WeekHack: Astros players up for awards, new Spring ISD stadium opens and Nutcracker Market begins

HOUSTON – Take a look at some of the most significant Houston-area events and stories happening in the week ahead.

Government, politics and education

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Houston celebrates Veterans Day with parade

On Monday, Nov. 11, America will honor the service members who served and sacrificed for their country. The City of Houston will host its 22nd Annual Houston Salutes American Heroes Veterans Day Celebration starting at 10 a.m. at City Hall. 

Bayou Tributaries Meeting

HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 25: Traffic is pictured over Brays Bayou in the Meyerland neighborhood on August 25, 2018 in Houston, Texas. August 25 is the one-year anniversary of when Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Texas coast, before inflicting severe damage on the Meyerland neighborhood and the city of Houston. (Photo by Loren Elliott/Getty Images)

The Harris County Flood Control District will hold a community engagement meeting to inform citizens about projects to reduce flooding risks. The projects will be funded with bonds approved by Harris County voters in August 2018. The meeting will be held at the Hardy Senior Center from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11.

Harris County State of Health

Commissioner Adrian Garcia along with other public officials and leaders will address the current state of health in Harris County on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m. outside the Ben Taub Hospital. 

Spring ISD's new Planet Ford Stadium opens

Spring ISD and Planet Ford will celebrate the grand opening of the new Planet Ford Stadium at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The event will feature fireworks, former NFL players and performances by all three high school bands, cheer and dance teams as the ribbon is officially cut on the new facility. The stadium was built with community support and as part of the district's 2016 bond program to address the long-standing facility, technology, and safety and security needs of Spring ISD. 

Sec. Pompeo speaks at Rice

BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 08: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a press statement at the German Chancellery on November 8, 2019 in Berlin, Germany. Pompeo is in Germany ahead of the November 9 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which led to the collapse of the communist East German government in 1989 and the eventual reunification of East and West Germany. Pompeo served in the U.S. armed forces and was a tank commander stationed in West Germany. (Photo by Andreas Gora/Getty Images)

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will deliver remarks about U.S. foreign policy at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 15.

Sports

Houston Astros Verlander, Cole, Alvarez, Bregman among 2019 BBWAA awards finalists

The Baseball Writers' Association of America will announce its annual award winners on MLB network throughout the week. Astros players Yordan Alvarez, Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander and Alex Bregman are among the BBWA awards finalists: Alvarez is up for AL Rookie of the Year; Cole and Verlander are finalists for the AL Young Award; and Bregman was nominated for the AL Most Valuable Player Award.

Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens

HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 27: Houston Texans cheerleaders perform during a game against the Oakland Raiders at NRG Stadium on October 27, 2019 in Houston, Texas. The Texans defeated the Raiders 27-24. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Houston Texans fans, break out your jerseys and gear up for a showdown with the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Nov. 17 at the M&T Bank Stadium. 

Houston Rockets head into busy, four-game week

Eric Gordon #10 of the Houston Rockets plays the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center on November 13, 2018, in Denver, Colorado.

Red Nation, rejoice! You're in for a week packed with Rockets baseball games. Gear up for a four-game week beginning with a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on Monday, Nov. 11. Next up, the Rockets go up against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Toyota Center on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Then, the Rockets have a home game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, Nov. 15. An away game against the Minnesota Timberwolves rounds out the week.

Festivals and family fun

2019 Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market

The 39th annual Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market returns to NRG Center Thursday, Nov.14-Sunday, Nov. 17. More than 260 merchants from across the country will showcase their unique gift items, including home décor, gourmet food, apparel, toys, candles, jewelry, novelties, accessories and more. Now in its 39th year the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market is an annual fundraiser that allows shoppers to give back to the Houston Ballet Foundation, its Academy and scholarship programs. 

The Polar Express Train Ride at the Galveston Railroad Museum

2004: Tom Hanks stars in director Robert Zemeckis' motion-capture movie adaptation of the classic book "The Polar Express."

 Make sure you have your golden tickets!  The Polar Express train ride will offer magical winter train rides to in Galveston from Nov. 15 to Dec. 30. The 60-minute train ride will be Christmas themed, providing passengers hot chocolate and treats along with reading a classic children's book, "The Polar Express," written by Chris Van Allsburg. 

Ice skating at Discovery Green returns for the holiday season

Embrace the holiday cheer with an ice skating adventure at Discovery Green. Ice skating returns to the park on Friday, Nov. 15. On opening day, the park will waive all skate rental fees and the first 50 skaters will skate for free.

Operation Stocking Stuffer

KPRC 2 is proud to work with the Houston Fire Department to kick off Operation Stocking Stuffer, the annual holiday toy drive that collects thousands of toys through November and most of December and gives them to Houston-area children in need.

 


About the Author:

Briana Zamora-Nipper joined the KPRC 2 digital team in 2019. When she’s not hard at work in the KPRC 2 newsroom, you can find Bri drinking away her hard earned wages at JuiceLand, running around Hermann Park, listening to crime podcasts or ransacking the magazine stand at Barnes & Noble.