Many Texans will travel and party on Independence Day Friday, and through the weekend. So, naturally, law enforcement will also be active, stepping up efforts to crack down on drunk driving. Officials here in Harris County — where we routinely lead the nation in fatal accidents involving intoxicated drivers, and just in the last two weeks saw nine fatalities in crashes involving suspected drunk drivers — have announced a “No Refusal” initiative this weekend. That means suspected drunk drivers who refuse a breathalyzer test can be forced to provide a blood sample, after a judge issues a search warrant. Judges will be on call for that specific purpose.
Such initiatives aren’t new. Last year, Texas state troopers made more than 1,100 DWI arrests across Texas during a ten-day enforcement period between June 27 and July 7.
Some municipalities across the country are seeking more creative ways to address drunk driving. On this edition of Houston Matters, we hear about one such municipality: Horry County in South Carolina, home of Myrtle Beach. We talk with a representative of the Horry County Sheriff’s Department. Then, we look at what else Harris and Montgomery counties are doing here to try to curb drunk driving.
Also: From more online cred for H-town, to the largely debunked gluten-free craze reaching Smashburger, to a record-setting giant fish reeled in near Galveston, we explore The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in Houston news with our rotating panel of “non-experts.” Joining us for a special Thursday edition this week is Russ Capper from The Business Makers Show and The Energy Makers Show, Lisa Falkenberg from the Houston Chronicle, and Texas Leftist blogger Wayne Ashley.
Plus: There are lots of great restaurant choices in Houston. There are also a number of people who are dedicated to exploring and then writing about those restaurants – your food critics, writers, editors, bloggers, and so forth. We give a few of them a chance to share their thoughts on some places to go and dishes to eat in a conversation we’re calling ‘The Full Menu.’ (At least until we come up with a better name).
