Carly Railcar purchased by FreightCar America
On Dec. 22, 2025, FreightCar America reported the acquisition of Carly Railcar Components LLC, which operates a facility on State Highway 87 near Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School.
According to Railway Age, the acquisition will strengthen FreightCar America’s aftermarket distribution business with a focus on running-repair components and offer customers reduced lead times and a larger catalog of ready-to-ship railcar components.
Founded in 1995, Carly Railcar Components distributes OEM railcar components and operates a core-exchange program for reconditioned parts. The company, with offices in Pennsylvania and Texas, serves repair shops, railroads, private car owners and other industrial customers.
FreightCar America, headquartered in Chicago, is a designer, producer and supplier of railroad freight cars, railcar parts and components. The company also specializes in railcar repairs, complete railcar rebody services and railcar conversions that repurpose idled rail assets into revenue service.
Cool-down cargo arrives in Sabine Pass
A cool-down cargo shipment of liquefied natural gas from Ras Laffan, Qatar, berthed at the Golden Pass LNG terminal in Sabine Pass, signaling a major step toward first LNG production at the facility.
The shipment supports the next phase of commissioning and startup activities and represents significant progress toward first LNG from Golden Pass.
Pilots Gregg McAnelly and Michael Haight, AFNI, of the Sabine Pilots Association supported the vessel’s arrival and berthing.
The cool-down cargo was used to pre-cool the terminal’s LNG storage tanks and associated equipment prior to the start of LNG production.
Golden Pass LNG expects to begin exporting LNG from Train 1 early this year.
Mason Construction recognized by TWC
Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas announced Mason Construction LLC was recognized as the region’s 2025 Local Employer of Excellence at the 28th Annual Texas Workforce Conference in Corpus Christi on Dec. 5, 2025, hosted by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Mason Construction was also named a finalist for the 2025 Small Employer of the Year.
The family-owned Southeast Texas company employs about 300 people and has served the region for more than 86 years, according to Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas.
Mason posts job openings on WorkInTexas.com, sponsors the annual Youth Career Expo and offers internships through Lamar University and Texas A&M University.
The company invests heavily in workforce development through its Mason Ranger Training Program, a nationally recognized IRA construction project, and an on-site hybrid training center providing entry-level training, evening classes and jobsite instruction in partnership with organizations such as the Golden Triangle Empowerment Center and the ABC Southeast Texas Chapter.
Through mentorship and hands-on learning, Mason promotes from within and supports the community through disaster relief efforts, school events and career awareness programs.
Longtime Beaumont business owner dies
John Calvin “JC” Modica, a longtime Beaumont businessman, died Dec. 18, 2025. He was 82.
Modica was born Aug. 21, 1943, and raised in Beaumont. He graduated from South Park High School in 1961 and attended Lamar University, where he excelled as an athlete. From 1961 to 1964, he competed on the men’s high hurdles track team, earning three individual conference championships. In 1963, he helped lead the Cardinals to a Lone Star Conference team championship. He was inducted into Lamar University’s Hall of Honor in 2020.
After graduating and serving in the Army Reserves, Modica co-founded Modica Brothers’ Tire & Wheel with his brothers in 1970.
He is survived by his wife, Sandie Modica; daughters Angela Schwab and husband Kenneth, and Christina Modica-Salinas and husband Richard; sisters Jolena Raimer and Mary Modica; stepchildren Anthony Russell and wife Tandi, Trevor Baima and wife Natalie, Blake Moore and wife Lydia, and Kylie Moore; five grandchildren; and four stepgrandchildren.
A gathering for family and friends was held Dec. 26 at Broussard’s. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Dec. 27 at St. Anne Catholic Church in Beaumont, with interment following at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Chipotle coming to Lumberton
Months after Chick-fil-A opened in Lumberton, another national restaurant chain is planning to follow.
Chipotle Mexican Grill has filed plans to build a restaurant in Lumberton, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation’s Architectural Barriers Project Details page. The filing was made Dec. 22, 2025.
The restaurant is planned for 118 S. LHS Drive. Construction is scheduled to begin April 1, with completion set for Nov. 1. The estimated cost of the 2,385-square-foot building is $1.2 million, and the project is privately funded. The site currently consists of a concrete parking lot.
The property is located at the intersection of South LHS Drive and River Birch Drive and was purchased by Jeffrey A. Gurknecht of Aubrey from BMU Realty LLC of Lumberton.
According to TDLR records, the design firm is Rogue Architects of Fort Worth.
G&G, WOCCISD break ground on new childhood center
On Dec. 3, 2025, members of West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District and contractor G&G Enterprises held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Early Childhood Center.
The facility will replace the North Early Learning Center on Cordrey Street and will be built next to WOS Elementary School off Martin Luther King Drive in Pinehurst.
The center will serve 3- and 4-year-olds and is funded through the $72 million bond approved by voters in 2024. The project timeline is approximately two and a half years.
According to district officials, the North Early Learning Center prepares prekindergarten students for school success by fostering social-emotional growth, communication skills and physical well-being through experiential classrooms and strong family and community partnerships.
ISTC launches Safety Academy in Baytown
The Industrial Safety Training Council announced the launch of its new ISTC Safety Academy in Baytown, a state-of-the-art training center designed to enhance safety and workforce readiness across the Gulf Coast.
Built around immersive learning and the internationally recognized 12 Life-Saving Rules, the academy focuses on preparing workers with core competencies, hands-on skills and life-saving practices essential to high-hazard industries.
Company announces sale of convenience store assets
A longtime family-owned business in Jasper has reached an agreement to sell all of its retail convenience store assets, including Jiffy convenience stores, according to KJAS.com.
Wade Dover said Bill L. Dover Co. will continue serving its wholesale customers and fleet fuel operations.
On Nov. 24, 2025, Quick Track Inc. and its representative agent, Corner Capital of Austin, issued a statement announcing the purchase of the convenience retail assets of Bill L. Dover Co. Inc., a longtime ExxonMobil-branded petroleum marketer and convenience retailer that has served Southeast Texas for more than 50 years.
The transaction includes all of Dover’s fee-owned Exxon- and Mobil-branded convenience stores, along with unmanned fueling locations, representing the company’s entire retail footprint.
The sale does not include Dover’s dealer fuel supply operations, Alon-branded wholesale and commercial fuel businesses, bulk plant, cardlock network or transport-related assets, which are expected to be sold separately.
Valero plans CDU upgrades at Port Arthur refinery
Valero Energy plans to upgrade a large crude distillation unit at its Port Arthur refinery beginning in February, according to Hydrocarbon Processing.
The upgrades to the AVU-146 CDU are expected to increase capacity from an average of 235,000 barrels per day to 260,000 barrels per day, sources told the publication.
Improvements include enhancements to processing heavy residual crude oil, which is typically sent to the coker or used in asphalt production.
The refinery may be able to keep the unit in operation while upgrades are underway, according to sources.
Crude distillation units initiate the refining process by breaking down crude oil into feedstocks for other refinery units. Cokers convert residual crude into feedstocks for motor fuels or petroleum coke, which can be used as a coal substitute.
TxLa Systems expanding to Beaumont
TxLa Systems of Huffman announced it will open a new 39,000-square-foot facility in Beaumont.
The new facility will support existing operations, increase production capacity and provide additional workspace for employees.
Earlier this fall, the company announced the addition of its Huffman 2 facility, which includes more than 8 acres of production space and 71,000 square feet under roof. TxLa also plans to transition its Huffman 1 location to building fabrication services only.
LIT recognizes employees for years of service
Lamar Institute of Technology celebrated the end of the year with its annual Holiday Luncheon and Awards Ceremony on Dec. 5, 2025.
Hosted by President Dr. Sid Valentine, the event recognized faculty and staff for milestone years of service, honored retirees and named the 2025 Outstanding Employees across six divisions.
This year’s recipients were:
• Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member: Chelsea Hoke, Instrumentation Program director
• Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member: Deborah Cross, Health Sciences adjunct instructor
• Outstanding Full-Time Staff Member: Alicia Placette, associate director of finance
• Outstanding Part-Time Employee: Mary Paine, facilities
• Outstanding Volunteer of the Year: Paul Blackburn, LIT Foundation board scholarship chair
• Presidential Award: Jeremiah Kelly, marketing coordinator
Service awards were presented to Dr. Rita McClelland, Tim Storebeck and Staci Waldrep (25 years); Lauri Arnold-Calder (20 years); Tena Cobb, Bill Sizemore, Lacey Stinebrickner and Stacy Taylor (15 years); Chelsea Hoke (10 years) and Hind Masoud and Michael Nixon (5 years).
National EMS Academy welcomes EMT graduates
Fourteen new emergency medical technicians will serve the Beaumont area after completing training at the National EMS Academy, a sister company of Acadian Ambulance.
The graduates are Grace Adair, Percy Andrepont, Ryan Cedars, Imaya Earley Gamble, Ian Ingram, Amber Lamkin, Gary Patterson, Joshua Patterson, Ethan Richardson, Bridget Shealey, Rafael Solis, Haley Stephens-Teets, Myra Thomas and Indiah Wilson.
“Our graduates spent the past 12 weeks learning tangible skills that will make all the difference when people are experiencing some of their hardest days,” said Timothy Dronet, director of the National EMS Academy.
The EMT program focuses on life-saving techniques including patient assessment, trauma care, airway management and emergency care for cardiovascular and pediatric patients
ExxonMobil announces CFO retirement, successor
ExxonMobil announced Dec. 8, 2025, that Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Kathryn A. Mikells will retire effective Feb. 1, to focus on her health recovery, according to media reports.
Neil A. Hansen has been elected to succeed Mikells. Hansen most recently served as president of ExxonMobil Global Business Solutions.
Mikells joined ExxonMobil Corp. in August 2021. Prior to joining the company, she served as CFO and executive director at Diageo in London for nearly six years and as executive vice president and CFO of Xerox for two years.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1987 and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 1994.
Valero refinery distributes $1 million to local charities
The Port Arthur Refinery at Valero distributed $1 million to nine local charities supporting children and families in the community.
The funds were raised through the 2025 Valero Texas Open and Benefit for Children, according to Jerry Stumbo, vice president and general manager of the Port Arthur Refinery.
Motiva awards $10,000 scholarship to HS senior
Motiva Enterprises LLC partnered with Women’s Energy Network Houston and Young Women Energized-Houston to award a $10,000 scholarship to Erin Milton in November.
Milton is a senior who plans to pursue a degree in biochemistry in the fall.
Women’s Energy Network is a global organization that supports women’s career growth through networking and education.
DuGood FCU Lumberton branch receives upgrades
DuGood Federal Credit Union announced its Lumberton branch has received new interactive teller machines in the drive-thru.
The ITMs provide customers with live teller service during and after business hours and allow users to deposit cash and checks, transfer funds, check balances and withdraw cash.
TxDOT: More miles added to I-69 system
The Interstate 69 Alliance, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Liberty County officials celebrated the addition of eight miles of Interstate 69 to the Interstate Highway System.
The event was held on the south side of Cleveland and included U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, TxDOT Commissioner Steven Alvis and Liberty County Judge Sydney Murphy, who also serves as alliance chair.
The expansion extends I-69 north of Houston and brings the total number of officially designated and signed miles to 228.
Prudhomme is ACTE National Administrator of the Year
The Career and Technical Association of Texas announced Beaumont ISD’s Dr. Donna Prudhomme was named the Association for Career and Technical Education National Administrator of the Year on Dec. 10, 2025, at the ACTE National Conference in Nashville. The award honors career and technical education leaders nationwide who demonstrate outstanding vision, dedication and impact.
Prudhomme serves as director of Beaumont ISD’s Career and Technical Education Center .
Mat Tech Industrial services receives safety award
Mat Tech Industrial Services received the ABC STEP Platinum Award, recognizing its commitment to maintaining high safety standards across operations.
The award was presented by Quais Savoir of H.B. Neild Construction to Katie Eastwood, representing Mat Tech, according to the ABC Southeast Texas Chapter.
Gulf Credit Union announces three promotions
Gulf Credit Union announced three employee promotions at its Groves location. Derek Landry was promoted to executive vice president. He joined the credit union in 2024 as senior vice president and chief lending officer. Celeste Koons was promoted from assistant vice president to vice president of accounting. Amanda Baldwin was promoted to assistant vice president of human resources. She joined the credit union in 2021 as director of human resources.
