The State of Texas: The Astros make it to the World Series

What Texas is talking about today No Images? [Click here]( [Get tickets to The Edge of Texas, Nov. 10-11! Presented by VisitDallas]( [Texas Monthly]( October 23, 2017 QUOTE OF THE DAY “It’s cold, man. Is it always like this at this time of year?” —Usain Bolt after arriving in Austin on Sunday, according to the [Austin American-Statesman](. The recently retired Jamaican track star and fastest person of all-time was in town for the Formula One race at Circuit of the Americas, where he was the official starter. The temperature dropped to the mid-60s when Bolt arrived in Austin on Sunday morning. BIG NEWS Houston Strong The Houston Astros [beat the New York Yankees 4-0 in game seven]( of the American League Championship Series on Saturday to advance to the World Series. This will be the team’s second World Series appearance ever, after they won the National League pennant in 2005. After [suffering through years of mediocrity]( and worse, the Astros are right on schedule—in case you forgot, [Sports Illustrated]( ran a cover story on the franchise’s rebuilding project back in 2014, declaring Houston the future 2017 World Series champs. Now they must beat the Los Angeles Dodgers to fulfill the prophecy, which won’t be easy. The Dodgers haven’t been to the World Series since 1988, but the storied franchise has reached the championship stage nineteen times and won six World Series. They had the best record in baseball this season, finishing with 104 wins, and the Dodgers have played like the best team in the playoffs so far, losing just one game on their way to the World Series. Their dominant bullpen and strong starting rotation, led by all-time great Clayton Kershaw, will be a tough test for Jose Altuve and the rest of the Astros’ prolific lineup. Game one will be in Los Angeles on Tuesday. [Get tickets to The Edge of Texas, Nov. 10-11! Presented by VisitDallas]( MEANWHILE, IN TEXAS... Presidential Palace All five living former presidents gathered at Texas A&M University on Saturday for a [Hurricane Harvey]( relief benefit, according to the [Dallas Morning News](. Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter all spoke at the “Deep From the Heart” benefit concert organized by One America Appeal, which had raised more than $31 million from over 80,000 donors by Saturday. “When they see their neighbors, their friends, when they see strangers in need, Americans step up,” Obama said, according to the Morning News. “And as heartbreaking as the tragedies that took place here in Texas, Florida, in Puerto Rico, in the U.S. Virgin Islands have been, what we’ve also seen is the spirit of America at its best.” Senator Ted Cruz, Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, and former Vice President Dick Cheney were also at the benefit concert—plus, Lady Gaga. President Donald Trump did not attend. No Sanctuary U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was in downtown Austin on Friday, where he delivered a speech with some tough talk against immigration, according to the [Austin American-Statesman](. Sessions slammed so-called immigrant sanctuary cities while Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez, one of the toughest critics of [Texas’s anti-sanctuary law, SB 4](, was in the audience. “These jurisdictions that knowingly, willfully, and purposefully release criminal aliens back into their communities are risking the lives and safety of American citizens in the pursuit of what really is an extreme open borders policy,” Sessions said, according to the Statesman. He also praised Trump for trying to strip federal funding from sanctuary cities and for restoring “law and order,” claiming Trump’s long-awaited border wall would make clear the administration’s tough stance on immigration. “But more importantly, the wall will send a message to the world that we enforce our laws,” Sessions said. “It sends a message: finally we mean it.” Pop Star Selena will finally get a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, [Variety first reported](. The Queen of Tejano music will be honored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce during a ceremony on November 3. Her star will be in front of the Capitol Records building. “Since day one of Selena’s selection into the Walk of Fame, not a day went by that we were not asked by fans when Selena would get her star,” Ana Martinez, producer of Walk of Fame ceremonies, told [NBC News]( in a statement. “This day has come and fans from around the world will rejoice in her well-deserved honor.” Selena will be the 2,622nd star on the Walk of Fame. Fans who can’t make it to Los Angeles for the ceremony will be able to watch it live on [www.walkoffame.com](. “This day is finally becoming a reality and we cannot be happier,” Selena’s sister, Suzette Quintanilla, said on behalf of Selena’s family in a statement on Facebook. “We are grateful Selena’s life has been an inspiration to so many and we hope it will continue to encourage people to follow their dreams.” WHAT WE'RE READING Some links are paywalled or subscription-only. Harvey victims are still waiting for housing help from federal disaster relief programs [Galveston Daily News]( Dallas Democratic State Representative Victoria Neave pleaded no contest to DWI charge [Texas Tribune]( A Texas high school student made perhaps the best volleyball play you will ever see [Deadspin]( How public divorce records are kept under wraps for some high-profile Texans [Fort Worth Star-Telegram]( This Odessa city councilman won’t tell you where he lives or what he does for a living [Odessa American]( POLITICAL PLAY [The Binary Choice of Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders]( by R.G. Ratcliffe CNN’s Debate Night: Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz, and a house divided. [It's Energy Action Month - Direct Energy]( [It's Energy Action Month]( October is National Energy Action Month and has been since 1991. It marks not only a national effort to highlight how central energy is to our national prosperity, security, and environmental well-being, it is also a time to re-focus our own efforts on ways we can conserve and use less energy in our daily lives. [Learn More >]( [Get tickets to The Edge of Texas, Nov. 10-11! Presented by VisitDallas]( MORE FROM TEXAS MONTHLY [30 Things You Need to Know About Texas Music in 2017]( by Texas Monthly staff From live electronic in Austin to reimagined cumbia in Corpus to rap-infused zydeco in Houston, here’s why our music scene is more vibrant than ever. [Why Colin Kaepernick Would be Good for the Texans]( by Dan Oko Yes, it’d be controversial. But if you take the politics out of it, Colin Kaepernick makes sense. [The Blues Has Evolved Into Grown Folks Music]( by John Nova Lomax The blues is decidedly not dead, just evolved, as grown as the folks who love it now. [Save up to 79% off cover price!]( Subscribe to Texas Monthly [SUBSCRIBE]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Website]( Texas Monthly PO Box 1569 Austin, TX 78767 Texas Monthly has sent you this alert because you signed up to receive it either online at texasmonthly.com, at the website of one of our business partners, or when you filled out a reader response card. You may cancel your subscription to this and other Texas Monthly newsletters at any time. Please see our Privacy Policy. [Like]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](