9 Station Drive

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Eric Currie with the band 9 Station Drive of Beaumont plays guitar during the Nederland Heritage Festival in Nederland on Saturday, March 17, 2007.

"Annihilation" practice

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Matt Chambers (left) drinks water as CMM (Dave Brown, right) finishes a call before a Gulf Coast Power Pro Wrestling practice at Ace Glass in Nederland on Friday, April 25, 2008.


Matt Chambers (top) gets thrown by CMM (Dave Brown, bottom) during a Gulf Coast Power Pro Wrestling practice at Ace Glass in Nederland. The wrestlers will be part of a special "Annihilation" event on Saturday.

Hillary Clinton speech

video by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally at the Southeast Texas Regional Airport near Beaumont on the day before the Democratic primary election in Texas on Monday, March 3, 2008. The winner of this primary could determine the Democratic candidate and possibly the next president of the United States.

Please read, "Many Clinton supporters' top concerns addressed at rally" by Ryan Myers.

Please also see Barack Obama's speech.
 

The Silver Ukes

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Members of The Silver Ukes practice at the First Baptist Church of Nederland in Nederland on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2007. From left to right, members include Denise Hopkins, Barbara Shirley, Nell Christopher, Johney Marrs, Frank Roebuck, Doris Roebuck and Ray Ward.


Barbara Shirley (top) and Nell Christopher (bottom) of The Silver Ukes practice with their ukuleles at the First Baptist Church of Nederland. The ukulele group plays Polynesian instruments and specializes in gospel songs.




video © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com

Members of The Silver Ukes practice at the First Baptist Church of Nederland in Nederland on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2007. The ukulele group specializes in gospel songs.

Stephen Jackson basketball camp

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
Stephen Jackson of the Golden State Warriors encourages players during a basketball camp at the Nederland Recreation Center in Nederland on Thursday, July 13, 2007.


Treylin Dixon, 1, of Port Arthur toddles beside Stephen Jackson of the Golden State Warriors during a basketball camp at the Nederland Recreation Center.


Jackson, a Port Arthur product, is known for the worst brawl in NBA history as well as a gun incident outside a strip club. However, back in Southeast Texas, he tries to encourage and help the next generation find their way.

Please read "NBA's Jackson at Mid-County camp to emphasize the positive by Johnnie Walters.

Chillin' in Nederland

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise


Lifeguard Sara Hussey, a senior at Nederland High School, watches as Ryan Brown, 16, of Caddo Mills attempts a flip at the City of Nederland Pool in Nederland on Friday, July 13, 2007. Brown was visiting relatives in Nederland.

Nederland Power Surge

Riders scream as the Power Surge turns them upside down during the Nederland Heritage Festival in Nederland on Saturday, March 17, 2007.

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Shutout

Nederland's Lindsey Rossi (No. 8) hits a single against Port Neches-Groves during a softball game at Nederland High School on Thursday, April 5, 2007. Rossi went 2-for-3 and scored two runs on the way to a 7-0 win over the No. 2 ranked team in their district.

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise



PN-G's Jessica Shields (No. 3) jogs to the bench after being struck out during a softball game at Nederland High School in Nederland. PN-G only got two hits all night and 10 strikeouts.

Please read "Nederland blanks PN-G in softball" by Perryn Keys.

Nederland Heritage Festival 2007

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Visitors take rides and sample food on the midway during the annual Nederland Heritage Festival in Nederland on Tuesday, March 13, 2007.


Visitors ride the Zipper during the annual Nederland Heritage Festival. The festival continues through this weekend.



Willow Nash, 4, of Austin rides a carousel on the midway during the annual Nederland Heritage Festival.



Children ride a car attraction on the midway during the annual Nederland Heritage Festival.


Cindy Brown and her daughter Kathryn Brown, 5, of Port Neches ride an attraction on the midway during the annual Nederland Heritage Festival.



A Ferris wheel reflects on Central Middle School's door during the annual Nederland Heritage Festival.

Boumans

Donald T. Boumans, president of Boumans & Associates, Inc., poses for a portrait at his office in Nederland on Friday, Jan. 26, 2007.

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Cash cow

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Calves graze near the Southeast Texas Regional Airport in Nederland on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007. According to an auditor, the airport financially broke even last year and saved tax dollars for area residents.
 

Racism and Vidor

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Watson Franks' television went blank during the Vidor segment of CNN's Paula Zahn Now special on racism at his home in Vidor Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006. Homes in Beaumont and Vidor were unable to get the CNN channel while the Vidor segment was aired. Immediately after the segment, the show resumed.


Watson Franks uses a remote control on his television after it went blank during the Vidor segment of CNN's Paula Zahn Now special on racism at his home in Vidor.



Ray Schultz of Dallas prepares a CNN satellite truck near sundown at Time Warner cable company in Nederland on Wednesday, December 13, 2006. A CNN story about racism in Vidor was interrupted on Tuesday at local Time Warner stations.


A CNN satellite truck is prepared for a live interview of Vidor's mayor by CNN's Paula Zahn at Time Warner cable company in Nederland. Vidor was previously known as a "sunset town." In the Old South, a sunset town was one where minorities were not welcome and often harassed or worse after sunset.


CNN reporter Keith Oppenheim talks with Paula Zahn via satellite at Time Warner cable company in Nederland. Oppenheim filed the original story about racism and Vidor. The Vidor-related segment of the CNN story about racism was interrupted on Tuesday at local Time Warner stations. Time Warner claims it was a technical glitch caused by a technician's human error.


Vidor Mayor Joe Hopkins (left) talks with CNN's Paula Zahn via satellite at Time Warner cable company.


Vidor Mayor Joe Hopkins talks with CNN's Paula Zahn via satellite at Time Warner cable company in Nederland. After initially accepting to host a CNN town hall meeting about racism in Vidor, he canceled the agreement and cited "security" as the reason.

I waited to post this story because it kept getting more interesting. I was scheduled to cover the CNN town hall meeting in Beaumont on Tuesday, but I ended up at a basketball game while Jennifer covered the meeting (I'm still not quite sure how this happened).

I've already said racism is a problem in Southeast Texas. CNN decided to give it some national attention. This caused some grumblings. However, when the Vidor segment of the Paula Zahn Now special on racism was about to air, homes in Vidor and Beaumont only saw dead air on CNN. (See the video)

It also took what could have been an embarrassing moment for Vidor and propelled it into a national incident. After speaking with Vidor's mayor, Paula Zahn's production wanted to host a town hall meeting about racism in Vidor.

First, the mayor said OK. Then, he changed his mind and canceled the meeting citing "security" as the reason.

Beaumont Mayor Guy Goodson helped move the meeting to Beaumont to examine this important issue.

Before the meeting, Zahn went to Vidor to interview Mayor Joe Hopkins. There was no security problem in Vidor while she visited. She then came to Beaumont and conducted the town hall meeting with all the panelists without a security incident.

Please read "When We Lost The CNN Signal" on Fayrouz's blog to understand this strange story.

Please also read "CNN racism forum raises issues for some" by Dee Dixon as well as the related links.
 

Airport terminal

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Passengers wait for a flight to Houston in the terminal at the Southeast Texas Regional Airport in Nederland on Monday, Dec. 4, 2006.

Yes, I'm posting "lemonade" images this week so y'all can read through the interview with Matt Eich.
 

Boston Avenue expansions

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Gaudie & Co. employee Sarah Staton (right) shows an ornament to Jamie Lefort (left) at the store in Nederland on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2006. The 2-year-old boutique on Boston Avenue has doubled it's floor space this year due to its continued success.
 

Present portrait options

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise


(Above and right) Anthony "Val" Volentine, business manager and financial secretary-treasurer for the Pipefitters Local 195, poses for a portrait at the Pipe Fitters Union Hall in Nederland on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2006.



PJs often don't know how images will be laid out on a page. Consequently, it's best to present both horizontal and vertical options to the layout desk. For this shoot, I knew one image option would go in the Business Monthly magazine and the other would run on the business page. So, the two images wouldn't conflict in one publication.

The magazine had both options available and chose one for their needs. The business page could handle either option without difficulty.

Both images are basically similar in subject matter, but the lens selections, lighting and subject placement makes for two drastically different shots of the same thing. The first image is shot with a wide-angle zoom (17~35mm) and a flash with a softbox. The second image is shot with a 80~200mm zoom and the subject is holding a silver reflector to kick light into the shadow under his hat. Both options made publishable shots.

Enough for now,
 

Hurricane Rita anniversary: Texas

It's been a year since Hurricane Rita hit Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. We'll always remember the date because it's also Fayrouz's birthday. Last year, we "celebrated" by eating some Zebra snack cakes before Rita ripped the roof off the newsroom and destroyed the entire area. This year, thankfully, her birthday was celebrated at a fine restaurant with a tasty whipped-cream cake.

Hurricane Rita is barely mentioned in the news outside of this area. However, in an area where many folks still have blue roofs and shattered dreams, it's mentioned often. So often, in fact, that the word "Rita" has appeared in every edition of The Beaumont Enterprise since the tropical storm was named.

Although we're all tired of Rita, Katrina and any other mention of hurricanes, we must still reflect on how the area is recovering after one year.

Below are the images of recovery. Many of the compositions appear strange or random. By normal accounts, most are quite boring. However, click on the link under each image and see how the same scene looked about a year ago.


Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
Now:   William L. Snyder II, owner of B&B Enterprises, poses for a portrait outside his auto business in Orange on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2006.
Then


Now:   The Target store in Beaumont is fully repaired and operational on Friday, Sept. 15, 2006.
Then


Now:   O'Hare's Market and Grill on Dowlen Road in Beaumont has changed its lease arrangement and is now Gator West Mini Mart on Friday, Sept. 15, 2006. It reopened for business in mid-July, it was previously damaged after looters smashed the front doors.
Then


Now:   A crushed sport utility vehicle with Louisiana license plates was removed from under a Jack In The Box sign and the store has been repaired and is operational again by Friday, Sept. 15, 2006.
Then


Now:   Johnson's Xpress Lube has been repaired and is operational by Friday, Sept. 15, 2006.
Then


Now:   Southeast Texas Regional Airport has removed the secondary tower and returned to normal operations by Friday, Sept. 15, 2006.
Then


Now:   The Port Arthur Holiday Inn has been repaired and is back to normal operation by Friday, Sept. 15, 2006.
Then


Now:   The parking lot remains empty by the severely-damaged Port Arthur Civic Center in Port Arthur on Friday, Sept. 15, 2006.
Then
 

Decision time

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
Nederland High School's Travis Dabel (No. 40, top) reads an offensive play to determine his action during practice in the school's gym in Nederland on Monday, Sept. 11, 2006.

Please read "Read and react: Linebackers can win or lose a play in split second after snap" by Perryn Keys for more information.
Enough for now,
 

Nederland fumble

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
Nederland High School's Chris Gutierrez (No. 38, right) loses the ball as he's hit by Silsbee's Jordell Elam (No. 2, left) during a scrimmage football game against Silsbee at Bulldog Stadium in Nederland on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2006.

Nederland hits

Nederland's Jake Speed (No. 7) finishes through on a hit against Montgomery during the regional quarterfinal baseball playoff game at Nederland High School in Nederland on Thursday, May 18, 2006.

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
 

Unique birthday party

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
Prominent attorney and philanthropist Walter Umphrey gets help blowing out his birthday candles from a Marilyn Monroe impersonator during his 70th birthday party in his private airplane hangar at the Southeast Texas Regional Airport in Nederland on Saturday, May 13, 2006.


Rock legend Jerry Lee Lewis, 71, performs during the 70th birthday party of Walter Umphrey in Umphrey's private airplane hangar at the Southeast Texas Regional Airport.


Walter Umphrey (left) and his wife Sheila Umphrey (right) are greeted by a string of well-wishers during his 70th birthday party in his private airplane hangar.