A traveler's guide to experience Puerto Rico
The summer travel season is right around the corner - and if you're looking for a beachy paradise, Puerto Rico is just a short flight from Houston. Gabe Saglie, a senior editor with Travelzoo, shared his top picks to help you plan your own trip to the popular island getaway on Houston Life.
Cheers! Paul Zahn treats us to trendy beverages for the spring and summer season
The weather is heating up in Houston, how about trying some new cocktails? Entertainment expert and cocktail guru Paul Zahn joined us in the studio with some options for our non-alcoholic friends, our classic cocktail drinkers, and those who prefer to pop the tab and drink from a can.
Houston HVAC company giving away A/C system, how you can apply
Bodensteiner Services, Inc is a family owned and operated HVAC company that has been serving Houston for 64 years. Owner Blair Bodensteiner is choosing a family or homeowner in need to receive a brand new American Standard HVAC system. You can apply here for yourself or someone you know.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Higher rates, new fees mean your electricity bill may not go down this winter
Summer is over and temperatures are cooling off. This is usually the time of year when you can get the lowest electric rates. But if you have shopped for a new electric plan lately, you know prices are not falling like the temperature. KPRC 2 Investigates has what you need to know about your electric bill.
New ride at local waterpark is first of its kind in the world!
Does your family have a road trip planned this summer? Why not check out the new rides at a local waterpark? Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. on Houston Life, we’re live with a first of a kind waterslide. Plus, we’ll preview 3 other brand new attractions.
5 things that happened this summer that you probably already forgot about
Somehow, summer 2021 has come to a close (hello, sad girl fall!), so we’re going to take a look back at all the major things that happened this summer that you probably already forgot about, because this summer went by way too fast.
From heat to snow: Rocky Mountains see 60-degree plunge
Heat and strong winds also hit California and parts of the Pacific Northwest over the holiday weekend, triggering destructive wildfires. Snow fell in Colorado, Montana and Wyoming, where portions of Interstate 80 closed and forecasters predicted up to a foot (30 centimeters) in the mountains and temperatures in the teens (-7 Celsius) overnight. Several northern Utah school districts canceled classes, and officials warned people to stay inside if possible to avoid flying debris, downed power lines and other dangers. Several semitrailer trucks blew over on northern Utah highways. Freeze and frost warnings also were posted for parts of Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota and Minnesota.
Houston to hold ‘largest single-day’ community-led heat mapping effort in U.S. history, officials say
HOUSTON – Recruited community street scientist volunteers will embark on a 300-square-mile effort Friday to measure and map urban heat in the region, officials said. Right around when temperatures tend to hit their peak in Houston and Harris County, nearly 80 community scientists will take to the streets with specially-designed thermal sensors attached to their cars or bicycles. This community science endeavor is led by the Houston Harris Heat Action Team (H3AT), a collaboration between The Nature Conservancy of Texas (TNC), Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), the City of Houston, and Harris County Public Health (HCPH), and in partnership with Lowe’s and Shell. Officials say Houston and Harris County are currently facing a number of climate resilience and health challenges, and one of the most overlooked issues is urban heat. The project volunteers will cover 32 mapping areas, or “polygons,” that each represents a 10-square mile area.
Floating fries: Whataburger releases line of summertime products
HOUSTON – Whataburger has released a line of pool and beach products that just might make you hungry while you’re basking in the sun this summer. The collection includes a Whataburger beach towel, logo umbrella and fries-inspired pool float. Other items include swim trunks, UV shirts, straw hats and button-down shirts. Whataburger summer line 2020 (Copyright 2020 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.) Whataburger summer line 2020 (Copyright 2020 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.)
My succulent can get sunburned? Heres 5 things you can do to help your plants beat the heat
Learn to read your plantsPlants sometimes look wilted during the heat of the day, even if they are well-watered. Water early in the morning or late in the evening when temperatures are cooler this reduces evaporation and allows plants time to uptake water before the heat of the day. The combination of heat and humidity can cause plants to poach, sometimes leading to permanent tissue damage. Electrolytes are minerals that help our bodies cope with stress, and heat is a definite stress factor. For more information to managing summer heat in the garden, click here to follow Angelas blog.
This virtual camp includes 1,200 videos and experiences -- and they’re all free
Summer camp might not be an option this year, but YouTube has created a free #CampYouTube, so as to re-create common camp experiences through YouTube videos. These include arts and crafts, sports, writing workshops, photography tutorials, mental health exercises, exploring the outdoors and SO much more — seriously, there are about 1,200 videos in total. Any interest in learning how to make a ping pong ball float? Plus, YouTube uses resources for its videos from partners like the BBC, Imagination Library, Code.org, Breakthrough Junior Challenge, Google Arts and Culture, National Geographic Society, Sesame Street and others. “These resources are not meant to replace homework assigned by teachers, but meant to complement that work,” YouTube states on its camp website.
‘Maskne’: Why your face is breaking out under your mask and how to stop it
(CNN) – If you're serious about protecting yourself — and others — from the very real dangers of Covid-19, you're wearing a mask when you go out around others. Breakouts that occur after wearing a mask have become so common that mask acne's been dubbed "maskne" on social media. Since we can't — or shouldn't — stop wearing masks around others for the foreseeable future, here are some key prevention tips. Use gentle skin care products"Good quality, simple skincare does not have to be the $500 fancy product. This is also not the time to take up a new skin care regimen.
Here are the top three ways this week’s Saharan dust plume will affect you
(CNN) – The much-anticipated Saharan dust plume is now making its more than 5,000-mile trek across the Atlantic to the United States. If you haven't heard your friends talking about this "mysterious" Saharan dust plume supposedly adding yet another layer to 2020, then you've certainly seen it all over social media this past week. This Saharan dust plume blowing across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa is nothing new, or even special to 2020. Saharan dust can also impact you in several ways once it reaches land. Here's the top 3 ways you'll notice next week's Saharan dust here in the US.
Health officials are treating a northwest Harris County area after West Nile Virus mosquitos discovered Tuesday
HOUSTON – Harris County Public Health officials have confirmed the first sample of the West Nile Virus in a mosquito in northwest Harris County Wednesday, officials announced in a press release. “The WNV mosquito sample was identified in the northwest quadrant of Harris County,” officials wrote. The Mosquito and Vector Control Division of Harris County Public Health began treatment to the area where the disease mosquitos were found on Tuesday to reduce the risk of human infection. “Mosquitos are around throughout the year; however, they are more prevalent during the warmer months, and typically most active from June through October,” officials wrote in a press release. “Out of the 56 species of mosquitoes found in our area, only a handful transmit diseases such as West Nile Virus, Chikungunya, Dengue and Zika.”See a map from the Harris County Health Department that shows which neighborhood is being treated.
Weighing the risks of summer activities as COVID-19 cases spike in Houston area
HOUSTON – As the summer season heats up, and Texas continues its grand reopening, cases of COVID-19 are spiking in the Houston area in recent days. Casady wonders which activities are “low risk” or “high risk.” KPRC 2 set out to do that as well, but it became apparent that the methodology in various “risk rankings” was flawed. A false sense of securityThe CDC has guidance on summer activities, including camps and youth sports, as well as travel. But Dr. Prathit Kulkarni of Baylor College of Medicine says these safety ratings can create a false sense of security. The bottom line is don’t assume that because something ranks a backyard barbecue as “low risk,” that it is.
Here are 7 Houston-area family attractions that are now open
Whether it’s a day of education or catching some sun, we rounded up a few places that are now open and ready for some family fun. Staff will monitor visitor numbers as well as limit the number of visitors in non-touch galleries that will remain open. Museum staff will have daily temperature screenings and practice social distancing in all areas of the museum. Timed entry tickets for 2.5-hour visit will ensure a consistent flow of families at a 20% capacity (a little over 100 visitors max. Adults, children ages 2+, and museum staff must wear masks that cover the nose and mouth to enter the museum.