Terri Davis grew up in Sulphur Springs, Texas, never certain she’d attend college herself.

Today, her work has inspired generations of Southeast Texas students to reach law school, rather than just dream about it.

Davis joined Lamar University’s political science department in 1996, teaching American government and constitutional law.

In three decades, she built the Legal Studies and pre-law program into a powerhouse—with graduates earning 100 percent law school acceptance over the past five years, at institutions nationwide, even Harvard.

Calling herself a “blue-collar scholar,” Davis focuses on lifting others, not collecting accolades—though she’s earned honors from the Jefferson County Bar Association and several national awards.

As Davis plans for retirement in Nacogdoches, her dedication ensures Southeast Texas will keep gaining from every student she inspired to go even further.

Tropical Storm Edouard brought widespread power outages and scattered debris across Beaumont, but one local tradition stood strong: weekday hot meal deliveries to homebound seniors.

Nutrition and Services for Seniors continues its Meals on Wheels program, serving vulnerable residents in Jefferson and Hardin counties.

Each year, nearly 275 dedicated volunteers deliver up to 400,000 meals to about 2,000 people, offering not just nourishment, but often their only daily visit.

The storm’s impact made deliveries even tougher, with blocked roads and a shortage of available drivers.

The organization is urgently seeking new volunteers—anyone with a few spare weekday hours and a reliable car can make a real difference.

For many local seniors, recovery isn’t measured by cleared streets, but by the comfort of a meal at their door.

Sitting on a Business Idea? Beaumont Has Free Help Waiting

Free advising, free mentoring, and a city incentive program for qualifying projects: here is where to start.

Most businesses begin the same way. Someone has an idea and does not know who to call first. This week, The Proof is not one entrepreneur. It is the people and programs built to help you become the next one.

Start with a free advisor.
The Lamar University Small Business Development Center offers confidential, no-cost business advising to entrepreneurs in the Beaumont area and surrounding counties. It works with people testing an idea and owners growing an existing business. The first step is a short online registration through the center's website. Questions: (409) 880-2367. The center is on Lamar's campus at 5091 Rolfe Christopher Drive.

Add a mentor.
SCORE, a nonprofit partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, matches business owners with volunteer mentors at no cost, in person or online. Its Houston chapter serves Beaumont. You do not need a business plan, or even a business, to ask for a mentor. Request one at score.org/tx/houston.

Get plugged in.
The Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce offers networking, training, and small business mentoring programs, and has partnered with Lamar's Small Business Development Center on its Beaumont Business Academy classes. Learn more at bmtcoc.org.

Ask the city.
The City of Beaumont's Economic Development Department acts as a single point of contact for businesses on site selection, zoning questions, and permitting. Start at beaumonttexas.gov/597/Economic-Development.

If your plan involves a building, ask about incentives.
Beaumont's Neighborhood Empowerment Zone policy covers designated areas, including a Downtown Zone and a Lamar Zone. Under the policy, new construction or renovation projects of $75,000 or more (or $50,000 or more for single-family homes) may qualify for building fee waivers, faster permit reviews, lien waivers, and a construction tax abatement. Eligible uses include offices, retail, restaurants, hotel and meeting facilities, and multi-family housing. Applications go to the Community Development Department at 801 Main Street, and City Council approves any agreement. Terms can change, so confirm current details with the city before you build a plan around them.

You do not have to figure this out alone. Pick one call this week, and make it the first step.