2020

This was the most wish-listed Airbnb in Texas in 20202020 felt cursed. Airbnb, “in the spirit of this wanderlust,” recently released a report listing the “most wish-listed” rental in each state in 2020. On the vacation rental’s Airbnb page, hundreds of comments from former guests praise the Insta-worthy accommodations. Check-in was seamless, and Danielle provided plenty of recommendations on nearby restaurants and activities.”On Airbnb, Danielle boasts the title “Superhost,” a designation reserved for Airbnb hosts considered a cut above the rest. Why blab on and on about these incredible accommodations when we can let these photos talk the talk for us?

Some of the biggest stories of our lifetimes were packed into 2020, and KPRC 2 was there through all of it to help keep you informed. You can look back at the 2020 hurricane season and keep track of the 2021 season when it begins at Click2Houston.com/hurricane. Dad saves daughter from alligatorIn League City, news of a dad leaping into action to save his 4-year-old daughter from the jaws an 11-foot-7-inch alligator grabbed national headlines. Rodeo canceledTwo of our most clicked-on stories of the year were about the cancellation of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo because of the coronavirus pandemic. Deadly explosionAnother Houston story that grabbed national headlines this year was the explosion at Watson Grinding and Manufacturing in January.

(2020 Getty Images)On Jan. 9, the World Health Organization first announced news about the deadly coronavirus that had emerged in Wuhan, China. (2020 Getty Images)On March 24, it became official: The Olympics would be postponed. (2020 Getty Images)On May 4, it was reported that giant insects called “murder hornets” were spotted in the U.S., specifically, Washington state. (Getty Images)On Aug. 18, on the second night of the (virtual) 2020 Democratic National Convention, the party officially nominated Biden. (Getty Images)On Oct. 11, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Miami Heat in NBA Finals to win another championship.

None of us will forget the year 2020, but hopefully a part of these memories will be of books we read for solace and comfort during these strange times. Below are a handful of recommendations—each with a Texas connection—for holiday gifts or for your own to-read list. Two nonfiction books shed the proverbial spotlight on one of the state’s favorite actors, Matthew McConaughey, while other titles introduce fresh perspectives and voices that explore Texas landscapes and identities in new and unexpected ways. Nights When Nothing Happened by Simon Han (Riverhead)Han’s debut novel animates the struggles of an immigrant family from Tianjin, China, living in the Dallas-area suburb of Plano. Simon the Fiddler follows Boudlin’s adventures and missteps throughout South and East Texas during the late 19th century, amid the chaos and turmoil of Reconstruction.

(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)NEW YORK – Zoom, Zoom and Zoom. Masks, masks and masks. But not all things 2020 need to be left behind. Practically speaking, Black women, indigenous women and other women of color continued to face stumbling blocks. As one Holocaust survivor put it: Things of importance fade into oblivion when NEVER AGAIN is reduced to a meaningless mantra.

HOUSTON – The year 2020 has been a year filled with challenges and a year full of change. Biggest Houston storiesThe year 2020 started with an explosion -- then weeks later, a surprise flood, and all if it happened before the pandemic hit. PoliticsWe may also remember 2020 as the year records were shattered in the world of politics. Yes, that was just part of the active hurricane season. All total, there were 31 named storms in this 2020 Hurricane season.

So as we say good-bye to 2020, here’s a look at some of the prominent Houstonians and Texans we lost this year and a little about each one of them and their impact. Vickey Gibbs, an activist and associate pastor at Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church in Houston died in July at the age of 57. Jason Knox:Police escort body of Jason Knox, Houston officer who was killed in helicopter crashJason Knox is the Houston Police Department officer who died in a helicopter crash in May in north Houston. Robert Mendoza:Remembering Marine with Houston tiesThe Marine with Houston ties died in April at the age of 43 of coronavirus. Tommy Searcy, an 18-year Houston Fire Department veteran, died in September after battling coronavirus for weeks.

HOUSTON – We know that 2020 hasn’t been the best year for everyone, but many, especially Houstonians had a bright moment that shined through this dark year, from getting a new home to scoring a dream job. The year 2020 is almost over, so give yourselves a pat on the back and take a deep breath. We asked our KPRC 2 audience whether anything good came to them this year despite the trying times that came with it. They found a great apartment and are finally able to go on their Costa Rican honeymoon this week!” - Pam Peymann Moritz“I lost my job only to get hired doing my dream job. !” - Janice Oden Poe“Zoom has breathed new life into our Sunday school class at St. Mark’s UMC on Pecore.

2020 was an interesting year, to say the least. Following a year in which the majority was spent battling the coronavirus pandemic, we asked our KPRC 2 viewers what tracks would make their 2020 mixtape, and most responded with humorously ironic songs. What songs would be on your 2020 mixtape? “The Virus of Life” by Slipknot“Africa” by Toto“How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths“Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen“The Last Song” by X JapanWhat would be on your 2020 mixtape? Let us know what songs we missed in the comments.

HOUSTON – With almost every event getting cancelled this year due to the pandemic, AstroWorld 2020 joins that list. However, Houston rapper Travis Scott, who brought his own AstroWorld festival to Houston’s NRG park since 2018 took to Twitter to announce the event will make a return in 2021. “See you next year at AstroWorld Fest 2021...can’t wait to turn the (expletive) up! Stay Safe!” the Twitter post read, captioned “THE PARTY NEVER ENDS.”This year’s event was supposed to take place Nov. 9, and the lineup has not been announced. Fans are encouraged to sign up for updates on the AstroWorld website.

LOS ANGELES – Ever wanted to commemorate 2020 as the “biggest dumpster fire of the year"? Amir Fakharian, of Los Angeles, created a 2020 dumpster fire toy, causing a huge sensation on his Etsy store, RexRoi3D. The toy is 3D-printed and LED lights are added to resemble an actual dumpster fire. Fakharian told USA Today in an interview that because of the rising demand of the dumpster fire toy, he had to stop making other products to solely focus on the production of the toy. The 2020 dumpster fire toy is currently available for ordering on Etsy for a price starting at $19.99 and will arrive before Christmas.

HOUSTON – There is more money in Texas politics than ever before. No doubt in the case of Texas House races, where tens of millions have been raised. On Monday, the third-party group Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee announced over $10 million raised thus far in 2020. “There is no contest that is more significant than control of the Texas House in the entire country,” said Mark Jones, a professor of political science at Rice University. Once the smoke clears post-Election Day officials are expecting over $40 million to be raised and spent on Texas House races.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday stopped the once-a-decade head count of every U.S. resident from continuing through the end of October. The panel of three appellate judges said that just because the year-end deadline is impossible to meet doesn’t mean the court should require the Census Bureau to miss it. The proposal to extend the apportionment deadline passed the Democratic-controlled House, but the Republican-controlled Senate didn’t take up the request. The Republicans' inaction coincided with a July order from Trump directing the Census Bureau to have the apportionment count exclude people who are in the country illegally. The order was later ruled unlawful by a panel of three district judges in New York, but the Trump administration is appealing that case to the Supreme Court.

Here’s what we found:This “Corona” beer costume is the least distasteful of the bunch. The costume’s beer label reads “No Known Cure COVID-19.″ Note the mask on the person wearing the costume. Product shot from Amazon.com (Amazon)This ghoulish, cartoon-looking lime-green latex mask is one of the many available mask options on the site. Product shot from Amazon.com (Amazon)This is probably the only costume you’ll be able to find at a local Halloween store. Product shot from Amazon.com (Amazon)Do you think it’s OK to dress up in one of these costumes for Halloween?

HOUSTON – It’s not too early to get creative on your costume this Halloween season. From “Fortnite" to the hit “Tiger King” documentary, 2020 costumes are all about being creative this Halloween season. A popular style as we rang in the new year in January can also become a great Halloween costume. Everyone’s favorite low-calorie, low-sugar beverage is now a Halloween costume! Do you know of any other creative costumes that are perfect for 2020?

HOUSTON We're half way through the year and if you've lost sight of your goals, you're not alone! Speaker, author and life coach, Lareal Lipkins with A Woman With Vision is helping us kick the second half of 2020 into high gear with an easy 4-step process. FITNESS GOALSInstead of saying you're going to work out for an hour, 7 days a week, start off with an evening walk in your neighborhood2. FINANCIAL GOALS: SAVINGInstead of eliminating all purchases, pick one thing you can give up, like eating out, toll roads or a subscription service3. READING GOALSInstead of trying to read a new book a month, commit to reading 10 minutes a dayTHE KEY IS...Making sure your goals are realistic, because the easier it is, the more likely youll stick to them.

These are some of the words Houstonians used to describe the year 2020. From the coronavirus pandemic to the Australian wildfires and the George Floyd protests, many of us are uncertain of what’s to come later on in the year. Let’s hope the rest of 2020 doesn’t get as worse as now. Our KPRC 2 Twitter followers answered our question in the most hilarious way possible by responding to gifs. Here’s what they said:How would you describe 2020?

So let’s take a look at all of the wild things that happened so far this year that you probably already forgot about, shall we? (Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)Jan. 3: Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was killed in a drone strike by the U.S. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)Feb. 5: After months of investigations, hearings and lots of tweets from Trump, the president was acquitted by the Senate on both articles of impeachment. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)And now we’re in June. It’s hard to believe that all of those things happened during a pandemic, so who knows what else is next?

HOUSTON – Attention all 2020 graduates: If you passed the mark and have your sights set on graduation, Whataburger has a T-shirt for you. Its Class of ’20 tee is available on the food chain’s website for $19.99 and is made to “show off the ingredients of your success.”The front has the Whataburger logo near the collar line, with Class of 2020 underneath. It then lists the ingredients of the wearer's hard work: "late-night cramming, early-morning alarms, looooong bus rides, pop quizzes & tests, No. 2 pencils, and celebrating four years with plenty of honey butter chicken biscuits." And to top it off, Whataburger also offers a single table tent, mimicking its table markers for free with the purchase of the T-shirt when you use the code “GRAD.”

To help you identify the hottest job markets heading into the new year, employment marketplace ZipRecruiter ranked the hottest metro areas:1. Fargo, ND-MNThe Fargo metro area lands the top spot due to its rapid job growth rate and high opportunity index (that is, a favorable ratio of job openings to candidates). Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHBoston is a top performer when it comes to the number of high-wage job opportunities available. Sioux Falls, SDLike Fargo, Sioux Falls rises up the rankings due to its rapid job growth rate and high opportunity index. Portland-South Portland, MEPortland, Maine, makes the rankings primarily because of its high opportunity index.