From COVID vaccines to police shootouts and more: The 2021 South Shore stories most read

For many, 2021 wasn't much different from 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic continued to touch nearly every aspect of life, and headline-grabbing political infighting continued despite the end of a contentious election year.

In other ways, however, the day-to-day started to look almost normal for those who saw family members for the first time, returned their students to school and started heading to the office for the first time in over a year. For better or for worse, traffic picked back up, shopping centers welcomed back crowds and restaurants were again able to serve patrons indoors without masks, plastic shields or capacity limits.

Here are the South Shore headlines that captivated readers on The Patriot Ledger website, in print and on social media in 2021.

Kicking off a year of closures

The first of the year kicked off an unfortunate series of closures among some of the South Shore's longstanding restaurants. The first casualty? Hanover's beloved Eating Establishment. The next month, a 10-year mainstay of Cohasset Village – Mr. Dooley’s Olde Irish Pub – announced it would close its doors in March. Webster's Eatery in Quincy closed in June after serving Middle Eastern dishes for 37 years. White's Bakery in Hingham closed in August, and Bob's Muffin Shop – a Weymouth staple – closed in November.

Hingham's Matt Beniers, a freshman at the University of Michigan, was on the World Juniors championship team that saw the United States snatch gold away from Canada, a hockey powerhouse. Six months later, Beniers was the No. 2 pick in the NHL draft. The then 18-year-old was selected by the Seattle Kraken.

COVID vaccines; school shakeups take over

Stories about when and where COVD-19 vaccines were available dominated the news cycle in February. Many communities opened clinics to vaccinate residents, and Marshfield opened a regional vaccine clinic at the Marshfield Fairgrounds. The clinic closed for a time after administering tens of thousands of shots, but reopened in October to administer booster shots. It is still open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday as doctors across the region urge booster shots for adults and vaccines for children over the age of 5 as the best defense against the omicron variant.

Dec. 10: Omicron, holidays heighten demand for boosters on the South Shore

The first in a long line of shakeups to local school systems started in February, when Braintree School Superintendent Frank Hackett was appointed interim school superintendent in Winchester. Jennifer Curtis-Whipple left the Weymouth school district in February and was replaced by assistant superintendent of instructional services and support Robert Wargo. James Jette was named Milton's new superintendent in February after Mary Gormley retired last August. Hingham Superintendent Paul Austin left this summer, and interviews are ongoing for his replacement.

A murder solved; students return to school

Students on the South Shore returned to classrooms in earnest in March, almost a full year after they were first sent home for virtual lessons. In most districts, elementary students went back to school full first, followed by middle and high school students later in the year. For many, the change marked a return to normal despite the requiring of masks and social distancing in the classroom.

Feb. 22: 'They're losing ground': South Shore parents push for in-person school

The 37-year-old case of the unsolved murder of Pembroke's Virginia Hannon was closed in March. They still have no known motive or narrative, but police say Jesse Aylward is the man who killed 59-year-old Hannon in 1984. Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said a tipster called police to say Aylward, a friend who was living on Crescent Street in Brockton, had confessed to a Pembroke murder. The tipster waited until the day after Aylward died to turn him in.

March 18: Slaying of Pembroke's Virginia Hannon solved after 37 years

News of the Duxbury High School football team's use of anti-Semitic terms, including "Auschwitz," to call plays broke after a March 12 game against North Plymouth. What followed was the firing of the head football coach, regionwide discussions of inclusion and an overhaul of the team's leadership.

March 24: Duxbury High School football players use anti-Semitic terms to call plays against North

March 27: Duxbury controversy shines light on South Shore's history with anti-Semitism, lack of education

The community of Duxbury was rocked again when the parents of a former middle school student in March accused a teacher of raping their son. Joseph and Melissa Foley say gym teacher John Blake repeatedly raped their son Parkerin middle school, causing trauma that fueled a lifelong drug addiction. Parker Foley died of an overdose last year. Blake was fired from his job but has denied the accusations. Lawsuits are pending.

March 31: Parents of deceased former Duxbury Middle School student accuse gym teacher of rape

April 1: Duxbury gym teacher accused of rape previously investigated for 'questionable behavior'

Movies, TV shows spotlight South Shore

A huge year for filming on the South Shore started in April when George Clooney came to Braintree for "The Tender Bar," a coming-of-age drama based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author J.R. Moehringer’s 2005 memoir. In May, news broke that Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell would also come to Braintree to shoot "Spirited,” a musical remake of the Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol." HBO Max came to Quincy in June. Adams Shore Supermarket will get its 15 minutes of fame in the new series “Julia,” based on the culinary icon Julia Child and her show "The French Chef."

April 14: Movie cameras roll in Braintree for George Clooney's 'The Tender Bar'

Two former Pembroke hockey players were tearfully remembered in Pembroke after they were killed in an April 17 car crash. William Hickey and Joe Birolini, both 23, were remembered at vigils, online and with 2,000 twinkling paper lanterns on the town green.

April 18: Weekend crash kills 2 Pembroke natives, former hockey players

Amazon came to the South Shore in a big way in 2021, starting with a delivery center approved for a Hingham industrial park in April. In September, it was revealed that an Amazon Fresh grocery store will open off Route 3 in Braintree. Construction is underway as the retail giant turns the former Saks Off 5th and 5.11 Tactical spaces into a 37,500-square-foot supermarket.

April 6: Amazon delivery center approved in Hingham

Sept. 30: Amazon Fresh store under construction in Braintree shopping center

Development continues

News of a major proposal in Weymouth in May was the first big development project to make headlines in 2021, but certainly not the last. A national developer proposed building 270 apartments and 4,200 square feet of retail space in an industrial area on Route 53 in Weymouth. One week later, a 16-story building in North Quincy by developer Sam Slater got the OK from the city. By the end of the year, Slater will have proposed another residential tower and a performing arts center in downtown Quincy; Broadway Hospitality Group President Joey Arcari says he will build a seven-story residential building on Hancock Street; and FoxRock Properties finally unveils plans for its long-awaited downtown project.

May 6: 270 apartments, retail space proposed for Route 53 in Weymouth

Nov. 8: 'We believe Quincy will get there': Meet the developers ushering the city into a new era

More than a year of pandemic-fueled tensions between school systems and their teachers erupted in May with protests by parents and educators. Quincy teachers protested administering the state-mandated standardized tests, MCAS, at a rally near the city center. One Hull teacher walked out of class as a "conscientious objector" to the tests later in the month. In Braintree, more than 100 people held a standout in front of town hall to protest proposed school budget cuts eliminating 28 teacher jobs.

May 7: Braintree parents, school staff rally against plans to fire 28 teachers

May 14: Quincy teachers protest standardized tests, ask for 'Less testing, more learning'

There were mixed feelings across the South Shore in May as the end of certain coronavirus restrictions – including wearing masks – drew close. Starting May 29, almost all remaining COVID restrictions such as wearing masks, limited capacity in restaurants and gathering guidelines were lifted.

"I think it's a great thing," one Quincy resident, Jackie Polito, said at the time. "It's shown the progress that we've made in the last year, year and a half. I think everybody's getting excited now that we can go back to normal a little bit."

May 17: South Shore residents excited for COVID-19 restrictions, some mask rules to lift May 29

Braintree police shooting dominates news cycle

Construction at Hanover Crossing continued and those eagerly watching its progress got a major update in June: L.L. Bean is coming town. Hanover Crossing General Manager Ed Callahan said the "flagship" store is expected to be 12,000 to 13,000 square feet. The shopping center's other major anchor, a Market Basket, is set to open within the first two months of 2022.

June 2: L.L. Bean coming to Hanover Crossing

Two Braintree police officers were hospitalized and a police dog was killed responding to a report of domestic violence on June 4. Brockton's Andrew Homen, 34, was killed by police after he fired at responding officers in the woods near the Braintree Village apartment complex. Officers Matthew Donoghue and Bill Cushing were both shot, but survived. K-9 Kitt was killed. In December, the officers involved were cleared of wrongdoing by Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey.

June 14: Braintree police canine Kitt 'died a true hero' protecting officers, officials said

June 22: A final sendoff for heroic Braintree police canine Kitt

Dec. 2: DA: Fatal police shooting near Braintree apartments was justified after officers 'ambushed'

In June,Boo Boo, a black bear that wandered the South Shore for weeks, became an internet star. Boo Boo was spotted in Hanson, Scituate, Cohasset and beyond, and South Shore residents and officials had fun tracking his movements. On June 24, he was killed in a car crash on Interstate 195 near Marion.

New Patriot seen in Hull

The Patriots were the talk of the town in Hull in July, but not for the usual reasons. Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones was spotted filming a commercial for NOBULL, a Boston-based athletic wear company, at Hull High with the Atlantic Ocean and Boston's skyline as a backdrop.

Recognition of the 20th anniversary of 9/11 started early when Braintree resident Paul Veneto in July announced he would push an airline drink cart from Logan Airport to ground zero in New York City. Veneto, a former regular attendant on United Flight 175, the second hijacked plane to crash into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, said his push was to call attention to his crewmates.

July 26: Braintree man will push airline drink cart from Boston to Ground Zero in memory of 9/11

Sept 11: Braintree's Paul Veneto completes his push to honor 9/11 flight attendants

The South Shore was well-represented among winners of the state's Vaxmillions giveaway this summer. The first winner, Darrell Washington, of Weymouth, claimed his $1 million prize July 29. Two other South Shore residents claimed the $300,000 scholarship prize for high school students: Nadia Dutton, of Rockland High, and Dylan Barron, an automotive student at Blue Hills Technical.

July 29: 'Oh my God, this is real': Weymouth man among first prize winners in Vaxmillions giveaway

A tearful goodbye in Marshfield

The town of Marshfield came together to mourn 8-year-old local celebrity Danny Sheehan, who died of a rare brain cancer Aug. 8. Community support poured in for the little boy's family, including from "Aquaman" actor Jason Momoa, who said in an Instagram post that he will dedicate "Aquaman 2" to Danny. He is the son of Natalie and Dan Sheehan.

Aug. 8: Support flowing from community, 'Aquaman' star to family of Marshfield's Danny Sheehan

New census numbers released in August showed a rapidly growing and diversifying community on the South Shore. In Quincy, the population grew to 101,000 people, including 31,000 Asian residents, now making up almost 31% of the city. Quincy wasn't alone. Every town on the South Shore, with the exception of Hull, grew in population overall, and each saw its percentage of non-white residents increase.

Aug. 12: Newly released census data shows South Shore growth, population diversifying

Students on the South Shore returned to school in late August for their first year of full-time, in-person learning since March 2020. Masks were – are – still required in classrooms across Massachusetts, putting parents and some local officials at odds with the state Department of Education. Rockland parents protested the mandate on Union Street on the first day of school.

The state has said any school that reaches an 80% vaccination rate among students and staff can drop the mask requirement for those who are vaccinated. Few South Shore schools have hit the threshold.

Aug. 30: Masks, protesting parents make for a unique first day of school in Rockland

Dec. 14: Could the mask mandate soon be lifted at North Quincy High?

Labor shortage gets real

A nationwide labor shortage peaked on the South Shore in September as businesses in all sectors fought for the few new employees entering the workforce. Across the board, local businesses were hit hard by a lack of applicants to a seemingly unending list of open positions. Toward the end of the month, a statewide shortage of school bus drivers led to members of the National Guard coming to Quincy to bus children to school.

Sept. 3: 'It's crazy right now': Nationwide labor shortage hits South Shore businesses

Sept. 20: Bus driver shortage hits Quincy, National Guard to help run routes to schools

The talk of the town in Duxbury in September was the listing of Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry's gated compound. After 33 years on the South Shore, Perry listed his 14-room, 7-acre estate on Tremont Street for $4.5 million. Known as Brook Haven Farm, its features include a heated pool in the shape of a Gibson guitar body, a rooftop garden, a three-stall barn, a high-tech media room, exposed beams, three fireplaces, a gym and a billiards room. It still hasn't sold.

Sept. 13: Rock star real estate: Aerosmith's Joe Perry lists Duxbury property

The Quincy-based grocery chain Stop & Shop announced the closure of nearly two dozen of the pharmacies it runs at stores, including those in Norwell and Cohasset, in September. Stop & Shop spokeswoman Caroline Medeiros said the closures were due to "steadily declining prescription reimbursements by private and government third-party payers. That decline is impacting retail pharmacies across the country."

Sept 22: Stop & Shop to close 19 in-store pharmacies, including Cohasset, Norwell

McCallum family gets closure

In October, several local school districts were caught up in a series of six lawsuits challenging local and state school mask mandates. Hingham and Carver were among the schools with individual mask mandates that were sued by New Hampshire lawyer Robert Fojo. He said the individual school districts don't have the authority to issue mask mandates to students, and that if anyone did have that power, it would be the state Department of Public Health.

Oct. 7: Hingham and Carver among 14 districts sued over legality of school mask mandates

The long-awaited manslaughter trial of Weymouth's Matthew Potter started Oct. 26, nearly three years after the death of 44-year-old Chris McCallum at the Nickerson American Legion Post in Quincy. One week later, Potter was found guilty of punching McCallum so hard in a bar brawl that he later died of his injuries. McCallum left behind a wife and three sons.

Oct. 26: Lawyers give opening arguments in Quincy manslaughter case in death of Chris McCallum

Nov. 2: Matthew Potter guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Quincy bar brawl death of Chris McCallum

The region's first nor'easter of the 2021-22 season hit in October, and Cohasset and Marshfield took the brunt of damage caused by high winds. Tens of thousands of customers were without power for days as crews struggled to restore electricity. Part of the roof flew off in the winds at the housing authority's O'Brien Towers apartment building in Quincy, and an MBTA commuter rail train with passengers on board hit a downed branch in Cohasset.

Oct. 27: Cohasset, Marshfield take the brunt of damage as nor'easter hits South Shore

Students shake things up

Students at Quincy High School walked out of class in November to protest what they said was the district's mishandling of incidents involving racism and sexual assault. The walkout inspired another in Braintree days later. Quincy school officials have vowed to make changes in teacher training and curriculum. They will also hire a diversity and inclusion coordinator.

Nov. 12: Students walk out of Quincy High protesting racism, hate speech

Dec. 3: Curriculum changes are coming: Quincy officials address issues of racism, school culture

Former Cohasset teacher Jeffrey Knight was found guilty by a Quincy District Court jury on Nov. 17 of sexually assaulting a student when she was 13 and 14 years old. After the verdict, Knight's 32-year-old son jumped out of his seat and yelled, "You're a (expletive) liar" at Knight's accuser, who is now a 17-year-old senior in high school. Knight was sentenced in December to one year behind bars. He also has a case pending in Norfolk Superior Court, where a second former student has brought assault charges.

Nov. 17: Ex-Cohasset teacher found guilty of sexual assault; son calls victim a 'liar'

Bringing home the hardware

It was a winning year for the South Shore's high school football teams, who dominated in the state championships in December. Scituate battled through injuries to secure a Division 4 win against Duxbury. Rockland defeated Abington to win in Division 6, and Randolph came out on top of Hull in Division 8 to win its first state championship. Two weeks later, Randolph High School’s Jonathan Marshall was named the 2021 New England Patriots High School Coach of the Year.

Dec. 1: Randolph High football captures first Super Bowl title over Hull

Dec. 3: Unsung hero helps Rockland defeat Abington in Division 6 Super Bowl

Dec. 6: No pain, no gain: Super Bowl title was a grind for Scituate High football team

Recreational marijuana had its moment in the sun in December as a handful of communities announced new or proposed storefronts. In Quincy, local business owner Ron Affsa said he hopes to open the city's first recreational marijuana shop on Washington Street next year. Braintree could get its first medical marijuana store at the former Pier 1 Imports on Granite Street, and Marshfield's first recreational pot shop opened Friday.

Dec. 5: Is a medical marijuana dispensary coming to Braintree?

Dec. 9: 'A great place for us': Quincy's first recreational marijuana shop could open next year

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Reach Mary Whitfill at mwhitfill@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: COVID vaccines, police shootings top South Shor stories of 2021