2024: The year in review

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Now that 2024 has been completed, it’s a good time to reflect on what it entailed.

Here’s a look back at the year from the viewpoint of some of what appeared in the pages of the Houston Herald.

JANUARY

• After Kevin Evans received a promotion from the parent organization, the Houston Senior Center got a new director: Oregon native Stephania Roeder. She had been volunteering at the center since mid-2023.
• The Houston Police Department added Levi Endress to its roster of officers.
• Temperatures drop to well below zero as an arctic blast visits the Ozarks. The conditions were so cold for so long that the Big Piney River froze over at Dogs Bluff and many places.

• Walgreens announces that it will close its Forbes Pharmacy location in downtown Houston on Feb. 29.
• The Missouri Department of Conservation announces that a new record for total deer harvest numbers was set during the 2023-2024 hunting seasons. The total of 326,026 surpassed the previous high mark of 325,457 established in 2006.
• Houston resident Ryan Munson won $200 for sinking a shot from half court during halftime of a game in the annual Houston Community Foundation Varsity Boys Basketball Tournament in Tiger Fieldhouse.

FEBRUARY

• The City of Houston Fire Department reports a record 214 responses in 2023, including 128 that were medical in nature. The agency began EMR (emergency medical responses at the beginning of 2022.
• The Texas County Sheriff’s Department reports deputies dealing with a record 11,713 calls in 2023, up significantly from the 8,689 in 2022.
• Texas County Memorial Hospital chief nursing officer Courtney Owens is named to the Missouri Board of Nursing.
• The short-handed Houston High School girls basketball teams falls 60-52 at Cabool. The Lady Tigers began the game with 6 players and played 4-on-5 for several minutes in the fourth quarter after 2 fouled out. Houston led 20-7 after the first period, but was outscored 28-9 in the fourth.
• Following the firing of Stace Holland, Bill Bridges is named interim CEO at Texas County Memorial Hospital.
• The Houston Police Department reports officers responding to 9,063 calls and submitting 729 written reports in 2023. Both totals were slightly down from 2022.
• After helping her brother and elderly grandmother survive, a 14-year-old girl is hailed by authorities as a hero in a tragic house fire north of Eunice that killed her father.

• The Missouri Department of Conservation releases a story about the emergence of periodical cicadas coming in the summer. The “Great Southern Brood” appears every 13 years.
• At the conclusion of a fundraising effort for a newly-formed Special Olympics team, Houston School District staff members take part in the first-ever Tiger Polar Plunge by diving into the frigid waters of the Big Piney River at the Dogs Bluff Access. The effort raised about $2,000 to be used to purchase equipment and uniforms, and support trips and other team needs.

MARCH

• A feature story details Raymondville resident Verlin Beasley’s 80-year-run in cattle farming, which came to a conclusion with a dispersion sale of his herd.
• Personnel with the Houston Rural Fire Department battle several large wildfires caused by people doing outdoor burning on a dry and windy Monday.
• Five candidates for Houston City Council are highlighted in a question-and-answer feature.
• A new ice cream and soda shop in downtown Houston called The Corner opens for business.

• The Texas County Food Pantry receives a donation of 10 pallets of food from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
• Six candidates for Houston School Board are highlighted in a question-and-answer feature.
• Numerous children have their picture taken with the Easter Bunny during an event at Texas County Memorial Hospital.
• The Houston Area Chamber of Commerce hosts its annual gala and presents numerous awards to community members.
• Texas County Memorial Hospital unveils its new surgery center.
• Numerous U.S. military veterans and family members gather for a free lunch during Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day at American Legion Post 41 in Houston.

APRIL

• A feature article highlights local auctioneer Darren Scheets and his family opening the multipurpose Scheets Building on U.S. 63 north of Houston.
• A solar eclipse occurs in the region, with skies darkening significantly in Houston and Texas County.

• Junior Makinley Aaron leads the Houston High School softball team to a 13-2 victory over Thayer by hitting for the cycle and getting on base in all 5 of her trips to the plate, going 4-for-4 with a home run, a triple, a double, a single and a walk. Aaron drove in a massive 8 runs and scored 3 in the game.
• A trio of 4-foot by 8-foot murals depicting former Houston resident Emmett Kelly’s character, Weary Willie, are mounted on a wall adjacent to the Houston Senior Center’s parking lot on Grand Avenue in downtown Houston.
• The annual Emmett Kelly Clown Festival draws a big crowd to downtown Houston.

MAY

• With Miah Bressie as valedictorian, members of the Houston High School Class of 2024 receive their diplomas.
• Houston High School junior Connor McKinney wins the Class 1 District 8 individual tennis championship in singles. McKinney also won his second straight South Central Association singles championship in April.
• After claiming the outright SCA crown, the Houston High School softball team wins a district championship for the third straight season.

• The Houston Herald and owner/editor Isaiah Buse produce the first-ever Houston City Guide.
• The Houston High School baseball team beats Thayer 1-0 to win the Class 3 District 10 championship.
• An article highlights the Houston Fire Department’s new training facility.
• Houston’s American Legion Post 41 hosts its third annual Armed Forces Appreciation Day event at the Intercounty Electric Cooperative Association auditorium in Licking.
• Strong storms – and even a tornado – cause damage in multiple areas in Texas County.

JUNE

• U.S. Census figures show growth in Texas County’s incorporated communities.
• The Houston Board of Education hires Dan Narancich as high school boys basketball head coach.
• The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation’s annual golf tournament raised a record $24,213.01.
• Intercounty Electric Cooperative Association presents a total of $28,500 to the 19 area school districts within the co-op’s territory for use in various programs that benefit kids who deal with food insecurities.
• Three Texas County school districts received perfect scores during the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s annual bus inspection: Cabool, Plato and Success.
• The Houston High School and Middle School football teams work with renowned football coach and consultant Kenny Simpson, who is known for his “Gun-T” offense and “Fit & Swarm 34” defense.
• A large, new mural is mounted on the wall of the former Forbes Pharmacy building on Grand Avenue in downtown Houston. It bears a “Welcome to Houston” theme, with several aspects of the town and surrounding area cleverly depicted inside each letter in “Houston.” The artwork was created by 2023 Houston High School graduate Clarissa Montez.
• As part of the Texas County Library’s annual Summer Reading program, a “Story Walk” is set up on the pathway at Emmett Kelly Park, allowing kids to read a story as they walk along the path.

• The City of Houston hosts the inaugural downtown “Summer Fest.”
• The City of Houston hosts its seventh annual Independence Day Parade downtown, and the annual fireworks show takes place at Houston Memorial Airport.
• The Houston Tigers 13U Baseball Team wins the USSSA 13U AA State Championship in Kansas City.

JULY

• Texas County Memorial Hospital opens its new clinic in Licking.
• Fire destroys a FedEx delivery truck in northwest Texas County.
• For five days, The Texas County Livestock Fair draws huge crowds and participation to the fairgrounds in Houston.

• Master Donuts opens a location in Houston.
• A feature story highlights Roby resident Dawn Mayberry being selected to be part of the popular TV series, “The Chosen.”
• The Houston High School Alumni Football Team falls 24-20 to a team from Salem, Arkansas.
• Piney River Brewing of Bucyrus wins five medals at the U.S. Open Beer Championship.
• Three candidates running for the Republican nomination for Texas County sheriff and two for Texas County District 1 associate commissioner share information and answer questions.
• The Gas Hole hosts a grand opening event at its location on South U.S. 63 in Houston.

AUGUST

• Two candidates running for the Republican nomination for state representative (143rd district) and two for state senator (33rd district) share information and answer questions.
• Forbes Pharmacy – the oldest business in Houston – reopens under new ownership: Rinne Pharmacy of Licking.
• A segment of the Trail of Tears is recognized with statue on a Boiling Springs property.
• The Mark Twain National Forest — which has a district office in Houston — names a new forest supervisor: Vinci Keeler.
•  Dakota Burchett – a 2020 graduate of Houston High School – is the new director of the Houston R-1 School District’s Tiger Development Academy.
• Signage from the former location of Elmore’s Men and Boys wear at Grand Avenue and Pine Street in downtown Houston is removed by Jared Elmore and his wife, Jordan, of Republic, Missouri. Jared is the grandson of the late Wilburn Elmore, who worked in the clothing industry in Houston for 75 years.

• A big crowd gathers in Hiett Gymnasium for the Houston School District’s third annual “School-a-Palooza.” Dozens of businesses and organizations gave away free school supplies and other items during the event, which also included prizes, games and free food.
• A season preview story highlights the Houston High School football team.

SEPTEMBER

• In all, 3,744 students are enrolled in Texas County’s school districts, almost the same as in 2023 when 3,774 were in classrooms.
• The Houston Fire Department raises a total of $12,693.05 during the annual Fill the Boot fundraising campaign for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, collecting more than $5,000 on Memorial Day weekend and more than $7,000 on Labor Day weekend. In 2023, the HFD was the leading fundraiser for MDA among all similarly-sized departments in Missouri, and this year’s total far surpasses last year’s.
• A project to build a new library for Houston in the downtown business district shows progress. The 7,200 square foot structure is being constructed atop the Houston Storm Shelter at Pine and First streets in Houston. Completion is expected sometime in 2025.

• The second annual “Fall Fest” event in downtown Houston features approximately 95 vendor booths and 1,500 people in attendance.
• Senior Cadence Wade was crowned Houston High School 2024 Homecoming Queen.
• Houston School District students, staff and community members participate in the annual “See You at the Pole” event, a prayer rally at the school flagpole.
• Members of the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills (SPOOM) visit the Summersville Mill, which dates back to 1886.

OCTOBER

• New concrete is poured to upgrade and expand the parking lot, sidewalk and entrance at the Houston Senior Center.
• The Houston School District showcases its new Houston Alternative Learning Opportunities (HALO) facility on First Street.
• Two businesses join to fill the old Rawlings factory building in Licking.

• The Houston Board of Education decides to move forward with attempting to obtain resources for an eight-lane track.  Proposition Track and Field – a $3 million no levy increase bond issue – failed to get the necessary 57.14% of votes to pass in April (54.84% of voters approved the measure).
• The Houston Herald is one of 205 news outlets across the nation that will receive a share of $20 million, thanks to funding from Press Forward, to reinvigorate local news.
• The Big Piney River Nature Center and Museum opens with an event at its location on U.S. 63 south of Houston. Founded by Houston native and outdoors author Larry Dablemont, the facility is designed to highlight Big Piney River culture and its influence on the area.
• Houston Middle School 7th-graders Oliver Choate and Myles Copley both win individual state championships in the Class 3 races at the fourth annual Missouri Middle School Cross Country Championships hosted by Hermitage High School at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland.

NOVEMBER

• Heavy rainfall pounds Texas County over two days, leading to extensive flooding, causing major damage to roads and bridges, disruption of utility service and other hardships.

• The Houston High School football team wins 40-32 at Ava in the first round of the Class 2 District 4 Tournament.
• The 399th Army Band fills Fort Leonard Wood’s Nutter Fieldhouse for a farewell performance. The band was disbanded after being activated more than 80 years ago.
• Leaders from Fort Leonard Wood, St. Robert and Waynesville break ground on a new terminal for the Waynesville Saint Robert Regional Airport on the fort’s Forney Airfield.
• The Missouri Department of Conservation reports that harvest numbers in fall firearms deer hunting season drop well below the five-year average, with 159,120 deer killed – down about 34,000 from 2023. Texas County places second with 2,935 killed, compared to 4,208 the previous year.

DECEMBER

• Houston resident Chester Herndon, 94, renews his subscription to the Houston Herald. He has been a subscriber for 75 years.
• Several different Christmas-oriented events and activities take place around Houston on Saturday, Dec. 14.
• Officials announce that Montauk State Park will be closed to guests until at least Feb. 21, 2025, due to extensive damage caused by November’s historic flooding.

• Houston hosts its annual Christmas Parade.
• A feature story highlights a new restaurant in Houston: The Hungry Holler.
• Texas County prosecuting attorney Parke J. Stevens, Jr. is recognized for his military service by the Ozark Spring Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
• An article highlights Missouri State Highway Patrol MSgt. Dale B. Pounds, who will retire Dec. 31 after more than 20 years of service with the agency.