Category Archives: Your City At Work | Page 3

Your City at Work

Shuckers, seafood headline weekend

It’s a big weekend, with Shuckers and seafood leading the way. The Biloxi Seafood Festival, one of the city’s signature events, takes place Saturday and Sunday, on the Town Green, with a host of live entertainment, arts and crafts, kid activities, and, of course, a variety of seafood dishes. And over at MGM Park on […]

Waterfront meeting draws full house to City Hall

It was standing-room-only this afternoon at Biloxi City Hall for a discussion of the possibilities for development on Biloxi’s Point Cadet. Ann Breen and Dick Rigby, co-directors of The Washington, D.C-based Waterfront Center, presented an hour-long slide show of successful waterfront developments, which prompted an hour-long discussion of the vacant land situated at Biloxi’s easternmost […]

Public meetings to focus on Biloxi waterfront

Development of Biloxi’s waterfront, especially vacant land at Point Cadet, will be the focus of a meeting this afternoon that will feature two waterfront development authorities who had a hand in Biloxi’s award-winning waterfront master plan in the 1980s. During the 1:30 public meeting at City Hall, Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich will introduce Ann Breen […]

Shuckers open playoffs against Pensacola tonight

The Biloxi Shuckers, who won the first and second halves of the South Division, will open the 2018 Southern League Divisional Round by hosting the Pensacola Blue Wahoos at MGM Park this evening at 6:35. The Shuckers are set to send 2018 Southern League Most Outstanding Pitcher RHP Zack Brown (9-1, 2.40) to the mound […]

City services, casino resorts re-opening doors

“We ducked a punch,” one-time boxer and Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said this morning of Tropical Storm Gordon, which had been projected to hit Biloxi before coming ashore with 70-mph winds in Pascagoula. “We’re very fortunate, but at the same time we never want to become complacent,” Gilich declared. “Forecasting the weather is not […]

Coast casinos to close; sheriff announces curfew

The Mississippi Gaming Commission has announced that Coast casinos will close today no later than 5 p.m. The sheriff of Harrison County, meantime, has announced that a curfew will be in effect from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. See the latest Gordon forecast See the local forecast See real-time radar   News & notes: Facebook, […]

Non-emergency city offices to close at 2

Extra shifts of police officers and firefighters will be on duty today and throughout the evening, but Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard says non-emergency city offices in Biloxi will close at 2 this afternoon. “We take this measure of closing early in an abundance of caution,” Leonard said. “However, residents should be aware that all […]

Council to declare state of emergency

The Biloxi City Council will hold a special meeting at 11:30 this morning to declare that a state of emergency exists in Biloxi as the city continues to prepare for tonight’s expected landfall of Gordon, now a tropical storm with sustained winds of 65 mph and 230 miles east-southeast of the Mississippi River. Biloxi, which […]

Biloxi orders evacuation of harbors

It’s official: Gordon is expected to make landfall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast on Tuesday night, and the National Weather Service has issued a hurricane warning, with the possibility of hurricane-force winds expected begining late Tuesday afternoon. All vessels in Biloxi’s four harbors and marinas, about 300 craft in all, have been ordered to evacuate […]

Shuckers play last homestand of the season

Tonight the Biloxi Shuckers play game two of a five game homestand against the Birmingham Barons. This is the last regular season homestand. It is also Fireworks Friday. Here are the promotions for the remaining games of the homestand. Tonight: Fireworks Friday, presented by Alpha Media, with a fireworks extravaganza after the game . During […]

Causeway Park officially opens on Friday

The Popp’s Ferry Causeway Park, a project that’s been three decades in the making, will open to the public Friday morning. Motorists passing on the nearby Popp’s Ferry bridge have watched for months as outdoor pavilions, waterfront piers and marsh overlooks have taken shape, but the city has delayed opening until marsh grass was allowed […]

City moving forward with Popp’s Ferry extension

The city is sending letters to about three dozen property owners in the route of the extension of Popp’s Ferry Road to U.S. 90 letting them know that the process is beginning for the city to buy their property. City Engineer Christy LeBatard said the letters will be mailed in the next couple of weeks […]

New bridge for Popp’s Ferry still years away

The Popp’s Ferry bridge doesn’t open a dozen or so times a day as it did years ago for coal barges, but the 20,000 motorists who travel the bridge on an average day will tell you they cross their fingers each time the span opens. That’s because the two-lane, low-level bridge, now 39 years old […]

BNews: Road work update and $25 from Margaritaville

The September issue of BNews Monthly, with a detailed look at roadwork through the city and a $25 match play coupon from Margaritaville Biloxi, will begin arriving in homes and businesses throughout Biloxi on Thursday. The 16-page issue includes a comprehensive update and detailed maps on infrastructure work north and south of the CSX railway, […]

Big issues on City Council agenda Tuesday

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich next week will be asking the City Council to move forward on a host of high-profile issues that have been in the works for months and, in some cases, years. When the council meets on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., the agenda includes an Administration proposal establishing a downtown housing incentive program.  […]

Weekend preview: Sports Hall to welcome six

The Biloxi Sports Hall of Fame will induct six new members during a ceremony Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Biloxi Civic Center. The Class of 2018 is Eric Fortenberry, who former Indians basketball coach Laird called “one of the best Biloxi players of all time,” along with baseball standout Glenn Lamas and former football […]

Waffle House plans unique look at new site

Waffle House is big on Biloxi – covered, smothered and chunked, in the hash browns vernacular – but the company’s fifth location will be off the menu. That’s because the new location, on U.S. 90 just west of Bellman Street, is in a Biloxi historic district and Waffle House developers answered Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich’s […]

The Blake headlines bustling lineup of growth

Amid the talk of boardwalks and parks and fire stations, the city’s Community Development Department has issued what may be one of its largest building permits of the year: a $15.5 million permit for construction of an assisted living facility on Popp’s Ferry Road near Cedar Lake Road. In fact, ground was broken Wednesday morning […]

New walkway in the works north of harbor

The new pedestrian bridge at U.S. 90 and Caillavet Street – linking the Beau Rivage employee parking garage and the Beau Rivage itself – will begin taking shape over the highway in a few months, and about that time, the City of Biloxi will begin work on a second U.S. 90 pedestrian overpass, west of […]

Cable One to air Katrina, Camille specials

The City of Biloxi and Cable One will air a series of special storm-related programming beginning tonight and continuing all day Wednesday to commemorate the anniversaries of Hurricanes Camille and Katrina, and to help educate residents about the dangers of storms and flooding.  Cable One, beginning at 6 this evening on Cable Channel 69, is […]

Biloxi to introduce new gear for firefighters

The Biloxi Fire Department this week will become one of the first departments in the country to use turnout gear that employs protective cuffs to help reduce exposure to toxic substances. The new turnout gear also will have a revolutionary, lightweight design. The department is scheduled to receive 30 new sets of turnout gear, which […]

Oscar Renda, Hemphill update progress

The lane closures on U.S. 90 west of White Avenue should be history in about three weeks, and all of Division Street should be paved at the end of October, according to the latest video update from contractors rebuilding the infrastructure in east Biloxi. “Our utility work, the installation of sewer and water lines along […]

Budget: More gaming money, more cops, no new taxes

The city expects to see a million dollars in new revenue from sports betting in the coming fiscal year, and plans are to hire an additional six police officers, with no increase in the city property tax rate. Those are some of the announcements that have come from a series of workshops the Gilich Administration […]

Familiar-looking fire station planned for north of Bay

The city broke ground this morning on another new fire station north of the Bay, and architect Mark Williams says passersby will see a familiar site when the station begins coming out of the ground over the next several months. That’s because Station 10, which is on Old Highway 67 east of Cedar Lake Road, […]

Shuckers return to MGM Park with myriad promotions

The Biloxi Shuckers return to the MGM Park tonight for an 11-game homestand, six games against the Mobile Baybears and five against the Pensacola Wahoos.  Tonight will be a doubleheader, with the first pitch at 5:30 p.m. followed by a makeup from a missed game on July 2.  Along with the games, comes the promotions, […]

Biloxi hopes remains of hometown war hero are found

Are the remains of a Biloxi Air Force lieutenant among those that North Korean recently returned to the United States? That’s the question Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich is asking of Defense Department officials in the wake of news that North Korea is returning remains from the Korean War. First Lt. Robert Phillip Gaude Jr., whose […]

MDOT plans paving, repairs for U.S. 90 in Biloxi

Sharp-eyed motorists on U.S. 90 in Biloxi may have noticed markings on the asphalt near storm drains, the first signal that MDOT is nearly ready to begin a major paving and repair project on the nine miles of highway between DeBuys Road and the Biloxi Bay Bridge. Contractors are currently inspecting and videoing existing drain […]

The inside story on NTSB’s bus-train crash report

The National Transportation Safety Board, after months of investigating the deadly bus-train accident in Biloxi in 2017, said CSX and the city should have taken action to resolve the issues at the crossing, but a six-page abstract of the report recommended that state and federal agencies need to develop specific guidelines for signage at dangerous crossings […]

Guns & Hoses is on the way for pickleballers

Registration is now open for the inaugural Guns and Hoses Charity Pickleball Tournament, where pickleballers are challenging first responders. Law enforcers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics and their supporters are being invited to sign up now for the tournament, which takes place Saturday, Oct. 13 at the Popp’s Ferry Recreational Area. Registration is free to all active first responders […]

Howard Avenue work, despite surprises, on schedule

Engineers and contractors working on the nearly $2 million reconstruction of the downtown section of Howard Avenue report that work is on schedule for its October completion, but the project has not been without its surprises. Most of the work over the past four months has been below-ground construction, such as storm drains and water […]

Excel By 5 to begin orientation sessions

A new school year has arrived, and Excel by 5 also is ready to begin its year for pre-schoolers. Before preschoolers can attend the many Biloxi Excel By 5 programs, parents and caregivers are required to attend one of the upcoming orientations. Biloxi Excel By 5 is an early learning community-based program designed to improve […]

Gilich: Rail crossing oversight is a complex issue

Here is a statement from Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich regarding the NTSB findings from the deadly bus-train accident at the Main Street crossing in Biloxi in March 2017: “We haven’t been waiting for the findings of the NTSB to be reactive on railroad crossing safety. We’ve been proactive. “Before the tragic accident last year, we […]

NTSB to release bus-train collision findings

The National Transportation Safety Board, during a board meeting this morning at 8:30, will release its findings on the probable cause of the March 2017 collision of an ECHO Transportation motorcoach and a CSX freight train at the Main Street rail crossing in Biloxi. Four of the 49 motorcoach passengers were killed in the crash, […]

Sports Hall of Fame to welcome six new members

One of Jackie Laird’s best basketball players and a hard-hitting catcher with join four football legends as the 2018 inductees into the Biloxi Sport Hall of Fame. The Biloxi Parks & Recreation Department announced the Class of 2018 today. Eric Fortenberry, who former Indians basketball coach Laird called “one of the best Biloxi players of […]

Biloxi, Meet the Press

It was Labor Day 1990 when Biloxi musician Robert Collier and Andrew Thomas of the Spinners decided to form a band, Meet the Press, which they figured would be around for six months or so. And now, 28 years later, this weekend at Point Cadet Plaza, local audiences will have a chance to see an […]

Today is deadline for Biloxi schools registration

Those students who are not registered for Biloxi Public Schools by this afternoon at 3 won’t be able to attend classes on the first day of school, which is Monday. Registration is taking place at public schools across the city. Those who miss the today’s registration deadline will be included in late registration, which begins […]

Cruisin’ The Coast seeks â€Cruisin’ Krewe’ volunteers

Cruisin’ The Coast is looking for fun-loving Coastians who want to be a part of “America’s Largest Block Party.” The success and growth of Cruisin’ The Coast has made it necessary to seek community volunteers to help with the annual event. The volunteers, who will be known as the “Cruisin’ Krewe,” will assist staff and […]

Shuckers GM: We’re playoff-bound and just a few games back

The Shuckers return to MGM Park Thursday for a five-game homestand against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. As the regular season winds down and the playoffs approach, it’s time to check in with General Manager Hunter Reed. The Shuckers were off to a fast start at the beginning of the season and seem to have been […]

Council will meet Tuesday morning, afternoon

Biloxi could see a new software training center open next year, offering one-year courses where graduates could be assured jobs paying at least $50,000 a year. It’s part of Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich’s plan to see the new center, known as a “coding academy”, established in Biloxi where high school graduates would learn to write […]

Seafood museum opens nominations for hall of fame

The Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum is now accepting nominations for its 2018 Heritage Hall of Fame class. Nominations, open to individuals who have shown dedication to honoring the tradition of the maritime and seafood industry on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, are for the following four categories: Boat Owner/Captain/Commercial Fisherman, Commercial Seafood Processing Companies, Industry […]

Biloxi seeks state action on internet sales

This weekend it’s a sales tax-free weekend in Mississippi for those buying back-to-school supplies, primarily clothing and footwear under $100, but this week Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich and the Biloxi City Council went on record asking for action on another sales tax issue: interstate sales over the internet. The City Council, at Gilich’s request, passed […]

Classes resume Aug. 6 at Biloxi Public Schools

The 2018-2019 school year begins on Aug. 6 for the Biloxi Public Schools. When the doors open on Biloxi’s eight public schools — Biloxi High, Biloxi Junior High, Biloxi Upper Elementary, and elementary schools at Gorenflo, Jeff Davis, Nichols, North Bay, and Popp’s Ferry – school leaders estimate 6,200 students will be in class. That’s […]

A look at development in Biloxi

No doubt you’ve seen the two big announcements – major expansions in the works at Margaritaville and Treasure Bay – and, as significant as they are, they’re just a fraction of development in Biloxi. In fact, at the moment, Biloxi has $70 million in commercial and residential construction underway, outside of nearly $200 million in […]

City seeks input on plans for CSX access road

The City of Biloxi will host a community engagement meeting on Aug. 2 at 5:30 p.m. in the Biloxi Community Development Department auditorium 676 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. to discuss the proposed federally-funded construction of an east-west roadway north of the CSX railway in east Biloxi. The two-lane roadway, which would be immediately […]

August newsletter on the way to Biloxi residents

The new issue of BNews Monthly, with a focus on development in Biloxi and a host of other city news, will begin arriving in homes and businesses throughout Biloxi on Saturday. The issue also includes information about major expansions at Margaritaville Resort & Family Entertainment Center and Treasure Bay Casino and Hotel, and stories on […]

Popp’s Ferry Causeway Park still on hold

To the casual observer, it may look like it’s complete and ready for visitors, but the Popp’s Ferry Causeway Park won’t be opening for another month. Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard reports that the city and Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality want marsh grass to mature before the public is allowed into the area, […]

City Council faces host of issues Tuesday

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich will be asking the Biloxi City Council on Tuesday to approve three key measures, including a pilot program to help create downtown residents and a measure that would ask the state Legislature to protect local governments across the state from sales tax revenue lost to internet sales. The mayor also will […]

Gilich: Thanks to many for such a great air show

“I think it was universally viewed as a success,” Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich says of the weekend’s Blues Over Biloxi air show. “It was exciting for everyone, all of the families that went down to the beach and to Point Cadet, the tourism industry that saw an occupancy rate that will probably be in the […]

Some advice for Day 2 of Blues Over Biloxi

 The finale of the Blues Over Biloxi air show takes place this afternoon, and tens of thousands of spectators are expected along the Biloxi waterfront again today to see a two-and-a-half hour aerial demonstration headlined by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Not as many beachgoers were positioned on the beach at 7 a.m. as they […]

Here’s the latest on infrastructure work in east Biloxi

Sure, the Blue Angels are thundering overhead again today, rehearsing for the Blues Over Biloxi air show this weekend, but that doesn’t mean roadwork throughout the city comes to a halt. In fact, here’s the latest update: Porter Avenue and connecting streets north of Division will see asphalt being poured in August, and during the […]

Here’s the lineup for Blues Over Biloxi

Blues over Biloxi is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and end at 3:30, according to the latest schedule, issued by David Shultz Air Shows. Gates at Harrah’s Great Lawn, the premium viewing location, open at 9 a.m. Here’s what you’ll see: 1 p.m. – Opening ceremony and National Anthem performed by Air Force Maj. […]

What you need to know about the air show

Those are U.S. Navy Blue Angels you hear screeching over the skies of Biloxi this afternoon, as members of the precision flying team begin the first of two days of rehearsals before the Blues Over Biloxi air show Saturday and Sunday. The show will be centered over Deer Island, immediately south of the Great Lawn […]

Air show has harbors, marina buzzing

More than 100 boaters are in town for the Blues Over Biloxi air show this weekend, and more are on the way, reports Larry Sablich, who oversees the city public marinas, harbors and boat launches. “We have them from Louisiana, Alabama and some came over from Gulfport,” said Sablich, who maintains a supply of slips […]

City recognizes second quarter longevity recipients

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich, on Tuesday, recognized 36 employees for their years of service during a longevity awards presentation. 40 years of service: William Wiley, Fire Department 30 years of service: Pinkey Lewis, Administration Department 25 years of service: Clayton Courtney and Michelle Crowley, Fire Department 20 years of service:James Carson, Parks & Recreation Department; and […]

Lighthouse Pier, Woolmarket library now open

Two anticipated facilities – the Biloxi Lighthouse pier and the new Woolmarket Public Library – are now open. The lighthouse pier, which is the city’s most popular pier, reopened over the weekend after contractors completed repairs from Hurricane Nate damage. The Woolmarket branch of the Harrison County Library System opened this morning at its new digs, […]

Here’s a heads up on the air show traffic plan

The Blue Angels are renowned for their precision flying, and Biloxi Police are hoping to transfer some of that precion to U.S. 90 motorists on July 21 and 22 when the Navy’s high-flying flight demonstration squadron comes to town July 21-22. For the Blues Over Biloxi air show, motorists can expect to see the two southernmost […]

No question, these Shuckers are diamond gems

The playoff-bound Biloxi Shuckers have games this evening and Wednesday morning to wrap up a four-game homestand with Jackson (Tenn.) Generals, and Biloxi General Manager Hunter Reed says the Milwaukee Brewers Double-A affiliate is at the top of its game, on and off the field. Last week, in a game on the eve of the […]

First Friday, fireworks, and Shuckers headline weekend events

Biloxi’s First Friday, the monthly downtown affair, ushers in another month this evening with a three-hour event beginning at 5 throughout Rue Magnolia.  Activities include a Downtown Biloxi Stars & Stripes Scavenger Hunt beginning at the Biloxi Main Street table in front of the Threaded Cork, an art reception for Vielsa Harding “An Affair with Art” […]

City releases latest audit, and it’s ‘clean’

The city published its annual audit earlier this week, and, as expected, it’s page after page of tables of numbers, and explanations that may leave Joe Taxpayer in a daze. However, says Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard, the 152-page document, known as a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the City of Biloxi, has several […]

Biloxi fireworks show goes rain or shine

The Biloxi Fourth of July fireworks show begins this evening at 9, fired from a barge inside Deer Island. Here’s what you need to know about the 18-minute show. The weather: It really doesn’t matter, says Jerry Munro of the Boom-Boom Committee. The Biloxi fireworks show will be presented rain or shine. Best viewing: The […]

Shuckers resume games and fireworks this evening

Biloxi Shuckers fans were seeing something unique at MGM Park with the Biloxi squad’s homestand with the Mobile BayBears, which began last Thursday: Instead of the usual five-game homestand, the Shuckers had league permission to play a six-game homestand so the series could stretch to July 3. That was important because all Southern league teams […]

City to again offer fireworks-free zone

Fireworks fans will again be able to enjoy the city’s Fourth of July fireworks presentation on east beach without the fear of being hit with fireworks. The fireworks-free zone, which Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich introduced in 2016, occupies the area between Oak Street and the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor, a mile-long stretch of the eight […]

Get ready for an encore, Back Bay fireworks fans

The thunderstorms may have kept a host of fireworks fans from seeing the fireworks show over Back Bay Sunday night, but there’s good news: IP and Scarlet Pearl have announced that an encore presentation will be Saturday, July 7 at 9 p.m. “With the unfortunate bad weather, we know our local community members and their […]

Biloxi to host series of Fourth fireworks shows

“We love our fireworks, and we love to celebrate,” Biloxi businessman Jerry Munro says of the three fireworks shows coming up to mark the Fourth of July in Biloxi.  The shows, for the record: Sunday, 9 p.m., over Back Bay between IP and Scarlet Pearl casino resorts; Tuesday, post-game Biloxi Shuckers Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza […]

It’s all good: City issues annual water quality report

Annual testing of the city’s water systems shows that municipal water customers in Biloxi are receiving water that “meets or exceeds all federal and state requirements.” The annual report, mandated by the state Department of Health, is being mailed to all city residents and businesses in the July issue of BNews Monthly.  The four-page consumer-confidence […]

Shuckers host BayBears daily through Tuesday

The Shuckers have another lineup of fan promotions for the upcoming Mobile Bay Bears homestand, which begins today and runs through Tuesday. The Shuckers (45-31) are coming off a six-game series in Chattanooga. The Double-A Biloxi squad, which won the first half of its Southern League South Division, is currently tied for first with Pensacola. […]

July issue of BNews Monthly on the way

The latest issue of BNews Monthly – with more pages, more stories and more advertisers – will be arriving in all Biloxi homes, businesses, apartments, condos and PO boxes in the next few days. The newsletter and calendar of events, which follows up on the premiere issue in June, features more than two dozen stories, […]

Margaritaville gets green light for major expansion

State and local leaders gathered at Margaritaville Resort Biloxi this afternoon to announce that the Point Cadet resort has received state approval to move forward with its major expansion, which includes an amusement park and second hotel. The Barrington Group, which originally announced the $140 million investment in 2016, has worked since that time to secure […]

MML, police chiefs in town this week

Biloxi motorists will be seeing a host of unfamiliar public vehicles on U.S. 90 and other local roadways this week: Police cars and an array of municipal vehicles from across the state. The annual Mississippi Municipal League convention, which attracts more than 3,000 municipal elected officials, municipal employees, state agency employees, legislators and exhibitors begins gathering […]

Woolmarket city water: A progress report

More than 240 homes and businesses in Woolmarket area have received access to city sewer in the past year or so, meaning that nearly 1,700 of the 3,100 homes and businesses in Woolmarket now have access to city water and/or sewer. But, says Ward 7 Councilman Nathan Barrett, even with the progress and with plans […]

Work and plans for Biloxi boardwalks moving forward

The West Biloxi boardwalk continues on track for its completion this summer, and plans are already in the works for a boardwalk that will wrap around the tip of the Biloxi peninsula. The West Biloxi work, a city-county project using more than a million dollars in Tidelands funds, will be more than 3,000 feet long […]

City awards $4 million contract for Cedar-Popp’s fire station

It’s official: Construction of a new fire station is scheduled to begin on city property on Popp’s Ferry Road east of Cedar Lake Road in the next few weeks, and the new station should be operational this time next year. The station, known as Station 7, will be a 13,000-square-foot fire command station to serve […]

Barring storms, contractors see progress on Irish Hill, Division

Biloxi’s two infrastructure contractors – Oscar Renda and Hemphill – are heading in to the peak of afternoon thundershower season, but both expect rain delays to be minimal, barring any tropical storms. In fact, both say, motorists, residents and businesses should  xpect to see major progress on Irish Hill Drive and Division Street. Oscar Renda […]

Traffic cones in place; Scrapin underway

Public Works crews this morning placed traffic cones in the center lanes of U.S. 90 in the 8.2 miles from I-110 and DeBuys Road signaling the big news for beachfront motorists: Scrapin the Coast 2018 has arrived. The annual two-day show, now in its 16th year at the Coast Coliseum, attracts a decidedly younger demographic than […]

Irish Hill to see temporary closures

Looks like Irish Hill won’t be your alterate route to escape Scrapin’ traffic this wekeend – at least during the daytime.  Hemphill Construction is closing Irish Hill from Summer Place to St. Paul during daylight hours through Monday to install a new water main along the roadway. The closure, which is actually from 6:30 a.m. […]

Biloxi’s Main Street director honored as best in state

Mississippi Main Street Association has named Kay Miller as the Outstanding Director of the Year. Kay Miller, who serves as the Biloxi Main Street Executive Director as well as the City of Biloxi Downtown Services Manager, was honored with the prestigious award Thursday afternoon during the 29th Annual Awards Luncheon in Jackson. “I was very […]

Scrapers to see familiar traffic plan

Scrapin’ the Coast, the car, truck and bike show that has attracted as many as 16,000 auto enthusiasts in previous years, returns to Biloxi this weekend and Biloxi Police will be using the same traffic plan as for Spring Break.  That means motorists can expect to see U.S. 90 limited to one lane of traffic […]

Woolmarket library temporarily remains closed

The Woolmarket library remains closed while the City of Biloxi complete installation of the fire alarm panel. The branch, original set to open today at the Woolmarket City Center, will officially open its doors to the public later this month. During this time, no fees will be charged on items checked out.  Library staffers remind […]

Saints Day: Here is the lineup

The third annual Saints Day kicks off Friday morning with nearly two dozen Saints Hall of Famers and three current Saint’s players participating in a series of events, including the free clinics. The New Orleans Saints Hall of Famers Rickey Jackson and Willie Roaf, along with current starters Wil Lutz, David Onyemata and Zach Wood, […]

Biloxi Cemetery Tour receives Heritage Award

In recognition for preserving Biloxi’s history, the Mississippi Heritage Trust has awarded the Old Biloxi Cemetery Tour with a 2018 Heritage Award for Preservation Education. For more than a decade, the Biloxi Historic Cemetery Tour has welcomed thousands of visitors to Biloxi’s historic cemetery for tours of re-enactors telling the history of those laid to […]

Woolmarket library to reopen Thursday

The Woolmarket branch of the Harrison County Library System will re-open Thursday in its new location. The library has completed its move into a larger facility and will re-open Thursday at 9 a.m. at the Woolmarket City Center, 13034 Kayleigh Cove Drive. “Staff are very excited to have almost twice the space in the new […]

Billfish tournament, summer fair and more this weekend

Hundreds of fisherman and their armada of million-dollar boats are at Point Cadet Marina this weekend for the annual Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Tournament. With millions in cash and prizes at stake, the anglers are competing in six divisions: Catch and Release, Blue Marlin, Swordfish, Tuna, Wahoo, and Dolphinfish. Scales open from 3 to 6 […]

Saints return to Biloxi for a third year

The Saints Hall of Fame event returns to Biloxi Friday, June 15 with a golf tournament, a kids and parents experience, and a Saints Day with the Biloxi Shuckers. “This year’s Saints Day offers a wide range of events for the whole family,” Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said. “This event continues to highlight a growing […]

Holloway services set for Friday; other news and notes

The Biloxi Police and Fire departments, two agencies that had seen overwhelming growth in the A.J. Holloway administration, will play key roles in the former mayor’s funeral service Friday morning, as condolences continue to arrive in the wake of the mayor’s passing. Visitation for the 22-year mayor will be Friday from 9:30 a.m. to noon […]

A.J. Holloway, ‘a legend in so many ways,’ dead at 79

A.J. Holloway, who oversaw an unprecedented number of quality-of-life improvements during his unprecedented 22 years as Biloxi’s mayor, died early Tuesday morning. He was 79. He was elected to the City Council in 1989 and elected mayor in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2013, before resigning in 2015.  Holloway became mayor a year after […]

Biloxi air show to feature huge food truck rally

When the “Blues over Biloxi” air show takes place July 21-22 in Biloxi, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels will be only part of the attraction for the beachfront airshow. In an effort to keep the tens of thousands of spectators fed, “Blues Over Biloxi” will feature an army of  mobile food vendors, from three states […]

Summer camps have begun in Biloxi

School’s out and hundreds of youngsters have signed up with the City of Biloxi for a fun-filled summer break in the city’s summer camp and fire academy. And the city has announced that the Biloxi Natatorium is going to be open each Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. throughout the summer. This morning, more than […]

Galaxy of stars to fete Schooner at MGM Park this evening

Biloxi’s league-leading Shuckers face the Mississippi Braves this evening and Saturday, and tonight’s fireworks extravaganza aside, there will be a galaxy of stars at MGM Park later today. It’s Schooner the Seagull’s birthday, and the Shuckers plan a huge, star-studded pre-game party for the team mascot. Check out this guest list: Finny from Margaritaville Biloxi, Pierre from […]

New building codes go into effect June 1

On June 1, the City of Biloxi begins operating under the 2018 International Building and Fire Codes, which, on the surface may not be a big deal but the updated codes mean property owners should continue to enjoy discounts on building and flood insurance premiums. The codes, which govern new construction and renovations, have minimal […]

Museum to unveil new Golden Fisherman

After four decades, the monument that was designed to commemorate the Biloxi’s and the Coast’s seafood heritage and pay tribute to generations of commercial fisherman will once again rise in honor of the iconic Gulf Coast fisherman. The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum will unveil the new Golden Fisherman statue on Thursday as part of […]

Woolmarket library branch to temporarily close

The Woolmaket Public Library branch, which has been housed for years in a small trailer, will be closing to the public Wednesday to begin its permanent move to the Woolmarket City Center. No word yet on when the branch will open at its new location, which is at 13034 Kayleigh Cove Drive. The move, a project […]

Shuckers face Braves all week at MGM Park

The league-leading Biloxi Shuckers return to MGM Park this evening to kick off a five-game series against in-state rival Mississippi Braves.  Games will be played daily through Friday, but minor league baseball is only part of the attraction, the team says. The lineup of promotions for this week: Today The road to the show travels […]

Alberto heads east; let’s play ball

It’s official: With Subtropical Storm Alberto continuing its track eastward, toward the Florida and Alabama coastline, the storm and flood watches for Biloxi and Harrison County have been discontinued. The forecast for this afternoon is for a 40 percent chance of thundershowers and a high of 83. On Memorial Day itself, however, there’s an 80 […]

Alberto roundup: What to expect and when

Owners of the 300 or so vessels moored at Biloxi’s four public harbors and marinas were notified on Friday to prepare their craft for high winds and high tides as Subtropical Storm Alberto continues to creep toward the Gulf of Mexico, and if they haven’t done so yet, now is the time to act, Port […]

Preparations well underway for Alberto

Alberto appears as if he’s going to be an unwelcome visitor this Memorial Day weekend — or at the least drench weekend activities. The subtropical storm, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and gusts of up to 65 mph, has formed in the Caribbean Sea and is expected to be approaching the north-central Gulf […]

Conference USA moves into Day 2

The Conference USA baseball tournament at MGM Park launched into Day 2 today, with top-seeded USM facing the University of Alabama-Birmingham this afternoon at 1:30, with follow-up games planned at 5 and 8:30 p.m. The tournament runs daily through Sunday, with games telecast nationally on ESPN3 and the title game on Sunday carried by the […]

Rain may be a factor this Memorial Day weekend

Local weather authorities are asking the public to closely monitor weather reports throughout Memorial Day weekend. The National Weather Service is predicting a 50 to 90 percent chance of rain throughout the weekend with a chance of flooding in low-lying areas. Forecasters also are monitoring a low pressure system that at 2 p.m. today was […]

City launches new citywide monthly newsletter, calendar

The City of Biloxi today is launching “Bnews Monthly,” a full-color monthly newsletter and calendar of events designed to help keep citizens across the city aware of myriad city projects and events. The first edition of the newsletter, dated June 1 and expected to arrive in homes in the next several days, includes nearly two […]

Biloxi firefighters receive one-of-a-kind fire safety devices

The Biloxi Fire Department has two new tools to assist with firefighting and fire safety: a truck that can deliver breathing air to firefighters at fire scenes and a trailer that can simulate house fires and other catastrophes. The new air truck, Fire Chief Joe Boney says, is the first-of-its-kind in the state. “This new […]

City Council has light agenda Tuesday afternoon

The Biloxi City Council faces an agenda of nine measures and two Code Enforcement hearings when it meets Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. The council is also scheduled to receive an update from Oscar Renda Contracting regarding the infrastructure work north of the CSX railway in east Biloxi.  Among the measures on the agenda: a request […]

Former city director, volunteer William Raymond Sr. dead at 80

William “Billy” Raymond Sr., who served as Biloxi Public Works director and had been a fixture on the Biloxi Mullet Brigade, died unexpectedly overnight Sunday while on a fishing trip in the small town of Samburg, Tenn. Raymond, father of Biloxi Visitors Center Manager and city Historical Administrator Bill Raymond, directed the Public Works Department during […]

C-USA baseball tourney begins Wednesday at MGM

The 2018 Conference USA Baseball Championship begins five days of play Wednesday at MGM Park, with No. 1 seed Southern Miss again leading the contingent of C-USA’s top eight teams in the tournament. Last year’s championship finale at MGM Park, where the Rice Owls edged Southern Miss 5-4, set a Conference USA tournament attendance record, […]

Wooden boat show this weekend

Historic, antique, classic and contemporary boats will be on display this weekend for the annual Billy Creel Memorial Gulf Coast Wooden and Classic Boat Show. The two-day affair, featuring more than 70 boats, will take place at the Schooner Pier Complex on U.S. 90 in east Biloxi.  The show opens Saturday from 10 a.m. to […]

City recognizes first quarter longevity recipients

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich, on Tuesday, recognized 18 employees for their years of service during a longevity awards presentation. 30 years of service: Rayford Broussard, and Mark Dronet Sr., Fire Department 25 years of service: Gerald Rose, Community Development Department; Susan Pickich, Engineering Department; and Rhonda Balius, Parks & Recreation Department 20 years of service:Richard Hill, […]

Gilich Says Sports Betting Will Be Economic Stimulus

Legal sports betting will soon make its way to Biloxi casinos and bring with it a welcome spike in tourism, Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said today after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a 1992 federal law that had prohibited most states from authorizing sports wagering.  “Sports betting will probably result in a boost in […]

Community blood drive scheduled this week

The City of Biloxi and the American Red Cross are challenging residents to roll up their sleeves to save a life for a community blood drive happening this week. The friendly challenge, taking place on two days, will be from noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesday at the Dr. Frank G. Gruich Sr. Community Center […]

Ship Island ferry resumes in Biloxi Saturday

It’s been 22 years since the Ship Island ferry offered regular service from Biloxi, but the boat is back. Beginning Saturday, the Capt. Pete, a 305-passenger vessel, will make a daily 60-minute trip from Margaritaville leaving the dock at 10 a.m. and departing from Ship Island for the return trip at 3:30 p.m. through Aug. […]

Q&A: The inside pitch on the red-hot Shuckers

You can’t argue with Hunter Reed, the first-year general manager of Biloxi’s minor league baseball team: The stars are aligning in Shuckersville. Consider this: The Double-A team has a commanding lead in its division, has broken a winning-streak record, and on Saturday begins a 10-game homestand where the front office plans to unveil a host […]

Oscar Renda: Dry weather has meant good progress

Oscar Renda Contracting, the firm overseeing the 55 miles of infrastructure work in east Biloxi north of the CSX railway, is aiming to have Division Street paved from one end to the other in October. Superintendent John Cowart made the announcement this week after noting weather and additional workers have helped the project move forward. […]

Register now for Saints Golf at Fallen Oak in June

Registration is now open for the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame Golf Scramble, which takes place Friday, June 15 at the Beau Rivage’s Fallen Oak Golf Club. The tournament, open to four-member teams, returns for a third year, and this year players will have a chance to play with the New Orleans Saints as […]

Blessing of the Fleet events in offing

The 89th annual Blessing of the Fleet and Shrimp Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, June 2 and 3, but organizers have announced a number of related events are coming up. The lineup: –Shrimp Queen Contestants’ photo session, Wednesday, May 16, 4 p.m., Biloxi Visitors Center, 1050 Beach Blvd. — Unveiling of Blessing of the […]

Hemphill: The challenging part is yet to come

Motorists along U.S. 90 can see progress being made on installing a 16-inch water line along the north side of the highway, between downtown at Seashore Methodist, but Hemphill Construction says the most challenging portions of the work are yet to come. The work is part of an 800-day, $23 million project to see new […]

Groundbreaking for new Keesler gate is Friday

Local, state and federal officials will join Keesler Air Force Base leaders Friday at 10  a.m. to formally break ground on Phase 1 of an estimated $37 million project to locate a new main entry gate at Division Street and Forrest Avenue. The two-and-half-year project includes an expanded and enhanced boulevard along Division from I-110 […]

Summertime swimming is here; sign up now

Warmer weather in Biloxi means time on the water and this weekend is full of water activities. The Biloxi Aquatics Division opens registration for is summer swimming lessons and swim team on Saturday morning. From 8 a.m. to noon at the Biloxi Natatorium on Father Ryan Avenue, Biloxi residents can sign up their children or […]

Fire museum hosts fish fry on Friday

The Biloxi Fire Museum, officially known as West End Hose Co. No. 3 Fire Museum and Education Center, is hosting another of its fish fry luncheons on Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and be forewarned: The event will sell out. Fried fish or fried shrimp plates will be $8 a piece. Desserts and […]

City to christen new fire boat and you’re invited

A bottle of Barq’s root beer will be smashed on the steel-plated bow of the city’s new fire boat this afternoon, marking the official arrival of the 33-foot vessel that Biloxi Fire Chief Joe Boney says is akin to a floating fire truck and ambulance. The christening ceremony, which is open to the public, will […]

R U Ready? Coast Electric will have stirring demonstration

A host of public agencies, emergency relief agencies, businesses and utilities will be involved in this evening’s “R U Ready?” storm-preparedness gathering at the Donal M. Snyder Sr. Community Center, but Coast Electric’s presentation stands to be electrifying. The member-owned electric cooperative, which serves Biloxi homes and businesses north of the Bay of Biloxi, will […]

National Day of Prayer is Thursday

Biloxi will mark National Day of Prayer with a multi-denominational observance Thursday at noon at Biloxi City Hall. The hour-long ceremony, organized by Carleen E. Hall, is scheduled to take place on the front steps of City Hall. The event, themed “Pray for America. Unity,” is free and open to the public. Mayor Andrew “FoFo” […]

Preservation series begins Thursday

Preservation in May, the community’s annual month-long salute to Biloxi’s colorful past, kicks off Thursday with a mini-tour of the northern section of the Biloxi cemetery. The Northside Cemetery Tour will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Old Biloxi Cemetery, north of Irish Hill Drive and the CSX railway, where three African-American […]

Gilich, Quave to meet on water Saturday

“It’s the ultimate Point Cadet showdown,” says race chairman Jeffrey Ellis of this weekend’s Biloxi schooner showdown between Mayors Andrew “FoFo” Gilich of Biloxi and Rusty Quave of D’Iberville. “It’s a jugga vs. a Frenchman. Who will claim the title of top skipper: Nort’ Biloxi or South D’Iberville?” Ellis, who’s from a long line of […]

Contractors: Gulf Regional seeks JLUS proposals

Gulf Regional Planning Commission is requesting proposals from qualified contractors to implement the recommendations of the 2017 Joint Land Use Study for Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi and the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport. The goal of the JLUS is to protect the viability of current and future missions at Keesler and the […]

Array of agencies to offer helpful storm info

More than two dozen agencies, offering advice for what to do with your pets during a storm and how to get a ride to a shelter, will be on hand Wednesday when the city presents “R U Ready?” a free storm preparedness seminar. The event runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Donal M. […]

Deadline extended for bait shop proposals

The city has extended the deadline for vendors to submit proposals to operate the bait shop and kayak rental operation at Popp’s Ferry Causeway Park. Potential vendors now have until May 16 at 10 a.m. to submit proposals. The sealed proposals should include the signed and dated submission form, along with a narrative explaining proposed […]

Gorenflo’s Cobia shootout takes place Saturday

Dozens of anglers will be in town this weekend for the annual Gorenflo’s Cobia Shootout taking place at Point Cadet Marina. The 12-hour fishing event will begin Saturday with a flare gun start around 6 a.m. from the marina. Scales will open from 3 to 6 p.m. and monetary awards will be given for first, […]

City wants to know, R U Ready?

The City of Biloxi’s preparedness outreach event returns for a second year with a one-day educational event next week at the Donal M. Snyder Sr. Community Center. The beginning of hurricane season is just around the corner and the city wants to remind residents about the precautions they should take before, during and after a […]

Do you have flood insurance? Check into it

The City of Biloxi, as part of its continuing efforts to educate property owners about the dangers of storms and flooding, is reminding residents about the importance of having flood insurance, regardless of where they live. “More than 20 percent of the claims in the National Flood Insurance Program are from outside identified flood zones,” […]

Military training turns noisy at former school site

A military training exercise Wednesday night at the dormant Beauvoir Elementary School turned into more than police expected after three Black Hawk helicopters and simulated machine gun fire became part of the two-and-a-half-hour exercise. Police have fielded a handful of calls from neighbors asking about the ruckus, which apparently involved about 20 service members. “It’s […]

New wade-in marker added to Freedom Trail

A new Mississippi Freedom Trail marker dedicated Tuesday memorializes the Biloxi Beach Wade-In, which led to integration of the state’s public beaches. “The Biloxi Beach Wade-In was an important chapter in the civil rights movement both in Mississippi and America,” says Visit Mississippi Director Craig Ray. “Through more than two dozen interpretive markers, the Mississippi Freedom Trail […]

City seeks nominees for Historic Preservation awards

The City of Biloxi, which saw nearly half of its landmarks properties destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, is now seeking nominations for this year’s Historic Preservation Awards. Nominations must be submitted by Friday, May 11, with awards to be presented in a ceremony at the Biloxi Visitors Center on May 22. Said Biloxi Mayor […]

Collier named Volunteer of the Year

Robert Collier, who last year was named the city’s Father of the Year, was named the Distinguished Volunteer of the Year for his all-encompassing volunteer efforts with Biloxi Public Schools youths. Collier was one of dozens honored during the city’s 35th annual Volunteer Recognition Awards at the Biloxi Civic Center. He has volunteered with Biloxi […]

Seafood Museum to unveil new exhibit

The “Rod Hedgecock, Rustic Old to Rustic New” exhibition opening reception will take place at the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum, 115 1st Street, on Thursday, May 10, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. There will be no cost for admission, and visitors will have a chance to meet the artist and sample refreshments and hors […]

Old courthouse demolition well underway

Community Bank kicked off the demolition of the old federal courthouse in downtown Biloxi with a ceremony this morning at 9:30, and a couple hours later, nearly all of the building’s exterior was gone. The location at Lameuse Street and Howard Avenue will be the site of the bank’s new Biloxi office. Video: See the […]

City honors volunteers in ceremony tonight

The City of Biloxi will recognize dozens of volunteers and name a Distinguished Volunteer of the Year in a free public ceremony this evening at the Biloxi Civic Center, 578 Howard Ave. The 5:30 program will feature free food, a photo montage of volunteers at work in 2017, and recognition of volunteers in the fields […]

Volunteer now for the Great American Clean Up

It’s time to clean up, Biloxi. The City of Biloxi is asking for volunteers, companies and groups to participate in the Biloxi Great American Clean Up going on throughout the community this week. Individuals, families, businesses, organizations, and church and civic groups are asked to “clean up” neighborhoods or areas in the community or select […]

Demolition of old federal courthouse to begin

Community Bank plans to conduct a demolition ceremony Tuesday at 9 a.m. to signal the demolition of a long-vacant downtown structure, the old federal courthouse, which is on MLK Boulevard between Lameuse and Main streets. A demolition permit, valued at $65,000, was issued recently to DCD Construction, to demolish the old courthouse. DCD, an Ocean Springs firm, […]

Weekend preview: Crawfish, music, and baseball

Ready for the weekend? The Mississippi Coast Coliseum Crawfish Music Festival kicks off the weekend, and the Biloxi Shuckers return to MGM Park Saturday. You’ll find a host of carnival rides, music headliners, and, of course, mounds of crawfish this evening and through Sunday for the Coliseum’s 26th annual mudbug festival. Live entertainment begins at […]

Oscar Renda: More progress means more detours

Oscar Renda Contracting reports that more workers are working on more streets than at any other time in the history of the north project. However, for motorists that means more temporary detours while progress is being made.  In this month’s video report, Project Superintendent John Cowart reviews the step-by-step process in rebuilding utilities under a […]

City seeks vendor for Popp’s Ferry bait shop

Construction work is winding down on the Popp’s Ferry Causeway Park and the city is now looking for an entrepreneur to operate the new bait shop and create a kayak rental operation. In fact, potential vendors have a chance to tour the new bait shop on Saturday between 10 a.m. and noon, and the city […]

Business owners, fly high with the Blue Angels

The “Blues over Biloxi” Air Show, featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, is coming up July 21-22 over the Biloxi Beach, and local businesses have a chance to have their brand in front of the tens of thousands of individuals expected in town for the show. Sponsorship packages begin at $3,000 and are now available […]

City’s B-Alert system makes it mark

The city’s new B-Alert advisory system, which made its debut with Spring Break, sent out nearly 28 advisories over the weekend and two Alert messages, one on Friday evening when the city launched its Spring Break traffic plan on U.S. 90 and another on Saturday when a tornado warning was issued. The new service, powered […]

City gauges interest in downtown sites

The City of Biloxi is testing the waters to see if developers are interested in prime city-owned downtown properties: the Magnolia Hotel and an adjoining public parking area, the Creole Cottage, and the large tract of land across the street from Biloxi City Hall.

By city’s count, casino industry posts largest month of year

Biloxi’s casino market in March posted its best month of the six-month-old fiscal year, taking in $75 million from gamblers, according to figures released by the city’s Finance Division. The number is $13 million off the March 2017 figure, but it is keeping pace with the more than $400 million in gross gaming revenue this […]

Rivers remain swollen after weekend rain

Emergency managers report that rivers in Biloxi and Harrison County remain above flood stage, and will remain high today and tomorrow. The status as of 2 this afternoon: — Wolf River is currently 8.99 feet; it is forecast to fall below its eight-foot flood stage early Tuesday morning. — Biloxi River is currently 13.82 feet; it […]

Spring Break: Numbers down all around

Police and city leaders are pleased with the effectiveness of the city’s Spring Break traffic plan, but at the same time early indications are that Spring Break 2018 had half of the 70,000 visitors of last year and a quarter of the 125,000 visitors expected this year. In fact, the occupancy rate was lower than […]

Spring Break weekend has arrived

Spring Break weekend is here and tens of thousands of visitors are expected in town cruising in cars and on foot along west beach for events in and around the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center. Police, who had originally planned to limit traffic on U.S. 90 to two lanes beginning at noon today, say […]

Weather could be a factor this weekend

The National Weather Service is predicting a 100 percent chance of rain on Saturday, with a “slight to enhanced risk” of severe thunderstorms associated with a slow-moving cold front and squall line. The result could be damaging wind gusts, tornadoes, heavy rainfall with localized flooding and frequent lightning. Forecasters also say there’s a 20 percent chance […]

Traffic cones in place; plan is in the offing

Biloxi Public Works crews began positioning traffic cones between left and right lanes on U.S. 90 today, signaling the implementation of the Spring Break traffic plan, which reserves the left lane for emergency vehicles. Although the cones are in place now, police don’t expect to prohibit public use of the left lane until Friday morning […]

City Desk: The last Spring Break preview

Police Major Chris DeBack, public information officer in the Biloxi Police Department, drops by this week’s City Desk podcast for last-minute thoughts and advice regarding the Spring Break traffic plan. The podcast was recorded this morning at City Hall, about 24 hours before the traffic plan was expected to be implemented.  Listen to the program […]

City reminds vendors, property owners to obtain permits

The number of city-approved vendors who plan to locate on private property along U.S. 90 this weekend for Spring Break is now approaching three dozen, prompting the city to remind promoters and property owners that permits must be secured for food and retail vendors. Police continue to expect as many as 100,000 to 125,000 visitors […]

Keesler closing main gate to avoid U.S. 90 traffic

Keesler Air Force Base has announced that its main gate, at White Avenue, is closing Thursday at 6 p.m. and will remain closed until Monday at 5 a.m. because of expected Spring Break traffic on U.S. 90. The Keesler Visitors Center, which is at the White Avenue gate, will move operations to the Meadows Road […]

C Spire increases network capacity ahead of Spring Break

C Spire, the company that provides the city’s wireless service, is deploying additional capacity to its mobile communications network this week to help handle the anticipated increase in demand for voice and data cell service. The city had requested the additional service – which will include increased capacity at area cell towers and the deployment […]

Business owners, team up with the Blue Angels

The “Blues over Biloxi” Air Show, featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, is coming up July 21-22 over the Biloxi Beach, and local businesses have a chance to have their brand in front of the tens of thousands of individuals expected in town for the show. The City of Biloxi has teamed up with Harrah’s […]

Shuckers have home opener on Wednesday

The Biloxi Shuckers kick off their fourth season at MGM Park on Wednesday with a five-game homestand that runs through Sunday. The 2018 home opener against the Mississippi Braves will begin at 6:35 p.m. when  Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich tosses out the ceremonial first pitch. The evening will feature a post-game fireworks show, and fans […]

Biloxi waterfront plans eligible for new federal program

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich’s proposed development of the Point Cadet waterfront received a large boost today when the United States Treasury Department certified three Biloxi census tracts for inclusion in the federal Opportunity Zone tax deferment program. “The Point Cadet property was part of our No. 1 proposed Opportunity Zone,” Gilich said, “for the purpose […]

Spring Break vendors renting front beach properties

Over the years, two “park-n-play” lots, heavily promoted on social media for months as “Spring Break headquarters,” have been the focal point of Spring Break activities near the Coast Coliseum, which has its own array of activities under the banner of “Black Beach Weekend.” The Coast Coliseum has thousands of parking spaces that will be […]

Changes in works for Howard Avenue, old federal courthouse

Both of the ideas have been discussed for years – returning two-way traffic to Howard Avenue and doing something with the abandoned old federal courthouse in downtown Biloxi – and today marked a dual milestone. Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich donned a hardhat and glasses and took a jackhammer to a section of concrete on Howard […]

Howard Avenue project to begin next week

The project to restore downtown Howard Avenue kicks off Monday at 11 a.m., when Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich ceremoniously dons a hard hat and goggles, and plants a jackhammer into the narrow roadway that in 180 or so days will be transformed into a two-lane street with convenient parking and sidewalks. In fact, Howard Avenue […]

Repairs to public piers ready to move forward

The 45-day job to repair the Hurricane Nate-damaged Lighthouse Pier and three other city piers is scheduled to begin by the middle of May and be completed by the end of June. This week, the city accepted two bid packages: One for the popular Lighthouse Pier and another for the repairs to the Coliseum pier, […]

Summer playground registration dates announced

Summer is just around the corner and hundreds of youngster will be out for summer break. The City of Biloxi is preparing to fill their time with fun and creative activities through the Summer Playground and Enrichment Program. Registration for the summer camp will be conducted on two main dates: Saturday, April 14 and Saturday, April 21.  On April […]

Kids fire academy registration now open

The Biloxi Fire Department is now taking applications for its fun and educational fire camp. Registration for the Academy for Kids Camp is open weekdays at the Fire Department Station No. 1 in the Lopez Quave Public Safety Center, 170 Porter Ave., and is available to the first 40 registrants in each the beginner and […]

Spring Break: A gathering of the first responders

As many as 120,000 visitors could be in town for Spring Break next weekend, according to Biloxi Police Chief John Miller, who this morning briefed first responders from communities surrounding Biloxi about the city’s Spring Break traffic plan and how it could impact their respective roadways. Miller opened the hour-long meeting by announcing that social […]

800 Senior Olympians now in town for Games

The Mississippi Senior Olympics, boasting nearly 800 competitors, are off and running – and walking and rolling and throwing and more. Athletes age 50 and older from 19 states began competing this morning in nearly two dozen events at various locations along the Mississippi Gulf Coast from April 4 through May 26. Games include a […]

Word spreading on Spring Break traffic plan

Copies of the Spring Break traffic plan are being delivered to hoteliers throughout Biloxi this week, and notice of the plan is being mailed to every resident and business in Biloxi next week. It’s all part of the plan to make the public and visitors aware of Spring Break 2018, scheduled for April 13-15, when […]

Q&A: Spring break and the traffic plan

Biloxi residents, motorists, businesses and public safety workers are preparing for more visitors – police say as many as 125,000 – and heavy traffic April 13-15 in connection with an influx of visitors.  Here are frequently asked questions and answers about the event and steps the city takes to keep traffic moving: Who puts on […]

Biloxi beachgoers: MSU needs your help

Researchers at Mississippi State, as part of the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, are asking beachgoers to help them by evaluating ocean visits by completing a survey tailored to help ensure that planned outings are truly “a day at the beach.” The survey, conducted by the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System, is anonymous and […]

Community Market season opening is Tuesday

The city’s Charles R. Hegwood Biloxi Community Market kicks off another season Tuesday with a daylong festival. The market officially opens from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a ceremony and festival beginning at 9 a.m. under the I-110 overpass on Howard Avenue.  The festival, hosted by Biloxi Main Street, will include live entertainment by […]

City seeking nominees for Sports Hall of Fame

Do you know a retired athlete that contributed to the betterment of athletics in Biloxi or a coach or individual who has played a supporting role for more than a decade? The City of Biloxi is asking you to nominate those individuals for the Biloxi Sports Hall of Fame. The city’s Parks & Recreation Department […]

Gilich gives chamber audience view of future

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich gave his “Breakfast with the Mayor” audience an abbreviated version of the 2½-hour economic development presentation he gave the City Council on Tuesday, but he didn’t abbreviate his enthusiasm. “When people ask how are things in Biloxi, I think back to what my Aunt Clare Sekul Horsnby used to say,”the mayor […]

We must be aggressive in our efforts, Gilich says

Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast are not growing as quickly as the rest of the state and the Southeast, and the city needs to move forward with a host of economic development initiatives to stimulate economic growth and fully recover from Katrina and the BP oil spill. That’s the message from Biloxi Mayor Andrew […]

Sign up now for city’s new real-time advisory service

With tens of thousands of motorists expected in town next month for Spring Break, the city today is launching B-Alert, a new easy-to-use service that will offer real-time traffic advisories and other information. The new service can use text messaging, email or voice messages to landlines to relay emergency information or advisories pinpointed by location […]

Hiller Park to host two egg hunts Saturday

The city’s Special Needs Egg Hunt and Easter Eggstravanza takes place Saturday at Hiller Park. The eighth annual Special Needs Egg Hunt, open to all ages with physical and mental disabilities, takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hiller Park Barbara Ferrill Softball Fields, 1940 Edgers Road. The egg hunt begins at […]

Gilich: Still ‘happening now’

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich in January delivered a State of the City presentation focusing on a host of city projects that were “happening now,”  and today he launched the City Council meeting by updating many of those initiatives.  The city realized nearly $4,000 from the recent college baseball games at MGM Park, the mayor reported, […]

Downtown plans again on council agenda

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich’s efforts to restore downtown Biloxi were front and center at the Biloxi City Council meeting again today, with councilmembers approving an analysis of the need for parking garage between Lameuse and Main streets, where a permit has been issued for Community Bank to begin demolition of the long-vacant federal courthouse building. […]

Building permit issued for Edgewater Mall theater

A permit with a construction value of $6.5 million has been issued for Premiere Cinema, the movie theater at the Edgewater Mall. The permit was one of 68 building permits issued last week by the city’s Community Development Department.  In addition, the department issued permits for the remodeling of the Costa Cucina Restaurant at the […]

Weather notwithstanding, lots of masquerading on tap

You can expect to see costumed individuals from one end of Biloxi to the other this weekend, with the wearing o’ the green in downtown Biloxi and a huge science-fiction/fantasy convention underway at the Coast Coliseum. But the big question is the weather. Will it rain? The National Weather Service says there’s a 40 percent […]

More paving in works on north contract

Oscar Renda Contracting, which now has six crews installing sewer and drainage lines along Anglada and Main Streets, expects to install three miles of paving on several streets in the next few weeks, and progress is being made on Division Street now that a gas line has been relocated. In this month’s progress video, which […]

St. Pat’s Day means parade, Grillin’ and 5K

The annual Hibernia St. Patrick’s Day parade takes place Saturday afternoon, and the occasion signals the arrival of two other downtown events that day: The annual 5-K run and the popular Grillin’ on the Green. The parade itself begins at 2 p.m. but the day actually begins with a 5K run through downtown beginning with […]

Last call for entries to Camellia, Gulf Coast pageants

The 60th annual Mississippi Camellia Queen and the Miss Gulf Coast pageants, which will be presented Saturday, March 31 at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, are issuing the final call for contestants, according to Biloxi Lions Club member Jaye Brice, chair of the pageants. The Camellia pageant and the newly created Miss Gulf Coast […]

City to host a free military concert Tuesday evening

The musical ambassadors of the U.S. Army, the 41st Army Band, will present a free concert at the Biloxi Lighthouse Park Pavilion on Tuesday beginning at 6 p.m. The band, which often performs in small teams and can sometimes include as many as three dozen musicians, will perform an array of musical ensembles, from rock […]

St. Pat’s parade will limit U.S. 90 traffic

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade, scheduled to begin Saturday at 2 p.m., will return to its former route this year, beginning at the Biloxi Yacht Club, which means Saturday afternoon traffic on U.S. 90 in east Biloxi will be reduced to two-way traffic. Traffic on U.S. 90 between Oak and Lameuse streets will be limited […]

Saenger to close for pending exterior renovations

The City of Biloxi announced today that the Saenger Theatre is closing for at least a year, signaling the pending exterior renovation of the 1920s-era downtown showplace. Over the next several days, the city’s Parks & Recreation Department will be working with the 14 groups – mostly dance recitals – that had events planned in […]

BBQ and Bluegrass this weekend at Beauvoir

Looking for a smokin’ good time while celebrating American history and bluegrass? The 2018 Gulf Coast BBQ and Bluegrass Festival at Beauvoir may just be the activity for you. Saturday and Sunday the grounds of Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library at U.S 90 and Beauvoir Road, will be filled with 50 food […]

Award-winning authors, artists on tap for CoastCon

The 41st Annual CoastCon Science Fiction/Fantasy Convention is just around the corner. The three-day fete, scheduled for March 16-18 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center, celebrates science fiction, fantasy and related literary, artistic and media genres, as well as fans of those genres. The roster of events and offerings includes panels and programs […]

Fire Department completes live-burn exercise

Biloxi firefighters set a house ablaze this morning in North Biloxi and stood by as it became fully engulfed and burned to the ground. It was part of a live-burn training exercise in which firefighters gained real-time, real-fire experience. “The wholesale burning of the house was only part of the exercise, the most dramatic part,” […]

Oscar Renda adds crews to north contract

The firm handling the infrastructure work on 55 miles of streets north of the CSX Railway in east Biloxi has added more than three dozen more workers, a 33 percent increase in manpower, since the beginning of the year, Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard reports, and an additional subcontractor is coming aboard to help […]

Council to eye Howard Avenue widening, rail roads

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich will ask the Biloxi City Council tonight to approve measures involving two major road projects: a $1.52 million, 180-day contract to widen Howard Avenue to two lanes through downtown Biloxi, and a contract to begin design work for new connector roads along the CSX railway in east Biloxi. The City Council […]

City seeks nominations for Volunteer of the Year

Do you know someone that willingly helps out others in the community or an organization that always seems to eagerly participate in community activities? The City of Biloxi is asking you to nominate those individuals and organizations for the 35th annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony. Individuals who have volunteered in Biloxi will be recognized in the […]

Fire Department to set home ablaze

A house is going to catch fire this week on Camp Wilkes Road. Biloxi firefighters know the address, 820 Camp Wilkes Road; they know the day and time, Wednesday morning about 8:30; and the department will have men on the scene even before the blaze begins. That’s because the fire department itself will be igniting […]

Green is the theme for First Friday

In celebration of the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day, Biloxi Main Street is hosting a green-themed First Friday tonight. The affair, taking place downtown throughout Rue Magnolia in the Biloxi Art District from 5 to 8 p.m., will feature a Downtown Shamrock Hunt where visitors can search throughout the area for specially-placed Shamrocks that can lead […]

Errol Bradley named Biloxi’s Outstanding Citizen

Walk into the Errol Bradley State Farm office on Reynoir Street and you are instantly enveloped in the history of Biloxi.  Nearly every wall in the building is lined with framed black-and-white photos of old Biloxi, telling the story of seafood factories, Blessing of the Fleet, the aftermath of Hurricane Camille, and the Hermit of […]

Flood warning issued for Biloxi River

Overnight rainfall has prompted a flood warning for the Biloxi River near Lyman until Tuesday morning, and emergency managers say those along the river should expect minor flooding.  At 9:45 this morning, the river stage was at 7.3 feet, below the 12-flood flood stage, but it was expected to crest at 13 feet this evening […]

Arbor Day run and tree giveaway this weekend

The 30th Annual Arbor Day 5K Run, 1-mile run/walk/roll and quarter-mile ability challenge takes place on Saturday with the 5K run beginning at 9 a.m. and the 1 mile and quarter-mile beginning at 9:45 a.m. at the corner of Lameuse Street and Highway 90 near the Biloxi Town Green. Late registration will begin an hour […]

Polar plunge, truck pull are Saturday morning at Margaritaville

OK, so it’s not a belly flop into the frigid water of the Northeast, but Maj. Chris DeBack of the Biloxi Police Department, organizer of this weekend’s Polar Plunge and Truck Pull for Mississippi Special Olympics, says it will be an entertaining challenge nonetheless. A dozen registrants are scheduled to plunge into an ice-filled three-foot […]

Keesler Medical Center named best in Air Force

With 25,000 patients a year, Keesler Medical Center is one of the largest and busiest hospitals in the entire Department of Defense, and now it’s also been deemed the best in the Air Force. The Air Force Surgeon General has awarded Keesler Air Force Base Medical Center the coveted “Hospital of the Year” distinction. Keesler […]

Record-setting BEST takes second in state meet

Biloxi Elite Swim Team swimmers, known as BEST, finished second overall and set nearly two dozen team records at the Mississippi Swimming Short Course State Championships. “BEST came extremely close to winning their first state championship,” said City of Biloxi Recreation Superintendent and BEST Head Coach Jamie Lee.  “This meet was really special to us, […]

Military is the theme of Black History Program

The City of Biloxi Parks & Recreation Department, along with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and East Biloxi Community Collaborative, will host the annual Black History Month Program on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. The free affair, taking place at the Biloxi Civic Center, 578 Howard Ave., has a military […]

Expo announces line up of speakers and films

The Gulf Coast Historical and Cultural Exposition, taking place on Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Biloxi Civic Center, 578 Howard Ave., will include the following films and presentations in the lecture hall. Note, the schedule is subject to change. Friday, Feb. 23 10 to 10:30 a.m.; “The History of […]

Pickleball gathering is Saturday at Popp’s Ferry courts

Pickleball continues to be a huge and growing story in Biloxi and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This weekend, on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., there’s an event where pickleball players, armed services veterans and active duty U.S. Air Force personnel will all join at the six new courts on Popp’s Ferry Road, […]

History exposition takes place Friday, Saturday

Biloxi turned 319 years old on Feb. 13 and the celebration of the community’s history continues with the Gulf Coast Historical and Cultural Exposition Friday and Saturday at the Biloxi Civic Center. The affair – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day – is free and open to the public and will feature displays, presentations, […]

Oscar Renda: All streets east of Lee in final stages

Oscar Renda Contracting reports a number of milestones in this month’s video of progress, which was published today on the city’s YouTube channel. The highlights of the three-minute video from John Cowart, general superintendent for Oscar Renda: All streets east of Lee Street are nearing completion, with contractors focusing on issues such as repairing any […]

Work on U.S. 90 pedestrian walkway to begin

Malouf Construction will begin site work Monday on the U.S. 90 pedestrian overpass just west of Caillavet Street, at MGM Park. The first work passing motorists should expect to see in the MDOT project will be the installation of temporary fencing at the work site. Motorists should expect intermittent lane closures during the project, which […]

Le Cafe grand opening is this evening

Le CafĂ© Beignet, the coffee shop housed in the old Biloxi Public Library, has its grand opening “NOLA-style” this evening from 5 to 8 p.m., with an outdoor gathering that will include the Blackwater Brass Band, free beignets and mimosas, and door prizes. The gathering marks a milestone that Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich envisioned months […]

Biloxi Natatorium hosts short course state championships

The Biloxi Aquatics Division, boastful of its Olympic-size swimming pool, will host the Mississippi Swimming Short Course State Championships this weekend at the Biloxi Natatorium. The three-day meet is a USA Swimming event with member swimmers from across the state competing in short course, 25-yard, competition in freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and relays. “We are […]

New fire boat turned red for Valentine’s Day

The folks constructing the city’s new fire boat must have a sentimental side, Biloxi Fire Chief Joe Boney says: On Wednesday, Valentine’s Day, they sent photos of red paint being applied to the 33-foot vessel, scheduled for delivery in April. The all-aluminum craft replaces the city’s 17-year-old 27-foot fiberglass fire boat, and the new vessel […]

Police make mark on Mardi Gras Day visitor

Mardi Gras Day in Biloxi, where tens of thousands of people are concentrated into a several-block area of downtown, can be a challenging time for public safety workers, but the Biloxi Police brightened a few faces on Tuesday. There have been reports of officers making sure children went home with beads after parades, a wedding […]

Tuesday’s parade will be end of era for Holmes

This year’s Gulf Coast Carnival Association parade, billed as “The Ride of Your Life,” will actually be the last ride for longtime parade chairman Bill Holmes. Holmes, who has chaired the parade for 24 of his 26 volunteer years with GCCA, is hoping the parade goes off without people even thinking of the chairman, who […]

FAA: Drone operators should be aware of regulations

The FAA has asked the Biloxi Police Department to be on the lookout for unauthorized drones and question operators, especially during upcoming Mardi Gras parades or any other large events. “Essentially what we’ve been told is that there are regulations involving the use of drones, which the FAA considers aircraft,” Police Chief John Miller said. […]

It may be raining more than beads this weekend

Rain is in the weather forecast for throughout the weekend, but parade organizers say that will not stop them from rolling. The National Weather Service predicts a 70 to 80 percent chance of rain Saturday with a possible thunderstorm and temperatures ranging from 70 degrees to the lower 60s.  “We are rolling rain or shine,” […]

Benefit lunch to aid ailing police officer

The Biloxi Police Department will be serving plates of red beans and rice with sausage and salad for lunch Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to raise money for retired officer Mitch Roberts, who is recovering from a stroke. Those interested can dine at the West End Hose Company No. 3, the Biloxi Fire […]

Calling active seniors: Be an Olympian

Are you age 50 or older and want to be part of a healthy lifestyle? Well, the Mississippi Senior Olympics may be for you. Registration has opened for the annual state games, which take place at locations along the Mississippi Gulf Coast from April 4 to May 25. Participants may sign up for one or […]

Wicker discusses issues with Chiefs Miller, Wills

Biloxi Police Chief John Miller and Assistant Chief Michael Wills were in Washington this week to meet with U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker to discuss the local impacts of the federally-funded Regional Information Sharing Systems. Wicker has been a strong proponent of the system, known as RISS. The program is  locally-managed and provides 172 Mississippi law enforcement […]

Mardi Gras safety tips: before, during and after

The Second Liners and the Neptune Mardi Gras parades take place Saturday downtown and the City of Biloxi wants to encourage you to have a spirited-yet-safe time at these and all Mardi Gras parades. In order to make the occasions safe, the Biloxi Police Department asks that you follow these suggestions, which are more than […]

Shoebox float winners on parade tonight

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich will join leaders of Gulf Coast Carnival this evening in honoring the future of Mardi Gras in the 20th annual Shoe Box Float Contest winners. Recognition of the shoebox float winners is near the top of the agenda for tonight’s City Council meeting, which begins at 6 o’clock at City Hall. […]

Boats, children and runners on parade this weekend

Mardi Gras is just around the corner, as evidenced by the host of carnival events taking place this weekend, and you could say there’s a parade, of sorts, of boats this weekend at the Coast Coliseum. Doors open at the Coast Coliseum and Convention Center today a noon for the weekend-long Biloxi Boat Show. Touted as […]

City releases Mardi Gras traffic plan, tips

The City of Biloxi today rolled out its Mardi Gras traffic plan and safety reminders for the upcoming Neptune and Gulf Coast Carnival Association parades, and Biloxi Police Chief John Miller says the plan should be nothing new to longtime paradegoers. The two-sided card, now available online and soon at local businesses and hotels, reminds […]

Your guide to Mardi Gras happenings in Biloxi

Mardi Gras traffic plan | Things to remember Saturday, Feb. 3: Biloxi Children’s Mardi Gras Walking Parade The annual children’s parade, open to ages 12 and younger, will walk and roll downtown on Saturday at 10 a.m.  This year’s theme is “The Ride of Your Life” and celebrates history making rides.  The parade begins under […]

Women in Construction program seeks students

The Women in Construction program at Moore Community House in Biloxi, which has graduated more than 400 women since 2008, is now enrolling for its next class, and you can find out more during an information session on Feb. 7. The free, full-time, eight-week basic construction course provides students the needed tools to enter the […]

What you didn’t hear in the State of the City

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich, not unlike former Mayor A.J. Holloway, wants a State of the City presentation that is as concise as possible, an economy of words, but still conveying a message. The message this year: Biloxi has a lot happening and it’s “happening now.” Gilich’s presentation – which airs hourly on Cable One Channel […]

Gilich: Vision turns to reality in 2018

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich told a State of the City audience that a host of big-ticket projects that his administration has been talking about for months will become reality this year, with more on the way. “Make no mistake,” the mayor told a Biloxi Bay Chamber luncheon audience. “2018 is going to be the year […]

Gilich kicks off State of the City week

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich will deliver his State of the City presentation today, to a luncheon and online audience, and to cable TV audiences the rest of the week. The occasion marks Gilich’s third State of the City address since being elected in a special election in 2015, but his first since beginning his first […]

Construction begins on West Biloxi boardwalk

Temporary fencing has been erected on west beach in the area of Sharkheads and restaurant row, signalling the beginning of construction for the new West Biloxi Festival Boardwalk. The new boardwalk, a city-county project using more than a million dollars in Tidelands funds, will be more than 3,000 feet long and 10-feet wide and run […]

Mayor recognizes employees’ longevity

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich, on Tuesday, recognized 17 employees for their years of service during a longevity awards presentation. 25 years of service: Gwen Johnson, Parks & Recreation Department; and Craig Upton, Public Works Department 20 years of service: Richard Allen and Wayne Miller, Police Department 15 years of service: Douglas Korbe, David Lemasters, Clifford Sigman, and […]

Chamber proud to be part of ‘History of Biloxi’

When the Biloxi Visitors Center premieres its new film short, “The History of Biloxi,” Tuesday evening, it will be a special moment for the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce, which helped fund the new 11-minute documentary. “Our own history is deeply rooted in the site of the Visitors Center, as it was the original location of […]

Coast’s newest attraction has maiden voyage tonight

The Betsy Ann, a stern-driven paddlewheeler now moored at Point Cadet Marina, makes it maiden voyage this evening at 6, and owner Michael White says he believes it’s going to be as popular as his Lucky Duck amphibious cruises that were offered before Hurricane Katrina decimated the Coast. White had begun offering sightseeing tours on […]

Visitors Center set to premiere new film

The Biloxi Visitors Center’s theater will soon be showing a new movie for visitors – and it’s old Biloxi. The city’s museums division will officially premiere the new film short, “History of Biloxi,” on Tuesday, Jan. 23, beginning at 5 p.m. The free showings will be every 30 minutes through 6:30 p.m. The premiere is […]

Weather-wise, the worst may have passed

OK, so bridges and interstate ramps closed today, icy conditions made driving hazardous, and school was suspended. What can we expect tonight and Thursday? “Fortunately, we’re not expecting to see precipitation like we saw today, and much of the ice is thawing on the bridges,” said Biloxi Emergency Manager Michelle Crowley, “but the fact is, […]

Icy conditions prompt bridge closures, power strain

A slight dusting of snow fell in Biloxi overnight, and icy conditions on roadways caused the closure of three bridges, the Biloxi Bay Bridge, which links Biloxi and Ocean Springs, the Cedar Lake Bridge and the Lorraine Road bridge, and hazardous driving conditions throughout the city. Police report that black ice – transparent coating of […]

Freezing temperatures expected tonight, Wednesday

Biloxi and surrounding areas will see another hard freeze  tonight and Wednesday night, with winds creating a wind-chill factor as low as 10 degrees. The bitter cold, which prompted a Winter Weather Advisory, may include a brief period of a possible light mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain, according to the National Weather Service. […]

Spring break, Mardi Gras plans to top council agenda

Biloxi Police Chief John Miller, whose department is tasked with planning for traffic and crowd control for major events in the city, will discuss plans for two upcoming major endeavors, Mardi Gras and spring break, during the City Council meeting on Tuesday. During the same meeting, Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich is asking the City Council […]

Giddy up, cowpokes! It’s the Biloxi finals

The Professional Cowboy Association, rodeo’s premier showcase with cowboys and cowgirls trying to wrangle their share of more than $140,000, takes place this weekend at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The rodeo, a culmination of three dozen rodeos throughout the Southeast, features competition in eight events: bareback riding, saddle-bronco riding, steer wrestling, team roping, calf roping, […]

Nominations being accepted for Outstanding Citizen of 2017

The Biloxi Lions Club is now accepting nominations for Biloxi’s Outstanding Citizen of 2017. Nomination requests have been sent to more than 70 local churches, and fraternal, civic and business organizations.  Organizer Greg Crapo said guidelines include outstanding service to the Biloxi community during 2017. The nomination should be based on altruism and not part […]

It was a night of heroes for Biloxi Fire Department

Selfless acts of heroism by first responders and civilians at the multi-casualty train-charter bus incident in downtown Biloxi in 2017 dominated the Biloxi Fire Department’s inaugural awards ceremony Monday night, but also saw firefighters recognized for off-duty gallantry and volunteerism.  Nearly 200 awards were presented during the 75-minute ceremony at the Dr. Frank G. Gruich […]

Fire department honors Best of 2017

Selfless acts of heroism by first responders and civilians at the multi-casualty train-charter bus incident in downtown Biloxi in 2017 dominated the Biloxi Fire Department’s inaugural awards ceremony Monday night, but also saw firefighters recognized for off-duty gallantry and volunteerism.  Nearly 200 awards were presented during the 90-minute ceremony at the Dr. Frank G. Gruich […]

Twelfth Night: ‘It will be beautiful, and just a little chilly’

Temperatures are expected to be hovering around 40 degrees for this evening’s Twelfth Night festivities at the Biloxi Visitors Center and Biloxi Mardi Gras Museum, but Andi Oustalet, one of the founders of the event, says a little chilly weather won’t keep celebrants away. “It’s going to be a beautiful night, maybe just a little […]

‘MLK 50’ will be weekend of activities

The community’s annual program to honor the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. begins Friday, Jan. 12 and well be capped on Monday, Jan. 15 with a parade in downtown Gulfport, marking the 50th anniversary of the death of the storied Civil Right leader. Here’s the schedule of events: Friday, Jan. 12, […]

Fire Department to present inaugural awards, medals ceremony

The Biloxi Fire Department will conduct its inaugural awards ceremony and medal day during a public gathering Monday evening at the Dr. Frank G. Gruich Sr. Community Center, 591 Howard Avenue.  The event will begin with hors d’oeuvres and refreshments at 6:30 p.m., and the program at 7 p.m. Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich and Biloxi […]

Available now: Children’s Mardi Gras Walking Parade applications

Mardi Gras season will officially begin in Biloxi on Friday but the city and the Gulf Coast Carnival Association is now asking for children’s participation. The annual Biloxi Children’s Mardi Gras Walking Parade, set for Saturday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m., is open to youngsters age 12 and younger who want to be creative, dress […]

More bitter cold forecast; remember the three Ps

 Temperatures are expected to climb to the ’40s this afternoon, and local emergency managers hope property owners will use the time to make sure their property, especially exposed water pipes, are property insulated before sundown, when a hard freeze is expected. The coldest temperatures – as low as 22 degrees with a wind chill possibly […]

Twelfth Night gathering to usher in Carnival season

The Gulf Coast will officially change from the holiday season to Carnival season on Friday with the celebration of Twelfth Night beginning with a 5 p.m. gathering at the Biloxi Visitors Center, followed by a parade to the Mardi Gras Museum. “The Biloxi Visitors Center is where we began the holiday season, with the lighting […]

Be aware: Hard freeze to greet New Year

Enjoy the weather you’re experiencing today and Saturday because a blast of arctic air and sub-freezing temperatures will arrive Sunday night to usher in the New Year. The blast of cold air is expected to move into Biloxi Sunday night through Monday morning with the coldest temperatures – as low as 23 degrees – expected […]

‘Blues over Biloxi’ airshow coming in July

Soaring high-speed maneuvers from jets operating inches apart will fill the skies off east beach this summer when the vaunted Blue Angels headline the “Blues Over Biloxi” Air Show July 21-22, Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich announced this afternoon. “It’s been too long since we’ve had the excitement of an air show on the Coast, and […]

New tour, film to help Biloxi share rich history

The city will be unveiling two new tools – a driving and bicycling guide, and a new History of Biloxi film – to help usher in the New Year in historic fashion. The Essence of Biloxi Driving and Bicycling Trail is a self-guided tour through Biloxi’s long history, richly diverse cultures and unique environment.  The […]

Oscar Renda: More paving completed, road closures pending

Oscar Renda Contracting has completed a new round of paving on sections of Division, Strangi, Alley and Murray streets, but weeks-long road closures are in the works for after the first of year when new sewer lines are installed on Porter Avenue and Querens Street south of Division Street. Project Superintendent John Cowart, in this […]

Biloxi’s latest restaurant Mugs for the camera

Mugshots Grill and Bar, a $4 million investment employing about 50 people, opened for business this morning on Main Street in downtown Biloxi, a signal of what Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich says will be a banner year. Gilich and Councilmember George Lawrence were the first customers at the 7,000-square-foot restaurant, which adds a decidedly sports-oriented […]

Oyster Ball Drop to ring in New Year

A menagerie of Biloxi culture and history will come together to usher in the New Year on Sunday, Dec. 31 when the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum hosts its annual Oyster Ball Drop. Guests at the Point Cadet museum will find live music by the Blackwater Brass Band, dancing, heavy hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, party favors, and […]

Downtown Mugshots will open on Friday

Downtown Biloxi welcomes a familiar name this week with the opening of Mugshots Grill and Bar, but those who frequented the former Edgewater Village location will find a decidedly more sports-themed atmosphere at the Main Street location. The 7,000-square-foot restaurant, which has been under construction since April 2017, is scheduled to open Friday at 10:45 […]

Ho, ho ho! Holiday fare dominates the weekend

Looking for that one-of-a-kind, local-flavored gift to give for Christmas? Look no further. The Holiday Open House at the Biloxi Visitors Center has you covered this weekend. The annual event, free and open Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is one of three downtown locations that will help showcase dozens of artists […]

Hemphill previews initial work on South Contract

More than two dozen people turned out at the Biloxi Visitors Center Wednesday night to hear more about the city’s plan to bring infrastructure work to south of the CSX railway beginning in January. Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich told residents, most of whom wanted to avoid the wholesale disruption caused by infrastructure north of the […]

CTA, city to unveil new North Bay route

Those who live along or have business on Popp’s Ferry Road will have a new mode of transportation next week when Coast Transit and the city launch a new bus route, with continuous service from Pass and Popp’s Ferry roads to Motsie Road, east of Cedar Lake Road. The new route will begin running on […]

Replica Columbus ships now in Biloxi

The Biloxi schooners have historic company: Replicas of the “Nina” and “Pinta” are now in Biloxi and will be open for tours on Friday. The ships are docked at the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum schooner pier, 367 Beach Blvd., and open for tours on Friday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Both […]

Marathon lures runners from 48 states

Nearly 2,500 runners from 48 states were in Biloxi and on the Gulf Coast Saturday and Sunday to take part in the Gulf Coast Marathon, and police said the event, which took place Sunday morning primarily on U.S. 90, went smoothly. The affair, which traveled from Henderson Point in Pass Christian to MGM Park in […]

Inaugural Woolmarket Christmas Parade rolls this weekend

Biloxi celebrates with parades, on land and on sea, and this weekend ushers in a new parade, the Woolmarket Christmas parade, which rolls Saturday beginning at 2:30 p.m. “This is something that I’ve advocated for some time,” said Ward 7 Councilmember Nathan Barrett, one of the parade organizers.  “I want to start something that is open […]

Brrr. Emergency managers warn of cold-weather hazards

Biloxi and the surrounding area could see a wintry mix of rain and sleet and maybe even snow on Friday, according to emergency managers, and Biloxi Police are warning drivers to watch for frozen bridges and overpasses. A Winter Weather Advisory, which warns of possible snow, freezing rain or sleet in the area, is in […]

Police to patrol rivers, Bay after hunting issues

Much to the chagrin of duck hunters on the Biloxi and Tchoutacabouffa rivers, it’s illegal to discharge a firearm in the city limits. And it’s an annual ritual each year, at the outset of duck season: Residents along the rivers or Back Bay call the police department to cry foul over the fowl custom.  They […]

Yikes. Cold weather is on the way. Are your ready?

Enjoy the 75-degree temperature outside right now in Biloxi, because the weatherman says we’ll see a 20- to 30-degree plunge in temperatures leading into the weekend, with overnight lows dipping into the 30s and 40s through the weekend. Winds may push the temperature to freezing levels in some cases. This time of year usually means […]

City to preview next phase of infrastructure work

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich has said it more than once before he was elected and several times since: When the city’s massive infrastructure project moves south of the CSX Railway, it’s not going to be as disruptive as the work north of the railway, it’s going to better controlled, and, he’s fond of saying, “it’s […]

Cars, computers, cameras on the block at city auction

Potential bidders have until 4 p.m. today to inspect the array of surplus and seized property – high-end and late-model vehicles, electronics, jewelry – that will be auctioned Saturday morning beginning at 9 at the Public Safety Communication Center on Popp’s Ferry Road, east of Cedar Lake Road. Since 9 this morning, a steady stream of […]

Biloxi lands former Cochran chief of staff

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich will ask the Biloxi City Council on Tuesday to authorize hiring Key Impact Strategies, a government consulting firm with offices in Jackson & Columbus Mississippi and in Washington D.C. Its president, Keith Heard, is former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran. This is Biloxi’s first engagement for representation of […]

Mayor seeks joint planning for prime Point Cadet site

There was a time, back in the day, when the easternmost tip of Point Cadet, the present-day area between the Golden Nugget and Biloxi Bay Bridge, was home to a host of seafood factories, piers with working shrimp boats and an area generally bustling with waterfront activity. It was the epicenter of a community once […]

Edgewater announces new cinema, extended leases

Edgewater Mall, which offers nearly a million square feet of retail in South Mississippi’s only climate-controlled shopping mecca, had two big announcements today: A eight-screen movie theater and green space will be constructed at the former Sears location, and leases have been extended with three of the mall’s largest tenants. The city has issued a […]

Christmas lights on land and water mark holiday festivities  

The Christmas season officially kicks off in Biloxi on Thursday evening with the lighting of the Biloxi Lighthouse, an event that ushers in a weekend of activities. The public is invited to gather at the city’s signature landmark, south of the Biloxi Visitors Center, 1050 Beach Blvd, to see the cast-iron lighthouse illuminate in 1960s-era […]

Don’t let the Christmas tree burn down the house

Many people are preparing to deck the halls with Christmas decorations and Christmas trees, and the Biloxi Fire Department is asking to keep fire safety in mind while choosing and decorating the tree. “We want people to keep fire safety in mind when setting up their Christmas tree and especially in the weeks leading up […]

More road paving expected by Christmas

More road paving expected by Christmas Oscar Renda will be paving a half-dozen more streets between Thanksgiving and Christmas. These streets include Strangi Avenue south of Division Street, Esters Boulevard from Strangi west to Keller Avenue, Division Street between Penny Avenue and Strangi, Murray Street between Elmer and Nichols streets, and Nixon Street between Murray […]

Police chief: Take steps to be safe this holiday season

Christmas shopping season and the rush of the holidays is here, and Biloxi Police Chief John Miller is asking that you don’t let safety take a back seat. Miller, in a new four-minute video published today on the city’s YouTube channel, has some of the common-sense advice that you probably already know – be aware […]

Your guide to holiday happenings in Biloxi

Thursday, Nov. 30: Lighting of the Biloxi Lighthouse The city ushers in the Christmas season with the lighting of the Biloxi Lighthouse from 5:30 to 7 p.m., south of the Biloxi Visitors Center, 1050 Beach Blvd.  Santa Clause will be on site with cookies and hot chocolate!  For more information, call the Biloxi Visitors Center at 228-374-3105. […]

Visitors Center to unveil 2018 Alex North calendar

The Biloxi Visitors Center will host the unveiling of well-known Coast photographer Alex North’s fifth annual calendar, “Heaven’s Gateway V,” on Sunday with a reception and signing from 2 to 4 p.m. A native of the Gulf Coast and an avid outdoorsman, gardener and photographer, North frequently shares his photographs on Facebook and encourages viewers […]

Permits for Lighthouse pier repairs in the works

City contractors are continuing to work toward a January completion of improvements at the Lighthouse parking area, and the notion that the parking lot upgrades will be completed before storm repairs are made to the popular Lighthouse Pier is not lost on City Engineer Christy LeBatard. The Lighthouse pier has been closed for a month […]

MDOT awards contract for pedestrian overpass

Biloxi could see two pedestrian overpasses under construction on U.S. 90 next year, within several blocks of each.  The Mississippi Department of Transportation has awarded a contract for the pedestrian overpass on U.S. 90 just west of Caillavet Street, at MGM Park, and expects construction to be complete a little more than a year from […]

Biloxi Police Department looking for qualified applicants

The Biloxi Police Department is looking for applicants – entry level or those with experience – to help fill about a dozen vacancies including those of pending retiring veteran officers. “We are looking for individuals that possess dedication, loyalty and honesty as foremost qualities,” Police Chief John Miller said.  “We believe ourselves to be one […]

DEQ seeks more interest in needle-disposal program

Those in Biloxi who use syringes for injections to fight diabetes, allergies, arthritis or other ailments have embraced a state DEQ program that helps properly dispose of the used needles, but state says more can be done. About 100,000 syringes have been disposed of in Biloxi in the past seven years in a program where […]

Running and rasslin’ on tap downtown this weekend

Biloxi’s downtown streets will be filled with runners, walkers and race walkers on Saturday morning when the 34th annual Mayor’s Cup 5K Run, one of the largest local races on the Coast, spills through the streets, and then on Saturday night the Dr. Frank G. Gruich Sr. Center will host an evening of championship wrestling. […]

New Biloxi Christmas ornament focuses on Howard Avenue

Biloxi Main Street has released its 21st Christmas ornament with the new collectable serving as a homage to “Historic Howard Avenue.” The ornament features a rendering of the iconic Victorian-style, cupola-topped building at the corner of Howard Avenue and Lameuse Street, the current site of Ellzey’s Hardware on the ground floor and Dale Partners on […]

Time running out for 2017 Sailfish season

One of Biloxi’s trademark attractions, the Biloxi Shrimp Tour, is wrapping up its 2017 season next week, so the days are winding down for morning fishing trips inside Deer Island or to taking an educational cruise along the Biloxi channel. The Sailfish, which operates daily from the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor, has its last cruise […]

Thanksgiving will push garbage, trash pickups back a day

The Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday of next week means residents who normally get Thursday pickup of their garbage, trash and recycling will see their weekly pickup on Friday. Residents who normally receive service on Friday will have their weekly service a day later, on Saturday. All other service scheduled for Monday through Wednesday of next week will […]

Shuckers to include four-legged fans in 2018

The Biloxi Shuckers front office, which launched 2018 season ticket sales last week, is working on a plan to welcome more canines to MGM Park in the upcoming season.  “A number of days last season we had ‘Bark in the Park,’ where fans could bring their dogs to the games,” Shuckers General Manager Chuck Arnold […]

Do you have what it takes to be a city lifeguard?

Most people think of swimming as a summertime pursuit, but, the fact is, Biloxi’s two indoor public pools are open year ’round, and the city is always seeking certified lifeguards to staff the Biloxi Natatorium and Donald M. Snyder Community Center. The Aquatics Division maintains the Biloxi Natatorium, an Olympic-size swimming pool with a retractable roof […]

Roof of causeway bait shop to turn blue, royally

The Popp’s Ferry causeway park project, still on track for its April 2018 completion, will take on a new look this week as contractors will be installing the bait shop’s royal blue metal roof. The bait shop, a 1,000-square-foot structure that is elevated 18 feet above the ground, is one of the most imposing features […]

Christmas City, Santa arrival usher in holiday shopping

Two holiday milestones take place this weekend – the Roy Meyers Christmas City gift show at the Coast Coliseum and the arrival of Santa Claus at Edgewater Mall – and Biloxi Police are asking shoppers to remember to take steps to be safe. The 33rd annual Ron Meyers Christmas City Gift Show, touted as one […]

Attention businesses: Bmail could be for you

The city’s award-winning Bmail news service may be expanding in 2018 with BmailMonthly, a monthly newsletter and calendar of events that the U.S. Postal Service would deliver to all Biloxi residents and businesses the last week of each month. The new service would be contingent on a Biloxi business that would see the benefits of […]

Holiday Safety Tips from the Biloxi Police Department

The Biloxi Police Department reminds you to keep these safety tips in mind.   Safety at Home Lock doors and windows when you leave home, even if you plan on being gone for a short time. Have a neighbor or family member watch your home and collect your newspapers and mail if you’re going to […]

A new Howard Avenue could be in place this time next year

Howard Avenue between Reynoir and Lameuse streets, once the heart of downtown Biloxi but closed as a major thoroughfare by urban renewal in the ’70s, could be open to two-way traffic this time next year, Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich told a Biloxi Chamber of Commerce audience this morning. The mayor made the announcement while speaking […]

Parents: Sign up your children for the Christmas walking parade

Parades are the big news this week, with the salute to veterans and the Veterans Day parade and festival in downtown Biloxi on Saturday, but attention is already turning to Christmas parades, too. Students in Biloxi Public Schools on Wednesday will be receiving registration forms for the annual Christmas on the Water Children’s Walking Parade, […]

Biloxi Shuckers season tickets go on sale Wednesday

The World Series wrapped up only last week, but baseball is still in the news locally. The Biloxi Shuckers, who kick off the 2018 MGM Park season on April 11, have announced that season tickets go on sale Wednesday. Season ticket packages for the 2018 season, which cover 70 Shuckers home games, will include new seating […]

Panhandling, loitering ordinances on council agenda

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich is asking the City Council to approve measures governing panhandling and loitering when councilmembers gather Tuesday at 6 p.m. for their first-of-the-month meeting. Two other policy issues also are on the agenda, but will not be voted on Tuesday night: a measure to reduce the number of paid holidays for city […]

Yes, it’s that time again. First Friday has arrived

The monthly downtown event, First Friday, takes place in the Rue Magnolia and Water Street area from 5 to 8 tonight. The evening affair is open to the public and will feature live entertainment, area shop specials, refreshments, door prizes and a chance for event goers to win a $100 gift card to a downtown […]

Library’s Local History section to close for two weeks

The Local History and Genealogy Department at the Biloxi Public Library is closing for two weeks to allow staff to conduct a catalog of items. Beginning Monday, the library staff will conduct a fall cleaning, inventory and reorganization of its collections. The department will resume its normal Monday-through-Saturday hours on Monday, Nov. 20. “Our goal […]

Colder weather usually brings a rise to house fires

The Biloxi Fire Department, which sees an increase in fire calls at the outset of winter each year, is reminding residents to take steps to minimize the risk of inadvertently igniting household fires. Tips for protecting yourself and home from cold weather – Wear several layers of loose fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one […]

The Biloxi Natatorium just got more inviting

Visitors to the Biloxi Natatorium will now experience a cooler, or warmer, feel at the city-operated Father Ryan Avenue pool. City contractors have installed new mechanical units on the roof over the office, restrooms and shower areas that produce both heat and air, something the old units could not do. “This helps us to provide […]

City to host Veterans Day festival, parade

The City of Biloxi will host the Red, White, and Blue on the Green festival, in conjunction with the 17th annual Gulf Coast Veterans Day Parade, on Saturday, Nov. 11 on the Biloxi Town Green, 710 Beach Blvd. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Town Green will be filled with live entertainment and dozens […]

Trick or treaters, keep these safety tips in mind

Halloween is Tuesday night, and Biloxi public safety leaders are advising those families who are not participating in organized gatherings to make safety a priority when trick-or-treating in city neighborhoods. The city offers these tips: When trick-or-treating: — A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds. — Use a flashlight […]

Halloween dance is tonight at Snyder Center

Ghost and goblins will fill the Donal M. Snyder Sr. Community Center this evening when the Biloxi Parks & Recreation Department hosts its annual Special Needs Halloween Costume Ball. From 6 to 9 p.m., all ages with physical and mental disabilities will celebrate Halloween in their favorite costumes a the Pass Road community center. The […]

City OKs ‘southwest contract’ for infrastructure work

The city’s massive infrastructure project is getting ready to move south of the CSX Railway, and Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich is once again promising that residents and businesses will not see the same widespread disruption as in the areas north of the railroad. The Biloxi City Council on Tuesday awarded a $22.9 million, 800-day contract […]

New resource focuses on history of east Biloxi sites

There’s a new resource to help appreciate the rich history of Biloxi’s predominantly African American community: “East Biloxi African American and Civil Rights Historic Resources Survey.” The 29-page compilation, produced by the city with funding from the National Parks Service through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, draws from a wealth of historical resources […]

Biloxi, IP hosts fire chiefs training conference

Nearly 100 fire training professionals from across the state are in town this week for the 2017 Training Chiefs Conference. The Biloxi Fire Department is hosting the two day event that began this morning at the IP Casino Resort. “We had a great turn out this morning at the welcome and opening ceremony,” Biloxi Fire […]

Mason’s medical office named to National Register

The medical office of longtime civil rights icon Dr. Gilbert R. Mason Sr. has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The designation calls attention to the professional life of a man who has been more widely recognized for his efforts in promoting civil rights, with the hallmark achievement being the 1960s wade-ins […]

City enters second waterfront property dispute

The City of Biloxi has filed a motion to join in another waterfront dispute where Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann is, “contrary to law and facts,” attempting to claim waterfront land as state-owned. The latest case involves the private property-owners court battle with the Secretary of State in a case originally styled “Lady Luck Biloxi, Joe […]

Dormant Walmart site could see new tenants

An agreement in the works between the city and the Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District could see as many as five new businesses locate in the former Walmart location on Pass Road in west Biloxi. Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich is asking the City Council on Tuesday to allow the development district to continue working […]

Ordinances would focus on special events, loitering, panhandling

The Gilich administration is proposing three measures to help deal with two hot-button issues: events that disproportionately tax city resources and the problem of aggressive panhandling and loitering outside high-profile areas of the city. The proposed special events ordinance and amendments to the ordinances on loitering and panhandling are on the City Council agenda for […]

City seeks input on updated mitigation plan

The City of Biloxi is seeking public input to help update its Hazard Mitigation Floodplain Management Plan. The hazard mitigation plan identifies and assesses the risks from natural hazards faced by the community and how to best minimize or manage those risks. Having an updated hazard mitigation plan is necessary to qualify for federal mitigation […]

Meet the boosters of Biloxi in cemetery tour

Visitors to this year’s Old Biloxi Cemetery Tours will be able to meet some of Biloxi’s earliest and biggest promoters when the award-winning event kicks off Sunday. “Greetings from Biloxi,” a tip of the hat to prominent tourism leaders of days gone by, will be the theme of the 11th annual walking tour, which takes place […]

Fall Muster, Fall Festival top weekend lineup

Get ready for the cannon fire and skirmishes! Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library, hosts its 2017 fall muster this weekend. Visitors will be able to experience the sights, sounds and smells of the Civil War-era Saturday and Sunday when the west Biloxi site hosts the 31st annual Fall Muster. The two-day event, taking […]

Court affirms city’s action in Fayard Street case

The Mississippi Court of Appeals has unanimously affirmed that Biloxi was in its right to realign Fayard Street and vacation a portion of the northern end of the street at Bayview Avenue. The decision, which had been appealed by a nearby pawn shop, will allow the city to move forward with the realignment of Fayard […]

Fallen firefighters to be honored Friday morning

The Biloxi Fire Department will conduct two graveside memorial services Friday to mark the 31st anniversary of  the deaths of Edwin Kurt Jacquet Sr. and Carl Ohr, two Biloxi firefighters who died in the line of duty. The first service will be at 9 a.m. at the Old Biloxi Cemetery at Jacquet’s gravesite, and those […]

In east Biloxi, fresh asphalt leads to speeding

It happens on every street and drainage project that the city has ever done, now it’s happening in east Biloxi: With more and more streets being paved, more and more motorists are speeding through construction zones. For the record, the speed limit in the 55 miles of construction zone in east Biloxi is 15 mph. […]

City recognizes third quarter longevity recipients

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich, on Tuesday, recognized 16 employees for their years of service during a longevity awards presentation. 25 years of service: Fred Campbell, Parks & Recreation Department 15 years of service: Anita Kay Miller, Administration Department; and Greta Hogsett and Caryle Lena, Community Development Department 10 years of service: Russell Lepoma (Port) and Catherine McMahan, Administration […]

Heads up: Here’s the traffic plan for Halloween at Hiller

One of the city’s most popular Halloween events, Halloween in Hiller Park, is Friday evening and city officials want to remind visitors of the traffic plan. To help keep traffic flowing, there will be one entrance, off Atkinson Road, and one exit, at Hiller Drive. Beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday, all vehicles must enter […]

Pelican crews move 220 tons of debris over weekend

Pelican Waste, the new trash contractor for Biloxi and other parts of Harrison County, hauled away more than 200 tons of trash and debris from Biloxi neighborhoods over the weekend, and Pelican workers are continuing to work neighborhoods in west Biloxi, even though trash day is not until the end of the week. The 220.4 […]

This year’s cemetery tour sneak peek is Thursday

The city’s annual tours of the old Biloxi Cemetery begin Sunday, but you can get a preview Thursday evening at the Biloxi Visitors Center. “Greetings from Biloxi” is the theme this year, with a nod to the early days of the city’s tourism industry. Visitors will hear from a lineup of period-garbed re-enactors portraying a […]

October bills reflect new garbage, water rates

The city’s new water, sewer and garbage rates went into effect Oct. 1, which means the bills, by ordinance, carry the new rates, regardless of the service date. The garbage fee increased to $14.33, from $12.50 a month. The fee is known as a “pass through,” meaning the amount has no city administrative fee attached […]

Gilich seeks OK for library, Post Office plans

The city’s Finance Division, which has been housed since Hurricane Katrina in the Old Biloxi Public Library across from the Half Shell Restaurant on Lameuse Street, will be moving to the third floor of the U.S. Post Office on Main Street under a plan Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich is asking the City Council to approve […]

Gilich: Seawall idea gets warm reception from Corps

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said he was encouraged about ideas to keep sand on the sand beach and off U.S. 90 after a meeting Friday afternoon with representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Gilich is pitching an idea that would have a pre-fabricated concrete L-shaped structure placed in continuous 10-foot sections along the […]

Post-storm issues on council agenda

 The Biloxi City Council will consider two Hurricane Nate-related issues on Tuesday. Under a plan proposed by Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich, permit fees would be waived for those seeking to make repairs to owner-occupied dwellings, as was done after Hurricane Katrina. A proposal by Councilmember Robert L. Deming III would take it a step further: […]

Make it a weekend to move storm debris to curb

Biloxi Public Works crews have picked up 250.4 cubic yards of debris from neighborhoods this week, and Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich is hoping residents and property owners will use this weekend to haul any remaining debris to the curbside. In fact, Pelican Waste, the new trash contactor for the Harrison County Utility Authority, plans to […]

Mutts for Pink at Hiller Park Saturday

Dogs of all sorts – from AKC-registered pure breeds to the Heinz 57 variety – can prance, run, dress up or just be silly for the second annual Mutts For Pink fundraiser from 9 a.m. to noon on the grass area near the splash pad at Hiller Park. The fundraiser, supporting the American Cancer Society’s […]

City seeks to bring holidays in line with state statute

The Gilich administration is proposing the city reduce its number of municipal holidays to 10 a year from the current lineup of 12, bringing the city in line with state statute. The measure is one of more than two dozen issues on the council agenda for Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. The proposed amendment to the […]

Halloween in Woolmarket; fishing and a dog show at Hiller Park

The City of Biloxi Parks & Recreation Department ushers in the Halloween spirit beginning tonight with the annual Halloween in Woolmarket. Beginning at 5:30 p.m. the Woolmarket school grounds, 12513 John Lee Road, will be filled with ghosts, goblins, princesses and more. Children ages 11 and younger can partake in free activities including inflatables, a […]

City damage tab at $2.6 million, mainly on waterfront

The City of Biloxi’s initial estimate of Hurricane Nate damage to city facilities is now at $2.6 million, including $1.5 million to piers and waterfront facilities. “Recovery is in our DNA,” Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard said today.  “Piers and fishing in Biloxi all belong together and we will rebuild.” Electricity was restored today to […]

Gilich advances downtown, beach ideas

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich, who has made no secret of wanting to restore downtown Biloxi and to find a solution to sand blowing onto the beach, broke new ground on both topics this morning. Gilich, speaking to a Biloxi Chamber Breakfast with the Mayor audience at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino, said construction to […]

Harbor, commercial dock up and running

The Biloxi Small Craft Harbor and adjoining commercial harbor are now operating at full capacity, according to Port Division Manager Larry Sablich, but storm debris still litters harbor and marina roadways and walkways in the two publicly-owned facilities. However, the issues at Point Cadet Marina and the Sherman L. Canaan Back Bay commercial dock are […]

Bring your storm debris to the curb now

The city is asking property owners to move their Hurricane Nate debris to the curbside now to help speed up clean-up efforts citywide. Crews from Pelican Waste, the new trash contractor, and the city’s Public Works Department began efforts this morning to haul away debris from streets and neighborhoods. “Our goal is to move this […]

Have storm damage or flooding? We need to know

City inspectors are continuing to perform damage assessments today, and the Community Development Department needs to know ASAP about any structural or flooding damage your property sustained in Hurricane Nate.  Property owners who have damage should call the city’s Community Development Department to arrange for an inspection. Call (228) 435-6280 or email building@biloxi.ms.us Inspectors have conducted […]

Remember: Check licenses, pay no contractors in advance

The City of Biloxi is reminding residents of oft-repeated advice in dealing with construction issues: Beware of transient contractors and other individuals who typically set up temporary shop in the aftermath of storms. Before you sign any contract or allow anyone to perform any repair work on your property, you should ask to see the […]

Biloxi waterfront bears brunt of Nate

“We dodged the bullet,” Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said today, the morning after Hurricane Nate, billed as a possible Category 2 storm armed with an 11-foot storm surge, blew through town. However, the city’s harbors and marinas, and the electronics that control several sewage-pumping stations along the front beach sustained what Chief Administrative Officer Mike […]

Curfew, evacuation going into effect

A countywide curfew, which includes Biloxi and all cities in Harrison County, will go into effect this evening at 7 and continue through Sunday morning at 9. Additionally, a mandatory evacuation of low-lying and flood-prone areas goes into effect at 2 this afternoon. Do you need a ride to a shelter? Call Coast Transit at […]

How to report power outages, downed lines

Mississippi Power and Coast Electric, the two utilities that serve Biloxi residents, have crews on standby to deal with post-storm electricity outages, and the firms have numbers set up to report power outages.  Mississippi Power customers should call 1-800-487-3275 and Coast Electric customers should call 1-877-769-2372. See the Mississippi Power outage map      […]

Biloxi, Gulf Coast should expect Cat 2

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich is asking Biloxi residents to limit travel to only necessary travel as emergency managers are now reporting that Hurricane Nate could make landfall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a Category 2 storm. “This storm should not be taken lightly,” Gilich said. “Accordingly, I’m asking all residents to get the things […]

U.S. 90 intersections converting to flashing mode

MDOT has begun the process of converting U.S. 90 traffic signals to the flashing mode, with U.S. 90 motorists having right of way but advised to proceed with caution. When intersections are in the flashing mode, those with a flashing yellow signal have right of way. Those with a flashing red signal must come to […]

Shelters to open Saturday afternoon

Five shelters are scheduled to open Saturday afternoon at 2 for those individuals who feel vulnerable because of the threat of Tropical Storm Nate. The shelters, as announced this evening by the Harrison County Emergency Agency: — D’Iberville High School, 15625 Lamey Bridge Road, D’Iberville. — Saucier Lizana Road 361 Shelter, 23771 Saucier Lizana Road, […]

Front beach marinas, harbors mostly vacant

“I just can’t say enough about these boat owners, they’ve been very cooperative,” Port Division Manager Larry Sablich said this afternoon. “About 90 percent have evacuated from the city’s front beach harbors and marinas, and we have about a dozen and a half that will be evacuating from the Sherman Canaan commercial dock on Back […]

Debris contractor on standby, if needed

Crowder Gulf, the city’s post-storm debris contractor, is now on standby, and, if needed, ready to move into the city to handle any debris in the wake of Tropical Storm Nate. City Engineer Christy LeBatard spoke this afternoon with the Mobile-based firm, which was one of three contractors that helped haul away more than three […]

Cruisin’ the Coast condenses weekend schedule

Cruisin’ the Coast officials have decided to condense the remaining events in this year’s cruise as a result of weather issues associated with the incoming tropical system. Executive Director Woody Bailey said that today’s events will continue as planned, but the weekend activities will be abbreviated. “We encourage Cruisers to enjoy today as planned,” Bailey […]

Boat owners face Saturday morning deadline

The city this morning began notifying owners of marine craft in the city’s public harbors and marinas to move their vessels no later than Saturday morning as the latest reports suggest that Biloxi and the surrounding area could begin to experience tropical storm conditions  as early as Saturday afternoon. In fact, the city is now […]

Meanwhile, the new pickup service moves forward

It’s Day 1 of the new garbage, trash and recycling service for most residents of Biloxi, and the Harrison County Utility Authority said those who saw pickups Thursday, primarily in areas north of Interstate 10, had few issues. “We actually began picking up some northern areas of Biloxi on Thursday, several thousand pickups in fact, […]

State of emergency declared in preparation of TS Nate

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich and the Biloxi City Council declared a state of emergency in Biloxi this afternoon, a measure that authorizes the mayor to take extraordinary steps to deal with the expected torrential downpour from Tropical Storm Nate. “We have to make preparations and take the necessary steps to protect our citizens and visitors,” […]

Port Division recommends evacuation of boats

Owners of marine craft in the city’s public harbors and marinas this afternoon were asked to make arrangements to relocate their vessels to safer locations. “Although evacuation is not mandatory at this time, it is highly recommended that vessels be relocated well in advance to safer locations in order to protect both the vessel and […]

Waste Pro vows to accelerate efforts to remove carts, bins

Waste Pro, the trash and recycling firm that formerly served Biloxi, reports that it is escalating its efforts to remove trash cans and recycling bins from curbs throughout the city as the threat of Tropical Storm Nate looms. “We are monitoring Nate closely and have been making plans with Gulfport and our other municipal clients […]

Cruisers get the word: Consider leaving early

Clear skies abound at the moment, but the threat of Tropical Storm Nate this weekend is causing emergency managers to ask Cruisin’ the Coast visitors to consider cutting their visit short. In fact, Biloxi firefighters later this afternoon will be delivering a postcard from Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich to the hundreds of RVs and campers […]

Sign up for Start Smart Soccer beginning Friday

The Parks & Recreation Department has 20 openings for a free program designed to help prepare youngsters to participate in soccer. Registration for the Start Smart Soccer Program begins Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will continue weekdays at the Recreation office, 377 Hiller Drive, until the participant limit is reached. The program […]

TD 16 may enter Gulf as storm by Saturday

Yes, it’s true, Tropical Depression 16 has formed in the southwest Caribbean. It’s expected to become Tropical Storm Nate later today and maybe even enter the southern Gulf of Mexico as Hurricane Nate by Saturday. But forecasters say there’s no major cause for concern at the moment. “It’s too early to discuss specifics right now […]

Biloxi Lighthouse fair is Saturday

More than 50 local artists and craftsmen will be selling everything from jewelry to one-of-a-kind art work on Saturday during the fifth annual Lighthouse Arts and Crafts Fair. The event, which will he on the lawn and inside the Biloxi Visitors Center, will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Visitors Center is at […]

City Council to receive final downtown plan

The Biloxi City Council this evening will receive the final draft of Biloxi’s Downtown Restoration Plan, an 85-page document that lays out a year-by-year timetable for progress, with identified funding sources for much of the work and a host of incentives for small businesses. Much of the public focus to this point has been the […]

The Cruisin’ credo: Take your time, enjoy the sights

OK, it’s here again. More than 7,200 registered Cruisin’ the Coast vehicles, along with an untold number of unregistered vehicles, will be motoring along our beachfront highway and on adjoining thoroughfares, while hundreds line the beachfront to view the passing parade. Recreational vehicles began showing up on vacant lots in West Biloxi last week, setting […]

Firefighters want your attention on fire prevention

The Biloxi Fire Department is preparing to observe October as Fire Prevention month by dousing residents with fire safety. Firefighters from the city’s nine fire stations will be canvassing neighborhoods this month in an effort to make sure Biloxi homes have working smoke detectors. The Fire Prevention Month effort, called “Turn Your Attention to Fire […]

HCUA, Team Waste playing catch up on pickups

Today is Day 1 of the new garbage, trash and recycling contracts for residents of Biloxi, but the Harrison County Utility Authority reports that much of the work in the next several days will be focused on catching up of missed pickups. Team Waste, whose contract began Oct. 1, will be “allocating additional resources to […]

New pickup service goes into effect next week

The new garbage, trash and recycling contract goes into effect next week in Biloxi and surrounding areas, but some Biloxi residents have already seen the new trash contractor, Pelican Waste, making rounds. The Harrison County Utility Authority, which contracts for the trio of services for most residents, except for those in Gulfport, had Pelican picking […]

Biloxi, D’Iberville team up for downtown litter blitz

After weeks of sprucing up for Cruisin the Coast, city leaders from Biloxi and D’Iberville are teaming up for a final aesthetic sweep Monday morning with a Downtown Litter Blitz. “D’Iberville Mayor Rusty Quave and City Manager Clay Jones kindly invited us to join them in a final sweep of our downtown areas before the […]

Senior Prom tickets go on sale today

Tickets for the 11th Annual Mississippi Gulf Coast Senior Prom on Thursday, Nov. 9 go on sale today. The Senior Prom, open to ages 50 and older will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. at the IP Casino Resort and will include music by the Coast Big Band, a full buffet, a photo booth […]

Community efforts discussed at fair housing workshop

A consensus to better coordinate community awareness efforts regarding residents’ fair housing rights was reached this week during a Fair Housing Act Workshop hosted by the city, the Mississippi Center for Justice and the Biloxi Housing Authority. The city, public and private housing providers, realtors, bankers and disability rights advocates participated in the workshop. John […]

Police take part in rail crossings safety program

Biloxi police officers spent three hours at two neighborhood rail crossings Wednesday as part of Operation Clear Track, a national effort to help raise awareness of the dangers of crossings. Two officers handed out 135 informational cards to passing motorists at the Iroquois and Nixon crossings, which are referred to as “unguarded crossings,” meaning they […]

Your guide to fall happenings in Biloxi

Wednesday, Oct. 4: The Cruisin’ The Coast Downtown Biloxi Block Party will take place in downtown from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Cars and car aficionados will line the streets and George Thomas will perform as the King of Rock and Roll on the stage across from Biloxi City Hall. See the flyer Saturday, Oct. […]

Biloxi First to take aim at Reed Guice

Marketing guru and political consultant Reed Guice of Biloxi will be the roastee for the 15th annual Biloxi First Roast, which will take place Thursday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. at the IP Casino Resort & Spa. The event is the major annual fundraiser for Biloxi First, a non-profit organization that has provided more than […]

Cruisin’ Downtown Biloxi Block Party set for Oct. 4

Cruisin’ the Coast, the weeklong event that sees thousands of vehicles motoring along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, rolls into downtown Biloxi on Wednesday, Oct. 4 when the city hosts the Downtown Biloxi Block Party. Thousands of cars and car aficionados will line the downtown streets from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of the […]

Dredging program now well underway

Dredging is underway at Point Cadet Marina this week, part of a $711,000, year-long project that includes deepening of the Sherman L. Canaan Back Bay Fishing Dock, and canals at Hiller Park and three areas north of the bay, off Mercedes, North Haven and Holly Hills drives. The work, which began in August and is […]

Oscar Renda touts progress on Division

Division Street is now paved from Oak Street to the halfway point at Nichols Drive, with curbing and sidewalks also in place for much of the way, and Oscar Renda Contracting reports that the area of Division at 1-110 will be paved within three weeks.   The news, along with announcement of the final sewer […]

Ohr-O’Keefe plans fall gala for tonight

The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art holds its “Und Ohr the Sea” gala tonight at the IP Casino Resort and Spa. The nautical-themed affair is the museum’s major fundraiser of the year.  It will be from 7 to 10 p.m. with complimentary wine and an array of food and activities.  IP Casino Chef Shannon Johnson will […]

Diversity shines on Town Green Saturday

The city celebrates its diverse culture this weekend on the Biloxi Town Green. On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. a host of vendors and entertainers will fill the grounds for the city’s inaugural Multicultural Festival, an event that brings together the wide-ranging Gulf Coast culture to one spot. More than two dozen food vendors, […]

From the Rockport front lines: ‘This town is devastated’

Surveying the Hurricane Harvey damage firsthand in the small Texas coast town of Rockport, it appears it’s more wind damage than water damage, but one thing’s for sure, says Biloxi Fire Chief Joe Boney: The town of 10,000 is devastated. It’s a slow process in digging out from the piles of debris since the Category […]

Gilich wants to turn tide on U.S. 90 sand

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich announced today that a pilot project is in the works to keep sand off U.S. 90. The mayor told a Biloxi Lions Club luncheon audience today that the project – installing a prefabricated, concrete boardwalk by sections from the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor to Kuhn Street – is something that could […]

Have a heart! Climb the Lighthouse Saturday

On any given day, five to 10 people take the Biloxi Lighthouse tour, climbing the 57 steps to the top of city’s signature landmark, but on Saturday between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the city employee Heart Walk team is hoping dozens will make the climb. The typical city fee – $5 for adults or […]

Ohr, Lighthouse area, harbor launch to see upgrades, repairs

A game plan has been set in motion for upgrades to the Lighthouse Pier parking area and the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor boat launch, and repairs are now in the works for the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art Welcome Center, which was damaged by a fire a year ago. Today, contractors with Twin L will begin […]

First-responders called to second hydraulic spill

Sections of Popp’s Ferry and Atkinson roads were closed for several hours today as first responders worked to clean up a hydraulic spill from a garbage truck, the second such spill in two working days. A Waste Pro truck left a swath of hydraulic fluid from the western end of Atkinson Road and north toward […]

$3 million permit issued for Saltgrass restaurant

A permit with a construction value of $3 million has been issued for the Saltgrass, an upscale steakhouse planned for the northeastern corner of Myrtle Street and U.S. 90 on Point Cadet. The permit was one of 74 building permits issued last week by the city’s Community Development Department. In addition, the department is overseeing the […]

‘Biloxi Blues,’ swimming, running, parading and more this weekend

Center Stage Theatre celebrates the state’s 200th anniversary with its presentation of the Broadway comedy “Biloxi Blues.”  The Neil Simon play centers on the experiences of a young Army recruit, Eugene Morris Jerome, in boot camp in Biloxi during World War II.  Armed with his journal and a sense of humor, Eugene is determined to […]

Museum plans drawdown for Saturday

The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum’s 32nd annual $10,000 Drawdown will be held on Saturday at the Point Cadet museum. The drawdown is the museum’s major fundraiser of the year. It will begin at 6 p.m., with cocktails and entertainment by Hank Berumen. The buffet, offering many special seafood dishes, will begin at 7 p.m., […]

Biloxi Public Schools planning for homecoming parade

Homecoming is a great way to show school spirit, and this year the Biloxi Public Schools is asking the community to demonstrate Biloxi Indian spirit by participating in the Indian Nation Homecoming Parade. The parade is set to roll at 5 p.m. through downtown Biloxi on Thursday, Oct. 19, the day before the Biloxi High […]

Biloxi Police, Papa John’s to collect hurricane relief items

The Biloxi Police Department is partnering with Papa John’s Pizza to collect items for first responders in Beaumont, Texas. Beginning Friday, the Lopez Quave Public Safety Center, 170 Porter Ave., and all south Mississippi Papa John’s Pizza stores will be accepting hurricane relief items for Beaumont Police Officers and their families. Beaumont, a town of […]

Coast chefs to gather at Civic Center event

Feeding the Gulf Coast will host the first-ever Mississippi Chef Challenge – A Challenge to End Hunger – on Thursday, Sept. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Biloxi Civic Center. The event is Feeding the Gulf Coast’s fundraiser, bringing together some of the area’s most celebrated chefs for an evening of food and […]

City water bills still playing catch up

Those Biloxi water customers who would have received their monthly bill on Aug. 30, with a due date of Sept. 15, will be receiving those bills late, with a due date of Sept. 25. Bank draft customers will be drafted on the 25th, not the 15th. The late bills, which are going to a third […]

New city budget coming into focus

Biloxi has a busy year coming up, but it’s not without some belt tightening. The city launches the new fiscal year on Oct. 1, and after weeks of budget negotiations between the Gilich administration and City Council, a few thing are apparent: There will be no increase in the city property tax rate, but fees […]

Biloxi relief teams leave for Texas on Thursday

Relief teams will be leaving Biloxi Thursday and Friday to begin a week of work in Rockport, a small Texas coast town that was decimated by 130 mph winds of Hurricane Harvey on Aug. 25. A team of six volunteers will begin the 10-hour drive Thursday morning, and a team of eight will be leaving […]

Trio of city events on tap this weekend

Fire trucks will be rolling through downtown and police will be gathering down at Point Cadet Plaza on Saturday, and then on Sunday the Saenger Theatre hosts a birthday party for Hank Williams Sr. A trio of city events is planned for this weekend: the annual Fireman’s Day Parade, the annual Biloxi Community Festival Against […]

Will Biloxi host playoff games this weekend? We’ll know today

Whether a playoff game is played at MGM Park this weekend will be decided this afternoon in Pensacola, when Jacksonville and Pensacola play Game 3 of a best-of-five series. First pitch is at 1:05 p.m. The Pensacola Blue Wahoos has already won the first two games of the series and with a win todau would […]

Irma jogs westward slightly, still no threat locally

Hurricane Irma, still a Category 4 storm with near-150 mph sustained winds, has shifted slightly westward, and although the track and intensity may change slightly over the next few days, forecasters say the storm poses no threat to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Forecasters made the announcement during this morning’s local briefing, released by the National […]

City follows up on Esters water loss

Biloxi Public Works staff this morning is working to determine how many city water customers lost service Thursday after an unmarked 12-inch water main was broken on Esters Boulevard. The water main was ruptured when contractors were in stalling sheet piles along the road way north of the CSX railway. Water service was interrupted Thursday […]

MGM Park could host two playoff games

The Shuckers season is over, but Irma may be sending playoff games to MGM Park this weekend. The Southern League has announced that the potential fourth and fifth games of the best-of-five Southern League Division Series, set for Saturday and Sunday between Jacksonville and Pensacola, will be relocated to Biloxi’s MGM Park. The site change […]

Seafood Festival returns to Town Green

The Biloxi Seafood Festival – two days of entertainment, food, and arts and crafts – returns to the Town Green this weekend.  The Biloxi Chamber of Commerce is moving the award-winning festival back the Beach Boulevard location, across from the Hard Rock and near the Beau Rivage, after three years at Point Cadet Plaza. The […]

‘Until landfall, Irma remains a threat to us’

Biloxi Public Works Director Billy Ray Allen set steps in motion today to have some of the upper-level, difficult-to-reach windows boarded up at a couple of city buildings as city staff continued to monitor weather reports. “I know it appears that Irma is turning toward Florida,” Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard said, “but until […]

Fireman’s Day Parade set for Sept. 16

The annual Biloxi Fireman’s Day Parade, a tradition that dates back more than 130 years, rolls through downtown Biloxi on Saturday, Sept. 16. The parade, which is expected to feature nearly two dozen firefighting vehicles from fire departments across the Coast, will begin at 10 a.m. at the foot of Lameuse Street.  It will proceed north […]

Saenger to host Hank Williams Sr. production

  The Saenger Theater will mark the 94th anniversary of the birth of Hank Williams Sr. with the showing of a motion picture about his final days and a documentary that celebrates the legendary country singer’s love affair with 1950s Biloxi. In fact, when “The Last Ride” plays on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 1:30 p.m. […]

Irma: It’s not too soon to begin preparing

Weather forecasters are days away from being able to gauge how much of a threat Hurricane Irma will be to the continental U.S., but it’s not too early for Biloxi residents to make some preparations, says Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard.   “The first advice is to stay tuned to the weather reports from […]

Garbage, trash meeting is tonight at Gruich center

The Harrison County Utility Authority, the agency that oversees residential garbage, trash and recycling efforts in Biloxi and other cities, will discuss the new pickup services and answer questions during a community meeting this evening from 6 to 7 at the Dr. Frank G. Gruich Sr. Community Center on Howard Avenue. The meeting, which is […]

Shuckers end 2017 season at 71-66

The Biloxi Shuckers, who wrapped up their season Monday, with a three-hit shutout over the Mobile BayBears, ended the 2017 campaign with a 71-66 record, the third time the team has finished better than .500 since moving to Biloxi in 2015. As the season comes to a close, centerfielder Johnny Davis led the team with […]

The stars come out tonight, this weekend

It’s the first Friday of the month, which means the area of Rue Magnolia and Water Street in downtown Biloxi will be buzzing with live entertainment, an art gallery reception and local vendors. It’s all part of Main Street’s First Friday, which takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. Many of the downtown restaurants will […]

Shuckers eliminated from post-season play

It’s official. The Biloxi Shuckers, who wrapped up their MGM Park schedule earlier this week, won’t make the playoffs. The team is in the midst of a five-game series in Mobile and despite besting the BayBears in the opener Thursday night, eliminating Mobile from playoff contention, also found themselves eliminated from post-season play after Jacksonville […]

Walk, run and climb to remember the fallen of 9/11

Organizers have opened registration for the third annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run/Walk & Climb, an event that helps remember firefighter Stephen Siller and his FDNY brothers who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. The run, a nationwide effort, is named in honor of a New York Firefighter Stephen Siller who in full gear, […]

Calling all one-kick wonders to Hiller Park

Want a fun way to help out the revitalization of Hiller Park? Well, the Parks & Recreation Department has a kickin’ good way you can do that. Registrations are now being accepted for teams for the department’s Annual Hiller Park Revitalization Kickball Tournament. The tournament will take place Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Barbara Ferrill Softball Fields, […]

Tornado watch in effect until 6 this evening

A tornado watch is in effect until 6 o’clock this evening for Biloxi and the surrounding area as intermittent thundershowers and gusty winds of around 20 mph will continue throughout the day. Blame it all on Tropical Storm Harvey, the slow-moving disturbance that has caused historic flooding in Texas and is now making its way […]

All lanes open at Pass and Eisenhower

Motorists traveling Pass Road near Eisenhower Drive are able to use all lanes of traffic now that the city’s Public Works Department has patched a pothole that for weeks had closed the righthand westbound lane and bottlenecked traffic each afternoon. “We certainly would have liked to have patched it sooner,” said Public Works Director Billy […]

City declares state of emergency

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich and the Biloxi City Council declared a state of emergency in Biloxi this afternoon, a measure that authorizes the mayor to do all things necessary to deal with the expected torrential downpour from Tropical Storm Harvey. “This evening we’re expecting more severe thunderstorms,” said Biloxi Emergency Manager Michelle Crowley. “Residents in […]

Biloxi team gearing up for Harvey relief effort

The Biloxi Fire Museum, working with its partners from the New Sharon (Iowa) Volunteer Fire Department, is putting together a relief trip the Harvey disaster zone, and the effort is looking for online contributions. Four and five-member teams from Biloxi and New Sharon will be focusing their efforts on the damaged homes of first responders […]

City, Cable One look back at Camille, Katrina

The City of Biloxi and Cable One will air a day of special storm-related programming on Tuesday to commemorate the 12th anniversary of Katrina and to help educate residents about the dangers of storms and flooding. Cable One is airing the programs as a public service for its Biloxi customers on Cable 69.  “These programs […]

It’s a sports kind of weekend

The Shuckers are at the midway point of the final 10-game homestand, wrapping up a series with the Mobile BayBears this evening and on Saturday night opening a five-game series hosting the division-leading Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The first 1,500 fans at tonight’s game will receive a Shuckers Beach Towel. Gates open at 5:30 p.m Meantime, […]

City prepares for Harvey’s expected rainfall

The National Weather Service says Tropical Depression Harvey is expected to become a tropical storm and move towards the Texas coast on Friday, and Biloxi Emergency Manager Michelle Crowley says the city is advising residents to sit up and take note. Crowley this afternoon is passing along information that heavy rainfall – as much as […]

Rail passengers group checking out Biloxi, Gulf Coast

Daily passenger rail service is still just a dream for Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but the National Association of Railroad Passengers wants to show the rest of the country what they’re missing.  On Thursday, two bloggers interning with the national association will be in Biloxi and on the Gulf Coast to share their […]

Excel by 5 to host ribbon-cutting on Thursday

Biloxi Excel By 5 Family Resource Center and Families First For Mississippi will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday at 10 a.m. in the Imagination Station at  Lopez School, which is at 140 St. John St. in Biloxi. Parents, children and guests will be able to tour the center and learn more about its free […]

Some city water bills arriving late

About a third of the city’s 14,000 customers will be receiving their monthly water bill a few days late, and as a result, the bill’s due date also has been pushed back. Instead of Sept. 5, the due date printed on the bill will be Sept. 8. Bank draft customers will still draft on Sept. […]

Mayor seeks Cuban baseball team visit, trade interest

“I don’t think our visit could have gone any better,” Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said today after his four-day visit to Cuba last week. Gilich’s trip to Havana followed up on his goal to bring the Cuban National Baseball Team to Biloxi for a series of games at MGM Park. But the mayor also used […]

Our first and final thoughts on the the eclipse

OK, everyone in the United States has heard about the eclipse this afternoon. You know, the one you’re not supposed to look at unless you have the hard-to-find NASA-approved goggles. Herewith, what Biloxians need to know: “We do not expect total darkness here in Biloxi because we’re not in what they’re calling ‘the path of […]

Gilich delivers Biloxi hospitality to Cuba

“There is no doubt that we have an opportunity to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with Cuba,” Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said upon his return Sunday from a four-day visit to Havana. “There are no guarantees, of course, but we have started a dialogue that could allow us to capitalize on the geographical advantage […]

Yes, it’s a dance celebrating the return of school

Between 150 to 200 mentally or physically challenged youths and adults are expected this evening for the Parks & Recreation Department’s annual Special Needs Back-To-School Hoorah Dance, which takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Donal M. Snyder Sr. Community Center. The affair, which is free and also open to friends of those attending, includes […]

Glavan: The rodeo finals could be our next Cruisin’

Among the marketing and tourism leaders at Biloxi City Hall Wednesday to hear about the potential of the Professional Cowboy Association rodeo finals in January was Kenny Glavan, the Biloxi councilmember who is also president of the Mississippi Hotel and Lodging Association. Glavan liked what we heard. The idea is to promote Biloxi and the […]

Rodeo organizers seek to round up more visitors

Organizers of a longtime Coast Coliseum event, the Professional Cowboy Association rodeo finals, are looking to beef up their event, maybe even attracting a new herd of visitors to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in January. For two decades, the Professional Cowboy Association finals have been held at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, attracting about 8,000 people […]

New garbage, trash service just around the corner

Team Waste, the company that takes over residential garbage collection in Biloxi beginning Oct. 1, is ramping up public awareness of the new pickup schedule and new service. New trash and recycling carts are making their way into neighborhoods, but residents should continue to use existing Waste Pro carts and recycling bins until Oct. 1. […]

Biloxi High kicks off Shrimp Bowl festivites tonight

The 2017 edition of the Shrimp Bowl gets rolling this evening at 6 with a pep rally at Indian Stadium, on the Biloxi High School campus, off Richard Drive. The pep rally, which is open to the public, will feature the Biloxi High Marching Band, along with performances by cheerleaders and dancers.  Shrimp Queen Paige […]

Gilich: Biloxi needs to put flag issue behind us

The state Attorney General’s office has weighed in on the state flag brouhaha in Biloxi: A proposed ordinance to fly the state flag at all city facilities would be improper since it would bind future leaders. The opinion, which was received Monday by City Attorney Peter Abide and given to councilmembers today, said, “Resolutions, on […]

Gilich seeks Cuban interest in Biloxi, baseball

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich will lead a small local delegation on an economic development and family support mission to Cuba this week. Gilich and Biloxi’s Civic Innovation & Development Officer F. Cliff Kirkland have spent more than a year pursuing the possibility of bringing the Cuban National Baseball Team to play a series of games in MGM […]

Shuckers entertain Smokies this evening

The Biloxi Shuckers will be aiming for their fifth straight win this evening when they face the Tennessee Smokies, just a day after the teams met in a rain-delayed game that ran until 11:57 p.m. before the Shuckers won 3-2 with a walk-off double. First pitch from MGM Park is at 6:35 p.m  The first […]

MGM Park: Looking back at the the big events

Here’s a look at the biggest crowds at the MGM Park, according to figures released by the Biloxi Shuckers: July 3, 2015: Shuckers vs Braves – 6,231 July 20, 2016: Shuckers vs. Blue Wahoos – 6,098 July 4, 2017: Shuckers vs. Blue Wahoos – 6,098 July 4, 2016: Shuckers vs. Suns – 5,821  May 13, […]

Plans being drawn up now for Saenger rehabilitation

As part of the City’s efforts to redevelop downtown Biloxi, the Saenger Theater and Community Center is benefitting from a multi-phased, comprehensive rehabilitation.  Phase One, in the design stage, includes ADA access improvements and critically-needed exterior repairs to allow this public resource to serve the needs of area neighbors as a public meeting and activity […]

Awards banquet tonight for B.E.S.T.

The city’s history-making swim team tonight celebrates the end of its successful 2017 long course season with an awards banquet. The banquet for the Biloxi Elite Swim Team, also known as B.E.S.T., will begin at 6 p.m. at the Dr. Frank G. Gruich Sr. Community Center, 591 Howard Avenue, and will honor the over 190 […]

Storm & Flood newsletter arriving in homes this week

It’s August, typically the busiest time of hurricane season, and to help remind residents and business owners about steps to be prepared, the city’s annual Storm & Flood Preparedness newsletter should be arriving in homes and businesses throughout Biloxi this week. The 12-page compendium has tips on how to create a storm plan for your […]

Siblings lead 2017 Sports Hall of Fame inductees

Four sets of brothers head this year’s class of 19 inductees into the Biloxi Sports Hall of Fame. Longtime Biloxi High coaches Joe and Frank Sabbatini will be honored along with legendary BHS football players Clinton and John Tapper, and Gene, Billy Ray and John Allen.  Rounding out the sibling contingent for installation ceremonies Sunday, […]

Registration on tap this weekend for youth leagues

The beginning of the school year means the City of Biloxi’s fall youth sports leagues are just around the corner. On Saturday, the Parks & Recreation Department will hold registration for its football and cheerleading leagues from 9 a.m. to noon at the Donal M. Snyder Sr. Community Center, 2520 Pass Road. Football is open […]

Waste Pro to use Saturday as catch-up day

Waste Pro will have a contingent of trash trucks in Biloxi neighborhoods on Saturday, working to pick up any trash that may have been missed today or over the past few weeks. Six rear-load trash trucks and as many as three trucks equipped with booms will be working neighborhoods, following up on today’s weekly trash […]

Downpour leads to street flooding, flash flood warning

This morning’s heavy downpour has caused street flooding in low-lying areas of Biloxi and the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning until 9:30 a.m. for the area and southwestern Jackson County. “We’re asking people to please turn around when you encountered a street with standing water,” said Biloxi Emergency Manager Michelle Crowley. […]

Have trash? Bring it out NOW

Waste Pro, the company that picks up garbage and trash countywide, has committed to have extra resources in Biloxi on Friday, so Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich is encouraging residents to bring out the trash. “We want to see people take advantage of this opportunity,” Gilich said this morning after the Harrison County Utility Authority meeting. […]

Court seeks to make traffic fine payment easier

Biloxi Municipal Court handled more than 10,000 traffic cases last year, and court administrators say many of those appearing in court can now take advantage of a convenient online payment. The city offers the service to those facing traffic fines, and the service can be used without having to appear in court for those pleading […]

Heavy school traffic expected Friday off Jam Lane

City thoroughfares around Biloxi’s public schools are expected to be crowded with parents, students and buses Friday morning, for the first day of school, especially off Popp’s Ferry Road, where the new Biloxi Junior High School will be opening a stone’s throw from Biloxi High School. Biloxi Police will have extra patrols along Popp’s Ferry […]

Downtown to test new GIS-based signage

Biloxi Main Street is installing more than 70 temporary wayfinding signs throughout downtown to answer to the often-asked questions from visitors: How can I find out what is going on around here?” “We are installing a unique GIS-based wayfinding signage system throughout our downtown district to not only point the way to dozens of  attractions, […]

Heads up: You’ll hear the tornado siren test at noon

Residents throughout Biloxi will hear a one-minute test of the city’s emergency warning system today at noon. The city’s 10 warning sirens are tested simultaneously the first Wednesday of every month, blasting a tornado alert for one minute. The sirens are to help alert residents to the impending dangers of a tornado or hurricane.  The […]

Biloxi gaming industry marks 25 years today

Biloxi will unveil a new $35.5 million state-of-the-art junior high school this Friday, which seems fitting for the same week that the city marks the 25th anniversary of the casino gaming industry, which has helped pay for new schools and fueled so many quality-of-life improvements over the years. It was on Aug. 1, 1992, 25 […]

Gilich seeks to dress up Lighthouse pier area

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich, who likes to promote Biloxi as “safe, friendly and beautiful,” on Tuesday evening will be asking the City Council to approve a $68,000 project to improve one of the city’s most high-profile venues, the area south of the Biloxi Lighthouse. Gilich will be asking the council during its meeting at 6 […]

City to begin crafting FY ’18 municipal budget

The Gilich administration and members of the City Council will launch a month of municipal budget meetings next week with a discussion of employee medical insurance. During the meeting, scheduled for Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard will brief council members on the current plan, which is budgeted at $6.5 million of […]

Annie and Elvis share the theater stages this weekend

Biloxi Little Theatre brings one of American’s popular redheads to the stage. No, it’s not Lucille Ball. It’s Annie. “Annie Jr.,” A Triple Threat Academy Production, opens it three-show run tonight at the Lee Street theater. Based on the popular comic strip and adapted from the Tony Award-winning musical, the performance follows the orphan in her […]

Twentysomethings, Biloxi is uniquely for you

OK, so it’s doesn’t have the oomph of the U.S. News & World Report list that gave Biloxi a glowing review the other day, but a new compilation of unique places for twentysomethings includes Biloxi in such company as New Orleans, Nashville, Austin, San Jose, Ann Arbor and St. Augustine. In making its list of […]

Keesler, city join in Air Force Partnership Program

Keesler Air Force Base was the site Thursday for the second in a series of meetings designed to chart new partnerships between the 76-year-old base and surrounding communities across the Mississippi Coast. A large and diverse crowd of Keesler officers and community leaders filled the meeting room in the Bay Breeze Center to discuss ongoing […]

Keesler land-use study meetings are next week

The public will have a chance to comment on a public draft of the Joint Land Use Study with Keesler Air Force Base during two public sessions next week. The meetings, the third and final of the months-long process, will be Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the D’Iberville Town Green, at 1004 Central […]

Biloxi Public Schools welcome students next week

Biloxi Public Schools will begin classes at the end of next week, with a new multi-million-dollar junior high school and an upper elementary school awaiting students. “We just finished online registration,” said David Nichols, director of personnel services for the Biloxi Public Schools, “and right now, we are on target with our enrollment numbers.” Registration […]

At MML, City Desk goes ‘One Coast’

Social media is where it’s at in communicating with residents of a city, that’s the word from this week’s City Desk guests, Mario King, the newly minted mayor of Moss Point, and Chris Vignes, the Public Information Officer for Gulfport. The two city officials appeared on the City Desk podcast Wednesday at the Mississippi Coast […]

Gilich addresses MML delegates

Municipal government is “where the rubber meets the road,” Mayor Andrew ‘FoFo” Gilich told delegates this morning in opening remarks to the Mississippi Municipal League convention in Biloxi. Gilich and Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes delivered brief welcome addresses to the opening session of the gathering, which has attracted more than 3,000 city leaders and staff […]

Torrential rainfall prompts flash flood watch

The National Weather Service, saying that slow-moving showers can quickly produce two to four inches of rain, has issued a flash flood watch for Biloxi and Harrison County until Tuesday night at 7. The weather service said rainfall of 5 to 7 inches are possible over a 24- to 36-hour period, including what has fallen […]

Oscar Renda plans paving of Nichols, Iroquois, Thelma

Sidewalks are being installed on the eastern end of Division Street and paving will soon be going down on Nichols Drive, and Iroquois and Thelma streets, according to the latest video update from Oscar Renda Contracting.  John Cowart, Oscar Renda’s general superintendent over the east Biloxi infrastructure work, said completion of the work at Nichols […]

New exhibit chronicles Biloxi beach wade-ins

A new exhibit at the Biloxi Public Library gives a detailed history of the wade-ins that led to the desegregation of the Biloxi and Gulf Coast beaches. The display, which measures 7 1/2 feet by 15 feet and is at the entrance of the library, showcases the chronology of the Biloxi wade-ins and the history […]

Huge MML convention in town next week

More than 3,000 people, elected leaders from across the state, exhibitors and presenters will be in town for several days next week for the annual Mississippi Municipal League summer conference, one of the Coast’s largest annual conventions. “The MML Annual Conference is the largest association conference held in the state each year,” said Shari T. […]

Rail group recommends daily passenger service

A federally created study group has recommended to Congress that passenger rail service be returned to the eastern Gulf Coast corridor with two daily roundtrip routes: New Orleans to Orlando and New Orleans to Mobile. The Gulf Coast Working Group was formed largely due to the efforts of Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker. Its purpose was […]

Gilich touts sand beach ideas for chamber audience

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich this morning told a Biloxi Chamber of Commerce audience that this week he had one of the most productive meetings since becoming mayor two years ago. Gilich was referring to a meeting Tuesday when he exchanged sand control philosophies with a group of university academicians in a meeting coordinated by legendary […]

Downtown plan: Return to the vibrancy of yesteryear

The draft of Biloxi’s Downtown Restoration Plan presented to the public today was clear: Re-opening Howard Avenue to two-way traffic, with on-street parking, needs to be Priority 1.  And Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District, which is finalizing the five-year action plan in the next couple of weeks, says restoring two-way traffic to Howard Avenue […]

Shuckers rest before heading on the road

The Biloxi Shuckers, after winning the series finale game Monday night at MGM Park against the Birmingham Barons 8-2, today have their first scheduled day off in 21 days. The respite prefaces  a 10-game road trip against division revivals, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. On Wednesday, Luiz Ortiz will start Game 1 with the first pitch at […]

Snagged trailer closes Iberville crossing for two hours

The railway crossing at Iberville Drive, just west of Keesler Air Force Base, was closed for two hours this morning after CSX made repairs to the crossing after a truck pulling a lowboy trailer became stuck on the rails. The incident was reported to Biloxi public safety dispatchers at 7:19 a.m., and dispatchers immediately notified […]

See and speak on the downtown restoration plan

It’s been months in the making, and now the public will have its chance to comment on the city’s downtown restoration plan. A draft of the plan will be unveiled and a public hearing will be held during the City Council meeting on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at Biloxi City Hall. Among the other issues […]

Shuckers offer Phillips-‘possum bobblehead

Shuckers, Barons and a bobblehead? Tonight, when the gates open at 5:30 for the Biloxi Shuckers vs. Birmingham Barons game, fans will get a chance to receive a part of the team’s history. The first 1,500 fans through the gate will receive a one-of-a-kind bobblehead of former Shuckers outfielder Brett Phillips and a ‘possum.  This bobblehead […]

Immunization fair begins this weekend in Biloxi

Do you need to get you child immunized for school? Well Biloxi Excel By 5 can help. Beginning Saturday, Biloxi Excel By 5, along with a host of sponsors, will kick off its second annual immunization fair series from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Coastal Family Health Center, 715 Division St. Vaccines will […]

Movie fans: Don’t be ‘fraid of no ghost!

The Biloxi Parks & Recreation Department will once again host Summer Movie Series tonight at the Biloxi Town Green with the showing of the 2016 film “Ghostbusters.” Grab a lawn chair or blanket and be there at 6:30 p.m. You’ll find a variety of children’s activities, such as a ghost-themed scavenger hunt, a chance to make […]

Zoom, zoom! Development revved up in Biloxi

I’ve been here 14 years, Community Development Director Jerry Creel says in this week’s City Desk podcast, and I haven’t seen this level of development since the pre-Katrina days. What’s the buzz? Two hotels under construction at the moment, a third getting underway next week. A new RV park just opened in west beach, and […]

Employees acknowledged for years of service

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich recognized a host of city employees today for their  years of service to the city. Those recognized during the City Council meeting this afternoon were: 35 years of service: Alcus Stockstill, Public Works Department 25 years of service: Andrew Balius, Community Development Department; and Nicholas Sonnier, Police Department 20 years of service: Michael […]

Bow-wow! Firefighters save pups from house fire

Biloxi firefighters saved four lives Monday — four caged puppies that were discovered nearly lifeless inside a burning house in east Biloxi. Firefighters found flames and smoke when they responded to the house fire on Crawford Street at 5:30 p.m. Monday. During a primary search of the wood-frame home, Capt. Otto Vuyovich heard what sounded […]

U.S. News: Biloxi is one of nation’s top family beach spots

U.S. News & World Report has a new report out on the USA’s best family beach vacation destinations, and Biloxi is ranked No. 5 in the country, right behind Maui and in front of such locales as Hilton Head, Martha’s Vineyard and Destin. “Glittering casinos line the Beach Boulevard, calling out to your inner gambler;” […]

Life size dinosaurs in town this weekend

Thought dinosaurs were extinct? Well, not this weekend! The reptilian creatures will be coming out of extinction and taking over the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center for the life size exhibition, Jurassic Quest. The largest North American exhibition of moving, museum quality dinosaurs will begin today at from 3 to 8 p.m. and runs […]

Trash is the talk of the town

Biloxi residents may soon see changes in solid waste pickup beginning Oct. 1. With the five year contract expiring on Sept. 30, the Harrison County Utility Authority, the organization that manages the contract, has rebid the work and awarded Team Waste as the next trash contractor serving most areas of Harrison County. Under the terms […]

July starts off with a bang

Fireworks, baseball, and fishing brought in record numbers over the, for some, four day weekend. “The warm, summer weather always brings in people,” Biloxi Fire Chief Joe Boney said, “but add the diversity of events that we just had, and the number of people usually increase.” The long Fourth of July weekend in Biloxi featured […]

Weekend preview: Raining fireworks, music and more

OK, as we head into what will be, for some, a fireworks-filled four-day Fourth of July weekend, let’s get the semi-bad news out of the way: The record-setting rainfall of June (22 inches as of this morning), which has wreaked havoc with outdoor events and roadwork in east Biloxi, looks as if it will carry […]

New term brings reappointment of key positions

The Biloxi City Council on Wednesday will conduct its first meeting of the new four-term, and nearly two dozen measures before the council will involve reappoint of individuals to key city positions. The City Hall meeting begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, a day after the Fourth of July holidays. The agenda of nearly three-dozen […]

Biloxi to have tripleheader of fireworks

The long Fourth of July weekend in Biloxi will feature three fireworks shows, one on Saturday night over Back Bay and two on July 4th itself, the annual front beach fireworks and a post-game extravaganza at MGM Park. The Back Bay and front beach fireworks will both begin at 9 p.m. on their respective nights, […]

Gilich goal: ‘Take care of the obvious,’ avoid stupid

Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich sounded familiar themes during his inaugural address Tuesday night, but he also let the Saenger Theater audience know about some guiding advice he’s picked up since becoming mayor two years ago: “Take care of the obvious,” and “if it’s stupid, we’re not going to do it.” The mayor’s 17-minute address, […]

Sign up now for beginner tennis at Hiller

To encourage residents to enjoy a healthier lifestyle by participating in recreational tennis, the City of Biloxi is partnering with the Mississippi Tennis Association to host an affordable Beginner Tennis Clinic at Hiller Park this summer. Adults and children who are 8 and older are invited to register for the 6 to  7 p.m. Thursday […]

City to again host fireworks-free zone

Those attending Biloxi’s annual Fourth of July fireworks will again be able to enjoy a fireworks-free zone from Oak Street to the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor. The mile-long stretch of beachfront – part of eight miles of beachfront in Biloxi  – will be exclusively for watching the city fireworks show, which begins at 9 p.m. […]

Inauguration ceremony is Wednesday at Saenger

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich will be sworn in for his first full term of office during a Saenger Theater ceremony on Wednesday where all seven members of the City Council also will be administered the oaths of office. Doors at the downtown theater open at 5:30 p.m. and the public ceremony will begin promptly at […]

Sidewalk crews now working in east Biloxi

The incessant rain from Tropical Storm Cindy last week knocked east Biloxi road crews a week off their schedule, but the good news is that two separate crews this week are working on installing sidewalks on neighborhood streets where asphalt has been applied. Sidewalks are being installed where they existed pre-Katrina for the most part. […]

Margaritaville marks Year One Saturday

Margaritaville, Biloxi’s family-oriented resort that gave new meaning to “gaming,” marks its first anniversary this weekend, and, don’t look now, but the excitement over the first year has spawned three other non-casino hotels construction on the Biloxi beachfront. “It’s been overwhelming,” Margaritaville’s Cono Caranna says of year one at the Jimmy Buffett-themed resort. “We are […]

Shuckers and Braves: Let’s play two!

The Biloxi Shuckers and the Mississippi Braves will play a doubleheader tonight at MGM Park, and you can bank on it. The series opener between the Shuckers and the Braves, pushed back by Tropical Storm Cindy, begins at 5:35 p.m. with the gates opening at 5 p.m. The twin bill will feature two seven-inning games, about […]

Scrapin’ returns to Biloxi roadways this weekend

Get your motor revvin’, but not too much, police say.  Hundreds of low-ridin’, frame-draggin’ and customized cars and trucks are expected on Biloxi roadways this weekend for the 15th annual “Scrapin’ the Coast,” a show that promoters are billing as “the biggest one yet, guaranteed.” The Coast Coliseum and the Gulfport Dragway throughout the weekend […]

‘R U Ready?’ wraps up this afternoon

Against a backdrop of rain and wind, the city and its partner agencies will bring down the curtain today on ‘R U Ready?” with a final public session at the Joppa Shrine Center on Shriners Boulevard in the Woolmarket community. The free session, which offers a host of storm-prep information and giveaways, will be this […]

Howard Avenue at MLK: A roundabout or four-way stop?

To some drivers, they move traffic safely and efficiently, without the need for traffic signals or Stop signs. To others, they are the scourge of the motoring public today, increasing the chance for confusion and accidents. And now, a roundabout is one of the vehicles being considered for the area where Howard Avenue meets MLK […]

Attention focuses on storm-swollen rivers

“There’s no doubt we still have a dangerous situation with the rising rivers north of the Bay, but we’re thankful that things have not been as serious as they could have been,” Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard said this afternoon of the intermittent showers associated with Tropical Storm Cindy. Biloxi remains under a tornado […]

Cindy now in the Gulf; city declares emergency

It’s official. Tropical Storm Cindy has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, about 430 km south of Morgan City, La., and driving heavy rainfall across much of the central Gulf of Mexico. In fact, the National Weather Service forecasts a 100 percent of rain for Biloxi this afternoon and tonight, and a 90 percent chance […]

R U Ready? Find out, beginning tonight

The City of Biloxi launches its first of three storm preparedness education events tonight, against a backdrop of forecasts with flood advisories and 80 percent chances of rain over the next three days. “R U Ready?” kicks off this evening from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Dr. Frank Gruich Sr. Community Center on Howard Avenue, […]

Flash flood watch issued; heavy rainfall on the way

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch from Tuesday through Thursday evening for all of Harrison County, with multiple rounds of heavy rain expected as early as overnight tonight as Potential Tropical Cyclone 3 moves through the central Gulf. A flash flood watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash […]

Oscar Renda video: Another month of progress

Oscar Renda Contracting on Tuesday is unveiling its monthly video update for the Biloxi City Council, with updates on nearly two dozen streets and plans for sidewalks on those neighborhood streets that have been paved. Now that all of Back Bay Boulevard has received its final coat of asphalt, workers have resumed their schedule for […]

Fire Department thanks academy supporters

A total of 70 youngsters ages 7 to 12 have graduated from the 2017 Fire Academy for Kids, a free program supported with generous sponsorship.   The program, divided into two five-day sessions with beginners camp from June 5 to 9 and advanced camp from June 12 to 16, was conducted at the Lopez Quave Public Safety […]

Council to get update on downtown efforts

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich will update the City Council next week on the status of the city’s downtown restoration efforts. The downtown meeting will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. with the regular meeting of the Biloxi City Council scheduled for 1:30 Tuesday afternoon. Although the morning meeting is open to the public, the primary purpose […]

Summer Fair, Juneteenth headline weekend events

The 31st Annual South Mississippi Summer Fair rolls into its final weekend at the Coast Coliseum, advertising more rides than ever and plenty of entertainment. Attractions include a petting zoo, Show-Me-Safari Swine racing, Extreme Illusions and Escapes with Josh Knotts and Lea, a family fun tent, local live music and more. Gate admission is $5 […]

Annual Juneteenth celebration takes place Saturday

The City of Biloxi will join more than a half dozen local organizations in hosting the annual Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday from 3 to 8 p.m. at John Henry Beck Park, 671 Division St. The Juneteenth Celebration, which is free and open to all ages, will feature speeches, poetry contests, bounce houses, a health fair, […]

Warning sirens to be tested

Biloxi will soon hear sirens once a month as part of the city’s emergency warning system. The tests of the city’s 10 warning sirens, which begin on July 5, will be conducted the first Wednesday of every month for the tornado sirens and on the first and last day of hurricane season for hurricanes sirens. […]

Biloxi eyes two new fire stations north of Bay

Two new fire stations are in the works for Biloxi north of the Bay and are expected to enhance fire protection, especially in the east Woolmarket area. The first station to begin construction will be Station 7, on city property on Popp’s Ferry Road, east of Cedar Lake Road. The station will be a new […]

‘Be our guest’ at the Biloxi Town Green tonight

The Biloxi Parks & Recreation Department will host its Summer Movie Series tonight at the Biloxi Town Green with the showing of the 2017 Disney movie “Beauty and the Beast”. Grab a lawn or blanket and be part of the family fun beginning at 6 p.m. You’ll find a variety of children’s field day games, […]

Blind Tiger to restore Katrina-ravaged pier for public use

The Blind Tiger, an east Biloxi waterfront restaurant that opened on the west side of the Harrah’s Great Lawn months ago, is restoring a Katrina-ravaged pier at Oak Street, and, word is, it may be ready for boaters in a matter of weeks. “We opened in mid-February,” says the Blind Tiger’s Thomas Genin, “and, conservatively, […]

FY ’16 audit: Revenue $1.5 million more than expenses

The city’s recently released audit for Fiscal Year 2016 is a detailed, 152-page document, full of graphs, balance sheets, spreadsheets and text, but Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard says there are a couple of facts that are especially important. “To put it simply,” Leonard said, “city revenues for the period were $1.5 million higher than […]

Popular local bands to play for Saints event

Two of the Coast’s popular bands will collaborate to jack up the energy level at the 2017 New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame Experience at the Great Lawn south of Harrah’s Saturday from 4-6:30 p.m. Crazy Uncle and Blackwater Brass will perform for attendees at the second annual fundraising event produced by the City of […]

Have your Saints Kids Experience tickets yet?

Tickets are still available for Saturday morning’s Saints Kids Experience in MGM Park. The event is open to children 6-17 and will feature instruction and physical challenges directed by staff of the New Orleans Saints, who will be assisted by some current Saints players and Saints Hall of Famers. The event is from 8:30-11 a.m., […]

See millions of dollars floating at Point Cadet Marina

“This is overwhelming,” Port Division Manager Larry Sablich says of the array of million-dollar boats now tied up at Point Cadet Marina for this weekend’s Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, which actually begins Thursday at 11 a.m. “We must have between $100 and $200 million worth of boats down here right now, and it’s a sight […]

Mayor appreciative of state’s efforts on rent issue

“I want to say thank you to Gov. Phil Bryant and our local legislative delegation and to all of our legislators for correcting this wrong,” Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said today after a bill to return $606,000 in rent money to the city passed in Jackson Monday. The city had argued that the money, rent […]

Gilich: Let’s make Biloxi a super nova

Andrew “FoFo” Gilich, elected Tuesday night to his first full term as mayor of Biloxi, says he plans to have the swearing-in ceremony for the city’s newly elected leaders in the Saenger Theater, “where the next round of the rebuilding of our city will begin.” Gilich captured 86 percent of the vote against Democratic challenger […]

Polling places open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

It’s general election time. Polling places will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for voters to cast ballots in the citywide race for mayor, pitting incumbent Andrew “FoFo’ Gilich against challenger Sugar Stallings, the Democratic nominee.  Also contested Tuesday will be races in Ward 1, where incumbent Democrat George W. Lawrence faces […]

Jackson, Hebert, McAllister to headline Saints weekend

More than two dozen of the greatest Saints players ever, led by NFL Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson and the team’s radio duo of Bobby Hebert and Deuce McAllister, will be joined by several current New Orleans Saints on the Great Lawn Saturday afternoon when the City of Biloxi hosts its second annual Saints Experience […]

It’s a Blessed weekend! Plus Shuckers fireworks and more

The 88th annual Biloxi Shrimp Festival and Blessing of the Fleet takes place this weekend in east Biloxi. The weekend-long tradition, which officially began Thursday with the Memorial of the Mass for Deceased Fishermen, will continue this weekend with the Fais Do-Do, Shrimp Festival pageant and the Blessing of the Fleet. The weekend activities kick […]

R U ready? Here’s some help with storm prep

Hurricane season is officially here and the City of Biloxi is asking, “R U ready?” To help you plan for a storm or flood, the city is hosting three preparedness outreach events in June. “We want to offer the community an opportunity to speak with emergency preparedness agencies so that they can be more prepared for […]

Timeline for new main gate at Keesler

Leaders on the local, state and federal levels joined Keesler Air Force Base leaders Thursday to announce an estimated $37 million project to locate a new main entry gate at Division Street and Forrest Avenue. The two-year project includes an expanded and enhanced boulevard along Division from I-110 to Forrest Avenue. Here’s the timeline: May […]

Leaders gather to mark Keesler gate project

Local, state and federal officials joined Keesler Air Force Base leaders Thursday to announce an estimated $37 million project to locate a new main entry gate at Division Street and Forrest Avenue. The two-year project includes an expanded and enhanced boulevard along Division from I-110 to Forrest Avenue. “The State of Mississippi is proud to […]

French Colonial cemetery to be dedicated this evening

The Preservation in May celebration continues tonight with a dedication and picnic in the park for the oldest French Colonial cemetery in the south. The City of Biloxi and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources will hold a dedication for the French Colonial Cemetery Park beginning at 4 p.m. on the west side of the […]

Golden Eagles vs Owls: The feathers fly at 1 p.m.

Southern Miss-Charlotte rematch is tonight at 7:30

The Southern Miss Golden Eagles, who topped Charlotte with a dramatic two-run ninth-inning homer this afternoon, will face Charlotte in a rematch this evening at 7:30, with the victor facing Rice Sunday afternoon in the Conference USA championship. Game time this evening at MGM Park is pushed back from its original 6:30 start to 7:30, […]

Your guide to the Memorial Day weekend

The City of Biloxi Parks & Recreation Department will hold its annual School’s Out Pool Party for ages 5 to 12 tonight from 6 to 8 at the Biloxi Natatorium, 1384 Father Ryan Ave.  The free pool party will include water games, refreshments and music by a local D.J.  Lifeguards will be on deck and all […]

Be a part of a Memorial Day tradition at Biloxi National Cemetery

Thousands of volunteers – individuals, veterans, families, young and old – will show up at the Biloxi National Cemetery Saturday morning to place small U.S. flags on the graves of those buried in the cemetery. This annual event is expected to begin around 8 a.m. but volunteers are asked to arrive early. And know this: […]

Conference USA gets rocking tonight, Saturday

The Conference USA baseball tournament shifts into high gear this evening and into the weekend, with Southern Miss facing Texas-San Antonio tonight in a do-or-die rematch for both teams and a huge tailgate party planned for throughout the day Saturday at MGM Park’s south entrance. A crowd of 3,000 to 4,000 is expected for this […]

It’s Southern Miss under the lights Friday night

The Golden Eagles are headed to primetime Friday night at MGM Park. Top-seeded Southern Miss, facing a do-or-die situation this afternoon, bested fifth-seeded Louisiana Tech and now heads to the next level in the Conference USA baseball tournament, facing either USTA or Charlotte Friday at 6:30 p.m. at MGM Park. “This will be a great […]

Town Green turns red (and wet) this weekend

A collection of antique and present-day fire trucks, and fun and games for children and adults will be taking over the Biloxi Town Green this Memorial Day weekend.    The Biloxi Fire Department and the West End Hose Co. No. 3 Fire Museum will host the annual Jump into Summer Festival Saturday and Sunday from […]

More than 3,300 see opening day

“Everything went great, except for the hometown team getting beat,” tournament organizer Tim Bennett says of Wednesday’s opening day of the Conference USA baseball championship at MGM Park. Although turnout was light for the two morning games Wednesday, Bennett said at the end of the day more than 3,300 fans had turned out to see […]

Water quality report on way to residents

Biloxi residents have known for years that they have some of the lowest water, sewer and garbage rates of any community in the state, and a new report confirms that the city’s drinking water meets or exceeds federal and state requirements. The city’s Annual Report on the Quality of Drinking Water, a scorecard mandated by […]

Council to seek AG’s opinion on flag issue

The Biloxi City Council, with a roomful of citizens on hand at City Hall to speak for or against the city flying the state flag, opted this afternoon to table a vote on the issue and seek an attorney general’s opinion. Councilmembers voted 6 to 1, with Councilmember Robert L. Deming III as the lone […]

Saints returning to Biloxi with Hall of Famers

The New Orleans Saints are on the way to Biloxi again for the Saints Hall of Fame weekend, but this year fans will have a chance to meet players from the current lineup as well.  The Saints Hall of Fame Weekend returns to Biloxi June 9-10 with a golf tournament, a Kids Experience at MGM […]