In a year of monumental change, a landslide presidential election, high-profile lawsuits and more, the Boston Herald was here through it all to report on the stories that mattered most in New England.

We compiled a list of the Herald’s top articles from 2024 – as chosen by you, our readers. Some stories sparked outrage or heated debates, others brought awareness to health emergencies or public programs. Read on for the full list of the Herald’s most-read stories of the year.

Massachusetts middle schooler banned from wearing only two genders shirt loses federal appeals case. One local student’s clothing highlighted the nationwide debate of freedom of expression versus inclusivity. Officials from Liam Morrison’s middle school in Middleboro banned him from wearing a shirt that read, “There are only two genders,” kick-starting a legal battle that his team seeks to argue before the Supreme Court. The controversy struck a chord with Boston Herald readers, making this story the most-read article published in 2024. The Herald has since dutifully covered recent developments in the case, including the support he received from 18 states and efforts to reach the nation’s highest court.

Video replay: President Biden struggles in ‘big boy’ press conference. On July 11, President Joe Biden took the stage and blundered before the media for the second time in two weeks. The press conference came after Biden fumbled at the June 27 presidential debate and just 10 days before he dropped out of the 2024 presidential election. Herald readers loved our video replay and quick recap of what was called a “Big Boy” media gaggle.

WBZ NewsRadio reporter is let go after 26 years with Boston station: ‘Quite the shock’. Boston’s radio stations have made several headlines at the Herald this year, but none created as much of a splash as this piece on Kim Tunnicliffe, a WBZ NewsRadio reporter who was let go after 26 years. The news came as “quite a shock” to Tunnicliffe, but follows a trend of industry layoffs and shows canceled over the past few years.

Howie Carr: Absurdity in Massachusetts courts hits new heights in Karen Read trial. One of the Herald’s top columnists, Howie Carr can always be counted on for blunt Boston truths and political commentary. Given the nation’s obsession with the Karen Read trial, it follows that Carr’s takes would hit as hard as they did.

Boston hardcore punk band singer Wesley Eisold sues WWE wrestler Cody Rhodes. There’s no truer American nightmare for some than a lawsuit. The frontman of a Boston hardcore punk band, American Nightmare, sued professional wrestler Cody Rhodes over the use of his band name in merchandise. Rhodes uses the name “American Nightmare” to promote himself; however, the name was trademarked by the Boston band previously.

The inside story of the Patriots’ fall to rock bottom in the Bill Belichick era. Has it only been a year since Bill Belichick left the Patriots? The Patriots 3-11 record thus far sure makes it feel like eons, but less than a year ago, Belichick was still in the New England captain’s seat rather than Carolina blue. A few days prior to news of his departure, the Boston Herald Sports staff interviewed more than a dozen Patriots sources to break down what went so wrong last season.

Massachusetts schools ‘blindsided’ by students from shelter housing migrants; Healey admin announces nearly $2M in federal funding. The state of Massachusetts education saw many surprises this year (see: MCAS graduation requirement eliminated), but many school districts were “blindsided” by the news that students staying at a shelter housing migrant families may have been enrolling.

Mpox public health emergency: Massachusetts healthcare providers will likely have ‘heightened awareness’. In this era, when officials declare public health emergencies, the world takes notice. Bay State healthcare providers stated they would have “heightened awareness” of mpox following a large outbreak of Clade 1 mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo and nearby African countries.

Massachusetts prison guard was reportedly stabbed 12 times in ‘vicious attack… an attempted murder on a correction officer’. News broke in September that two correction officers had been stabbed by inmates at Souza Baranowski Correctional Center. This follow-up, which gripped Herald readers, shared the violent details of the attack as the correction officers’ union pushed for safety measures.

Massachusetts migrant-family shelter program kicks out more than 20 people for ‘inappropriate actions’. The Herald filed a public records request after finding out that a man was reportedly booted from a hotel housing migrant families after a 16-year-old girl staying there got a restraining order against him, and discovered that more than 20 individuals had been kicked out for inappropriate behavior.

Other stories from the Herald in 2024 that didn’t crack the top 10:

Drones sightings over Cape Cod, elsewhere in Massachusetts; Gov. Healey ‘monitoring closely’
Table Boston facing heat after beef with customer goes viral: ‘Bombarded with death threats’
Cape Cod beach closes to swimming after shark sighting; shark washes up dead on Massachusetts beach

Readers also loved Dear Abby columns, including Married woman gives doorman a show, I refuse to foot the bill for SIL on girls’ trip and Husband’s spicing up his life with ‘Ginger’.

Suspended MSP Trooper Michael Proctor, seen here answering some very tough defense questions during Karen Read’s first trial, messed up badly in his handling of the case. Herald columnist Howie Carr in particular took glee in lambasting Proctor and the MSP in general over the case, and readers couldn’t get enough of it. (Greg Derr/Pool photo)
An officer who was hurt during the recent inmate attack at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center. (Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union photo)