed to transfer six of its Boston stores, including the one in Charlestown, to Whole Foods Market.

What do you think? Are these the biggest stories in Charlestown this year? What news got you and your neighbors talking? Tell us about the stories that stuck out to you in the comments below.