Effective Jan. 1, Kelley Mattlage has been promoted to serve as chief operating officer for the East Montgomery County Improvement District, officials announced in a Dec. 8 news release.

What's happening? Mattlage, who currently serves as EMCID's chief communications officer, will maintain her marketing and public relations duties, while also adding human resources and event and office management duties to her role. Per the release, Mattlage will also serve as liaison to the district's 210,000-square-foot convention center, which is set to open in late 2026.

Quote of note: "I am truly excited about opportunities this role provides, and I'm well-equipped to manage the challenges that come along with it," Mattlage said in a statement. "I look forward to working with our talented team to optimize our processes and more efficiently realize our goals, putting forth a company image employees can get behind and the community can support. These are exciting times for EMCID, and I am honored to help lead the organization into the future."

Check out what's happening in the New Caney and Porter areas Dec. 11-16. This list is not comprehensive. Events are subject to change.

Christmas Sing & Sip: Sing along with holiday songs at this Christmas carol sing-along hosted by Final Gravity Brewpub. The event is family-friendly and will feature live music, a pre-fixed Christmas menu from KK's Island Style Food, holiday brews and games.

• Dec. 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• $48.19
• 23435 FM 1314 B-6, Porter

• Dec. 13, 2 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• R.B. Tullis Library, 21569 Hwy. 59, New Caney

• Dec. 16, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• The Atrium Center, 21575 Hwy. 59, New Caney

Despite the heat and humidity in Texas, Houstonians can go ice skating in the Greater Houston area this holiday season. This is not a comprehensive list.

Ice at Discovery Green
Green Mountain Energy presents Ice at Discovery Green, where park-goers can enjoy skating in the heart of Houston. There will be multiple theme nights, such as DJ Skate Night Saturdays, Skating with Santa and Inclusive Skaters Night.

• Open through Feb. 2; operating hours vary
• $20.99; includes skates
• 1500 McKinney St., Houston

• Open through Jan. 19; operating hours vary
• $7 (age 5 and under); $15 (ages 6 and older); includes skates
• 2005 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands

Texas voters will see 18 statewide races on the ballot in 2026.

The overview: Texas will hold Republican and Democratic primary elections on March 3 to determine who will appear on the statewide ballot in November. Texas is one of 17 states with open primaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, meaning registered voters can cast their ballots in either primary and do not need to register with a specific party.

What to know: The 18 statewide races on the 2026 primary ballots are:

• U.S. Senate
• Governor
• Lieutenant governor
• Attorney general
• Comptroller of public accounts
• General land commissioner
• Agriculture commissioner
• Railroad commissioner
• Texas Supreme Court, chief justice
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 2
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 7
• Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 8
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 3
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 4
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 9
• 15th Court of Appeals, chief justice
• 15th Court of Appeals justice, Place 2
• 15th Court of Appeals justice, Place 3