Here’s what’s up in SETX,
Beaumont just built a better front door for its biggest industry. The Industrial Safety Training Council cut the ribbon on a new, multimillion-dollar Badging Center — the facility thousands of plant and refinery workers pass through before they ever set foot on a job site. Down in Port Arthur, the Port Acres neighborhood opened its first new fire station since 1961, a Vidor veteran set out on a 1,000-mile walk across Texas, and Beaumont greenlit pool and pickleball upgrades at Magnolia Park. Plus: a bowl of Port Arthur pho worth the detour, an 18-piece big band playing the Jefferson for free, and why the jellyfish washing up on our beaches are actually good news.
Today's newsletter is brought to you by Tailored Financial Solutions.
Let's get into it. 👇
📰 THE BIG NEWS
Beaumont's New Badge of Honor: ISTC Opens a State-of-the-Art Training Hub
The Industrial Safety Training Council (ISTC) has opened a brand-new Badging Center in Beaumont, retiring years of trailer-based operations for the region's oil, gas, and petrochemical workforce. The roughly $9.5 million facility is the front door thousands of contractors and plant workers pass through for safety training and the site-access badging that gets them onto refinery and chemical-plant grounds across the Golden Triangle. It capped about two years of planning, led by ISTC CEO Bobby Tupper.
Every major plant from Beaumont to Port Arthur to Orange runs on that contractor pipeline, so a faster, permanent badging hub means less waiting for workers and smoother staffing for the employers that anchor the local economy. It's the kind of behind-the-scenes infrastructure that keeps SETX paychecks moving.
💡 The bottom line: When the workforce behind every SETX plant gets a permanent, modern front door, that's a steadier regional economy — and a smoother path into some of the area's best-paying jobs.
📋 THE RUNDOWN
🚒 Port Acres Opens Its First New Fire Station Since 1961 — Port Arthur cut the ribbon on a new 15,457-square-foot Fire Station No. 3 at 2385 61st St., replacing a facility that dated back to 1961. Modern living quarters, bigger apparatus bays, and improved response capacity for southwest Port Arthur — which, for residents, can mean faster help when it matters most.
🏊 Beaumont Greenlights Pool, Splash-Pad & Pickleball Upgrades at Magnolia Park — At its July 7 meeting, Beaumont City Council approved recreation upgrades at Magnolia Park — pool, splash-pad, and pickleball court improvements — and accepted a $79,276 TxDOT transit-fuel grant. Small, neighborhood-level wins that make a real difference for families looking to beat the summer heat close to home. Read more → [City of Beaumont]
🎸 SETX Music Jam Sets Its Dates — Aug 28–29 in Vidor — The two-day SETX Music Jam returns Aug. 28–29 at Conn Park in Vidor, a regional live-music weekend worth blocking off now. Mark the calendar early — this one tends to draw a crowd from across the Golden Triangle.
🥾 Vidor Veteran Sets Out on a 1,000-Mile Walk Across Texas — Christopher Smith, 44, of Vidor started July 12 at the Texas-Louisiana border on a planned 1,000-mile trek across the state to raise diabetes awareness. A local-hero story that ties SETX to a cause touching families in every neighborhood — and a reminder to get checked.
🏅 Beaumont Public Health Earns a National Readiness Badge — The Beaumont Public Health Department earned NACCHO's Project Public Health Ready (PPHR) designation — a national recognition of emergency-preparedness readiness, valid through 2030. On the Gulf Coast, where hurricane season is a fact of life, a city that's certified storm-ready is a city better positioned to protect you.
🎬 Filmmaker from SETX Takes Home a Statewide Arts Award — Penny LeLeux of the Barefoot on the Bayou Film Group won the 2026 Art Spark Texas Media Arts Award, a statewide honor for a Southeast Texas creative. Proof that the region's arts scene punches well above its weight and a name worth knowing.
📬 Which story caught your eye?
Your action items this week!
✅ Catch the Golden Triangle Big Band for free — "Sounds of Home" hits the Jefferson Theatre Saturday, July 18 (doors 6:30 PM, show 7:30). An 18-piece jazz orchestra playing original SETX works — free and open to the public.
✅ Cool off at Jazz at the Lake — Free outdoor jazz featuring Dean James at the Downtown Event Centre, Beaumont, Thursday, July 23, 5:30–7:30 PM. Bring a chair.
✅ Book an escape room in Orange — "Paradox of Time" runs at the Orange Public Library (220 5th St.) July 21–31 — free, air-conditioned, and family-friendly.
✅ Grab I Am Woman Experience tickets — The two-day women's empowerment event hits the Julie Rogers Theatre July 17–18. Tickets run from general admission up to VIP ($84.99).
✅ Running a small business or thinking about starting one? — Tailored Financial Solutions offers bookkeeping, CFO-level guidance, and financial clarity for local entrepreneurs. tailoredfinsolutions.com 💰
📅 COMMUNITY EVENTS
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
Jul 16: Ribbon Cutting — Michelli Weighing & Measurement | Greater Beaumont Chamber, Beaumont. Public chamber ribbon-cutting welcoming a member business.
Jul 17: Friday Morning Business Connection | Greater Beaumont Chamber, Beaumont. Weekly morning networking meetup for local business owners.
Jul 17–18: I Am Woman Experience 2026 — "There Is Oil After This" | Julie Rogers Theatre, Beaumont. Two-day empowerment event; Fri doors 6 PM / program 7 PM, continues Sat 10 AM. Tickets from GA up to VIP ($84.99).
MOVIE NIGHTS @ JEFFERSON
July 17 - Pocahontas @ 7 PM
Jul 24 - Forrest Gump @ 7 PM
THIS WEEKEND
Jul 18: Senior "Summer Slam" | Carl Parker Multipurpose Center, Port Arthur. Free, high-energy senior celebration — line dancing ("The PA Shuffle"), musical chairs, and live entertainment; 480+ registered.
Jul 18: "Sounds of Home" — The Golden Triangle Big Band | Jefferson Theatre, 345 Fannin, Beaumont. Doors 6:30 PM, show 7:30 PM; free — an 18-piece jazz orchestra performing original works by SETX composers.
Jul 18: Beaumont Farmers Market | Beaumont Athletic Complex, 6525 College St, Beaumont. 8–11 AM, every Saturday, rain or shine — fresh produce, baked goods, and handmade vendors.
Jul 18: Spindletop Rollergirls vs. Acadiana Roller Derby | Beaumont Civic Center, Beaumont. Doors 5 PM, bout 6 PM; $15 adults, $10 youth (11–16).
Jul 18: Guaranty Tax Services Back-Pack Giveaway | Beaumont. Community back-to-school backpack giveaway (Greater Beaumont Chamber member event).
COMING UP
Jul 21–31: "Escape Room: Paradox of Time" | Orange Public Library, 220 5th St, Orange. Free, air-conditioned family escape-room challenge alongside the "Unearth a Story" Summer Reading Program.
Jul 23: Jazz at the Lake 2026 featuring Dean James | Downtown Event Centre, Beaumont. 5:30–7:30 PM; free outdoor jazz — bring a chair.
Jul 23: Mix & Mingle — Education First FCU | Greater Beaumont Chamber, Beaumont. Evening business open-house / networking mixer.
Jul 28: Thunder From Down Under — Most Wanted 2026 Tour | Jefferson Theatre, Beaumont. 8 PM; 18+ only.
Jul 30: Ribbon Cutting — The Shaw Group | Greater Beaumont Chamber, Beaumont. Public chamber ribbon-cutting.
Jul 30: Art After 5 Lecture — "Glass as Studio Practice" (Alexander Rosenberg) | Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont. After-hours art lecture in AMSET's Art After 5 series.
Aug 1: The Australian Bee Gees — A Tribute to the Bee Gees | Jefferson Theatre, Beaumont. 8 PM.
Aug 2: The Closet Social — Tiny Trendsetters | Beaumont Civic Center, Beaumont. 2–6 PM; kids' fashion / resale shopping social.
Ongoing: Shangri La Botanical Gardens & Nature Center | 2111 W. Park Ave., Orange. Tue–Sat, 9 AM–5 PM, free admission — 252 acres of cypress gardens and shady nature trails.
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. 🎉
🍽️ FOOD CORNER
🍜 Uyen's Restaurant — Port Arthur
Port Arthur is home to one of the largest Vietnamese communities in Texas, and the best way to taste that heritage is a steaming bowl of pho. Uyen's is a no-frills local pho house on the Gulfway corridor. The kind of authentic, family-run spot that rewards anyone willing to venture past the chains. Listed on the official Visit Port Arthur dining guide, it's a true local gem: rich broth, generous herbs, and a reminder that some of SETX's best food comes from its immigrant roots.
📍 3708 Gulfway Dr, Port Arthur, TX
🤤 Had a great meal somewhere in SETX lately? Reply and tell us — we feature reader picks.
🏢 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Tailored Financial Solutions
Let's Connect — 15 Minutes, On Us
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Book a FREE 15-minute call with Lance Taylor to discuss where your business stands today, identify financial blind spots, and understand what to focus on next. Whether it's bookkeeping, cash flow, or profitability, we're here to help you move forward with confidence.
Ready to take the first step?
Visit our website to book your free consultation, or follow us on social media for practical financial tips and business insights from Tailored Financial Solutions.
Website: https://tailoredfinsolutions.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/shai.tailoredfinsolutions
🌲OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
🏖️ Beachcombing Season in Sea Rim State Park & Bolivar Peninsula
Every summer the upper Texas coast fills with white-spotted jellyfish drifting back into Gulf waters - a harmless, oddly beautiful sign that beachcombing season is in full swing. Head to Sea Rim State Park (near Sabine Pass) or out to the Bolivar Peninsula for an early-morning walk along the surf, hunting shells, driftwood, and those speckled jellies washing in with the tide.
Beginner tip: go before 9 AM to beat the July heat, wear water shoes, and look but don't touch the jellyfish. It's a low-cost, kid-friendly way to spend a Gulf Coast morning right in our backyard.
📍 Sea Rim State Park, 19335 S. Gulfway Dr, Sabine Pass and Bolivar Peninsula beaches
🏕️ What's your favorite outdoor spot in the Golden Triangle? Reply and tell us — we'll feature the best ones in a future issue.
💼 JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
🛢️ Refinery Operator — Motiva Enterprises | Port Arthur Refinery
Starting pay around $42.90/hr on rotating shifts — one of the region's strongest entry points into the refining industry. Typically requires a TWIC card, an online assessment, and a drug screen.
Apply at motiva.com/careers.
🏥 Now Hiring — Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas | Beaumont
Around 141 current openings across nursing, support, and administrative roles at a Forbes "America's Best Employers 2026" honoree.
Apply at bhset.net/careers or reach HR at 3030 Fannin, Suite C, Beaumont · (409) 212-6011.
🏥 Clinical Roles — CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Health System
CHRISTUS is hiring across its Southeast Texas facilities in 2026 — nurses, techs, and therapists among them.
Browse current openings and filter for Southeast Texas at careers.christushealth.org.
🏗️ 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.
🌿 Tailored Lawn Care
Looking for outdoor work this spring? Tailored Lawn Care is hiring for local routes. Good steady gig with a local company.
Call or text Frederick: (409) 365-4887
🔜 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 →
📣 Your Turn
📰 What do you want more of in this newsletter? More food? More jobs? More events? More deep dives? Tell us and we'll deliver.
See you in a few days neighbor 📍,
The What’s Up SETX Team
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