It’s Friday, Tyler! In today’s can’t-miss-weekend-plans edition: Jazz camp registration, a dino double feature, and a baklava baking experience + a stacked lineup of events this weekend.
Your homeowners insurance has a blind spot: It covers your house if a tree falls on it. It doesn’t cover your furnace when it quits in January, your AC when it dies in July, or your water heater when it starts leaking on a Tuesday. Those are all classified as "normal wear and tear," and they're 100% on you. American Home Shield can help fill that gap for ~$1/day (even if your appliances and systems are really old) -- see what it covers.* |
01 — Worth knowing In the newsThree local stories this week, plus a few worth your money.
Downtown transformation advances: Downtown Tyler’s makeover is taking shape with a one-week two-way opening on West Erwin and new four-way stops, while courthouse targets late 2026 and completion set for April 2028 -- see downtown’s next steps.
Summer music opportunity: UT Tyler’s 2026 Jazz Camp will run June 22–26, featuring Ben Patterson and a week of ensembles, improvisation and masterclasses for middle school, high school, college and adult musicians -- register for jazz camp.
Family fun outdoors: Bass Pro Shops Tyler hosts free Gone Fishing activities this weekend, June 13 and 14, with 500 kids’ rods and reels available. Events return June 20 and 21 -- see the fishing lineup.
The bill all retirees should double check: Car insurance. If you’ve been on the same plan for years, you might be paying way more than you need to. It’s an easy one to forget about, but switching could save you up to $600 this year. Case in point: I shopped around and ended up cutting my premium in half — this free comparison tool makes it easy.*
An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial walk-in-the-door fee to x-rays, surgery, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could save thousands on your next vet bill with Lemonade*.
The slower you walk, the more it works: Tai Chi walking is trending online. Turns out it's centuries old — slow deliberate steps, paced breath, attention on the body. Thirty minutes a day burns fat, lifts your mood, and builds balance. No gym, no treadmill, no pounding on the joints. Take the quick quiz to see if it fits, then use code BASELOCAL for a discount on the coaching plan -- see how it works.* Highlights this week: |
02 — From our sponsor This summer, what if you didn't have to point at the menu?Not "menu Spanish." Not pointing at the photo and hoping. Ordering dinner like a local, talking the vendor down at the market, catching the punchline before anyone explains it. Babbel gets you there in ten minutes a day. Most people are holding real conversations within three weeks, because every lesson is built by 200+ language experts to get you talking early, not drilling flashcards you'll forget by lunch. And it works: 92% of users improved their proficiency in just two months, with 25 million subscriptions sold. Then there's the part that makes it a no-brainer. You pay once. A single lifetime subscription unlocks all 14 languages Babbel teaches, for every trip you'll ever take, with no monthly fee and no renewal quietly hitting your card next year. Get Babbel for 55% off through the end of June.* |
03 — On our radar
Local business spotlightNearby spots we'd actually send a friend to.
Your brow upgrade: Personalized facials, microblading that actually flatters, and tidy brow shaping make Evelyn Isabel Esthetics a solid recharge when your mirror starts talking back. They even offer OxyGeneo facials and permanent makeup removal, so you can fix what past you tried and leave looking like present you got sleep.
Skate it out: Skip the couch and go carve a few laps at Faulkner Park Skate Park this week, where a quick session turns into an hour of shaking off work brain and dialing in new tricks. Bring a buddy, stretch a little, then chase that one clean line you’ve been thinking about all week.
Picture-perfect pit stop: Whether you need a five-minute reset or a new profile pic, Wings of Tyler delivers a colorful little serotonin shot right downtown. Grab a friend, your kid, or the dog, line up with the wings, and let your inner show-off fly.
|
04 — Our recommendations
We got your backA handful of products and services we think are worth a look.
What if a workout left your joints looser, not sorer? Most exercise trades a little pain now for results later, but it doesn't have to. Chair yoga keeps you seated the whole time, so your joints loosen and your strength grows without the excessive impact. A quick quiz shapes it into a personalized plan that meets your body where it is and adjusts as you loosen up. *Find your starting point →
Google your own name and you'll probably find your home address: It's sitting on a people-search site right now, next to your age, your relatives, and your phone number, free for anyone to look up. Incogni gets it taken down. It contacts 420+ data brokers on your behalf, uses privacy laws to legally demand deletion, and keeps resending requests so your information doesn't creep back online. No hours of opt-out forms, it runs quietly in the background. *Remove my data →
The card that pays you to pay down debt: Most balance-transfer cards skip the rewards. Most rewards cards skip the long 0% intro APR. This one has both — 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (made in the first 60 days), plus 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs and up to 6% in a category you pick. No annual fee, and there's a $200 bonus after $1,000 in spending in the first 90 days. *Worth a look →
Premiums are up roughly 46% since 2021: Home insurance has outpaced inflation for years, and renewals rarely move in your favor. Rather than take the new number on faith, FinanceBuzz lets you match your home with top-rated insurers and compare quotes side by side — free, in about two minutes. Even if you decide to stay put, you'll know you checked. *See your options →
Two sprays before bed, no more snoring? It really is that simple. No mouthpiece to wrestle with, no CPAP mask, no nose strips that peel off at 2am. This doctor-developed throat spray has been keeping sleepers quiet for 30 years, and first-time orders are 40% off right now. *See how it works → |
Have an event to share? We (and our readers) can't wait to hear about it! Submit an event → |
|
05 — The event calendar Around town this weekendOur favorite events this weekend. Dates, times, and locations are subject to change. Always check official event pages before heading out.
🦖 Dino Double Feature @ True Vine Brewing Co. | Friday (6/12) at 8:00 PM – Skip prestige cinema for a free outdoor dinosaur double feature at True Vine, with Tyler Film Festival and East Texas Film Society, and locals Zachary Santschi and Trevor Hicks riffing live. Tammy and the T-Rex and The VelociPastor, cold beer, warm heckling, surprisingly cathartic.
🎨 Watercolor Batik Class @ Rose City Art Gallery and Gifts | Saturday (6/13) at 9:00 AM – This watercolor batik class lets you play with hot wax, watercolor, and textured rice paper, no experience required. Think tie-dye’s elegant cousin, the one who reads art books and has better lighting. Adults only, relaxed pace, preregistration required, satisfying results you can actually frame.
👩 2026 Founders’ Day/Status of Women Celebration @ Holiday Inn Tyler | Saturday (6/13) at 10:00 AM – Take a break from the grind and show up for a Founders’ Day and Status of Women celebration from Top Ladies of Distinction. Expect inspiring stories, community pride, and the kind of elegance our aunties perfected. Fewer hashtags, more substance, and real applause.
🐶 Paint Your Pet @ Pinot's Palette | Saturday (6/13) at 11:00 AM – Whether your camera roll is mostly fur or you need to justify those 3,000 pet pics, Paint Your Pet benefits Pets Fur People. Send a photo for a 16x20 canvas, artists guide you, one pet per canvas, and sign-up plus photo deadline is June 5.
🥧 Baklava Baking Experience @ Good Vibes Nutrition | Saturday (6/13) at 1:00 PM – Trade your rose garden gossip for a hands-on, no-experience-needed baklava session where you layer phyllo, butter the works, and master that honey syrup, all supplies included. You leave with a beautiful tray, sweet bragging rights, and zero dishes at home. Quality time, guaranteed.
🎖 East Texas Women Veterans Day Celebration @ Starbrite Therapeutic Equestrian Center (Whitehouse) | Saturday (6/13) at 2:00 PM – Served your country and still leading here at home? East Texas Female Veteran Warriors host a Women Veterans Day celebration, exclusively for the women who wore the uniform, with pride, gratitude, and sisterhood. Think of it as the reunion you actually want to attend.
🛒 June Off Square Sundaze Vendor Market @ Velvet: A Vintage Collection | Sunday (6/14) at 5:00 PM – Sunday evening on the Off Square means the Sundaze market goes nocturnal, and we all approve. Live music, local vendors, and cold drinks under string lights, while the Texas sun takes a lap. Same market you love, just cooler, moodier, and blissfully breathable. Live music & entertainment:
Want more? Browse our full events calendar | Submit an event |
06 — Announcement Your homeowners insurance has a blind spotIt covers your house if a tree falls on it. It doesn’t cover your furnace when it quits in January, your AC when it dies in July, or your water heater when it starts leaking on a Tuesday. Those are all classified as "normal wear and tear," and they're 100% on you. American Home Shield can help fill that gap for ~$1/day (even if your appliances and systems are really old). *See what it covers → |
07 — The Tyler report Weather forecastToday — High: 94°F — Low: 77°F — Precip: 7%
Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 103. South wind around 5 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 77. Heat index values as high as 102. South wind around 5 mph.
Tomorrow — High: 95°F — Low: 77°F — Precip: 0%
Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 77. This house is wildThis 5,128-square-foot estate in gated Baker Plantation pairs timeless style with resort-level perks on a half-acre lot. Inside are 5 bedrooms, 6 baths, four living areas, a home office, and a luxe kitchen made for gathering. Outside shines with a heated gunite pool, hot tub, dual patios, built-in grill, fireplace, and a rare 4-car garage.
Take a peek inside → |
| |
