Blood drive for Fort Hood victims

Red Cross phlebotomist Mary Williams (right) prepares to take a blood donation from Joshua Shuck of Flower Mound (left) at the American Red Cross Blood Donor Center in Farmers Branch on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009. Area residents responded to a request for donors following the mass killings at Fort Hood earlier in the day.



photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News


Red Cross phlebotomist Melissa Villarruel (right) checks on Bill Clements of Irving (left) as he donates blood platelets at the American Red Cross Blood Donor Center. Clements began donating platelets regularly after the 2001 terrorist attacks.


Boxes are prepared to rush donated blood to Fort Hood at the American Red Cross Blood Donor Center. Processed blood was shipped immediately while the center requested donors to replenish supplies.




Red Cross phlebotomist Mary Williams (right) takes a blood donation from Joshua Shuck of Flower Mound (left) in Farmers Branch.


Bill Clements of Irving donates blood platelets regularly at the American Red Cross Blood Donor Center in Farmers Branch.

Please read, "North Texas blood donors ready to help" by Mark Norris / The Dallas Morning News

Plano West vs. Irving Nimitz volleyball

Plano West's Lauren McCormick (16) fires a shot past Irving MacArthur's Danielle Candelaria (3) during a playoff volleyball game at Creekview High School in Carrollton on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009.



photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News


Irving MacArthur's Shataria Green (12) blocks the tip of Plano West's Erin McNorton (6) during a playoff volleyball game in Carrollton.




Plano West's Berkley Fuller (2) makes a dig during a playoff volleyball game against Irving MacArthur at Creekview High School in Carrollton. Plano West won the match and advanced.

First snow in DFW 2009

Today (technically yesterday) brought the first real snow I've seen since 2004. I didn't have time to work it, but I got a few shots on my way to the coffee shop.


photos by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles

Snow falls into a private lake in Plano on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009.


Holly berries hint at the season as snow falls.


A tree displays its fall colors as snow falls.




Snow falls into the creek along Lorimar Drive in Plano.


Pansies fight against the snow.




An oasis of warmth and caffeine appears through the snow.




Roses support the snow in Plano.




A rose bud is surrounded in snow in Plano.

Allen vs. Plano East football

photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News

Allen's Kyree Owens (7) goes down hard as Plano East's Darius Hood (44) finishes the tackle and Allen's Cedric Ogbuehi (71) pushes Plano East's Kyle Koenig (39) off the play during a high school football game at Eagle Stadium in Allen on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009.


Plano East's Brandon Lewis (27) holds onto a pass while he gets facemasked by Allen's Matt McLaughlin (36) and hit by Kenon Turner (2) during a football game at Eagle Stadium.


Allen quarterback Matt Brown (10) avoids Plano East's Sam Trotter (20) during a football game in Allen.




Plano East quarterback Ryan Foster (6) scores a touchdown while Allen's Melvin Spears (32) tries to strip the ball during a football game at Eagle Stadium in Allen.

Allen won 51-28.

Hillcrest vs. Woodrow Wilson football

photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News

Woodrow Wilson's Carl Harris (9) drags Hillcrest's Kenneth Holden (5) for yards during a high school football game at Franklin Stadium in Dallas on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009.


Woodrow Wilson's Chad Polk (54) wraps up Hillcrest's Gary Grace (4) during a high school football game at Franklin Stadium.




Woodrow Wilson's Carl Harris (9) bobbles a handoff while Jose Moreno (64) makes a hole through Hillcrest defenders during a high school football game at Franklin Stadium in Dallas.

Woodrow Wilson won 26-15 and remained undefeated.

Holy Cross Ground Blessing

photos © Mark M. Hancock for The Texas Catholic

Alysia L. Johnson, 13, and other dancers in the Holy Cross Dance Ministry perform "Dance Like David" during the ground blessing program for the new church sanctuary at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Dallas on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009.


Parishioners listen as the Spirit! Children's Choir performs "Call Him Up" during the ground blessing program for the new church sanctuary at Holy Cross Catholic Church.


Sherbie Mathews leads "We've Come This Far By Faith" during the ground blessing program for the new church sanctuary at Holy Cross Catholic Church.



Mariachi Jaliscience performs "Alabare'" during the ground blessing program for the new church sanctuary at Holy Cross Catholic Church.


Bishop Kevin J. Farrell blesses the cornerstones and parishioners during the ground blessing for the new church sanctuary at Holy Cross Catholic Church. The new sanctuary will be built on the cleared land.


Fr. Timothy A. Gollob (left) invites parishioners and guests to refreshments after the ground blessing for the new church sanctuary at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Dallas.

FC Dallas vs. Colorado soccer

photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News

FC Dallas' Dax McCarty (13) leaps above Colorado's Pablo Mastroeni (25) to get a header from a corner kick during the final regular-season Major League Soccer game at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009.


FC Dallas' David Ferreira (10) jumps to kick the ball past Colorado's Drew Moor (3) during the final regular-season Major League Soccer game at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco. Dallas won the game 2-1.

Please read, "Playoffs still in FC Dallas' grasp" by Steve Hunt.

University of Dallas Ministry Conference

Cristian Barragan, a Capuchin monk from Our Lady of Lourdes, has a laugh with other attendees during the annual University of Dallas Ministry Conference at the Dallas Convention Center on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009.



photos © Mark M. Hancock for The Texas Catholic


See a larger version of this slideshow.

Faithful attend the annual University of Dallas Ministry Conference at the Dallas Convention Center on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009. The event seeks to make the University's academic resources available to Catholic and wider communities through lectures, workshops and meetings. The conference is sponsored by both the Dallas and Fort Worth dioceses.

Named in this slideshow are (in order of appearance):   Mariachi Real Tecalitlan; Bishop Kevin J. Farrell, Dallas Diocese; Jonathan I. Lunine; Fr. Patrick J. Madden, Shreveport Diocese; Fr. Robert Hater; Bishop Kevin W. Vann, Fort Worth Diocese; John L. Allen, Jr., senior Vatican analyst for CNN; Augustine Jalomo of the Happy Hour band; Sr. Maria Thu Nguyen; deacon Joseph Nguyen; Sr. Emmanuela Le; Vanessa Llanas; Bailey Chandler; Bishop Alvaro Corrada del Rio, Tyler Diocese; Fr. Anthony Nguyen Van Quyet; Kenneth Louis; Richard Cheri; deacon Hugo Salina; Cristian Barragan; Mike Patin and Dr. Arturo Chavez.

McKinney vs. McKinney North football

photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News

McKinney's Jonathon Shannon (16) puts a hit on McKinney North's Stefan Hurd (3) as the ball arrives during a high school football game at Ron Poe Stadium in McKinney on Friday, Oct. 16, 2009.


McKinney defensive players Evan Hinkle (49), Josh Spengler (90), Joseph Blaquiere (31) and D'Juan Swinney (91) swarm McKinney North's Devin Smith (22) as Jon Maribo (5) approaches as alternative defense during a football game at Ron Poe Stadium.


McKinney quarterback Zach Lee (7) sneaks past McKinney North's Isaac Allen (71) for a touchdown during a high school football game in McKinney.


McKinney North's Austin Laudenslager (7) finds a handle on McKinney's Damion Willis (6) during a football game at Ron Poe Stadium.


McKinney North's DeAnte Moore (1) sprints away from McKinney's Michael Snowden (56) during a high school football game at Ron Poe Stadium in McKinney.

McKinney won 49-3.

Cistercian vs. Oakridge football

photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News

Arlington Oakridge's Brayden Frank (22) looks for an opening as Justin Erhardt (74) keeps the line against Cistercian during a private high school football game at Hawk Stadium on Friday, Oct. 9, 2009 in Irving.


Arlington Oakridge's Tayo Fabuluje (66) leads teammates Keith Gooden (71) and Curt Allen (56) onto the field against Cistercian during a private high school football game at Hawk Stadium.


Cistercian's George Adesanya (19) dives for yards as Arlington Oakridge's Thomas Johnson (3) defends during a private high school football game at Hawk Stadium in Irving.

Arlington Oakridge won 33-10.