Gilich seeks OK for $5 million for Keesler gate project

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich on Tuesday will ask the City Council to approve a memorandum of understanding with State Treasurer Lynn Fitch that is expected to lead to the city receiving $5 million in funding toward a project for a new main entrance at Keesler Air Force Base.

The Keesler issue is one of two-dozen measures on the agenda for the City Council meeting on Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 at City Hall. The council also will consider approval of a zoning change that would allow a beachside restaurant, the Blind Tiger, on the Harrah’s property south of U.S. 90.

The $5 million for the new Keesler entrance, which was originally earmarked for the project by Gov. Phil Bryant, would be at the western end of Division Street, at Forest Avenue, with easy access to I-110.
See the Keesler memorandum of understanding
See the overall council agenda
See background on the Keesler issue

 

Get cooking Thursday at Farmers Market festival

Regular visitors to the Biloxi Farmers Market know they find a huge array of fresh produce, but a Downtown Farmers Market Festival on Thursday will give you some ideas on how to prepare tasty summertime dishes.

Biloxi Main Street hosts the season’s third installment of the festival series from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Howard Avenue at the I-110 overpass.

Cooking demonstrations, a free recipe card booth, and children’s games such as Farmers Market Bingo and a sack race will all be part of the mix.  Amber Runnels will provide live entertainment, Biloxi Main Street will sell grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, refreshments, and chips for lunchtime, and hourly prizes will be given away.

The Downtown Farmers Market Festival, held five times each year, attracts hundreds of people and dozens of specialty vendors, who arrange themselves among dozens of other vendors who sell arts and crafts, fresh produce, plants and other items.

The Biloxi Farmers Market, officially known as the Charles R. Hegwood Biloxi Farmers Market, is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
See the festival flyer
See photos from a typical day at the Biloxi Farmers Market

 

News and notes

Sales tax revenue: The city’s sales tax revenue for June topped $1 million, marking the fifth time that has occurred this year. The city hasn’t seen five months of $1 million sales tax revenue since 2005. The tidbit of news is part of this week’s Weekly Report. To see the reports from Fire, Police and Community Development, click here.

Bike Biloxi: The monthly community bicycle ride is back after a brief hiatus.  Cyclists meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19 at the Biloxi Visitors Center for a leisure 6.5 mile bike ride through downtown. Helmets and bike lights are recommended. To see a map of the course, dated Aug. 2011, click here. Details: 228-435-6339

Saints weekend, the sequel: The city posted dozens of photos from the July 8 Saints Kids Experience and Hall of Fame Road Show, but now the Saints have forwarded hundreds of other action-packed images from Michael C. Hebert, the official Saints photographer. To see the collection of images, click here.