Here’s what’s up in SETX, 

Beaumont has a name for its next city manager and it's someone who's been in the building for 20 years. The Cajun Heritage Festival takes over Port Arthur this Saturday with live music, crawfish, and good company. The state fair wraps up its final run this week. And if the warm weather has you thinking about something sweet, Mike's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shop just kicked off summer hours in Port Neches.

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

Let's get into it. 👇

Beaumont Picks Its Next City Manager And He's Been Here All Along 🏛️

The Beaumont City Council named Chris Boone the lone finalist for city manager, selecting him from a field of three candidates. Boone isn't a newcomer — he's been with the City of Beaumont since 2006, serving as Director of Planning and Community Development before stepping up as Interim City Manager back in 2022. He brings more than 30 years of municipal experience to the role.

The official appointment vote is set for the April 7 council meeting. Boone takes over May 1, when current City Manager Kenneth Williams retires. The insider pick signals the council's intent to maintain continuity rather than bring in an outside reformer — which means existing development priorities, infrastructure plans, and community initiatives stay on track.

💡 The bottom line: Beaumont isn't starting over. Instead, it's doubling down on institutional knowledge, and a city manager who already knows where the bodies are buried can hit the ground running.

💻 Port Cities Rescue Mission Opens a Computer Lab in Port Arthur — A $40K grant from Port Arthur LNG just became a ribbon-cutting. The Port Cities Rescue Mission launched a new community computer lab this week, offering digital literacy training, financial literacy classes, and workforce readiness programs — including tracks for office admin, pre-construction, and pre-welding, plus paid junior apprenticeships. Exec Director Patricia Henderson called it a bridge across the digital divide. For Port Arthur residents without reliable tech access, this is a real on-ramp to employment. Read more →

💡 Port Arthur Is Swapping Out 4,400 Streetlights for LEDs — The city is partnering with Entergy Texas to replace every streetlight with brighter, longer-lasting LEDs. About 14% done so far, with the full project running through December 2026. Police Chief Tim Duriso flagged safety benefits, particularly near apartment complexes. Fewer dark spots = safer streets — and lower long-term energy costs for the city. Read more →

🤠 Hardin-Jefferson Ag Students Brought Home Real Results at YMBL Rodeo — While the rodeo drew the crowds, the real story was the HJ ISD agriculture students competing in the livestock auction at this year's YMBL Rodeo. These kids raised their animals from start to finish — and auctioned them for premium prices as payoff. Ag instructor Crystal Odom says the program teaches more than farming: it builds responsibility and accountability. This is what hands-on education looks like in Southeast Texas. Read more →

🌱 SETX Farmers Are Rebuilding After January's Hard Freeze Wiped Out Crops — The January cold snap hit local farms hard. At Taylor Farm in Kirbyville, 78-year-old William Taylor — who's been farming for six decades — lost nearly all 200 heads of his cabbage crop to the freeze, with only two surviving. Total losses ran $3,000–$4,000 with no crop insurance as a cushion. The silver lining: new crops are expected to be ready within 60 days, which puts the recovery right around now. A tough season, but the land is bouncing back. 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. 🎉

There's something quietly special about a local ice cream shop that just does it right. Mike's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shop in Port Neches has that thing — classic ice cream, no frills, the kind of spot that's been waiting for you all winter. Summer hours officially kicked off on March 11, which means they're open and ready every Wednesday through Sunday. If you've been holding out for a reason to take the family out on a warm April evening, this is it.

📍 1302 Port Neches Avenue, Port Neches, TX 77651 | ☎️ 409-749-0244 | ⏰ Wed–Thu 3–8 PM · Fri 1–9 PM · Sat 12–9 PM · Sun 1–7 PM · Closed Mon/Tue

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

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

April is one of the best months to fish in Southeast Texas, full stop. Water temperatures are climbing, the fish are active, and the crowds aren't as brutal as summer weekends. Sabine Lake is the headliner — speckled trout and redfish are especially active right now in the shallows along the Texas side. If you prefer freshwater, the Neches River and surrounding bayous are prime for bass this time of year. Village Creek and the tidal marshes near Sea Rim State Park are also worth a morning trip for anyone chasing redfish in quieter water.

If you're newer to fishing, a basic spinning setup and live shrimp will cover most of what you need on Sabine Lake. Tide charts matter more than gear — fish the incoming tide for best results along the shoreline flats. And a Texas fishing license is required; get one at tpwd.texas.gov or any sporting goods store.

🏕️ 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.

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.

Cajun Heritage Festival is one of Port Arthur's signature events. Are you going this Saturday? Any tips for first-timers on what to eat or who to catch on stage?

See you next week neighbor 📍,

The What’s Up SETX Team