Admiral Dingy

Daryl Colinot, otherwise known as Admiral Dingy, marvels at his wind generator during a party for himself at Port Neches Park in Port Neches on Saturday, July 29, 2006. He hopes to navigate his self-designed boat around the globe although the boat lacks many necessities such as a place to store enough food.

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise



Admiral Dingy entertains guests as he hosts a party for himself at Port Neches Park in Port Neches. The former Hollywood B-movie star, full-time retiree and part-time dance instructor designs and sews all his clothes.


Admiral Dingy expects to use something other than pliers to control his boat at Port Neches Park. Although he's been working on the boat since around 1975, the boat has only been in the water one time. However, he successfully rode out Hurricane Rita inside the boat to see if it could take a storm.

Please see additional photos by Fayrouz and read "Voyage of the Dingy dinghy" and "Admiral Dingy party goes on, though voyage does not" by Jamie Reid. Also visit the Admiral's Web site.
 

Larry's French Market

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

People dance at Larry's French Market and Cajun Cafeteria in Groves on Friday, July 28, 2006. The landmark establishment has been closed since Hurricane Rita destroyed it.


Ken Marvel plays accordion at Larry's French Market and Cajun Cafeteria in Groves. After being "nearly gutted" during reconstruction, the market is finally back in business. It features live entertainment and dancing each Friday and Saturday night.


Larry Judice talks with customers at Larry's French Market and Cajun Cafeteria in Groves.


People eat at Larry's French Market and Cajun Cafeteria in Groves.
 

School bus seatbelts

On March 29, 2006, a charter school bus transported the West Brook High School girls soccer team toward a playoff game along Highway 90 in the rain. The bus wrecked and rolled over. Two players were killed and many others were injured.

The greater Beaumont community poured out their hearts and prayers to the families of the athletes who lost everything precious in their prime. The families worked with the school district to establish a method to prevent this tragedy from ever happening again. This year, the district has decided to begin purchasing busses specially equipped with three-point safety belts.


Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

West Brook High School students wait for news about a fatal wreck at the school in Beaumont on Wednesday, March 29, 2006. Two soccer team students died and others were injured in a bus wreck on their way to a playoff game in Humble.


West Brook High School head girls soccer coach Rachael Scoggin bites back tears at the end of a speech at Ford Park on Saturday, May 20, 2006. She addressed the audience at Ford Park during the official retirement of the jerseys of Alicia Bonura and Ashley Brown, who died in a wreck on their way to a playoff soccer game with Scoggin.


Mike Bonura carries his daughter's soccer jersey off the field at Ford Park on Saturday, May 20, 2006. Mike Bonura is the father of Alicia Bonura who died with a West Brook High School soccer teammate in a wreck on their way to a playoff soccer game. Ford Park officiated the retirement of the jerseys of Alicia Bonura and Ashley Brown, who died in the wreck, and unveiled a banner in their honor.


West Brook High School soccer players Devin Martindale (left) and Allison Forman (right) talk before the BISD school board meeting at the BISD Administration Building in Beaumont on Thursday, July 27, 2006. The girls soccer team was involved in a charter bus wreck that killed two players and seriously injured Forman and took Martindale's arm.


Steve Forman, father of WBHS senior Allison Forman, (left) and BISD director of transportation Clifton Guillory (right) request new bus safety measures during the BISD school board meeting at the BISD Administration Building in Beaumont on Thursday, July 27, 2006. Guillory put forward a proposal to begin equipping busses with three-point safety belts.

For additional information and images from Jennifer and Scott, please read:
"A parent's worst nightmare"
"Unimaginable grief descends on a day that should have been like any other"
"Evening vigil set for soccer players killed in wreck"
"Trooper says speed, rain probably factors in bus wreck"
"West Brook withdraws from soccer playoffs"
"Subdued by grief"
"A mother's last words to her child: Be careful"
"Passenger describes horror of crashing bus"
"'She wishes it was her instead of them'"
"BISD's new buses will have seatbelts"

 

Ataya family reunites

A happy ending for a Beaumont family from Lebanon.


Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Beaumont pediatrician Dr. Raja H. Ataya (right) hugs his daughter Ramona, 22, (left) as they are reunited at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Wednesday, July 26, 2006. Ramona, her mother and their cousins were vacationing in Beirut, Lebanon when the conflict with Israel began.


Carla Abousaad, 7, of Clear Lake looks for comfort from family members during a reunion at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.


Neim Abousaad of Clear Lake (center) holds his wife Nada (left) and daughter Caren, 15, (right) as they are reunited at Bush Intercontinental Airport.


The Ataya family from Beaumont (from left to right) Raj, Ramona and their father Raja are reunited at Bush Intercontinental Airport.


Dr. Raja H. Ataya (top left) and his cousin's family are reunited after their return from Lebanon at Bush Intercontinental Airport. The women of the family were vacationing in Beirut when the conflict with Israel began. The Abousaad family of Clear Lake (from left to right) are Carla, 7, Caren, 15, Nada, Neim and Carol, 11.

Please see additional photos by Fayrouz and read "Relieved family reunited after relatives come home from Lebanon" by Beth Gallaspy.

Images are part of the faces of immigration series.
 

Apartment construction

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Bernabe Nehemias Ramos works on the Eagles Landing Apartment Homes addition on North Major Drive on Friday, July 7, 2006. The complex is adding 48 one-bedroom units to accommodate the housing demand since Hurricane Rita.

Basic Foods

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
Basic Foods in Beaumont offers a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables on Friday, July 7, 2006. The store offers some options to save gourmets a trip to Houston.


(Left) Marcia Cabett, an investor in the company, poses for a portrait at Basic Foods in Beaumont.

(Below) Beverly Hoffpauir of Vidor shops at Basic Foods in Beaumont.

Education bill signed

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Gov. Rick Perry attends a ceremonial bill signing of Texas House Bill 153 at Lamar University in Beaumont on Wednesday, July 12, 2006. The bill authorizes funding for capital projects at public institutions of higher education.
Funding includes more than $4.5 million for Lamar University in Beaumont, $1.8 million for Lamar State College-Orange, and $1.8 million for Lamar State College-Port Arthur.
 

Orleans Street Jazz Fest

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

People move down Orleans Street after a thunderstorm during the 1st Annual Orleans Street Jazz Fest in Beaumont on Saturday, July 22, 2006.


(Right) Guitar virtuoso Rhett Butler carries his instruments down Orleans Street to the 1st Annual Orleans Street Jazz Fest in Beaumont.

(Below) Orrin Adams (left) and his wife Marilyn Adams (right) of Houston have a quiet conversation in front of the Orleans Furniture Mall during the Orleans Street Jazz Fest.




(Left) Orange native Perry Richard, who now lives in Houston, performs in front of the Taste of Orleans restaurant during the Orleans Street Jazz Fest.


Dionne Oliver of Orange (left) waits for the music to return after a thunderstorm during the Orleans Street Jazz Fest.


(Right)
Robbin Cook (left) has a laugh with her brother Robert Cook (right) during the 1st Annual Orleans Street Jazz Fest.

(Below) Jazz fans listen to the Jimmy Simmons Band during the Orleans Street Jazz Fest. Afternoon thundershowers kept initial attendance down, but the event filled into the evening.




(Left) Jeff Simon performs with the Jimmy Simmons Band during the Orleans Street Jazz Fest.
 

DudeBrahBrew Music Festival

Stoney LaRue performs during the DudeBrahBrew Music Festival in the Ford Pavilion in Beaumont on Friday, July 21, 2006.

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise


Madde Shellhammer, 17, of Jasper and Madison Moody, 17, of Beaumont listen as the Randy Rogers Band performs during the DudeBrahBrew Music Festival in the Ford Pavilion in Beaumont.
 

Drillers touchdown

Beaumont's Roland Hayes (No. 4, right) fights off a tackle attempt by Katy's Kailan Williams (No. 4, left) during a NIFL playoff game at Ford Arena in Beaumont on Saturday, July 8, 2006. Hayes scored a touchdown on the play. However, the team lost and was knocked out of the playoffs.

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
 

Student movement

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Lamar University junior Iakai Heaggs (left), a psychology major, helps incoming freshman Katie Lynch (right), an environmental science major from Port Neches, move into the dorm during new student orientation at Lamar University in Beaumont on Wednesday, July 19, 2006.
 

Happy interstate anniversary

Guests visit the Texas Travel Information Center off Interstate-10 in Orange on Saturday, July 8, 2006. The Interstate Highway System is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Neches view

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Water moves calmly down the Neches River through Evadale on Thursday, June 8, 2006. Different plans were considered for the eventual fate of the Neches River's water. Officials decided to protect the upper Neches River area and prevent the City of Dallas from taking the water from the river.

Moody Garden's Aquarium

I've been too serious too long. Since the world seems to be unraveling this week, I'll take Marie's advice and post some "nice" images today.


Different colored sea anemones sway in the current at the Aquarium at Moody Gardens in Galveston on Monday, July 3, 2006.

Photos © Mark M. Hancock



A yellow tang swims in the Aquarium at Moody Gardens in Galveston.


A black trigger fish swims in the Aquarium at Moody Gardens in Galveston.


An eel draws in water in the Aquarium at Moody Gardens.


A shark swims over another shark in the Aquarium at Moody Gardens.


A sea turtle swims in the Aquarium at Moody Gardens in Galveston.


Two seahorses hold onto vegetation in the Aquarium at Moody Gardens.



A pair of sea dragons swim in the Aquarium at Moody Gardens.

Cameron Parish still faces insurance challenges

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

The home of April Hebert was destroyed by Hurricane Rita and was recently raised onto piers and is in the process of being rebuilt in Johnson's Bayou, La. on Saturday, June 24, 2006. After last year's hurricane season, insurance companies are canceling policies and refusing to insure homes along coastal areas of Louisiana.


Meaux's Seafood owner Sonny Meaux explains a survey problem in Holly Beach, La. One of the State of Louisiana's so-called "Ten Commandments" requires residents to hire surveyors to mark their land. Meaux paid $550 to have his land surveyed (orange stake). His neighbor's surveyor claims the boundry is at the pink stake. Now, the neighbors must go to court to resolve the problem created by this requirement. Whoever loses in court must then sue their surveyor.


Meaux's Seafood owners Sonny and Loretta Meaux visit with friends in Holly Beach, La. They have encountered a list of problems and roadblocks from FEMA, the state and insurance companies. However, they are committed to rebuilding their business and life in Holly Beach.


Faye LeJeune (left) gets a hug from her new daughter-in-law Robyn David (right) during the wedding reception in Holly Beach, La. The LeJeune wedding was the first in Holly Beach since Hurricane Rita hit last summer.


Faye and Donnie LeJeune dance on their wedding deck during the wedding reception in Holly Beach, La. Although they have no permanent home yet, the LeJeunes plan to rebuild in the town formerly known as the Cajun Riviera.


Seasonal sunflowers returned to live in Cameron, La. before some of the city's residents. After last year's hurricane season, insurance companies are canceling policies and refusing to insure homes along coastal areas of Louisiana.


The graves of the Nunez family in Oak Grove, La. have been repaired and decorated with artificial flowers. One coffin was moved 300 yards by Hurricane Rita's storm surge. The coffin was taken to the coroner's office until a new vault cap was made.

Please read "Cameron Parish perseveres through hard times" by Christine Rappleye.

For additional coverage, please see Hurricane Rita's toll on SW Louisiana or Mark's Hurricane Rita visual timeline.