The Boston Globe

Estrella jumped up and down on the bed as Raquel put her hand to her head and begged her to stop. After eight months in the clinic, Raquel relapsed, the methadone wasn't helping her to control the physical pain she was in. After the people at the clinic refused to up her dose, she broke down and asked a friend to sell her a bag of heroin. — Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

A life unraveling

Raquel has tried to quit heroin many times in her 48 years, mostly to please probation officers. This time, though, she wants to quit for good. By Katie Johnston

Big picture: A life unraveled

Over the past year the Globe spent time with Raquel Rodriguez, as she struggled to get clean for her two young daughters.

The rise of the speedy spa visit

Plenty of hotels see the need for mini treatments.

Where to go and what to do with kids during school vacation

There are loads of family-friendly day trips and overnights all over New England where kids can burn off the cabin fever.

Cheap Eats reviews

Budget-friendly fare around Boston

These restaurants feature dishes you can order for under $20.

The Year in Arts

A year of upheaval and uncertainty in Boston theater

2015 raised questions about the fate of the Colonial Theatre and the permanent home of Huntington Theatre Company.

Trump?s rise built on media, crowds

Nobody understands the power of the media on public perception quite like Donald Trump.

Morris Pearl, who is part of the Patriotic Millionaires, at The Penn Club in Manhattan. — Jennifer S. Altman for The Boston Globe

divided nation

A Wall Street-Main Street split

Wall Streeter Morris Pearl is troubled by how income has stagnated for tens of millions of average Americans.

Sabres 6, Bruins 3

Sabres? Jack Eichel scores twice as Bruins falter in third

Buffalo got goals from Ryan O?Reilly, Eichel, and Jamie McGinn in a span of 4:03 midway through the third period.

Peyton Manning strongly denies using HGH

The Broncos quarterback responded to a report that alleges he used HGH in 2011.

CELTICS 99, PISTONS 93

Celtics beat Pistons for third straight win

With six players scoring in double figures, Boston avenged a tough loss to Detroit two weeks ago.

Tyke Crowley, 43; turned illness into inspiration for others

Mr. Crowley, of Lancaster, used his own experiences to become what he called a life-tested coach.

Most localities in state fail test on records law

State Senator Jason Lewis and Pam Wilmot, Exec. Director of Common Cause.

The poor test results suggest that Massachusetts? famously weak public records law is matched by equally weak compliance.

Temperatures to remain mild after spring-like Christmas

Forecasters said highs would be in the 40s and 50s during the weekend, after an unusually warm Christmas Day.

Couple killed by carbon monoxide poisoning were from Brazil

The two people who were discovered dead in their Milford home on Friday both left behind children in Brazil.

Everett man charged in Christmas Day standoff

Mark Lavoine, 53, who barricaded himself in his home for five hours, will be arraigned Monday.

Melvin Jones (facing camera) and Robin Andrews, brothers of victim Bettie Jones, hugged in Jones?s home Saturday. — Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune

Chicago officer fatally shoots 2, 1 accidentally, after 911 call

The 55-year-old woman who was accidentally killed lived downstairs from the subject of the call.

16 left homeless after Dorchester fire

Firefighters arrived to find a fast-moving blaze, with ?heavy fire showing on all three floors.?

Study abroad programs show durability in age of terrorism

After the Paris attacks, study abroad programs braced for calls from worried parents wanting to bring their children home. But few calls came.

Plainridge Park Casino has had a hard time since its initial grand opening drawing visitors away from the larger Twin River Casino in Rhode Island. — Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff

Plainridge now slotted for disappointment

An outdated slots concept is at the heart of Plainridge Park Casino?s plunging popularity.

Fire at Bill Clinton?s childhood home being investigated as arson

Flames were shooting 8 feet into the air on one side of the structure, a two-story white frame house.

Opinion & Ideas

2015: the year in your own words

One can only imagine what we?ll be revisiting at the end of 2016.

Life sciences

STAT, a national publication from Boston Globe Media Partners, covers health, medicine, and life sciences.

Ground Game

ground game

Things are not going well for the Carson campaign

After several confounding statements on foreign policy and then fighting claims he made about his own life for weeks, Ben Carson?s poll numbers have tanked.