Here’s what’s up in SETX,
Beaumont's Meals on Wheels program has more than 150 seniors sitting on a waitlist right now — and the costs squeezing the organization aren't letting up. Meanwhile, a brand-new cancer center is coming to Beaumont this summer so SETX patients can stop making that Houston drive, Port Arthur heads to the polls this Saturday in four contested city council races, and this weekend is stacked with free community events across the Golden Triangle. Oh, and we've got pho.
Today's newsletter is brought to you by Tailored Financial Solutions.
Let's get into it. 👇
📰 THE BIG NEWS
Meals on Wheels Is Stretched Thin — and 150+ SETX Seniors Are Waiting 🍽️
Rising gas and food prices have pushed Beaumont's Meals on Wheels program to its limits, forcing it to put more than 150 seniors on a waitlist. Demand hasn't slowed — as inflation squeezes household budgets, more older residents are turning to the program for the meals and transportation services that keep them connected to grocery stores, dialysis appointments, and cancer treatments. Program leaders are warning that further delivery cuts are on the table if costs continue climbing.
For many of the seniors on that list, a meal delivery isn't a convenience — it's a daily lifeline. The program runs largely on volunteer drivers and community donations, and right now both are needed. If you have a few hours a week or a few dollars to spare, Meals on Wheels in Beaumont can put them to immediate use.
💡 The bottom line: 150+ of your neighbors are waiting to be fed — and this program needs the community to show up before more cuts happen.
📋 THE RUNDOWN
🗳️ Port Arthur Voters Head to the Polls Saturday — All four Port Arthur City Council districts have contested races on the May 2 ballot. Eight candidates are running across Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4, with multiple incumbents facing challengers. If you live in Port Arthur, this is your council — the one that sets the budget, approves city contracts, and steers development. Polls are open Saturday. Read more →
🏥 Beaumont Is Getting Its Own Cancer Center This Summer — Riceland Healthcare is finishing the buildout of a comprehensive cancer center at 390 N. 11th Street in Beaumont, targeting a summer 2026 opening. Radiation oncology, chemotherapy, infusion services, and early detection — all under one roof. The direct impact: SETX patients who've been making the two-hour round trip to Houston for cancer treatment won't have to anymore. Read more →
🎺 SETX Is Throwing a Year-Long Birthday Party for America — The Beaumont Heritage Society is kicking off Southeast Texas 250 this Saturday at Chambers House Museum — a year-long regional celebration marking America's semiquincentennial. Saturday's launch party (noon–4pm, 2240 Calder Ave) features free BBQ for the first 150 people, a live Cajun zydeco band, lawn games, and museum tours. This is the start of something bigger — community events are planned throughout the year. Read more →
🦜 Free Family Fun Day at the Port Arthur Museum Saturday — The Museum of the Gulf Coast is hosting its "Into the Wild"-themed Family Fun Day on May 2 from 10am–1pm at 700 Procter Street — and it's completely free. Expect exotic bird shows, therapy horses, snake education, face painting, balloon art, and an ice cream truck. The headliner is Sonny the Bird Man, an America's Got Talent alum, performing at 10:30am and noon. Good excuse to make a day of it in Port Arthur. Read more →
🤝 Beaumont's Mayor Is Building a Community Coalition Against Violence — Mayor Roy West's Coalition Against Violence is growing, and the panel is actively looking for more community voices — mentors, volunteers, and local leaders willing to work one-on-one with at-risk youth. Hundreds showed up to the first meeting at Lakeside Center, and the coalition includes Beaumont ISD, Lamar University, Communities in Schools SE Texas, and local nonprofits. This is a community-led effort built on mentorship, not enforcement. Read more →
🎓 Lamar State College Orange Just Had Its Biggest Spring Ever — LSC Orange enrolled approximately 5,900 students this spring — the college's highest spring headcount in its history and nearly 70% more than spring 2025. Following a record-breaking fall as well, the numbers reflect a real surge in demand for affordable higher education in the region. More students in Orange means more local spending, more workforce pipeline, and more community investment. Read more →
📬 Which story caught your eye?
💰 TFS supports local entrepreneurs and growing businesses through accurate bookkeeping, CFO-level guidance, and strategic decision support. They make financial management clear so you can focus on building your dreams. 👉 tailoredfinsolutions.com
Your action items this week!
✅ Register for the SETX Job Fairs — This Week — Workforce Solutions is hosting multi-employer hiring events on April 29 (Beaumont, 510 Park St, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM) and April 30 (Port Arthur, 4680 FM 365, 10 AM–1 PM). You need a WorkInTexas.com profile to register. Text SETWORKS JOBS to (409) 248-1399 for info.
✅ Vote in Port Arthur's City Council Election — This Saturday, May 2. Four contested races across Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4. Find your polling location at portarthurtx.gov.
✅ Mark Your Calendar for St. Michael's Mediterranean Festival — Free admission, May 2 starting 11 AM at 690 N 15th St, Beaumont. Greek and Middle Eastern food, live music, pastries, and church tours. Been running since 2009 — always worth it.
✅ Show up for the SETX 250 Kickoff — Saturday, noon–4pm at Chambers House Museum, 2240 Calder Ave, Beaumont. Free BBQ for the first 150, live Cajun zydeco, lawn games. Parking behind the museum off McFaddin Ave.
✅ Volunteer or donate for Meals on Wheels Beaumont. With 150+ seniors on the waitlist, even one delivery shift makes a real difference. Search "Meals on Wheels Beaumont" to get connected.
✅ Apply for Golden Triangle Polymers Operator Positions — The $8.5B CPChem facility in Orange just onboarded its first class of 28 local process operators. More positions coming as the 2026 startup approaches. Check setworks.org or CPChem's careers page.
✅ 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
Mark your calendars for these upcoming highlights.
THIS WEEK
Apr 29–May 3: Port Neches RiverFest | 600 Grigsby Ave, Port Neches. Five-day festival with F1 powerboat races (Thunder on the Neches), carnival rides, car show, live music, fireworks, fishing tournament, and BBQ cook-off. Wed $10; Fri–Sat $15; weekend pass $30. pnriverfest.com
May 1–7: Shop Local Week | Orange. The Orange Chamber is rallying residents to discover new local favorites and support small businesses all week — with prizes for participants.
MOVIE NIGHTS @ JEFFERSON
May 8 - Night at the Museum @ 7 pm
May 15 - Dreamgirls @ 7 pm
THIS WEEKEND
May 1–3: The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical | Port Arthur Little Theatre, 4701 Jimmy Johnson Blvd, Port Arthur. Percy Jackson comes to life on stage — Fri/Sat at 7:30 PM, Sun at 2:30 PM. Tickets $13–$17 at palt.org or (409) 727-7258. (Also runs May 8–10.)
May 2: St. Michael's 15th Annual Mediterranean Festival | St. Michael's, 690 N 15th St, Beaumont. Greek and Middle Eastern food, pastries, live music, dance performances, and church tours starting 11 AM. Free admission. stmichaelmedfestbmt.com
May 2: Orange May Parade | Old Towne Orange (downtown). 10am. 80+ entries — marching bands, Polynesian dancers, Shriners, school and community groups. Theme: "Orange You Glad It's America's Birthday! Celebrating 250 Years!" Free.
May 2: X Riders Cup — International Freestyle Motocross | Doggett Ford Park, 5115 I-10, Beaumont. International freestyle motocross competition. Tickets at Ticketmaster; (409) 951-5400.
May 2: Museum Family Fun Day | Museum of the Gulf Coast, 700 Procter St, Port Arthur. Free family activities at one of the Gulf Coast's top museums; 10:00 AM–1:00 PM. Free.
May 2: St. Michael's Mediterranean Festival | 690 N 15th St, Beaumont. 11am onward. 15th Annual. Greek and Middle Eastern food, pastries, live music, dance performances, children's activities, and a shopping bazaar. 7,000+ attend every year. stmichaelmedfestbmt.com
May 2: Museum of the Gulf Coast Free Family Fun Day | 700 Procter St, Port Arthur. 10am–1pm. "Into the Wild" theme — exotic bird shows, therapy horses, snake education, ice cream truck. AGT alum Sonny the Bird Man performs at 10:30am and noon. Free admission.
May 2: Southeast Texas 250 Kickoff | Chambers House Museum, 2240 Calder Ave, Beaumont. Noon–4pm. Launch of SETX's year-long America 250 celebration. Free BBQ (first 150), Cajun zydeco band, lawn games, museum tours. Free. Parking off McFaddin Ave.
May 3: Riverfront Rhythms | Riverfront Park, 701 Main St, Beaumont. Free live music along the Neches River; 1:00–4:00 PM. Free.
Which event are you hitting up? Reply and let us know! And if there's an event we missed, send it our way for next week's issue. 🎉
🍽️ FOOD CORNER
🍜 Sweet Basil Vietnamese Noodle House — Beaumont
Courtesy of Sweet Basil Vietnamese Noodle House (Google Business Profile)
Calvin and Be Pham grew up right here in Southeast Texas, went to school locally, and came home to do something for their community — opening Beaumont's first Vietnamese pho restaurant in 2017. The menu reads like a genuine love letter to SETX: rich, customizable pho, of course, but also Vietnamese-style Cajun Crawfish in garlic butter sauce and Hot Mess Fries loaded with ribeye, sweet soy, and spicy aioli. Calvin keeps it simple: "We focus on fresh ingredients." With 241 Yelp reviews and a 4.4 on TripAdvisor, the community has been saying yes ever since.
📍 4026 Dowlen Rd, Beaumont, TX 77706 | ⏰ Mon–Tue: 11am–3pm & 5–9pm | Call for full weekly hours: (409) 347-7594
🤤 Had a great meal somewhere in SETX lately? Reply and tell us — we feature reader picks.
🏢 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Tailored Financial Solutions
Running a business already comes with enough pressure. Your finances should not be another source of stress. This is where Tailored Financial Solutions (TFS) steps in.
TFS does more than manage numbers. They bring the kind of support that helps business owners finally feel in control of their finances.
A Partnership Built on Trust
At the heart of TFS is trust. You are not treated like just another client. You gain a partner who genuinely wants to see your business succeed.
When your finances are clear, your decisions become easier. When your system is organized, your stress becomes lighter. When you understand your numbers, your confidence grows.
That is what TFS brings to your business.
This section is sponsored by Tailored Financial Solutions. Want your business featured here? Email us at [email protected].
🌲OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Courtesy of Beaumont CVB
😎 Spring Paddling on Village Creek — Before the Summer Heat Hits
Late April and early May is the sweet spot for paddling in Southeast Texas — water levels are good, the cypress trees are leafed out, and the temperatures haven't crossed into "why am I outside" territory yet. Village Creek State Park in Lumberton puts you on one of the cleanest blackwater streams in the Big Thicket region, winding through longleaf pine forests and pitcher plant bogs that look genuinely prehistoric. The creek is calm enough for beginners in kayaks or canoes, and the birding along the way is some of the best in East Texas this time of year. Canoe and kayak rentals are available at the park — no experience required.
The park sits at 8459 TX-327 in Lumberton; day-use fees are $5/person. Go early on weekends.
🏕️ 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
Healthcare hiring in SETX is building momentum. Riceland Healthcare is preparing to open its new cancer center in Beaumont this summer — which means staffing is ramping up.
If you're in oncology nursing, radiation therapy, or clinical support, keep an eye on ricelandhealthcare.com for postings as they drop.
🏭 Process Operators — Golden Triangle Polymers / Chevron Phillips Chemical | Orange County
The $8.5B facility just hired its first class from the nine-county Golden Triangle region. Additional operator and technical positions expected. Training at sister CPChem sites while construction wraps up.
How to apply: setworks.org or CPChem careers page at cpchem.com/careers
🔧 Free Welding Training — Port Arthur
The Port Arthur EDC and Lamar State College Port Arthur are funding professional welding training for 75 Port Arthur residents at zero cost — no tuition, no fees. The program runs over three years and is timed to match anticipated shipbuilding demand returning to the region. This is a real pathway to an in-demand trade with strong local hiring prospects.
How to apply: Watch for enrollment details from LSCPA at lscpa.edu or via Port Arthur News.
💼 Multi-Employer Job Fairs — Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas
Two hiring events this week — open to job seekers across all industries. Complete a WorkInTexas.com profile before showing up.
📅 April 29 | Beaumont Workforce Center, 510 Park St | 8:30 AM–4:30 PM
📅 April 30 | Port Arthur Workforce Center, 4680 FM 365 | 10 AM–1 PM
How to apply: Text SETWORKS JOBS to (409) 248-1399 for updates.
🌿 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
💼 Hiring in SETX? Send us your job listing and we'll include it — free for local businesses. Just reply to this email.
📣 Your Turn
🍜 Have you been to Sweet Basil on Dowlen? What did you order? We want to know what's worth getting.
See you next week neighbor 📍,
The What’s Up SETX Team
🔗 Share the love — Forward this email to a neighbor or share this link
🤝 Want to advertise with us? Get in touch at [email protected]
🚀 Building a new business? Email us, we'd love to hear your story.
📱 Follow us on Instagram: @whatsup_SETX
🙋♂️ Hitting reply? We’re real people over here and we love to say hi!