Award-Winning Photos

photos, soundstripe, video by Mark M. Hancock / © DFWmark.com
photos by Mark M. Hancock / © DFWmark.com, The Beaumont Enterprise and/or The Dallas Morning News

This video features International, national, state and regional award-winning photos I created during my 25-year career as a professional photojournalist.

Enough for now,

The Pilots

Steve Rask (left) and Will Yonley (right) of The Pilots, a Houston-based Christian band, perform in concert during the annual 9/11 Music Festival at Ford Pavilion on Saturday, September 10, 2005. The day-long festival featured 45 Christian bands.

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Playing cool

Sarah Embry (No. 12) of the Texas Aces from Pearland mists herself with a fan to keep cool during the American Fastpitch Association national softball tournament at Ford Park in Beaumont on Saturday, July 30, 2005.

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Stone Hearst Apartments

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

The Stone Hearst Apartments feature a child-friendly play area in an enclosed area of the complex in Beaumont on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2006. It is currently 100 percent leased and 98 percent occupied.


The Stone Hearst Apartments feature ample head-in parking and enclosed balconies in Beaumont. The $8 million complex provides affordable housing to working families and was constructed with federal tax credits supplied by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

Magnolia Gardens revitalization

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

The 50-year-old Magnolia Gardens complex is set for a $20 million revitalization grant in Beaumont on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2006. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will demolish existing structures and replace them with 75 public housing and 75 market-rate units.


Magnolia Gardens residents Christine Walton (left) and Eva Westbrooks (right) celebrate after $20 million revitalization grant announcement. The new units should create mixed-income communities and include town houses and garden homes.



The 50-year-old Magnolia Gardens complex is set for a $20 million revitalization grant. HUD will demolish existing structures and replace them with mixed-income communitie units.

Since these are older images, the project went ahead as planned and construction was still ongoing when I left Beaumont.

Star-spangled shaved ice

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Robert Hill holds his daughter Julia Hill, 2, and a well-earned shaved ice after the 1st Annual Calder Place Star Spangled 4th of July Parade on Lucas in Beaumont on Monday, July 4, 2005. Everyone received participation awards and special prizes were awarded by category for decorations.

video by Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com
Please see the video slideshow.

Happy Independence Day

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Kim Burbank (left) prepares her daughter Annalise, 19 months, before the 1st Annual Calder Place Star Spangled 4th of July Parade along North Street to Lucas in Beaumont on Monday, July 4, 2005. Everyone received participation awards and special prizes were awarded by category for decorations.


video by Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com
Please see the video slideshow.

Fire arbitration

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Beaumont Fire Department district chief Keith Stewart (left) answers questions from assistant city attorney Joe Sanders (right) during arbitration at the Beaumont Civic Center in Beaumont on Tuesday, April 1, 2008. The city would prefer to combine fire and police dispatch and replace departmental employees with trained civilians.

Baptist General Convention director visits

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Dr. K. Randel Everett, new executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, (left) and church member Tom Hanna (right) enter the Calder Baptist Church in Beaumont on Tuesday, April 29, 2008. A majority of Baptist churches in Southeast Texas belong to the convention.


Dr. K. Randel Everett, new executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, (left) has a laugh with Chaplain Bob Webb with Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital (center) and Curtis Soileau of Lumberton (right) at Calder Baptist Church.

Curtis is officially the new "I wouldn't have guessed that" name champion. His last name is pronounced "swallow" like the bird. The previous champion was Lin Xan (last named pronounced as "swan").

- Always ask how people spell their name.

Botanical Gardens benefactors

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Ann Harder (left) and her sister Edra Harder Bogucki (right) chat outside the new reception center at the Tyrrell Park Beaumont Botanical Gardens in Beaumont on Tuesday, May 13, 2008. The sisters donated funds to help restore and improve the gardens.


Ann Harder talks with others as she carries her gardening supplies to a work area in the garden at the Tyrrell Park Beaumont Botanical Gardens.


Roses grow in a garden near the new centerpiece waterfall and restored pond at the Tyrrell Park Beaumont Botanical Gardens.

Anxious grad

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Chemistry major Dakota Doman (from right to left) waits for friends with Ashly Henson, also a chemistry major, and Periloux Peay, a political science major, before the Lamar University graduation in the Montagne Center at Lamar in Beaumont on Saturday, May 10, 2008.

McAlister's Deli

commercial photos © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com
for McAlister's Deli

Walking the halls

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Gerald Mouton (center) prepares for his drive to Austin with friends Gabbie VanHook (left) and Christian Diaz (right) at West Brook High School in Beaumont on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008. Gerald Mouton, a West Brook High School senior, is one of very few area wrestlers and is the only one going to the state championship this week. Despite the challenges he faced throughout his life, he remains undefeated at 34-0.

Fountain Plaza at night

commercial photos © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com
for Fountain Plaza management

The Fountain Plaza

commercial photos by © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com
for Fountain Plaza management

Tree frogs

photos © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com

A tree frog hangs out in Beaumont, Texas on Friday, May 9, 2008.


A tree frog considers a leap in Beaumont, Texas on Friday, May 9, 2008.


A tree frog waits for insects on a hummingbird feeder in Beaumont, Texas on Friday, May 9, 2008.

As with all live animals I encounter, I referred to the Medicine Cards book (page 189). Frog symbolizes cleansing. It tells us to stop, relax and refresh.

Frog medicine is strong in Beaumont. It was a nice break from the big-city chaos. I learned much about myself and my work while I lived here. I'm ready to return to Big D.

I'm going to miss these little critters. Although they're not too smart (they often leap off the 2nd-story window), they're very entertaining. They crawl around the windows all night and eliminate bugs. I call them "Frog TV."

In the morning, they hop back into the plants on the balcony or sneak between the patio chairs to avoid the sun. Since Beaumont is so humid, they don't need a pond to survive.

We had nine "regulars" on our window before Hurricane Humberto. The hurricane only took two. By comparison, Rita eliminated almost all living animals - except mosquitoes and well-protected gators.

Fayrouz doesn't find the window frogs even slightly cute. I had one follow me inside this spring while Fay was asleep. They're fast, tiny and can stick to anything. So, I needed to corral it quickly before it got into the bedroom.

It's somewhat difficult to chase a tiny, slick, terrified frog "quietly" around a dark apartment without waking up a princess. However, I finally cornered it the bathtub and took it back outside. :-)

40-70 Rule

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Hubert Herndon (left) talks to his daughter Eva LeBlanc (right) in a courtyard at The Oaks at Beaumont in Beaumont on Saturday, April 12, 2008. A recent study concluded adults should discuss sensitive issues about health, money, driving and more when a parent reaches age 70 or a child reaches age 40.

For additional information please read, "As parents reach 70s or older, kids become caretakers" by Gloria Douglas.

Full-service station survival

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Ken Lopez washes the windshield of George Haynes Mercedes at Johnson's Shell station in Beaumont on Friday, April 25, 2008. With record gas prices, full-service stations aren't making as much profit as some might think.

Please read, "Rising gas prices shrink profit margins for service stations" by Heather Nolan.

Central relays to state

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Central High School 4A state-qualifying relay team members pose for a portrait at the school in Beaumont on Wednesday, May 7, 2008. Team members are (clockwise from left) Randy Wilson, Victor Spikes, Charlie Thomas, Jeffrey Thomas and Derrick Hall.
They are the first runners in the school's history to qualify for state in both the 400-meter relay and the 800-meter relay.

Family grieves again

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Ja'nella Harmon (left) weeps as she learns that her mother Ruby Lee Ceasar-Harmon isn't in the correct grave at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Beaumont on Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Please read, "Gravesite dispute grieves family" by Heather Nolan.