A look back at FOX 2's top stories of 2024
2024 has been a year—an eclipse, cicadas, elections, and much more in between.
ST. LOUIS - 2024 has been a year—an eclipse, cicadas, elections, and much more in between.
FOX 2 is giving a glimpse at the top 10 most-viewed stories this year on our website.
#10: Missouri changes gender ID rules following incident at area gym
In August, an incident at an Ellisville gym led the Missouri Department of Revenue to revise its rules, stating that people who want to change their gender on their driver’s license must now provide either medical documentation showing they’ve had gender reassignment surgery or a court order declaring their gender designation.
It sparked controversy on both sides regarding the decision.
#9: When will Cicadas finally leave Missouri?
They were loud and proud this summer. Missouri and parts of Illinois experienced the rare occurrence of two Cicada broods emerging at once. Trillions were heard across the country throughout June and July—some even reached higher decibels than an 18-wheeler truck.
#8: Can you see the Northern Lights this weekend in Missouri or Illinois?
The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center issued a rare Geomagnetic Storm Watch back in May, and it was a sign that the United States would see the Northern Lights in several spots.
Many residents across the viewing area sent in their pictures of the Aurora Borealis, and it didn't disappoint.
#7: Suspicious bank account activity prompts investigations from Walmart and Regions Bank
Hazelwood resident Shelly Singleton was suspicious when she received a $58 charge from Walmart in October.
In a statement, a Regions Bank spokesperson confirmed the bank was seeing a trend affecting a small subset of customers. Regions also said it’s not contained to just one bank branch or the St. Louis area. Many residents reported having the same issue with Walmart.
#6: Election results: August 6, Missouri primary
Missouri’s primary election was Aug. 6, 2024. Voters decided on which candidates got a spot on the November ballot and also weighed in on key issues.
The stakes were high. The U.S. Congress, Governor, Attorney General, and other top state positions were all up for grabs.
#5: What time does the solar eclipse start in Missouri?
In early April, community members across Missouri and Illinois took their eyes to the sky to watch a partial or total solar eclipse. While St. Louis did not experience a total eclipse, the moon covered 99.164% of the sun.
Totality lasted up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds in certain spots, twice as long as the full solar eclipse that darkened U.S. skies in 2017. There won’t be another coast-to-coast eclipse in the U.S. until 2045.
#4: Check wait times for St. Louis County polling places here
Ballots in St. Louis County were extremely long for the November general election—22 inches long covered front and back for some. This election, voters could access what the wait times were across the county with the interactive map during early voting and election day.
On the first day alone of early voting, more than 15,000 ballots were cast in St. Louis County.
#3: SLPS Superintendent Dr. Keisha Scarlett fired by school board
The St. Louis Board of Education fired SLPS Superintendent Dr. Keisha Scarlett late September at a special closed session.
The decision came following the school board hiring an external firm to review district finances and practices, including bus services. Dr. Millicent Borishade was appointed interim superintendent.
#2: Is Facebook down? Outages reported in the U.S.
Outages across Facebook spiked early March as users were being logged out with no option to log in again.
The outage caused concern among businesses relying on Facebook for marketing, highlighting the platform’s significant role in global communication. Users had migrated to other social networks to voice frustrations and seek updates, with #FacebookDown trending.
#1: Rapper Nelly arrested after casino jackpot win
Acclaimed rapper, actor, and entrepreneur Nelly was arrested early August in Maryland Heights for no proof of car insurance, leading to an alleged drug possession.
After Nelly had won a jackpot, an officer who is tasked with supervising the money transfer ran a background check on him. The officer allegedly had found a 2018 charge for no proof of insurance, then conducted a search warrant and claimed he found drugs in Nelly's vehicle.
Christopher King with St. Louis County stated that the defense counsel decided not to issue any charges on the case.
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