Here’s what’s up in SETX, 

Beaumont just hit pause on hiring. City Manager Chris Boone froze most vacant city positions while staff build the FY 2027 budget — and the first public look at that budget happens this morning at 9, in Council Chambers, open to anyone who walks in. Elsewhere: a $130,000 traffic signal is finally moving at Northwest Parkway and North Major, your blue recycling container has an expiration date, and a Port Arthur ISD principal just got named the best in the region.

Plus: Chaba Thai Bistro is the only Thai kitchen in Beaumont, there's a sober-social pizza night at The Forge, and 900 acres of marsh boardwalk that's best before the heat wakes up.

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

Let's get into it. 👇

Beaumont Freezes Hiring While It Writes Next Year's Budget 🧊

Beaumont City Manager Chris Boone has frozen hiring on most vacant city positions, effective immediately, while staff put together the FY 2027 budget. Public safety is carved out: police officers, firefighters, EMS crews, 911 dispatchers, and other essential roles keep hiring without interruption. Everything else waits until the city knows what next year's numbers look like.

For residents, this is the rare civic story with a door you can actually walk through. The FY 2027 budget workshop runs at 9 a.m. this morning, Wednesday, July 15, in Council Chambers, and it's open to the public — the first look at what the city plans to spend, trim, and protect. A hiring freeze is the kind of decision that shows up later in how fast a permit clears, how long a pothole sits, or how quickly someone picks up at a city department. Better to hear the reasoning firsthand than to reverse-engineer it in October.

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 15: Port of Port Arthur 8th Community Engagement Session | Westside Development Center, 601 W. Rev. Dr. Ransom Howard St., Port Arthur. Free public session on port operations and community impact, 5–6:30 PM.

Jul 16: Ribbon Cutting — Michelli Weighing & Measurement | Greater Beaumont Chamber, Beaumont. Public chamber ribbon-cutting welcoming a member business.

Jul 16: McFaddin-Ward House Lecture — "Extreme Sports in Historic Small Boats" | 1906 Calder Ave., Beaumont. Free lecture, 6:30–8 PM.

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).

Jul 17–18: AIMED Dance Summer Fest | Lamar University, Beaumont. Contemporary dance concerts both nights, 7:30 PM. $10–$20.

MOVIE NIGHTS @ JEFFERSON

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: Outdoor Movie Night — Jurassic Park | Silsbee Public Library parking lot, Silsbee. Free admission; concessions open 8 PM, movie 8:30 PM, concessions $1. ⚠️ Weather-dependent.

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 20: Pizza Night at Monday Night Lounge | The Forge — Fund & Coworking, 268 Pearl St., Beaumont. Sober social pizza night hosted by SETX Sober Social, 6–9 PM.

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 25: Sargent St Market | 105 Sargent St., Vidor. Free open-air vendor market held the fourth Saturday, 9 AM–1 PM. ⚠️ Weather-dependent.

Jul 25: Game Time | Silsbee Public Library, Silsbee. Free tabletop gaming session, 10 AM–1 PM.

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.

Jul 30: Mayor's 365-Day Community Progress Meeting | Lamar State College Port Arthur, Health & Science Building, Port Arthur. Free public update from the mayor's office, 5:30–7:30 PM.

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. 🎉

Here's something most of us have never stopped to notice: Beaumont has exactly one Thai restaurant. Chaba Thai Bistro carries the whole category on Phelan Blvd — curries, noodles, the works and still lands at #25 out of 320 Beaumont restaurants on Tripadvisor. Being the only one in town and being genuinely good are two different achievements, and Chaba has both.

It's also the rare SETX kitchen where the vegetarian in your group isn't stuck negotiating with a menu. Worth knowing before you go: they close mid-afternoon, so aim for lunch before 3 or dinner after 5.

📍 6434 Phelan Blvd., Beaumont · (409) 866-3388

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

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Nine hundred acres of wetland with a boardwalk running straight out into the marsh, and it costs nothing to walk. Cattail Marsh sits inside Beaumont's city limits with more than eight miles of gravel trails, and it's the best birding in the Golden Triangle by a wide margin — herons, roseate spoonbills, the occasional alligator minding its own business in the shallows.

Beginner tip: go early. July highs are running in the mid-90s, and the marsh belongs to the birds before about 9 AM anyway — that's when the boardwalk earns its reputation. Bring water, bug spray, and a hat. It's free, it's ten minutes from downtown, and most folks who live here have still never been.

📍 Cattail Marsh Scenic Wetlands & Boardwalk, Tyrrell Park, Beaumont · Free admission

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

🛢️ 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.

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 →

📰 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 next week neighbor 📍,

The What’s Up SETX Team