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    Hot time, summer in the city

    Searching for heavenly summer fun in a city that's hotter than Hades

    Clifford Pugh
    May 2, 2010 | 9:10 am
    • Simple pleasures, like running through a sprinkler, evoke summer memories thatlast a lifetime.
    • Ice cream just seems to taste better in the Houston summer.
    • Take a dip in a pool: One of the best pleasures of summer.
    • The pace of life is just slower in Houston in the summer, leaving time for ahammock and a good book.

    When the Houston Rockets went up against the New York Knicks for the National Basketball Association championship in 1994 — back when the Rockets were good — sportswriters from the Big Apple groused about having to visit Houston in June. After stepping outside of his hotel in the wilting summer heat, a columnist for the New York Post raised a ruckus when he wrote that the Bayou City is a "hellhole."

    So after the Rockets won the first game, my cheeky editors at the Houston Post ran a headline across the front page in big, bold type: "Hellhole 1, NY 0."

    (The Rockets won the series, which was particularly memorable because NBC broke into Game 5 of the finals to broadcast OJ Simpson's high speed car chase. But that's another story.)

    The simple truth, however, is most Houstonians dread the summer months. They complain constantly about the clammy weather and pine for the two weeks in the fall when it's cool. Those who are wealthy or have flexible schedules escape to Park City, Aspen, Provincetown or anywhere in California. I've even heard of some people who have switched careers, becoming school teachers, to get away from the heat for an extended period.

    I, on the other hand, love summer in Houston. I treasure the languid Gulf breezes that waft into the city early in the morning or at dusk, offering a momentary respite from the stifling heat. I enjoy the slower pace of life. And I get an immense feeling of satisfaction from knowing that I'm a stronger, tougher person that the fainthearted who fled town.

    I've always lived in the South or Southwest, so sticky weather is a way of life. Having never lived farther north than mid-Missouri — and only for one winter — I can't imagine residing someplace where you don't sweat.

    Even with air conditioning — Houston is the most-chilled city in the world — summer is a time when everything slows to a crawl. The social season isn't nearly as frenzied and traffic is lighter. The rhythms of the day are measured, so it makes perfect sense to start a little earlier and suspend outside activity at high noon whenever possible. Barbecues, a dip in a pool, ice cream and summer songs become special summer treasures, evoking warm memories long after the season has passed. (I'll always associate the summer of 2007 with Rihanna's "Umbrella.")
     
    Of course, the summer season used to be much simpler. Most schools let out on Memorial Day and started back after Labor Day, so summer always spanned the months of June through August. But then schools moved up their calendar year; ending classes the first or second week in May and resuming in mid-August. That has taken some getting used to.
     
    Movie executives were among the first to recognize the shift, launching the first summer blockbuster on the first weekend in May. (First up this year: Iron Man 2 opens next Friday.) But not everyone else has adjusted their calendars.
     
    Here at CultureMap, we're out to change that mindset. Why wait until June? We think summer fun can begin right now.
     
    So we're launching our month-long series of ways to enjoy summer in Houston today. We'll discuss a lot of ways to make summer in Houston more enjoyable. We'll scout out the best margaritas, sangria and sno-cones. We'll search for the best outdoor concerts, premiere watering holes, favorite DVDs for indoor viewing, and awesome books (in paper and Kindle versions). We'll offer a comprehensive road trip guide for those traveling by car and city guides for nearby vacation spots. We'll cover interesting camps for kids and classes for adults.

    Heck we'll even look for the best hats that offer shade from the sun and the trendiest lightweight sweaters to wear indoors, where everything is always over-air-conditioned.

    And we'll search for secrets to surviving a Houston summer — my vote is to always seek out shade (for your car and yourself).
     
    Got ideas? Let us know your favorite things to do, along with your survival tips. Even though I love the summer, I agree we need all the help we can get.

    unspecified
    news/city-life

    warning for drivers

    Texas steers onto list of states with highest speeding ticket costs

    John Egan
    Jul 10, 2025 | 1:45 pm
    Speed limit sign
    Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
    Gotta watch out for speed traps in Texas.

    The next time you’re tempted to push past the speed limit on your Texas road trip or your commute to work, think about the risk to your life — and your bank account.

    A new ranking from the FinanceBuzz website shows that when comparing all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Texas motorists pay the fourth highest amount in fines and court costs for going either 10 mph or 15 mph over the speed limit.

    For a 10 mph-over-the-limit violation in Texas, the average fine and court costs total $223, according to FinanceBuzz. For a 15 mph infraction, the average speeding ticket will run you $245. Texas is one of only six states where a 15 mph-over-the-limit speeding ticket surpasses $200.

    California ranks first in the 10 mph category ($234), and Nevada ranks first in the 15 mph category ($290).

    If you’re slapped with a ticket for driving 40 mph over the speed limit in Texas, the fine and court costs are relatively low. At an average of $320, Texas sits at No. 21 on the FinanceBuzz list. Illinois ($2,500) leads the 40 mph category.

    “Not all speeding incidents are the same, as the faster someone goes while driving, the more danger they pose to themselves and others sharing the road with them,” says FinanceBuzz. “As a result, the authorities tend to issue larger fines the faster a speeder is going.”

    Of course, it might be tough to go even one mph over the speed limit if you’re driving on I-45 in the Houston area. The notoriously congested stretch of interstate highway is nearing the end of its “functional life,” according to the Washington, D.C.-based Congress of New Urbanism. I-45 is also the deadliest road in Texas, according to the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

    Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio are also home to some of the state’s most congested roads, according to the Texas Transportation Institute. And if you’re on any of those clogged roads, the danger of getting a speeding ticket might decrease.

    drivingfinancebuzz rankinghighwayshouston speeding ticketreportsspeed limitspeedingtexastickets
    news/city-life
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