A sunset over the ocean with an orange sky. Birds are flying and standing on a sandy beach with scattered pebbles.

Galveston: An island in heat


By Forest Riggs

The end of summer and the high temperatures of August are truly upon us. Can it get any hotter? Will it get any hotter? The intense heat combined with high humidity levels has made island life pretty miserable over the past few weeks. Most folks stay inside, under an AC, and enjoy cool beverages. Things do cool down a bit at night and there is an occasional breeze, but for the most part August brings great heat and a huge wish for fall and cooler weather to get here.

Recently I consulted the “oracle of weather,†my good friend, fellow Aggie and meteorologist Bob Rose in Austin. I have known Bob for over 30 years and many folks may recall his days on Channel 3 in Bryan-College Station, as well as his long presence in the Austin community. I asked Bob about August and what we can expect. Bob’ s response was short and very “on air sounding.â€

“We shouldn’ t see too many additional 100s in August. We appear to be moving into a wetter and less hot pattern for most of August. Fall is shaping up to be wetter than normal with warm but not excessively hot temperatures. I can’ t wait for the rain to return,†he forecasted.

It’ s always great to hear from Bob and get his scoop on the weather. At Texas A&M, I would refer to him as “Weatherina†and although I don’ t think he liked the moniker, he took it in stride. Over the years, I have known several meteorologists and a large number of them are gay. I wonder what that is all about; must be something in the air!

Despite the heat, Galveston’ s LGBTQ community remains active and a large presence on the island. The three “watering holes†continue to provide respite from the heat, complete with libations, drag shows, bingo, karaoke, fund-raisers, food and good times. Sweet Misty Valdez, after being a little under the weather, is back on the fund-raising circuit and keeping the donations for ACCT pouring in. Meanwhile, island sweetheart Christin Roe and hot husband Danny have been busy raising money for the Trans Assistance Project, a very worthy cause that offers assistance to our brothers and sisters in the trans community. Jesse Garza has been active on Facebook with a “pledge your birthday†fundraiser for ACCT and has been quite successful. There is a strong spirit of giving and support in the Galveston LGBTQ community and monies raised demonstrate a deep commitment to taking care of each other and making life better for those in need.

Speaking of taking care, island favorite bartender and songster, Larry King, reports he is doing well and on the road to a great recovery. Larry is living with his twin brother and sister-in-law in Fort Worth and makes weekly trips to his hometown of Graham. It has been a long and bump road for Pickles, as he is also known, since the auto accident in January of 2016 that nearly claimed his life. These days he is busy trying to find a position in a local theatre or music group that will enable him to use his two degrees and theatrical background. Pickles is happy to report that he has been on the “straight and narrow†since the accident and enjoying his new life and family support. Brain injuries, depending on the severity, can be quite life changing. Fortunately, Larry is adjusting well to his new life and remains active and fills his days and nights with projects, spiritual studies, reading and spending time with his family.

A last note of interest: If you live on or visit the island and you have a heavy foot on the gas pedal, especially along the Seawall, you might want to slow down. The city has been working very hard to improve Seawall and had recently lowered the speed limit to 35 MPH, from end to end. There were some areas of higher speed limits, however in an effort to increase pedestrian and motorist safety, the limit has been lowered. With the number of visitors and beach-goers increasing so much as Seawall improvements begin, the city feels lowering the speed limit as well as designating well-marked crosswalks and stronger enforcement will aid the congested boulevard and cut down the number of accidents and injuries occurring along the route. Next time you are cruising along the Seawall and looking for eye-candy and other distractions, remember to slow down and watch your speed.

So as summer winds down and folks are racing to get in their last beach getaways, remember to be safe, look out for others and, most of all, when you are on the island, have some fun!

Forest Riggs, a resident of Galveston, is no stranger to the adventures of life. A formereducator and business owner, he enjoys Island life and all that comes with it. He says he is a “raconteur with a quixotic, gypsy spirit.†Forest has written for several newspapers and magazines as well as other writing pursuits, including a novel and collection of short stories.

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