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- Ever Wonder About the Tall Flames at ExxonMobil Facility❓
Ever Wonder About the Tall Flames at ExxonMobil Facility❓
Have You Seen This Person? La Porte Police Seek Suspect🚨
Good morning and happy Friday! Look back for a moment: what went well this week—big or small? Celebrate it, then carry that momentum into whatever rests ahead. And if something you’ve seen or learned lately might brighten a friend’s day, those tiny share buttons at the top make it easy to pass along a little good.
Here’s to a weekend that refills your cup.☕
—The Newsletter Team

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In This Baytown Local Spotlight Issue:
☀ Baytown, Tx. Weather
📆 Greater Baytown Area Events
❓ Ever Wonder About the Tall Flames at the ExxonMobil Facility
🚨 Have You Seen This Person? La Porte Police Seek Suspect
🏥 Houston Methodist Baytown Named Among Vizient’s
Top Complex Care Medical Centers
📽 Hooky Entertainment to Open 73,000-sf Cinema-Plus Venue in Baytown
🏫 Barbers Hill ISD Teachers Turn to AI Tool to Save Time and Help Students
🐢 The Nurture Nature Festival is Back!
🏷️ Garage, Yard, or Estate Sales - Check it out!
📰 Job Listings - New jobs at Chewy!
❓ Trivia is back ‘Old School’


Today’s Record High: 97 in 1995 - Record Low: 57 in 1968

Note: Events with + in front indicates newly added event!
While we strive to ensure that all of our events are current and accurate, please always check to ensure that the event is still scheduled and that the information below is correct.
+Fall Market @ Town Square – Sept. 20th 10am-2pm
213 W. Texas Ave., Baytown+Caribbean Vibes Sat. Sept. 20th 6pm-10pm @ Town Square, Baytown
Games, activities, dance, Fun for entire family+SkyZone Grand Opening - Sat. Sept. 20th - 9am- 5pm
3501 Garth Rd.Houston Latin Jazz Orchestra @ Lee College PAC - Sat. Sept. 27th @ 7:30pm
+Pre-Grito Party at Baytown Town Square [Free] Fri., Oct. 3rd Starts @ 6pm
+Grito Fest at Bicentennial Park, [Free] Sat. Oct. 4th 4:30 pm – 9 pm
Mont Belvieu Market @ the Park Oct. 4th 8am-12pm
Deaf Social Where Bakery - Oct. 4th - 11 am @
Heart & Whisk Bakery 4618 N. Main St., BaytownNational Night Out 2025 Mont Belvieu – Tues., Oct. 7th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm
+Nurture Nature Festival - Sat., Oct. 11th, 10:00AM – 4:00PM.
@Baytown Nature Center 6213 Bayway Dr. [FREE to attend]ORW Founders Day Free Festival Sat., Oct. 11th - 10am-4pm
4818 FM North 565 Old River-Winfree Silent & live auction, entertainment, Ethel P. Ramsey bake-off, exhibits, car, truck, and motorcycle show, and free activities for kids! Click for more info+Fall Market Trade Days Sat. Oct. 11th 10am-4pm
@ Baytown Community Center 2407 Market St.+Annual Public Safety Softball Tournament [BPD vs BFD]
Sat., Oct. 18th @11 am @ Wayne Gray Sports Complex - Come out and cheer on the first responders who keep our community safe! Show your team spirit by wearing blue or red—depending on who you’re rooting for. Open to the community—bring your family and friends!+Fall Market @ Town Square – Oct. 18th 10am-2pm
213 W. Texas Ave., Baytown+Community Yard Sale - Oct. 18th 10am-2pm @ Town Square,
213 W. Texas Ave., BaytownAnnual Back the Blue BBQ Festival and 5K Family Fun Run Sat. Oct. 18th – 10am-5pm @ Jimmy Burke Activity Center in Deer Park.
The “Fab 5” Music Event – Sat. Oct. 25th @ 8 pm – @ Lee College Performing Arts Center - Fund Raiser presented by Baytown Crime Stoppers


Ever Wonder About the
Tall Flames at the
ExxonMobil Facility ❓
ExxonMobil walks through how flares work in this short video.
Click to watch

Image Courtesy La Porte Police Department
Have You Seen This Person?
La Porte Police Seek Suspect
The La Porte Police Department is seeking the help of the public to identify the subject depicted in the photos. During the daytime hours, the subject is suspected of walking into the Verizon store located at 8610 Spencer Highway and fraudulently using someone else’s information to purchase 2 new Apple I-Phones and opening an additional phone line.
If anyone recognizes this individual, please contact the La Porte Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at 281-842-3173 and reference case # 25-02181.

Image Courtesy Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital
Houston Methodist Baytown
Named Among Vizient’s
Top Complex Care Medical Centers
Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital has been recognized among the top complex care medical centers in the latest Vizient Quality and Accountability Study, according to the organization. The national benchmarking program evaluated performance improvement across more than 1,400 hospitals.
Vizient’s study measures six domains of patient care: safety, mortality, effectiveness, efficiency, patient-centeredness, and variation in care. In addition to the rankings, Vizient said it honored more than 120 health systems and hospitals for clinical quality and sustainability practices.

Hooky Entertainment to
Open 73,000-sf Cinema-Plus
Venue in Baytown
According to company announcements and other news releases, Hooky Entertainment is taking over the former ShowBiz Cinemas site at 10550 I-10 Service Road in Baytown and relaunching it as a 73,000-square-foot entertainment center. The opening is planned for Oct. 3.
The revamped venue will keep the 10 movie auditoriums—including an IMAX—and add a lot more to do under one roof. Plans call for 14 full-length bowling lanes, an 8,000-square-foot arcade with classic and interactive games, two virtual dart bays, a full-service bar, shareable food, and private event spaces for parties and groups. The project also includes about 6,800 square feet of new space for games and restrooms.
Design work is by EVOke Design + Architecture, and Rise Collective LLC is the general contractor for the expansion, according to the releases. Hooky operates multiple locations in Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida and is positioning Baytown as its next “cinema-plus” site.
For families, teens, and date nights, the draw is simple: movies, bowling, games, and food in one stop—right off I-10. More details on hours, hiring, and grand-opening specials are expected closer to opening day.

Image Courtesy Barbers Hill ISD
Barbers Hill ISD Teachers
Turn to AI Tool to
Save Time and Help Students
According to district staff and company materials, Barbers Hill ISD began trying an educator-focused AI tool in spring 2024 and is now encouraging teachers across grade levels to use it to support instruction. The goal is simple: cut busywork and boost one-on-one help for students.
Teachers use the software to draft quizzes, worksheets, lesson plans, and quick feedback on writing. It can track progress by unit and help create resources at the right reading level—including materials for students with IEPs or those learning English. The district’s tech team says the tool keeps teachers in the driver’s seat: they can edit or override anything it generates.
Fighting burnout, not replacing teachers
District leaders say the focus is cutting paperwork, not handing the classroom over to a bot. The tool gives teachers a starting point, so they can spend more time teaching and coaching individual students. Newer teachers, in particular, are using it to learn how to give better feedback while keeping their own voice.
The district started small with demonstrations and one-on-one support. As training spread, more teachers opted in—some who were cautious about tech at first. According to district figures, the license cost $25,125 last year and $41,700 this year for an upgraded version.
Teachers report using the tool to adapt texts, translate content for non-English speakers, and even let students “chat” with literary or historical characters to make lessons stick. Math teachers have used image uploads to walk through problem steps. The tool runs on school computers only, which the district says aligns with the state cellphone ban.
Why this matters:
✅ Less prep time means more student time
✅ Materials can be leveled for different readers
✅ Students can get targeted tutoring and practice, not just answers
The district says data insights help teachers spot who needs help sooner.
Looking ahead
District staff say they will keep refining how the tool is used and share examples that work well. Across Texas, other districts are using the same platform, and Barbers Hill ISD says it will continue focusing on sound teaching practices with tech embedded, not the other way around.

Image Courtesy City of Baytown Parks & Recreation Dept.
The Nurture Nature Festival is Back!🐢
The Nurture Nature Festival presented by the Baytown Nature Center is set for Sat.,
Oct. 11th, from 10:00AM – 4:00PM.
🌳🦋🐢 This is a FREE family friendly event celebrating nature and the great outdoors with activities including:
👉 Children’s Games
👉 Informational Exhibits
👉 Stage Shows 🎭
👉 Inflatables
👉 Live Animals 🐢
👉 Guided Nature Walks 🌳
👉 Bungee Jumps
👉 Archery 🎯
👉 Kid Fish Tank 🐟
👉 Variety of Food & Drinks 🥤
🚌Due to limited on-site parking, there is a small fee (cash or card) to park on-location. Free parking with a shuttle service will be located at West Town Shopping Center (4220 Decker, Baytown, TX).

🛍Local Garage, Yard & Estate Sales!🏷
Please help us spread the word: share this newsletter with your friends, neighbors, and anyone who loves a good deal. Encourage them to subscribe so they never miss a sale. And if you're planning a sale of your own, be sure to submit your info by Tuesday at 5 PM to be included in this week’s issue!
Friendly Note: Garage and Estate sales are as unpredictable as the Texas weather—sometimes they pop up, sometimes they blow away! 🌦️ Hosts may change times, addresses, or even cancel altogether. We just share the info; the rest is part of the treasure-hunting adventure. 🛍️
Garage Sale
Sterling Green Community Garage Sale
14947 Scotter Dr, Channelview
Sept. 20-21st.
Sat. - 7am-2pm
Sun. - 8am-12pm
Estate Sale/Antique Store Going Out of Business
202 W. Main, LaPorte
Thurs. Sep 18, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Fri. Sep 19, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sat. Sep 20, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sun. Sep 21, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Job Listings Now on a Separate Page! 🎉
To make scrolling easier for everyone, we’ve moved job listings to a separate page! If you're job hunting, check it out—if not, enjoy a quicker read! 😊👀

Which gas primarily creates the holes (“eyes”) in Swiss cheese? |

Thursday’s Quiz: On the Saffir–Simpson scale, which category corresponds to sustained winds of 130–156 mph?
Answer: C) Category 4.
Cat 4 spans 130–156 mph; Cat 5 begins at 157+ mph.
How Was This Issue? |