Top Five Stories Last Week

In case you missed the top stories this past week, here is a list of five articles that topped the charts.

1. Teacher Fired After Allegedly Abusing Child at Goddard School. The Department of Early Education and Care reported that they received information from the Goddard School in Reading regarding alleged abuse of a child by one of the school's teachers. The teacher was fired. Details of the abuse have not yet been disclosed. DEEC officials are still investigating.

2. Hundreds of Hypodermic Needles Found at Playground in North Reading. Hundreds of hypodermic needles were found by DPW workers on Jan. 9 at Clarke Park in North Reading. Police recovered the needles and other drug paraphernalia.

3. Bunratty Tavern Projected to Open in Reading in May. Eilish Havey and her husband Jim will open the Bunratty Tavern in Reading this year. The liquor license for the pub was passed at Tuesday night's selectmen meeting. The traditional Irish pub will have a full bar and serve "home cooked comfort food," Havey said. When asked when she would open for business, Havey said May, "and that is a very rough guess at this point."

4. Reading’s Sweet Shoppe Candles to Appear at Golden Globes. A piece of Reading will be in tinsel town this weekend when Sweet Shoppe candles are gifted to celebrities at the Golden Globes. Owner Leslie Gennari received a phone call from GBK Productions asking her to make custom cupcake candles for the Globes' nominees, presenters and VIPs.

5. North Reading Native Jimmy Vesey Helps USA Take Gold at World Junior Championship. North Reading native Jimmy Vesey helped Team USA beat Sweden 3-1 in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship to claim the gold medal, according to NESN.com.