rodeo rescheduled

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo reschedules 2021 events due to pandemic

The Rodeo will resume in May.

Photo courtesy of RodeoHouston

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has rescheduled its event for 2021. Originally slated to take place in March, the Rodeo will now be held from May 4-23, according to a press release.

Almost all of the rodeo's related events, including the trail ride and parade, Rodeo Run, Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites Competition, and the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest will be rescheduled to match the new dates. However, the Junior Livestock and Horse Show competitions will still be held in March.

“The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is truly a community event that Rodeo fans look forward to each and every year,” said Chris Boleman, Rodeo president and CEO, in a statement. “With the evolving health situation, we have made the decision to move the 2021 Rodeo from March to May . . . We remain dedicated to fulfilling our mission to support Texas youth and hosting a long-time Houston tradition.”

As CultureMap columnist Ken Hoffman predicted in his column this week, moving from March to May will come with a number of advantages. Specifically, the chance for cold or rainy weather will be significantly diminished. After all, no one likes a soggy carnival.

Delaying the Rodeo's start also boosts the possibility that coronavirus vaccines will have reached more of the general public, which would make it possible for people to resume gathering in large groups.

Details about the specific dates for the pre-rodeo events, the 2021 concept lineup, and all health and safety procedures will be announced by early March. Previously, organizers said they hoped to make the 2021 lineup one to remember.

“My plan is to have a 2021 lineup that is bigger, better, and gives everybody in our audience in the Houston metro a reason to come out and celebrate,” Jason Kane, manager of entertainment and concert production, told CultureMap in April. “I think Houston will deserve it, all the rodeo fans deserve it, and I think they’ll all be looking for a real celebration in 2021.”

The rodeo's sudden shutdown on March 11 was the first sign locally of how disruptive efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 would be to daily life. With new dates announced for next year's event, the potential for Houstonians to be eating turkey legs and listening to live music seems much more promising.

rodeo

warning for drivers

Texas steers onto list of states with highest speeding ticket costs

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.

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