There were dramatic crashes and dramatic rescues. New businesses moved into town while others closed up shop. There were salacious crimes, and a change in the town’s political landscape.
Karsyn Medeiros, 9, of Bristol, takes shelter under an umbrella on Hope Street just before the 4th of July parade. Thousands turned out for the parade despite the torrential rains.
The stories that captured Bristol readers in 2014 ran the gamut from the tragic to the uplifting to the controversial. Unfortunately, the passing of Bristol residents made major headlines this year, including a prominent businessman, a popular former firefighter, a young student, and civic leader Frederico Pacheco, who died just last week. But other stories proved more inspirational, including a local woman running a marathon in her
brother’s memory, and local student Shayne Simpson giving back to the hospital he credits with saving his life.
Police help keep a car from crushing a man’s foot after he hit a parked car and rolled over on Washington Street near Guiteras School.
Through the ups and downs of the year, Bristolians continued to celebrate life in “America’s most patriotic town,” braving torrential rains to honor America on the Fourth of July, and frigid conditions to ring in the holidays at the Grand Illumination.
Take a look back at some of the top stories of 2014. Think other stories should be added to the tops? Let us know in the comments section.
Residents, council ‘outraged’ by Bristol revaluation
After hearing that property values in Bristol have declined by 11 percent across the board, many property owners and Town Council members were taken by surprise when some homes jumped in value by 30 to 40 percent, and others saw their valuations fluctuate by as much as 200 percent.
The council voted to table the revaluation and hired a third party accounting firm to attempt to correct the errors before re-evaluating homes in 2015.
Outerlimits Offshore Powerboats owner Mike Fiore died in August after flipping his racing boat while traveling 179 mph.
Outer Limits owner dies after dramatic boat crash
Bristol resident and Outerlimits Offshore Powerboats owner Mike Fiore died Aug. 26 after suffering serious injuries during a high-speed boat race, the family has announced.
Mr. Fiore died from complications after surgery on Sunday to repair several broken bones he suffered when his racing boat flipped as high as 50 feet in the air as he approached the finish line in a race in Missouri Saturday. The boat was reportedly clocked traveling 179 miles per hour just before the crash.
One shot, another stabbed in Colt State Park
Two men are hospitalized after one was stabbed and the other shot during a fight at Colt State Park at 5 p.m. May 25.
Jordan W. Lyttle, 23, of 1852 South Main St., Fall River, Mass., was charged Tuesday with felony assault with a deadly weapon, assault with intent to commit a felony and possession of a controlled substance. Lang B. Lek, 25, of 104 Pinebrook
Ramon F. Camara
Place, Manchester, NH, was charged with felony assault, possession of a stolen firearm, use of a firearm while committing a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license and firing in a compact area.
Elderly men charged with solicitation, one dies after release
A trio of Bristol men was arrested by Bristol Police Friday after a 19-year-old man reported that he was solicited for
Anthony Travers
sex at a remote picnic area inside Colt State Park Sept. 26.
Moses Moore, 72, of 128 High St., was arrested for solicitation, then died as he walked home from the police station after his arraignment.
A 19-year-old man complained to police that a man later identified as Ramon F. Camara, 83, of 1014 Hope St. Apt. X4, solicited him for sex. The revelation led to an undercover investigation.
Bon Voyage Prudence Island Ferry
Sunday, Sept. 14, marked the last day of service for Bruce Medley’s Prudence Island Ferry, which had been the sole provider of ferry service to the island since the mid-’80s.
The new carrier, A&R Marine, received approval from the R.I. Public Utilities Commission’s Division of Public Utilities and Carriers to operate back in February. Mr. Medley wanted the Town of Bristol to renew its lease with him for the Bristol pier — property Mr. Medley sold to the town last year — but 
instead it granted A&R Marine the contract.
Race car driver dies after crash at Wing-N-It
Race car driver Steven Elmslie has died as a result of injuries sustained in an accident at Wing-N-It restaurant April 10.
Mr. Elmslie, 51, of Bristol, had been testing his new drag race car in the parking lot of Elmco Tool Company on Peter Road. Mr. Elmslie apparently lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the restaurant’s smokehouse.
KMS community grieves boy, 13, who died over weekend
The Kickemuit Middle School community grieved a young boy who died unexpectedly in October.
Joshua Ian Olson, 13, an eighth grader at the school, died Saturday, Oct. 18, of an unexpected medical condition. Joshua was the son of Jessica Silva of Warren and Jason Olson of Johnston, and leaves his sister, Janel.
Democratic majority takes over Town Council
While the Bristol Town Council remained intact after voters re-elected all five incumbent candidates, the three Democratic members of the five-seat council ousted Republican Chairwoman Mary Parella from that position on Dec. 1, putting Nathan Calouro in charge of the gavel.
Councilman Tim Sweeney, who after last election caught flak from the Democratic Party for supporting Ms. Parella as chairman, nominated Mr. Calouro this year before his party colleagues voted him in as vice chairman.
Drug Sweep nets six Bristol residents
Six Bristol residents are being held without bail in the Adult Correctional Institutes following a drug sweep Friday, Jan. 17.
The Bristol residents arrested include Cody James Cabral, 21, of 15 Monroe Ave., Kenneth Anthony Coelho III, 24, of 322 Wood St., Eric A. Pires, 22, of 725 Metacom Ave., Shawn J. Vargas, 24, of 21 Magnolia St., Lauren E. Gaglio, 25, of 50 River St., and Bethanie P. DaSilva, 21, of 22 Casey Drive.
The arrests were part of an ongoing drug investigation into the distribution and sale of heroin in and around the Town of Bristol.
Ribbon cut on ‘state-of-the-art’ animal shelter
A little rain did nothing to dampen the spirits of nearly 100 people who filled the humane education center inside Bristol’s new animal shelter Sept. 29.
After years in the planning and fundraising stages, volunteers and members of the capital project committee that ushered the project to fruition welcomed the public to tour the facility after a ceremonial ribbon cutting officially opened the town’s state-of-the-art no-kill shelter.