Latest news with #nightclubs
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Yahoo
Mayor Whitmire teaming up with HPD, others to crack down on bad actors in Houston nightlife
The Brief From July 17 - 19, Houston Mayor John Whitmire, HPD, HFD, HHD, Public Works and others tag along to inspect nightclubs and bars in Houston. 13 inspections were held in the Heights area, most of Washington. City Council and a Washington Avenue business owner responded to city's efforts. HOUSTON - The City of Houston says they are cracking down on nightclubs and bars who are not following compliance and safety requirements. City of Houston cracking down on nightclubs, bars not following compliance rules The Crime Protection Team Club Unit visited multiple clubs and bars in the heights area and along Washington Avenue. A few Heights area clubs and bars got a visit from Mayor Whitmire and the Club Unit over the weekend, each one of them was given more than just a fair warning. By the numbers Bar/Club Stats Inspections: 13 Citations: 115 Warnings: 12 Arrests: 2 Misdemeanor (Failure to Comply with Local Health or Sanitary Laws) Bars/Clubs Closed: 5 DWI Enforcement Stats Traffic Stops: 104 Citations: 91 Warnings: 43 DWI Arrests: 8 Other Arrests: 3 Bar/Club Inspection Details: Zen Lounge – 5316 Washington Ave HPD – Arrest x 2 for Failure to Comply with Local Health or Sanitary Laws Health – Citations x 15 Closed by Health for unauthorized food service Closed by Public Works for invalid Certificate of Occupancy 2 Cana – 5310 Washington Ave No violations noted 3. Bar 5306 – 5306 Washington Ave Ste C Closed by Public Works for invalid Certificate of Occupancy 4. Fuego's – 817 Durham Dr Health – Citations x 15 HPD – Warnings x 3 5. Tokyo Joe's Shot Bar – 2001 Beall St HFD – Citation x 1 HPD – Warnings x 3 Health – Warning x 1 Public Works – follow up investigation required into built out loft and large attached garage 6. BLVD Park – 1119 W 20th St HPD – Citations x 12 Health – Warning x 1 HFD – Citation x 1 7. Say No Mas – 1217 W 20th St HPD – Citations x 9 Health – Warning x 1 HFD – Citations x 3 and closed kitchen due to unpermitted gas Public Works – follow up required into built on mobile chef unit attached to building 8. Austin's Backyard – 1221 W 20th St HPD – Warning x 3 Health – Citations x 9 9. XO – 5023 Washington Ave HPD – Citations x 29 HFD – Citation x 1 Closed by Health for unauthorized food service Closed by Public Works and HFD for invalid Certificate of Occupancy 10. Lincoln Bar – 5110 Washington Ave HPD – Citations x 3 Health – Citation x 1 ARA – Citation x 1 Closed by HFD due to fire at location 11. Bar 5306 – 5306 Washington Ave Ste C HPD – Citation x 3 12. Sidebar – 5317 Washington Ave Health – Citation x 3 ARA – Citation x 3 13. Luxx – 5002 Washington Ave HPD – Citations x 6 Closed by Health for unauthorized food service What they're saying City Councilmember Abbie Kamin and Washington Avenue business owner speak out about the Mayor's efforts "We are not anti-business in Houston. Business is the backbone of our city, but there are a few of these bad actors that are making a big problem for a lot of people and putting a strain specifically on law enforcement resources," said Councilmember Abbie Kamin. "Every time there is an inspection, the health department is involved, the fire department is involved." "When we are talking about a club that has been shut down or a bar that has been shut down, there have been clear issues with safety and health that have been found," said Councilmember Kamin. "There are some clubs and bars that do have valid certificates of occupancy, but they may not be keeping up with safety measures, like sprinkler systems. When you hear about issues, we deal a lot with in District C is loud noise." The owner of Prison Break Tattoos on Washington Avenue says she's happy to see it, because her business relies on foot traffic, but she wants it to be safe. "I mean there is quite a bit of activity here, especially during the midnight hours. People tend to get a little crazy and that part is appreciated, and again we want everyone to enjoy themselves out here and be safe," said Jen Finberg, "Some of the frustrations is when they see these businesses, and they park along the whole street, so people can't get in our place of business, and we can't conduct business, and it plugs up the whole - traffic and things like that so it interferes with our livelihood." The Source FOX 26 Reporter Leslie DelasBour has more on what occurred over the weekend. Solve the daily Crossword
New York Times
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Forget Bingo. These 90-Year-Olds Just Want to Dance.
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. As a breaking news reporter at The New York Times, I cover all manner of disasters: mass shootings, floods, wildfires and any number of other devastating things happening around us. There is no shortage of material. But I also look for good news. In particular, I like stories that make me laugh or smile or surprise me. My favorites also signify something broader about societal shifts, the moment we're in or the culture of a place. So when I heard about an initiative in Brussels in which retirement-home residents were invited to party at nightclubs every so often, I was immediately intrigued. Ninety-year-olds in a nightclub? Whose crazy idea was this? The first step in my reporting was to contact the organizer, Youssef Kaddar, 37, the head of a Belgian nonprofit that aims to address loneliness among older people. He told me about how he started out organizing more conventional events, like seaside trips, before he decided to push the boundaries. Mr. Kaddar organized a video game day for retirement-home residents, many of whom had never played video games before. He also organized hot air balloon rides and a day rave. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Times
16-07-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Club Drugs Strain Health System on Ibiza, Spain's Party Island
The emergency calls arrive at all hours, especially in the summer. Pablo Roig weaves his ambulance through heavy traffic and past crowded beaches. He arrives at an increasingly familiar scene on Ibiza, Spain's famed party island: drug-related distress at a nightclub. 'There are days when we're so busy you can barely even stop to eat or have a coffee,' Mr. Roig, a 47-year-old ambulance technician, said. Emergency calls involving partygoers at Ibiza nightclubs have become so frequent that the island's public ambulance service is at risk of collapse, the local health technicians union said. During peak season, more than a quarter of all calls for ambulances are to nightclubs, and they often involve foreign visitors, straining resources for the island's 160,000 full-time residents, the union said. 'Sometimes we go to the same nightclub three or four times in one night,' said José Manuel Maroto, a representative for the union. 'There are nightclubs where we have to go to pick up an intoxicated patient every day.' The ambulance crisis in Ibiza, one of the engines of Spain's tourism industry with around 3.3 million visitors last year, is the latest example of tensions in Europe over foreign travelers as summer crowds peak. Anti-tourism protests have erupted recently in Spain, Italy and Portugal, with demonstrators complaining that overtourism is stretching public resources and driving up the cost of living. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
BBC News
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Is writing on the wall for Peterborough nightlife scene?
A demolition notice is posted outside a boarded-up former late-night venue - but is the writing literally on the wall for a city's nightclubs?The venue on New Road, previously called The Bar, was once at the heart of Peterborough's nightlife now looks set to go the way of other venues before it, having being earmarked for demolition to make way for the multimillion-pound redevelopment of the city is a far cry from the glory days of the 1980s and 90s when, according to one observer of the city's nightlife scene, an estimated 6,000 people used to come clubbing in Peterborough on a typical weekend night. Pep Cipriano was "Man about Town" for local publication ESP Magazine, its chief columnist covering the city's nightlife recalls the "great atmosphere" of the 1990s."There were three major clubs, each with 2,000 capacity, and they were all full," he says."You dressed up to go out. It was a real occasion."Until the early 2000s, he says, there were at least six nightclubs, including Rinaldo's, Fifth Avenue, and Shanghai Sam's, which was later Quo Vadis and then Faith. Today, he says, there are two or three "traditional" nightclubs, with another two or three venues open after believes the growing influence of the internet has affected the traditional night on the town."The way you meet people has changed. The whole dynamic has changed," he says. Mr Cipriano is now chief executive of Peterborough Positive, the city's business improvement district (BID) Friday and Sunday, it is hosting three days of music and entertainment with the Glastonbury Weekender, including live-streaming the festival, in what he says is set to be "one of the biggest weekends of live music the city centre has seen in decades". Hannah Tinker worked with ESP Magazine to photograph people enjoying a night out."Back in the day there was a lot of variety, a lot of different types of music and it was very lively," she says."I feel sorry for the younger generation, as today many people just don't seem to have the funds." But where have all the clubbers gone? Peterborough law student Kelly Jesus says that, for some young people, clubbing does not hold the same appeal as it has done in the past."Clubbing can be quite expensive for a night out, especially if you compare it to a movie," she says."Sometimes you just want to have conversations with people and that can feel less superficial than dancing around, but everyone's different." Paul Stainton was a regular DJ in Peterborough but is now head of marketing and communications at the city's is staging an "Old Skool Disco" in its cloisters on Friday (June 27) and says there is still an appetite for people to get together and dance."I think young people miss out on having that fun," he says."It's also difficult for people in their 40s, 50s and 60s to find somewhere to go and have that fun again and relive their youth." In 2017, DJ and broadcaster Annie Mac came to the city to investigate a national downturn in clubbing for a BBC documentary, and discovered that venues were making way for new Thulbourn, Labour cabinet member for growth and regeneration on Peterborough City Council, says: "Whilst there is little we can do as a council to prevent privately-owned businesses such as nightclubs from closing down, there are planning policies in place designed to ensure the vitality of our city centre. "This is a similar pattern across the country because of several factors including changing economic conditions."However, our city centre still has thriving bars, clubs, restaurants and eateries." Peter Elderkin, another of the city's former DJs, and a former musician and music promoter, has written a memoir called Sugar Gravy is still positive about live venues, but says if they continue to close, it could affect the music industry."People can go online and have their channels and put their music out there but they won't get that live feedback - and you really need that live experience." Steve Jason, owner of the city's Met Lounge, which specialises in indie music, fears for the future of the traditional nightclub."In 1986 there were 36,000 nightclubs in the UK; now there's less than a thousand. It's only going one way," he changes and the internet have drastically affected the industry, he says, adding that it needs more young people and bands coming through to "inspire the next generation". Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Yahoo
This US State Drinks More Alcohol Than The Rest Of The Country (And It Isn't Texas Or Florida)
It might surprise you to learn that the U.S. doesn't even list among the top 15 countries when it comes to the amount of alcohol per person, per year, that gets consumed (the no. 1 country used to be Zimbabwe but is now more likely Romania). Still, there is a strong drinking culture in America, with over 62,000 bars and nightclubs, and alcohol serving as the focal point for many family and holiday gatherings, like green mimosas on St. Patrick's Day or popping Champagne on New Year's Eve. But only one state in the union can stake its claim as that which drinks more alcohol than the rest of the country per capita — and it's surprisingly not fun-loving Texas or Florida; in fact, we bet you'll never guess. It's actually New Hampshire. This tiny state, tucked away in the northeast corner of the country, actually has the highest rate of alcohol consumption, at 4.43 gallons of booze per person per year. While the state has fairly stringent alcohol laws on the books, including a total government monopoly on the sales of liquor and wine, it sells that booze tax-free, making New Hampshire a destination for out-of-staters looking for cheap bottles. It must also have at least some influence on the state's highest-in-the-nation alcohol consumption rate, too. Coming in second and third are Delaware, with 4.4 gallons per year, per person, and Washington, D.C., at just over 4 gallons. On the low end, there is Utah, where strict alcohol laws and a strong religious culture contribute to its meager 1.3 gallons per individual. Read more: 6 Inexpensive Tequilas To Buy And 6 To Avoid, According To Bartender The states with the highest total alcohol consumption aren't likely to be quite as surprising, but here they are: California comes in at number one with nearly 90 million gallons consumed according to data from 2021, which is no surprise considering both its huge population of nearly 40 million (making it the most-populous state in the country) and its less restrictive liquor laws concerning where you can buy alcohol. Texas, the second-most populated state with a population of over 30 million, also came in second place that same year, with almost 60 million gallons imbibed. And Florida, the third-largest state by population with an estimated over 23 million inhabitants, also came in third for total alcohol drunk, with just over 55 million gallons. The lowest-by-volume drinking states follow the same pattern. Second-smallest by population, Vermont, which contains an estimated 648,000 people, only consumed 1.7 million gallons, despite abutting New Hampshire, with its tax-free booze. Meanwhile, the even less densely populated Wyoming, home to just 587,000, drank just 1.4 million. That means Californians drank about 63 times more booze! Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. Read the original article on Food Republic.
