Conference USA and Overtime Sports announed today that MGM Park will be the site of the 2019 C-USA Baseball Championship.
The eight-team, double-elimination tournament will take place Wednesday, May 22 through Sunday, May 26 at MGM Park. This will mark the third consecutive year that the event will be played in Biloxi.
The 2016 C-USA Championship saw Rice defeat Southern Miss in the championship game in front of the largest crowd to ever watch a C-USA title game (5,216). Last season, Southern Miss followed up a regular season title by defeating Florida Atlantic to earn the championship crown.
Conference USA will field 12 baseball teams in 2019, as the league begins its 24th season: Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, UTSA and WKU. The top eight regular season finishers qualify for the C-USA Championship. All games during the first four days of the championship are available on ESPN3/ESPN+, with the title game airing nationally on CBS Sports Network.
Since its first season in 1996, Conference USA has established itself as a national power in baseball. The conference has boasted six College World Series appearances, 71 NCAA appearances, three National Players of the Year and four National Freshmen of the Year.
Unregistered garbage carts disappearing in Biloxi
The city has rounded up more than a hundred residential garbage carts because they were not associated with an account and more unregistered carts will be removed when discovered, says Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard.
The city collects $14.33 a month for weekly garbage, trash and recycling service from about 11,950 households, but the Harrison County Utility Authority, which oversees the waste and recycling service, is billing the city for 13,960 customers each month.
“What we have found is that carts have been moved from where they were originally delivered, or perhaps there was not an account set up under the previous service,” Leonard said. “As a result, the monthly garbage fee was not being paid by the resident, which meant the city had been bearing the monthly cost. This is unfair to all residents. Everyone needs to pay their fair share for this service.”
A locator chip embedded in the carts is allowing the city to audit the service and remove unregistered carts. “That chip shows where that cart is supposed to be,” Leonard said, “and if it’s not associated with an account, it’s being removed.”
Leonard said those without accounts who are still getting trash, garbage and recycling service may see their carts removed.
“To avoid this inconvenience,” Leonard said, “we are advising those with carts but without an account to call the water department at 228-435-6240 to set up an account.”
Video news & notes: Budget meeting, Biloxi by air
Budget talk: Members of the City Council and the Gilich Administration moved a step closer to agreeing on a FY ’19 municipal budget this week after a three-hour workshop on Tuesday afternoon. Councilmembers are expected to vote on the new spending plan during a special meeting on Friday. To see video of the Tuesday meeting — all two hours and 55 minutes — click here.
Biloxi by air: There’s a new section on the city’s YouTube page that shows Biloxi by the air. To see three video clips, click here.
