he's back!

Justin Verlander (and perhaps, Kate Upton) set to return to Houston after last-minute trade

Justin Verlander — and presumably Kate Upton — are headed back to Houston.

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

Houston Astros fans are digging up their No. 35 Justin Verlander jerseys. Multiple media outlets report that the Verlander, the Cy Young Award-winning, Hall of Fame-bound pitcher who left the Astros for the New York Mets in December, is return via a just-announced trade.

Verlander comes to Houston via trade with the Mets first reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale on Twitter on Tuesday, August 1. Nightengale then quickly updated the terms of the deal: Verlander for young Astros prospect Drew Gilbert — considered the team's most prized prospect — and Ryan Clifford.

Ben Verlander, Justin's brother, confirmed the reports with a simple tweet.

H-TOWNNNNNN!!!!!! 🤘
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) August 1, 2023

The red-hot trade news comes as the Astros sit half a game behind the Texas Rangers (ugh) in the American League West. Currently, the Astros would be the sixth AL seed if the playoffs started on August 1.

Hence the deal for the 40-year-old Verlander, who seems every bit ready to bring the same stuff he did to help the Astros secure two World Series championships in 2017 and 2022. While it wasn't a shocker that Verlander chose the bright lights of NYC — and a two-year, $86 million deal with the Mets — it's a relief to see the man known as JV back in an orange and blue uniform.

It's also a relief that supermodel Kate Upton, Verlander's wife, will most likely return. A Houston power couple favorite, Upton and Verlander spent years in Houston sharing their love for our vibrant scene — and especially, the beloved burger from Nancy's Hustle.

Houston Astros Team Up 4 Kids and K9s 2019 Justin Verlander and Kate Upton Justin Verlander and Kate Upton were society scene stealers in Houston. Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Does this cement another World Series run? Verlander immediately upgrades the Astros as they look to October. Here's hoping the talented group at Nancy's Hustle has the Verlanders' table ready.

This is a breaking news story.

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Texas is one of the least cyclist-friendly states in the nation

Photo by Danist Soh on Unsplash

If you've ridden your bicycle in Houston, you already know how true this is.

In what will come as no surprise to cyclists around Houston, the state of Texas is not a good place for bicycle riding. According to a new report of the "Most Cycling-Friendly States in the U.S.," Texas comes in at No. 47 — meaning that only three other states are worse.

The report, from Philadelphia personal injury law firm KaplunMarx, examines all 50 states based on six metrics: Air quality index, the number of cyclist deaths per one million residents, bike routes per square mile, local government actions supporting cycling, federal funding for cycling projects, and bicycle laws.

Texas musters a mere 31 points out of 100 for its "cycling friendly score."

The most cycling friendly state in the U.S.: Minnesota, which earned 84 points to claim the title.

According to the report's findings, there have been 15 local government actions per capita in Texas that integrate pedestrians and cyclists in transportation projects. Texas' has a 41 air quality index value, and there are approximately 1.2 bike routes per 1,000 square miles in the state.

On cyclist deaths, Texas does a little better, with three cyclist deaths per one million residents in Texas — about nine percent lower than the national average.

According to KaplunMarx founding partner Ted Kaplun, there is an average of 857 cyclist fatalities in the U.S. every year. He adds that every measure or community effort to improve cyclist-friendliness is beneficial for all Americans.

"It's crucial for all states to continually assess and enhance their cycling provisions, learning from both high-ranking peers and their own experiences," he says.

Top-ranking Minnesota has only one cyclist death per one million state residents. It also has about 27.2 bike routes per 1,000 square miles.

After Minnesota, the remaining top five best states for cyclists are Massachusetts (No. 2), Rhode Island (No. 3), Washington (No. 4), and Iowa (No. 5).

At the bottom of the list are Nevada (No. 48), Arizona (No. 49), and Utah (No. 50) — all of which performed far worse than Texas to be declared the three least cycling-friendly states.

The entire country still has areas for improvement when it comes to creating a safer environment for cyclists, regardless of where each state landed on the list, according to Kaplun.

"With over 53 million Americans riding bicycles regularly, the importance of cycling-friendly infrastructure and safety measures cannot be overstated," said Kaplun in the report. "This isn't just about rankings – it's about enhancing the quality of life, promoting sustainable transportation, and most crucially, saving lives."