God, this is definitely my least favorite time of year in Texas. The frolicking days of the new summer have gotten flame-torched into these breezeless scorching marathons that run deep into the night. Seems like everyone I run into is either cranky or bored. It’s too hot to breathe so we spend our days running from our air-conditioned cars to our air-conditioned houses. I just want to know when they are going to build the dang movie theatre in that cow pasture so we can escape this hellish existence without having to leave town. A bookstore would also be nice. And a Pei Wei Asian Diner.

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Let’s see, the library is still hosting a weekly story time on Wednesdays and Fridays. The pool is still open every day through August 22, and then only on weekends through Labor Day. There’s a city council meeting Tuesday, the 3rd, and Market Days the following Saturday, August 7 so mark your calendars and come downtown for these two diverse events.

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And happy birthday to one of downtown’s most ardent supporters, Gene Johnson, who celebrated last Sunday.

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I’m sure you’ve already heard by now that the riveting 2010-11 Annual Budget Proposal was unveiled at the council meeting last week. It’s quite a hefty tome, so luckily Mayor Johnson will be holding a Town Hall Meeting next Wednesday, from 7-8 p.m. at Kyle City Hall to discuss it. At this gathering she is “hoping to educate and involve the public in the budget process”. This is your chance to air your concerns and ideas (to someone who actually cares), so utilize this opportunity to get your questions answered and develop a clearer vision of how our city plans on spending your money.

For those of you who attempted to respond to the email address printed last week for a free chicken dinner at tonight’s Town Hall Meeting, I was just informed that there should have been an “s” after Kyle (brad@kylesvoice.com). Sorry about that. It’s still happening, tonight at 7 p.m. at City Hall, and Councilmember Pickett will be on-hand to give you the latest news in city government and is genuinely interested in hearing what you have to say. Free dinner and an opportunity for your concerns to actually be heard. Seems like a no-brainer.

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I guess the big news on Center Street this week must be the movie in the park on Friday night. Looks like the children’s classic “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” will be showing on the big out-door screen in Gregg-Clarke Park at 9:00 p.m. From what I hear, it’s a great way to wile away these Texas summer nights.

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And as for these Texas summer days, I saw fire trucks shooting plumes of cool water across Blanco Street last week and could hear the shrieks of happy kiddos a block away as the KFD entertained and enlightened local children at the Kyle Community Library annual Splash Day. Unfortunately, though, all good things must come to an end and the library will be wrapping up its 2010 Summer Reading Club with prizes and pizza, a moonwalk, face painting, train rides and snow cones. The festivities begin on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. so bring your final reading logs and reward yourselves for a job well done this summer. Last, but not least, don’t forget bilingual storytime on Friday at 10:30 a.m. The theme this week is “El Desierto”.

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Also, don’t lose sight of the fact that although we are under voluntary water restrictions and should only water between the hours of 7 p.m. and 10 a.m.  So, you guys in charge of watering around Target and Kohl’s, your incessant high-spray watering at three o’clock in the afternoon insults us all and makes you look like a bad neighbor. Lucky for us, though, was that incredible rain storm last Sunday afternoon. I had to smile when I walked out of the Free Press offices and saw the double rainbow spanning the tracks from Buda to San Marcos, it seemed, with Kyle cradled in its arc. Made me miss my old next door neighbors, Bret and Andy, who so loved rainbows. Validation, I suppose.

Just got the word that our newest eatery, Chick-fil-A, has graciously offered to provide box dinners to everyone who attends next Wednesday’s Town Hall Meeting hosted by Council Member Brad Pickett at 7 p.m. at City Hall. All you have to do is RSVP to brad@kylesvoice.com and they’ll have dinner and a drink waiting for you. Pickett says that he is open to discussing anything and everything, so skip cooking dinner and take an hour and come downtown and bend your elected official’s ear. They’re making it real easy on us.

Other than that, it seems the only action around here is going to be over at the library. This Thursday they are hosting Splash Day with the Kyle Fire Department, beginning at 10:30 a.m. And then on Friday, they are adding a little Hispanic culture into the mix, with “Visitamos Afrika,” a bilingual story time at 10:30 a.m. Friday afternoons are always reserved for the older set with Game Time from 1-3 p.m. for 8-12-year-olds, and from 3-5 p.m. for those 13-18. I’m sure the games are great and you honestly can’t beat the library’s chilly AC. Next Wednesday the library is hosting a special program on “Stranger Danger” with the Kyle Police Department so mark your calendars and bring the kiddos downtown for some fun.

And then next Friday night, the 23rd, my buddy Laurie’s favorite book, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is being shown in movie form on the big screen in Gregg-Clarke Park. My daughter Emma and her buddies went last month and they said it was a blast and the price is definitely right. We only have two more after this one, so take advantage of it while it’s here.

Oh, and happy 11th birthday, Alli.

Over drinks the other night, a good friend expressed her exasperation and disappointment with the path that Kyle is taking these days. She said that nothing is happening and the town is stagnant, if not dead, and there are no real “local” businesses to support. Before I could slam my hands on my hips in indignation, we were interrupted by fellow revelers and I never got to respond to her oh-so-flawed assertion.

So, I’ll give you “local,” missy, all the way down my Center Street stomping grounds – walkable Kyle in a nutshell. Now clip this out and hang it on your fridge and make it a point to patronize at least one of these establishments a week:
1. 4-Way Auto: 268-2011 – Towing, service and repair
2. Railroad Bar-B-Que: 262-4641 – Food, beer and sometimes music
3. Synergy Salon and Spa: 268-1144 – Hair, nails and body
4. Bordeaux’s: 268-3463 – Fine dining, excellent libations, cool wait staff
5. Hays Free Press: 268-7862 – Annual subscription? $28. (My columns? Priceless.)
6. Center Food Market: 268-2311 – Groceries and beer in a pinch
7. Larsen’s Taekwondo: 268-8000 – Classes for the whole family
8. Old Town Gift Emporium: 262-0773 – Center Street Event Center coming soon
9. Texas Pie Co.: 268-5885 – Yummy lunches. Quiche, pies and casseroles to go
10. Hitters: 268-8028 – Cheeseburgers, cold beer, sports and the best fries in town
11. Hair Topic: 268-4247 – Beauty shop that seems to be busy all the time
12. Katherine Anne Porter House: 268-6637 – Culture in our fair city
13. Motley Menagerie: 268-4188 -  Bistro and gift shop
14. Luvianos: 268-4380 – Mexican food and margaritas on the deck
15. Kyle Pool: 268-5326 – Swimming and sliding and sunning

And there you have it. Food, drinks, massages, manicures, car maintenance, karate, culture and one hell of a good read. C’mon downtown. It’s all local down here.

The first of the month always brings Market Days to Kyle. This Saturday the festivities kick off with music by Hollie Holloway playing the breakfast set at 9 a.m., followed by Bobby Fuentes & Los Flames at noon. It promises to be a great day of live music in the park.

Then, on Sunday, our annual Independence Day Celebration explodes with a fireworks display beginning at 9:30 p.m. at Gregg-Clarke Park. I hear that the swimming pool is going to stay open until 7 p.m. so grab your suit and cool off in the pool and then get front row seats to the show. And even though we finally got enough rain to lift the burn ban, it is actually still illegal to shoot off fireworks in the city of Kyle. KPD says that they will fine you from $500 to $2,000 for even possessing fireworks within the city limits so avoid the temptation and let the city put on the show this year.

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And, on a more cerebral note, Councilmember and Mayor pro tem Russ Huebner is holding a Town Hall Meeting at Seton-Hays on Thursday, July 1 at 6 p.m. This is a great opportunity to talk directly to your elected officials and garner information in a more informal setting, so take advantage.

You can file this one under “I Was Absolutely Clueless.” Seems Kyle is home to an 18-hole, double tee-box disc golf course designed by two-time world champion disc golfer, John Houck. From what I read, this course, located over in Steeplechase Park, just east of downtown, is a real beaut with Plum Creek meandering through it and skill level challenges ranging from novice to professional. This weekend, the official 2010 Heart of Texas Tour Disc Golf Tournament brings us the 3rd Annual HOTT Kyle Open beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Grab your family and head on over to one of Kyle’s coolest attractions for some uncommon fun in a beautiful space.

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And, of course, our bustling community libraries’ ever popular summer reading program is hopping with a Yo-Yo Show on Thursday as well as a special Puppet Show on Friday. And for the older kiddos, the library will be hosting “Game Time” from 1-5 p.m. every Friday afternoon with the first couple of hours reserved for the 8-12-year-old crowd, leaving the 3-5 p.m. slot open to local teens aged 13-18.

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And last, but certainly not least, the City of Kyle is teaming up with our police and fire departments for a Car Seat and Safety Clinic. There will be trained professionals to help ensure that you are properly installing your children’s car seats in your vehicles for optimum safety. This event takes place at our new downtown fire station from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and, as an added bonus, there will be free hot dogs and drinks and a drawing for a couple of new car seats.

I smiled, but was not surprised, when I stumbled across a posting on the city website from our newly elected council member, Brad Pickett, announcing the implementation of monthly Town Hall meetings. The first meeting takes place tonight, June 16, at 7 p.m. at City Hall. Future meetings are on the docket for the third Wednesday night of each month to discuss issues ranging from the 2010-11 budget, to a review of the city charter, to hiring a new city manager. Throughout his campaign, Brad espoused his sincere belief in open and accessible government and, lo and behold, an honest politician.

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And further down the block I see that Darlene Motley is throwing open the doors of the Motley Menagerie offering food, fashion and fun each Wednesday from noon until 2 p.m. The little green and purple house on west Center Street is trying to make summer in downtown sizzle with a bit of fashion and a spritz of chilled wine to help us all in hurdling that mid-week hump.

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On Friday night, free fun for the whole family begins at sunset in Gregg-Clarke Park as the city once again hosts its popular summer movies series. This month, they are featuring “Planet 51”, an animated caper that turns the tables with humans being the weird-looking aliens “invading” a planet full of little green people. The reels start spinning around 9 p.m. so grab a blanket and head out under the stars for a night full of zaniness.

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And, just a heads up, Kyle’s Montessori school is hosting its seventh annual Garage Giving next Saturday, June 26 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. In a great twist to the traditional Garage Sale, La Casa dei Bambini on Moore Street in south Kyle will be serving hot dogs, cupcakes and lemonade to everyone who ventures by. All of the items donated for this event will be absolutely free for the taking, so stop by and check it out.

It was nice to see folks slowing down on Center Street Saturday morning, peering into City Square Park, listening to the blues of the Spencer Thomas Band and smelling the kettle corn at Market Days. Sunday was a whole different day, though. I actually walked the lab Ginger across Center Street at mid-afternoon and there was not a single car coming in either direction. When this town slows down, it slows way down. And the rest of the week is looking kind of quiet as well.

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Excitingly, though, for all of you policy wonks, concerned citizens and those stark-raving alarmists stomping around and ranting that the sky is falling and the new library is going to bankrupt our fair city, the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee of the City of Kyle will meet at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 10 at City Hall to discuss and review the proposed Debt Management Policy. Undeniably, this meeting is important as we attempt to wrangle our proposed and established debt and determine a sane path to fiscal security. It is absolutely free and open to the public, so head on over and get the facts.

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Then, to usher in the weekend, the Community Youth Council of Northern Hays County is hosting Teen Night at the Kyle Swimming Pool on Friday night. The theme is Retro Night and there will be a DJ, swimming, and pizza and drinks for sale. The party, for local kids 13-18 years old, will cost $4 and last from 8-10 p.m. So, tell your teens to text all their buddies and have them come for a swim under the stars. Texas summer nights at its finest.

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And for the younger crowd, there will be an incredibly special story time guest at the Kyle Library Summer Reading Club Kick Off Party: our illustrious mayor, Lucy Johnson! Next Wednesday the doors open at 10 a.m. and the party begins a half hour later so grab your kids and their friends and walk on down to the library, hear a couple of good stories, sign up for the reading club and get cookies and punch to boot.

It always cracks me up when people say that summer doesn’t begin until June 21. It’s here, folks. School’s out, the pool’s open and twice a week watering restrictions have begun. As always, remember that it’s against the rules (and common sense) to water your lawn between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., so batten down the hatches, it looks like we’re in for another scorcher. Thank god they finally opened Five Mile.

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One cool place to hang out this summer is the Kyle Community Library and starting this Friday, all the local kiddos can sign up for Kyle Community Library’s Summer Reading Club. They promise lots of fun activities and prizes for every reader. The library is open every day but Sunday and they stay late on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Make the library one of your family activities to keep busy this summer. Next Monday the library will be hosting a Ringling Bros Clown Show at noon so head on over and get your summer started.

And on Saturday, the first Kyle Market Days of the summer is from 9-2 p.m. Hopefully some farmers will show up and bring us fresh produce like they did in years past. Market Days kind of loses some of its appeal without them. But, on the bright side, it looks like the entertainment will more than compensate with our very own bluesman, Spencer Thomas and his band kicking off the party bright and early, followed by nationally known harp player, Jimi Lee, with a lunchtime set. The park should be rocking all day long so come down and support your local vendors, artists and craftsmen.

Finally downtown is coming back to life. It seemed like everything kind of ground to a halt a couple of weeks ago and everyone was just passing through with their windows sealed tight and their phones smashed up to their heads. Luckily, Friday night is movie night just west of downtown in Gregg-Clarke Park. This month the feature is “Shorts”, a fantasy about a freak storm, a mysterious magical rock and misadventure. The 90-minute show starts at 8:30 p.m. so grab a blanket, your kids and their friends and head down to the park for an evening of free fun and community camaraderie.

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And summer must be right around the bend because the Kyle Pool opens for the season this Saturday. It looks like pool hours will be noon to 6 p.m. during the week and 1-5 p.m. on the weekends (closed on Mondays – except this coming Monday, which is Memorial Day and the kids will be out of school in observance so they will open the pool from 1-5 p.m.). It just costs a buck to get in if you are younger than 13 or older than 55, two bucks for 13 to 17-year-olds and a whopping $3 for the rest of us. Or you can spring for a season pass for unlimited admission all summer long or a punch card that buys you 12 swims for the price of 10.

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And as a final farewell to spring and a big hello to three months of running amok, the local kiddos will be saying goodbye to the school year next Thursday afternoon. It’s been a long year and their heads are going to be in the clouds for a while, so watch out for those crazed grads from every grade level, celebrating their long lost freedom.