Obama's Dallas Escapades

President Obama doesn't let pouty Gov. Rick Perry ruin his Dallas fun

President Barack Obama's visit to Dallas on July 8, part of a three-city fundraiser tour, included parties, meetings with local politicians and a speech about the economy. But the lingering takeaway of his visit is a photo showing a scowling Gov. Rick Perry that has become a caption contest across Facebook.

Highlights of the president's trip included a sit-down with Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and a fundraiser dinner in Preston Hollow featuring some of the best barbecue in Texas.

Gov. Perry demanded one-on-one time with Obama, ostensibly to talk about border issues related to the wave of unaccompanied children from Central America who've crossed the border in the past few months. Dissatisfied with the president's initial offer to meet at the airport, Perry refused to meet the President on the tarmac.

President Obama relented and agreed to let Perry sit at the adults' table in a meeting with Rawlings, Judge Clay Jenkins, Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia and Democratic Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas to discuss the 2,000 children being taken in Dallas County.

The photo from that meeting, tweeted by New York Times reporter Doug Mills, speaks volumes. It shows the president and others at the table laughing, while Gov. Perry sits off to the side, his bottom lip gripped in a pout that makes him look about 5 years old.

Mills added the diplomatic caption, "President Obama shares a light moment Mayor Mike Rawlings, with Gov. Rick Perry at the end of the table." Yahoo describes it as a "photo for the ages."

The photo has drawn nearly 700 caption suggestions on Democratic blog Burnt Orange Report's Facebook page. Sample: "The cool kids are teasing me again."

On Wednesday night, Obama attended a fundraiser dinner for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee at the Preston Hollow home of attorney Marc Stanley, near Northhaven and Hillcrest. Street closures began at 2 pm, and by 4:30 pm, police cars were stationed in every driveway along Walnut Hill.

The dinner, which was limited to 50 people and cost a minimum of $10,000 a person, was catered by John Mueller, who prepared ribs, brisket, sausage, turkey, beans, potato salad and coleslaw.

Late-night commuters on the Tollway suffered an hour-long clogging until 9 pm, when the presidential entourage headed to Love Field and Austin for a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee. Continuing the barbecue theme, the President made a surprise visit to Franklin Barbecue, where he got to cut in line.

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Speeding ticket news

Texas drivers pay a pretty price for their speeding bad behavior

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.”

When traveling across Texas, it might be tough to go even one mph over the speed limit if you’re driving on I-35 in the Austin area or I-45 in the Houston area. Both of these notoriously congested stretches of interstate highway are nearing the end of their “functional life,” according to Congress of New Urbanism.

Three busy Dallas County highways were just deemed among the deadliest roads in the country, with I-30 in Dallas ranking as the fourth deadliest road in Texas.

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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