Here’s what’s up in SETX, 

Baptist Hospitals filed plans for a $50 million mental health expansion in Beaumont — and City Council votes on it tomorrow. That's the big one. But we've also got a consumer safety alert you should deal with today (check your freezer), new SNAP rules that went into effect last week that are changing the checkout line, and a Sour Lake soccer team that just made school history by reaching the state semifinals for the very first time.

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

Let's get into it. 👇

Baptist Hospitals Plans a $50M Mental Health Expansion — 72 New Beds, 120 Jobs 🧠

Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas Behavioral Health has applied for Neighborhood Empowerment Zone incentives to fund a $50 million renovation and expansion project in Beaumont. The plan adds 72 new inpatient beds, a brand-new three-story building, and parking and infrastructure upgrades — with construction already underway since March and a completion target of early 2028. The project is estimated to create around 120 full-time jobs with a combined annual payroll of roughly $7 million.

The Golden Triangle has faced persistent gaps in behavioral health capacity for years — every new bed added here is one less family making a three-hour drive to Houston during a mental health crisis. The City Council votes on the NEZ incentives at tomorrow's (April 7) meeting.

💡 The bottom line: 72 more mental health beds and 120 jobs in a region that needs both. Watch Beaumont City Hall tomorrow to see if this moves forward.

⚠️ Pull This from Your Freezer Right Now — USDA issued a public health alert for 29-oz bags of Walmart Great Value Fully Cooked Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets (lot code 0416DPO1215, best-by Feb. 10, 2027). Lab tests found lead levels potentially five times above the acceptable limit. The product is off store shelves, but it may still be in home freezers. Don't eat it — return it to any Walmart for a full refund. Texas DSHS issued a separate state-level warning. Read more →

🛒 Texas SNAP Just Changed What You Can Buy — As of April 1, Lone Star Card holders in Texas can no longer purchase candy or sweetened beverages containing 5g or more of added sugar or artificial sweeteners. The rule — signed into law as SB 379 in 2025 and federally approved last August — also covers diet sodas. Still covered: milk products, 50%+ juice drinks, and items sweetened with stevia or monk fruit under the 5g threshold. If you or someone you know uses SNAP benefits, this is worth knowing at the register. Read more →

⚽ HJ Lady Hawks Make Program History at State — For the first time in school history, the Hardin-Jefferson Lady Hawks (Sour Lake) advanced to the UIL Class 4A Division II state soccer semifinals. Coach Cara Robinson credited the team's grit and determination through a historic run. A huge moment for Southeast Texas soccer. Read more →

🔋 The Golden Triangle Is Becoming the Gulf Coast's Natural Gas Hub — Federal regulators approved Caliche Development Partners' plan to add 30 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage capacity to the Golden Triangle Storage facility in Beaumont, expanding it to more than 60 Bcf across eight salt dome caverns. That puts it on track to become the Gulf Coast's largest storage hub by volume and injectability — already connected to ExxonMobil Beaumont and with new pipeline links to Kinder Morgan and ARM Mustang Express coming by 2027–2028. More energy infrastructure here means more regional energy jobs and investment downstream. Read more →

🐾 Port Arthur's New Animal Services Center Opens April 15 — The City of Port Arthur is cutting the ribbon on its nearly $7 million animal welfare facility at 3615 Gates Boulevard on April 15 at 11 AM. The new center upgrades shelter conditions and public safety infrastructure — a long-overdue investment the city council championed. Free and open to the public. Read more →

📊 Unemployment Ticked Up, But Look at What's Actually Growing — The Beaumont-Port Arthur metro's unemployment rate rose to 6.0% in January 2026, up from 5.2% in December. But the sectors adding jobs fastest tell a different story: outpatient care centers, residential building construction, and building finishing contractors are all expanding. The top-line number looks soft; the underlying mix says the region is still attracting investment. Read more →

📬 Which story caught your eye?

Mark your calendars for these upcoming highlights.

THIS WEEK

MOVIE NIGHTS @ JEFFERSON THEATRE

THIS WEEKEND

COMING UP

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. 🎉

Blue Bell just released the mashup nobody knew they needed: Brookie À La Mode — brownies and chocolate chip cookies baked right into brown sugar ice cream. It hit store shelves on March 26, alongside a new Honey Vanilla flavor, and it's limited time. Blue Bell is as SETX as it gets, and this one is already getting attention. Pick it up in half-gallon or pint at H-E-B, Kroger, or your local grocery store before it disappears.

📍 Available now at grocery stores throughout the Golden Triangle

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

Vidor's own Patriot Airboat Corp just delivered three newly built vessels to the U.S. Coast Guard to support border security operations in shallow water marshlands and river systems where conventional patrol boats can't operate. Airboats — flat-bottomed, propelled by an aircraft-style fan — are purpose-built for exactly the kind of coastal terrain Southeast Texas is famous for, and Patriot is building them right here. The company's motto says it all: "Built Texas Tough." As federal demand for specialized watercraft grows, Patriot is positioned to keep delivering — and that means local manufacturing jobs and contracts staying in the Golden Triangle.

Running a business in Southeast Texas means wearing every hat and the financial one is usually the heaviest. Tailored Financial Solutions was built to take that weight off local entrepreneurs and growing businesses. Founded by Lance Taylor, TFS delivers accurate bookkeeping, CFO-level strategic guidance, and financial clarity so owners can focus on what they actually built the business for. Whether you're a startup finding your footing or an established business looking for sharper decision-making, TFS brings the kind of support that used to be reserved for much bigger companies.

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

April and May are the best months of the year to visit Sea Rim State Park, located just west of Port Arthur on Highway 87. The park sits along the Gulf Coast's migratory flyway, and right now it's packed with shorebirds, wading birds, and songbirds passing through on their way north — making it one of the top birding spots in Texas during spring migration. Beyond the binoculars, Sea Rim is excellent for kayaking through coastal marshes, crabbing, fishing from shore (no license required), and walking the Gambusia Nature Trail Boardwalk over the marsh. If you've never been, this is the weekend to go. Bring bug spray, plenty of water, and a camera. TPWD day-use fees apply; no reservations needed for day trips.

📍 Sea Rim State Park — 19335 S Gulfway Dr, Sabine Pass, TX (west of Port Arthur on Hwy 87)

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

The What's Up SETX Team is on the hunt for amateur photographers based in the Golden Triangle to partner with us for our social media and newsletter so we can reach and help more people stay in the know.

If you're already out there capturing community moments, local businesses, or everyday life around here, we'd love to start a conversation about working together.

Or if someone came to mind while you were reading this, send it their way.

Interested? Email us at [email protected] with your portfolio or Instagram handle.

🎓 Port Arthur LNG STEM Scholarship — Port Arthur / Orange County

Ten graduating seniors from Jefferson and Orange counties can win full tuition, books, and fees for up to four years at Lamar University, LIT, LSCPA, LSCO, or other area institutions pursuing STEM degrees. This is one of the best local scholarship opportunities we've seen this year. Deadline is April 15 — don't miss it.

How to apply: Submit your PDF to [email protected] and [email protected].

🏫 Educators — Port Arthur ISD Is Hiring

PAISD recently held a career fair with strong turnout and offered on-site interviews at the Administration Building. If you missed it, positions are still open. The district is actively looking for teachers and support staff across its campuses.

How to apply: Apply at paisd.org or contact the district's HR department directly.

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.

Have you spotted the new Blue Bell Brookie À La Mode at your local grocery store yet? Worth the hype or just another flavor of the month?

See you in a few days neighbor 📍,

The What’s Up SETX Team