Future Lamar pitcher

Hardin-Jefferson High School pitcher Taylor Monse balances a baseball on the brim of his cap during baseball practice in Sour Lake on Tuesday, May 13, 2008.

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise



Hardin-Jefferson High School pitcher Taylor Monse fields balls during baseball practice in Sour Lake on Tuesday, May 13, 2008. Monse will sign a letter of intent on Friday to play at Lamar University next year.

Hardin County dispatchers

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Hardin County dispatcher Dee Ann Durbin answers calls at the Hardin County Dispatch Office in Kountze on Wednesday, April 30, 2008. County commissioners approved a new phone system to allow management additional access to 911 phone recordings at their desks.

3A state tennis finalist

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Silsbee High School junior Matthew Deaver poses for a portrait at the school in Silsbee on Tuesday, April 29, 2008. Deaver is the only Southeast Texan qualified for the Class 3A state tennis championships.

Deaver lost the championship match to Nick Lehman of Vernon 6-1, 7-6(3) and is the Class 3A state runner-up.

Hwy 69 public meeting

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Traffic crawls along Highway 69 during a public meeting at the Lumberton Intermediate School in Lumberton on Tuesday, April 26, 2008. TXDOT invited public input as it considers options to widen Highway 69.


Attendees try to understand plans during a public meeting at the Lumberton Intermediate School.


Brandt Mannchen with the Lone Star chapter of the Sierra Club from Houston (center) gets information from Santiago Pons with Parsons Brinckerhoff (right) during a public meeting at the Lumberton Intermediate School. Mannchen was concerned about potential harm to the Big Thicket National Preserve.

First Baptist Church fire in Kountze

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Firefighters from several Southeast Texas communities help battle a blaze at the First Baptist Church in Kountze. The historic church was consumed by the fire.

See a larger version of this slideshow.

Please read, "Fire destroys Kountze church" by Fred Davis.

Texas' top barbecue team

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Rob Hare (from left to right), Vickie May, Bobby Kelley and chief cook Den May pose for a portrait in Silsbee on Friday, March 7, 2008. The Hardin County 'Go Texan' Bar-B-Que Team won grand championship with their ribs at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Barbecue Cookoff. The win allows the team to compete in the 2008 Jack Daniels World Championship Barbecue Contest.

Please read, "Hardin County team..." by Julie Shehane.

Black Santa Fe Railroad workers' exhibit

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Lewis James Hodge of Beaumont (left) and Allen J. Scott, Sr. of Silsbee (right) remember Santa Fe workers in a photo at the Ice House Museum and Cultural Center in Silsbee on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008.


Richard Hawkins of Silsbee looks through a photo album at the Ice House Museum and Cultural Center. The museum is currently hosting an exhibit of black employees of the Santa Fe Railroad.



A guest passes a photo display at the Ice House Museum and Cultural Center in Silsbee on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008. The display includes Ollie R. Holmes, the first woman engineer (right).

Lumberton brush fire

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Lumberton fire marshal Jim Philp investigates following a 24-acre fire in a wooded area of Lumberton off Wheeler Road in Lumberton on Friday, Feb. 8, 2008. Philp said lack of humidity has dried out vegetation and increased the likelihood of fires spreading rapidly.


Smoke drifts down a burned path following a multi-acre fire in a wooded area of Lumberton. High winds allowed the fire to spread rapidly.


A stump continues to burn as Lumberton fire officials investigate the cause of a multi-acre fire in a wooded area of Lumberton. No structures were damaged in the fire.

Please read "Lumberton firefighters believe 3-alarm fire might remain mystery" by Julie Shehane.

Sour Lake Christmas On The Square

Ashley Jones of Beaumont leaves the square with her shotgun after gunning down a man as part of a gun fight show during the Old Timer's Day and Christmas On The Square in Sour Lake on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007.

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise




Earl Keith of Sour Lake (bottom) rises from the dead after a gun fight show during the Old Timer's Day and Christmas On The Square.


Sour Lake resident Ann Carpenter announces activities during the Old Timer's Day and Christmas On The Square.




Children ride an oil-barrel train through the square as gunfighters talk during the Old Timer's Day and Christmas On The Square in Sour Lake.

Sour Lake puppy

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Gracie, a 7-week-old Merle Great Dane (left), headbutts Piper, a 4-year-old Yorkshire Terrier (right), during the Old Timer's Day and Christmas On The Square in Sour Lake on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007.

Lumberton Christmas Parade

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Deeann Cisco of Winnie, (from left to right) Carlene Fontenot and Susanne Jones, both from Orange, prepare Buddy, a 2-year-old miniature gelding, for the annual Nighttime Lighted Christmas Parade in Lumberton on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007.


Lumberton High School wide receiver Taylor Granato (No. 9, right) helps put lights on the team float before the annual parade. Lumberton is celebrating both the holiday and the football team's first trek into the playoffs.


Lumberton Municipal Utility District maintenance technician Joel Alpers settles into his role as the Grinch before the annual Nighttime Lighted Christmas Parade.

Dropping in for a game

Joe Taylor of Matagorda Beach, Texas parachutes onto the field with the game ball for the Lumberton and Nederland high school football game in Lumberton on Friday, Nov. 9, 2007. Lumberton won the game and advanced into the playoffs.

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Game face

Lumberton senior Josh Watts talks with other fans before a high school football game against Nederland in Lumberton on Friday, Nov. 9, 2007.

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Lumberton's historic win

Nederland's Ryan Brady (No. 7, right) catches a pass under Lumberton's B.J. Belt (No. 2, left) during a high school football game in Lumberton on Friday, Nov. 9, 2007.

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise



Lumberton's Jacob Hanna (No. 24, right) puts a hit on Nederland's Adam Broussard (No. 9, left) during a high school football game in Lumberton. Lumberton's defense held Nederland to 7 points while their offense racked up 33 points to earn the team a tri-championship and a playoff berth for the first time in 41 seasons.

Adventure Kingdom construction

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Jimmy Boggins of Gulf Coast Electric (left) talks with Adventure Kingdom owner Marlon Quibodeaux (right) at the center off U.S. 69 near Lumberton on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007.


Warren Bartlett with Art Attack from Palm Bay, Fla. tests one of the obstacles at Adventure Kingdom off U.S. 69. The Medieval-themed center will open in about two weeks and features an 18-hole putter golf course, bumper cars and swan-shaped paddle boats.

Pink Duck Derby

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Numbered ducks wait to swim during the first annual Pink Duck Derby at Paradise Water Park near Lumberton on Saturday, October 6, 2007.


Margai Bass of Kountze (right) counts ducks before the first annual Pink Duck Derby at Paradise Water Park. The event was sponsored by the Relay for Life of Hardin and South Jasper Counties and benefits the local American Cancer Society.


Cancer awareness brochures were available during the first annual Pink Duck Derby at Paradise Water Park. More than 700 ducks were sold with prizes awarded to owners of the first three numbered ducks to cross the finish line.


Volunteers release ducks during the first annual Pink Duck Derby at Paradise Water Park.


Rhonda Brown of Buna collects ducks after the first annual Pink Duck Derby at Paradise Water Park.

Rebounding Cardinal

Lamar University sophomore basketball player Ashton Hall stands at the top of an embankment on U.S. 96 where his cousin's car overturned in June near Silsbee on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007. Hall suffered neck and shoulder injuries, but will be ready to play for Lamar this year.


Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise


Ashton Hall poses for a portrait with remaining pieces of his cousin's car where it overturned near Silsbee. He's suffered through months of rehab to be able to play basketball again. He hasn't completely recovered, but he gets stronger each day and has earned the respect of teammates.

Please read, "Cardinal baller rebounds from terrifying accident" by Perryn Keys.

South Hampton Resources expansion

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

South Hampton Resources, Inc. president Nicholas N. Carter poses for a portrait at the plant in Silsbee on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2007. The petroleum solvent plant plans a $12 million expansion. In addition to the construction jobs, the plant plans to add 40 permanent jobs.

Please read, "Silsbee plant plans $12 million expansion" by Amy Collins.

Lumberton traffic

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Traffic struggles to move during the evening rush hour on Highway 69 in Lumberton on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007. About 20,000 autos commute through the area. Area growth and urban sprawl are affecting smaller cities in Southeast Texas. To some, this is considered a "good problem."

Please read "U.S. 69 congestion..." by Editorial staff.

Sour Lake City Hall construction

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

James Wilkins with Wilkins Construction of Sour Lake prepares moulding at the future Sour Lake police station and city hall in Sour Lake on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2007. The building was designed to replicate the small town's original city hall.


James Wilkins with Wilkins Construction of Sour Lake prepares moulding at the future Sour Lake police station and city hall. Sour Lake is the birthplace of Texaco Oil.


Jim Kelley (left) and his son Jimbo Kelley (right)with Wilkins Construction of Sour Lake install cabinets at the future Sour Lake police station and city hall.