ExxonMobil showers southside community with support

By Maddie Sims and Leanne Nguyen | Staff WritersSince 1903, the ExxonMobil corporation has reported investiture of funds into the Southeast Texas community of nearly $200,000, heavily concentrated into education resources for Beaumont ISD and students in STEM programs, as well as support for a host...

Abbott announces USG Corp. expansion in Orange under JETI program

Gov. Greg Abbott announced May 14 a USG Corp. production facility in Orange as a qualified project under the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation (JETI) program. USG is expanding its presence in Texas with a new production facility that represents a $1.

SBDC, Motiva hosting workshop on driving website traffic and growing online visibility

Small business owners and solopreneurs looking to increase their online visibility and attract more customers are invited to attend “How to Drive Traffic to Your Website: Content, Visibility, and Customer Engagement,” a Lunch and Learn workshop hosted by the Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA)...

LOCAL BRIEFS | May 2026

BrakeTime acquires 14-store chainBrakeTime Corner Market has acquired the convenience retail and fuel distribution business of Texas-based competitor FastLane, Rene DaCosta, BrakeTime’s vice president of food, dispensed beverages and QSR, told C-Store Dive on April 13.

Computer lab to connect community to workforce skills in SETX

Port Cities Rescue Mission Ministries hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 31 to celebrate the launch of its new Community Computer Lab and training programs, made possible through a $40,000 partnership investment from Port Arthur LNG.

Lamar University launches DBA in Energy Management program

For the first time in 15 years, Lamar University will launch a new doctoral program. The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Energy Management is a first of its kind program in the state of Texas and the nation.

LSCO’s Operator Academy fast tracks students towards industrial careers

Lamar State College Orange (LSCO) is helping meet a critical workforce need in Southeast Texas through its Operator Academy, an accelerated training program designed to prepare students for careers in petrochemical and industrial operations.

FACES & PLACES | May 2026

• Sam Bradley is the new community education coordinator for Harbor Hospice. Previously, she was service development director at Freedom Behavioral for three years.• Jason Finley is the new turnaround manager at Chevron Phillips Chemical Co.