Here’s what’s up in SETX, 

Tropical Storm Arthur is moving up the Texas coast and SETX is in its path — expect 4–6 inches of rain through Friday, with Port Arthur and the coast under a tropical storm watch. The timing is complicated, because this region also has a full Juneteenth weekend ahead: Port Arthur's parade steps off Thursday, Orange's Krewe De Onyx festival fires up Thursday night, and Beaumont closes it out Saturday with Midnight Star headlining a free five-hour celebration at the Civic Center. Meanwhile, Dow Chemical notified about 50 Orange workers of layoffs last week as part of a global cost-cutting push, and Golden Pass LNG just handed out twelve scholarships to local high school graduates.

Today's newsletter is brought to you by Tailored Financial Solutions.

Let's get into it. 👇

Tropical Storm Arthur Is Bearing Down on SETX: Here's What to Know ⛈️

Potential Tropical Cyclone One is expected to become the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic season — Tropical Storm Arthur — as it tracks northeast along the Texas coast toward Louisiana. A tropical storm watch has been issued for Southeast Texas including Port Arthur, and the National Hurricane Center is forecasting widespread rainfall of 4–6 inches across the region through Friday, with isolated higher totals possible where rain bands stall. The system is projected to make inland move over Louisiana on Thursday, but SETX will feel the effects well before that.

Port Arthur is in a particularly vulnerable position — already one of the most flood-prone cities in Texas, it sits in an area where drainage projects are still underway. Flash flooding is the primary threat, not wind. Keep low-lying roads off your route, charge your devices, and monitor the National Hurricane Center (nhc.noaa.gov) and your city's emergency channels throughout the day. If you're in Jefferson County, sign up for emergency alerts through the county's notification system.

Looking for even more things to do? Browse and submit community events at events.whatsupsetx.com — updated every week. 🎉

Mark your calendars for these upcoming highlights.

THIS WEEK

📌 PORT ARTHUR JUNETEENTH — Parade & Kulture Block Party

📍 Procter St, Port Arthur → Pavilion, 522 Procter St | 🕐 Jun 19 | Parade: 3:30 PM → Kulture Block Party: 5 PM | 🎟️ Free

What to expect: Port Arthur native Elandon Roberts — NFL linebacker, two-time Super Bowl champion — leads the parade down Procter Street as this year's grand marshal. The Kulture Block Party follows at the Pavilion: live music, vendors, and the kind of community celebration that Port Arthur does better than most. This is the kind of event that reminds you why the Golden Triangle shows up for itself.

Jun 16: Mix & Mingle — DuGood Credit Union | 1795 N. Major Dr, Beaumont. 4:30–6:30 PM. Greater Beaumont Chamber networking. All chamber members welcome.

Jun 18: Commercial Bank of Texas Ribbon Cutting | 4215 Eastex Fwy, Beaumont. 2–3 PM. Greater Beaumont Chamber welcome ceremony for the new location.

Jun 18: Artist Meet & Greet — FotoFest 2026 "Close to Home" | Art Museum of Southeast Texas, 500 Main St, Beaumont. 4:30–6:30 PM. Meet photographers Ray Carrington III, Keith Carter, and Earlie Hudnall Jr. Free admission.

Jun 19: Krewe De Onyx 5th Annual Juneteenth Festival (Night 1) | Riverside Pavilion, 708 Simmons Dr, Orange. Gates open 5 PM. Car show 6:30 PM (entry $25); live music by Rusty Metoyer 9:30 PM–midnight. General admission free.

MOVIE NIGHTS @ JEFFERSON

THIS WEEKEND

📌 CITY OF BEAUMONT JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION — The Zapp Band Headlining

📍 Beaumont Civic Center, 701 Main St, Beaumont | 🕐 Sat Jun 20, 4–9 PM | 🎟️ Free admission

What to expect: Beaumont's annual Juneteenth headliner this year is The Zapp Band — the funk legends known for the iconic Roger Troutman talk-box sound and a catalog of R&B hits that defined an era. Five hours of cultural performances, live entertainment, and community celebration in the heart of downtown. This one's worth getting there early.

Jun 20: Beaumont Farmers Market | 8–11 AM at Beaumont Athletic Complex, 6525 College St. Weekly Saturday market with local produce, grass-fed beef, baked goods, goat milk products, coffee, and live entertainment.

Jun 20: Great White Shark Family Day | 10 AM–1 PM at Museum of the Gulf Coast, 700 Procter St, Port Arthur. Free family activities celebrating sharks and Gulf Coast marine life.

Jun 20: Port Arthur 8th Annual Juneteenth Festival | All day at Sgt. Lucian Adams Park, Port Arthur. Full-day free celebration presented by the Port Arthur Cultural Coalition.

Jun 20: Krewe De Onyx Juneteenth Festival (Day 2) | 5 PM at Riverside Pavilion, 708 Simmons Dr, Orange. Live music and vendors continue. Free general admission.

Jun 20: Beaumont Renegades vs. Oceanside Bombers | 3 PM at Doggett Ford Park, Beaumont. Home baseball game. Tickets at doggettfordpark.com.

COMING UP

Jun 25: Ribbon Cutting — Doggett Toyota | Beaumont. New dealership celebrated with the Greater Beaumont Chamber — time and location to be confirmed at bmtcoc.org.

Jun 25: Go Skate Beaumont! | 5–8 PM at Beaumont Skate Park, 999 Laurel Ave, Beaumont. Free outdoor skate competition for ages 18+ hosted by EVRYNG and the City of Beaumont for National Go Skate Day. Free.

Jun 27: Kids Fish | 9 AM–12 PM at Sea Rim State Park, 19335 State Hwy 87, Sabine Pass. Free youth fishing event on the Gulf Coast — instructional activities and family fun at the water's edge. Free.

Which event are you hitting up? Reply and let us know! And if there's an event we missed, submit it or browse the full calendar at events.whatsupsetx.com — updated every week. 🎉

Mario Godoy and his wife took over a spot that longtime Beaumont neighbors knew as Ana's Bakery on Calder — and they brought something special with them. Super Antojo de Hidalgo is an authentic Mexican bakery and kitchen: conchas, bolillos, empanadas, puerquitos (those pig-shaped molasses cookies your abuela would recognize), tamales, burritos, and same-day custom tres leches cakes. It's the kind of place that smells like something good is always happening — and the Beaumont CVB and Yelp reviewers are already catching on.

Week of Juneteenth feels like exactly the right time to spotlight a family bringing a new food tradition to SETX. If you haven't swung by Calder yet, this is your sign. Call ahead if you want a custom cake — same-day orders are welcome.

📍 2570 Calder Ave, Beaumont, TX 77702 | 📞 (409) 499-9115

🤤 Had a great meal somewhere in SETX lately? Reply and tell us — we feature reader picks.

In 2025, Emily Rhine started an informal, free networking group for marketing professionals across Southeast Texas because there wasn't one.

The group meets regularly at local spots around the Golden Triangle and the conversations are open: AI in marketing, what's actually working, business development, shared challenges. Every industry is welcome from financial services to construction to entertainment. No dues, no strict agenda. Miss a meetup? No worries, you're always welcome at the next one.

Members have built real connections and launched ideas that grew out of these conversations. It's a genuinely good group of people doing interesting work across SETX. If you work in marketing and want a community to grow with, this one's worth checking out.

👉 Reach out to Emily Rhine on LinkedIn if you work in marketing and want in.

Make Us Your #1 Financial Partner

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We built TFS on two things that matter most in finance: intelligence and trust. Accurate numbers, clear reporting, and a team that is invested in your growth, not just your paperwork.

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This section is sponsored by Tailored Financial Solutions. Want your business featured here? Email us at [email protected].

With 4–6 inches of rain on the way through Friday, this is not a weekend for outdoor plans. Stay in, stay dry, stay off flooded roads.

But once Arthur clears — and it should be mostly through by Saturday — Big Thicket National Preserve has a full summer lineup worth putting on your calendar now. Rangers are running free programs all season: night hikes, guided canoe trips (sunset and daytime), and cleanup paddles on the waterways that crisscross the Preserve. Free fishing is happening at Collier's Ferry Park in Beaumont this summer — no license needed, no gear required. The NPS brings rods, bait, and instruction. Weekend movie nights at the Big Thicket Visitor Center are also on the schedule for families looking for a cool evening activity.

Big Thicket sits about 30 minutes north of Beaumont on the US-69 corridor. Most programs require preregistration — check the NPS events page or call the visitor center at (409) 951-6700 for upcoming dates.

🏕️ What's your favorite outdoor spot in the Golden Triangle? Reply and tell us — we'll feature the best ones in a future issue.

Industry Pulse: Dow Chemical's "Transform to Outperform" layoffs reached SETX this week — about 50 workers at the Orange facility among those notified.

If you or someone you know is affected, Workforce Solutions SETX is the first call: their Port Arthur center (4680 FM 365) specializes in regional industrial transition support. On the hiring side, Motiva's Port Arthur refinery continues to recruit process operators at competitive wages, and both major hospital systems remain active.

🏗️ Construction Trades — Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 | Port Arthur

Bechtel is the EPC contractor at the Sempra Infrastructure LNG terminal site. If you hold certifications in pipefitting, welding, electrical work, instrumentation, or heavy equipment — or if you have a CDL — this project is hiring through the construction phase. Steady work, local to Jefferson County.

How to apply: bechtel.com/careers | Search: "Port Arthur LNG"

💼 Tax Professional Lead — Tailored Financial Solutions | Remote
Detail-oriented tax pro needed for a growing local firm. Fully remote. Ideal for a CPA, enrolled agent, or experienced tax preparer looking for flexible work with real local roots.
How to apply: Apply: tailoredfinsolutions.com | [email protected]

👷 Blue-Collar Skilled Trades — Port Arthur / Sabine Pass

Patriot Security EOC is hiring 60+ positions across Port Arthur and Sabine Pass. Strong market region-wide for welders, operators, and industrial support roles. Ask about openings at your nearest WorkForce Solutions SETX location or check local job boards.

🏥 Healthcare Careers — CHRISTUS Southeast Texas | Beaumont

CHRISTUS is actively recruiting clinical and support staff heading into summer — registered nurses, technicians, and patient care roles are in demand.

How to apply: Apply at christushealth.org/careers

👩‍🏫 Teachers & Support Staff — Vidor ISD / Lumberton ISD / Hardin-Jefferson ISD

Three area school districts are running job fairs this week with on-the-spot offers — Vidor ISD has 20–30 openings (teachers, sped, bus drivers, custodial, food service), Lumberton and H-J ISD are seeking teachers, aides, transportation, and nutrition staff. Show up ready. Details →

🤝 Community Relations Coordinator for What’s Up SETX

We're looking for a local SETX connector — part community ambassador, part relationship builder. If you're already in the room at networking events and love sharing good news about this region, this role is for you.

Interested? Reply to this email or reach out at [email protected]

💼 General SETX Openings

Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas posts current openings across industries — manufacturing, healthcare, education, and skilled trades.

How to apply: Browse the full board at setworks.org or stop by a local office in Beaumont or Port Arthur.

Looking for outdoor work this spring? Tailored Lawn Care is hiring for local routes. Good steady gig with a local company.

🔜 Browse all local SETX job listings — coming soon. Sign up for early access when our job board launches: reply here to get on the list →

⛈️ Tropical storm incoming! What's your go-to SETX storm-day routine? Do you prep the day before, wait it out at a coffee shop, or just stay home and cook?

See you next week neighbor 📍,

The What’s Up SETX Team