As the New Year approaches, we’re looking back at some of the most frequently read stories during 2012. This is the first in the five-part series, which will run every day until Dec. 31. The stories are organized, somewhat, into chronological order. Sign up for Des Plaines Patch’s free newsletter to make it easy to see all of Des Plaines Patch’s Top Stories 2012.

The Village of Rosemont continued making strides in commercial and retail development. In addition to the shopping and entertainment development, The Park, in February, Rosemont trustees approved the development of a new fashion outlet mall west of the Akoo Theatre at Rosemont.

Also in February, Police searched for the driver of a vehicle who hit, law enforcement reported, a deceased Maine West High School student and Des Plaines resident. Authorities reported the boy appeared to have been killed when he jumped from a highway overpass, and friends and family remembered him as a friendly person. Law enforcement located the driver of the vehicle, and no charges were filed.

After losing a series of key southern states in the primary presidential election, former House Speaker and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich traveled to the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont to rally supporters. Gingrich made inflammatory remarks about illegal immigrants.

Here are Des Plaines Patch’s Top Stories 2012; we’ll add to this list every day until Dec. 31:

• Fashion Outlet Mall Coming to Rosemont published Feb. 23, 2012.

• Police Looking for Driver that Struck Des Plaines Boy published Feb. 27, 2012.

• Maine West Student Killed on I-90 Remembered for Getting Along with Everybody published Feb. 27, 2012.

• Driver that Hit Teen on I-90 Not Charged published Feb. 29, 2012.

• Gingrich: Package Tracking Could Be Used to Locate Illegal Immigrants published March 14, 2012.

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