Juneteenth, Father's Day, and a lobster truck.

Well, Beaumont, the rain has settled in and the flood watches are up, so today's a soggy one. The good news is it dries out fast. By the weekend we're back to that hot, sticky summer we know, with one more round of storms blowing through Saturday. Plenty worth getting out for in between. Our Juneteenth celebration is downtown at the Civic Center on Saturday, a Beaumont author is signing her very first book that same afternoon, and Father's Day lands on Sunday. Somewhere in here there's a lobster roll truck parked at Lowe's, which I did not have on my bingo card. Grab something cold and let's get into it.

A Beaumont author turns a moment of doubt into her first book
Jannie Booker just released her debut book, "When God Is Silent, He Is Still Here," and she's signing copies right here in Beaumont this Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Real Guest House on College Street. The book grew out of her master's thesis at Ruach School of Theology in Port Arthur, and out of a moment when she prayed for direction and heard nothing back, until that silence became the very thing she wanted to write about. It's a quietly powerful story, and the kind of local debut worth showing up for. Read her story here.

Free Zip Transit rides for students, all summer long
The city is bringing back free summer rides on Zip transit for Beaumont students again this year. It's one of those quiet wins that makes a real difference, a little more independence for the kids and one less thing for parents to juggle once school lets out. If you have a student at home, or you know a family who could use it, this is worth passing along. Details from the city here.

Here's what's worth getting out for, Beaumont. A few of these are a short drive out of town, and they're worth it.

Friday, June 19
🍽️ Cousins Maine Lobster at Lowe's · Lowe's on Dowlen Rd · The lobster roll truck pulls up with rolls and bisque. Not your average hardware store run.
👨‍👩‍👧 M&D Supply Father's Day Celebration · M&D Supply Ace Hardware · Small-town weekend fun that's easy to swing by with the family.
👶 Little Learners Latte Bar (Nederland) · 10 AM–12 PM · For the Love of Learning, 1607 Nederland Ave · $5 per child · Sensory play for the little ones while you sip a handcrafted coffee and catch your breath. Breakfast available, and a covered patio if the kids want to run. A sweet, easy Friday morning for both of you.

Saturday, June 20
🎉 City of Beaumont Juneteenth Celebration · 4–9 PM · Beaumont Civic Center · 🆓 Free · The ZAPP Band headlines, with Brian Jack and the Zydeco Gamblers, NuSoul, Blacque Koffee, and the SETX Linesteppers, hosted by Erik Tee from Magic 102.5. Bring the kids for the H-E-B Kids Zone with games, face painting, and crafts, plus food vendors all evening. Indoors and air-conditioned this year. A warm, joyful evening honoring an important part of our history.
🌿 Beaumont Farmers Market · 8–11 AM · Fresh finds and friendly faces. A good reason to get out early.
🏈 Beaumont Renegades vs. Oceanside Bombers · Ford Park · Home football is back. A fun outing for the family or a group of friends.
🛼 Skate Night at the YMCA (Port Arthur) · 6:30 PM · 6760 9th Ave · A wholesome family roller-skate night, an easy way to spend a Saturday evening with the kids.
🌊 Port Neches Spray Park (Port Neches) · "Green Park," 600 Grigsby Ave · Free · All ages · A free splash pad to cool the kids off on a hot afternoon.

Sunday, June 21
🌙 Happy Father's Day, Beaumont. Take the morning slow and treat the dads to a good meal.

Where to catch live music around town this week. Beaumont's a little quiet this weekend, so a few nearby spots are mixed in, city noted.

🎵 Thursday, June 18
Tia Juanita's Fish Camp (Lumberton) · Jarrod Mehan · 6:30 PM

🎵Friday, June 19 · Dani LaCour Band (free show, 9 PM) at HonkyTonk Texas, Silsbee.

🎵 Saturday, June 20
Madison's On Dowlen · Alter Ego · 8:30 PM

🎵 Sunday, June 21
The Logon Cafe · Father's Day brunch with live music · 10 AM to 2 PM

🎶 Star Spangled Spectacular · Saturday, June 27 · Jefferson Theatre · $10 · A patriotic evening of music, film, and history for America's 250th. Doors at 6, program at 7.

🎆 City of Beaumont Fourth of July Celebration · Saturday, July 4 · Lake at the Downtown Event Centre · 🆓 Free · Gates at 5, fireworks at 9, billed as the largest display in Southeast Texas, choreographed for America's 250th. LA ROXX headlines, plus food trucks, face painting, and kids' activities all evening. Bring lawn chairs and blankets.

🛼 Skate Night at the YMCA · Port Arthur · Saturday, 6:30 PM · A family roller-skate night at the Y, an easy and wholesome way to spend a Saturday evening with the kids.
🎶 Jude Moreau at Pour Neches Riverfront · Port Neches · Saturday, 6 PM · Live music down by the river, worth the short drive for a relaxed evening out.

We only have room for a handful here, but there's so much more going on. Our full events calendar is the most complete list of what's happening around Beaumont, updated all the time. Bookmark it, and you'll never wonder what to do around town.

The Beaumont business community, doing what it does.

A Beaumont leader earns national recognition
Demi Engman, the city's Director of Planning and Community Development, was named one of America's 250 Government Champions, recognized this spring in Philadelphia alongside local government leaders from around the country. It's a good reminder that the people shaping Beaumont's future are doing work that gets noticed well beyond our city limits. See the honorees here.

Community Exposed. The good stuff nobody's talking about.

🐾 The rescue making Beaumont no-kill, and a sweet new way to help
Beaumont Pets Alive helped our city reach no-kill status, and now they're working to bring that same life-saving model to Port Arthur, Orange, and the rest of the Golden Triangle through their Golden Triangle Animal Guardians monthly giving program.

And if you've ever wished you could help a shelter dog without a long-term commitment, their Dog Day Out program is back. Approved volunteers can take an adoptable dog out for a two to four hour adventure, a park walk, a patio lunch, a scenic drive, anything that gets them out of the kennel for a while. Every outing lowers a dog's stress and boosts their chances of getting adopted. It might be the best few hours you spend all week.

A look at what's on the market in Beaumont this week.

🔑 THE FIND

265 Canterbury Dr, Beaumont, TX 77707 · 3 bed · 2 bath · 1,412 sqft · Built 2021 · $250,000

Click here to view

🏡 THE KEEPER

7722 Pond Cir, Beaumont, TX 77707 · 4 bed · 3 bath · 2,657 sqft · Built 2020 · $450,000

Click here to view

THE STUNNER

7510 Shadow Creek Dr, Beaumont, TX 77707 · 6 bed · 10 bath · 12,031 sqft · $2,150,000

Click here to view

Things you didn't ask for, but now you're a step ahead.

This week: Teach your AI a little about you first
Here's the first thing nobody tells you about using AI: it works so much better once it knows a little about you.

Think of it like a sharp, eager helper who just started and wants to get things right. It's there to take the busywork off your plate so you can get more done with less effort, whether that's planning a week of dinners, sorting the grocery list, or finally tackling that to-do list that keeps rolling over. But before you hand it anything, take two minutes and tell it about your world. Your family, what you like, how you talk, what you're usually juggling. You only have to do it once.

After that, everything it helps with fits you. The recipes match how your family actually eats. The grocery list comes out sorted the way you shop. It stops handing you generic and starts giving you a real head start.

That's the whole foundation, and it's the part most people skip. Get it right, and everything after gets easier.

Give it a try this week, then hit reply and tell me how it went.

A wet start that dries out, then heats right back up. Classic Southeast Texas.

Thursday: 92° / 80° · ⛅ · Muggy and warm once the morning rain clears. Hello again, summer.
Friday: 91° / 80° · ⛅ · More of the same. Hot, sticky, and mostly dry.
Saturday: 82° / 78° · ⛈️ · Storms roll back through, so keep the Juneteenth plans flexible. Good thing it's indoors this year.
Sunday: 90° / 79° · ⛅ · Father's Day clears up warm. Fire up the grill.

Keep an eye on the radar Saturday and give yourself extra time on the roads. We'll be fine, Beaumont. We always are.

We read every word you send.

Thanks for spending a few minutes with me this week. Whether you're out celebrating Juneteenth, meeting a local author downtown, or just treating Dad to a good meal on Sunday, I hope this weekend gives you a reason to be glad you live here, rain and all.

See you around town.

Jenny Lee · Locally written. Community trusted.