Editor’s notice: Presenting CultureMap’s most learn tales of the yr. None of those ought to shock Houstonians. They’re the matters that formed our world in 2024. They embody the too-slow response to Hurricane Beryl, the Texas Renaissance Pageant’s second within the nationwide highlight, and a brewery’s sudden closure.
Sadly, it additionally consists of the sudden demise of our buddy and colleague Ken Hoffman. A lot of what is occurred since his demise in July makes us consider him. We marvel what Ken would’ve fabricated from the newest drama between John Whitmire and Lina Hidalgo or the Astros shifting on from Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman. Though he wasn’t into metrics, we all know he’d be proud to have written this yr’s most-read article.
Learn on for this yr’s 10 hottest tales on CultureMap Houston.
1. Ken Hoffman is aware of whom guilty for Houston’s too sluggish Beryl restoration. In what would sadly change into his closing column, Ken did what he does greatest — specific what’s on everybody’s thoughts higher than they may themselves. As Houstonians recovered from Beryl’s surprising power, Ken known as CenterPoint to job for taking too lengthy to revive energy and politicians of each events for not doing sufficient to enhance the state of affairs.
2. Houston beer shocker: Sawyer Yards brewery shutters after landlord lock out. Buffalo Bayou Brewing Firm’s existence got here to an abrupt finish in January, when its landlord immediately terminated its lease for non-payment of lease. Initially, the brewery vowed to reopen. As a substitute, Gulf Coast Distillers claimed the power as the brand new house for its Tejas Beer model.
3. Texas Renaissance Pageant distances itself from viral HBO docuseries. Ren Faire, HBO’s three-part docuseries, introduced the story of pageant founder “King” George Coulam to the small display screen the place viewers watched as he ruminated on retirement and tried to woo youthful ladies. The native group issued a considerably complicated assertion distancing itself from its workers’s eccentric portrayal.
4.Ken Hoffman, CultureMap’s consummate Houston columnist, passes away. We have been all shocked by Ken’s sudden demise, which got here solely two days after his column about Hurricane Beryl. A dozen of his associates and colleagues shared recollections of journeys, meals, and different experiences with Ken that they’ll treasure perpetually.
Ken Hoffman was a CultureMap form of man.
Photograph courtesy of MikeMcGuff.com
5. 16 Houston-based corporations hailed greatest locations to work by U.S. Information. Greater than a dozen Houston-based corporations shared the highlight in U.S. Information and World Report’s assortment of the “Finest Corporations to Work For” in 2024-2025.
6. Unique: Dominique Sachse sends heartfelt message to Houston followers upon information of her main transfer. The previous KPRC anchor made a splash when she revealed she’d be shifting to Dallas to affix Dr. Phil’s Advantage Road Media. Though the transition was quick lived — she left the community in November — Sachse stays a presence on YouTube, the place she roughly 1.9 million subscribers.
7. Houston neighbor ranks as certainly one of America’s most livable small cities. Within the SmartAsset 2024 “Most Livable Small Cities” report, which in contrast 281 U.S. cities with populations between 65,000 and 100,000, Missouri Metropolis got here in at No. 77. The Southwest Houston suburb earned the rating due to its comparatively low price of residing and robust park system, amongst different components.
8. What it’s essential to know concerning the finish of Texas car inspections. The excellent news is that security inspections finish on December 31. Sadly, Houstonians should nonetheless go an emissions inspection.
Texas automotive registration legal guidelines will change in 2025.
Texas Division of Motor Automobiles
9. 2 Houston excessive faculties rank amongst America’s prime 100 in 2024, says U.S. Information. Annually, U.S. Information evaluates about 18,000 excessive faculties on six components: school readiness, studying and math proficiency, studying and math efficiency, underserved scholar efficiency, school curriculum breadth, and commencement charges. When it ran the numbers, magnet faculties Carnegie Vanguard Excessive Faculty and DeBakey Excessive Faculty for Well being Professions each made the highest 100.
10. Predicting 14 Houston eating places that ought to earn a Michelin star. Total, this text fared fairly effectively. Three of the 4 “locks” earned stars, and one of many 4 “in all probability” eating places did, too — that means we accurately recognized 4 of the six eating places that in the end earned a star. Six of the opposite predictions for stars and Bib Gourmands earned both a Bib or a “Advisable” designation.
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Brianna Griff and Stephanie Merry contributed to this text.
