Children, Second Liners parade in Biloxi Saturday

Two Mardi Gras parades roll in Biloxi this weekend – the annual children’s walking parade and the Biloxi Second Liners – highlighting a weekend of seven parades Coastwide.

The annual Biloxi Mardi Gras Children’s Walking Parade will begin at 10 a.m. on Howard Avenue at I-110, travel east to Reynoir Street, and south to Camellia, where it will end at the Mardi Gras Museum, where visitors will find costume and float contests, and other activities.

The Second Liners will parade at 1 p.m. in a route that begins on Division at Nichols, travels west to Caillavet, south to Esters Boulevard, travels on MLK Boulevard and ends at Main and Esters.

Other parades are scheduled this weekend in Bay St. Louis, Pascagoula, Vancleave, Long Beach and Gautier.

Elsewhere, the huge Biloxi Boat and RV Show continues at the Coast Coliseum, “The Odd Couple” wraps up its two-weekend run this weekend at Biloxi Little Theater, Vicki  Lawrence and Mama are at the IP, the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra performs at the Saenger Theater, Earl Thomas Conley headlines at the Hard Rock, and there’s boxing at the Beau Rivage.
See the complete weekend entertainment lineup

 

Advisory tree committee on Council agenda

The City Council will consider an ordinance next week that would create a seven-member tree committee that would offer advice on any development that proposes to remove more than five protected trees and also allow a non-voting liaison to sit in on Development Review Committee meetings.

The measure is one of nearly a dozen issues on the agenda for the City Council meeting on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

Members of the City Council, with construction continuing at MGM Park, also will meet after their 1:30 p.m. meeting to hear a report on possible improvements to the Vieux Marche.
See the 1:30 p.m. agenda and supporting documents

 

Demolition permit issued for Hutter Building remnants 

By Jerry Creel, Community Development Director

This week in economic development, a demolition permit was issued to remove the remaining façade of the Hutter Building in the Vieux Marche’. The fenced-in remnant of the structure has been an eyesore in the downtown area since the building burned in January of 2011. This demo was necessary to make way for the new Vieux Marche’ Plaza, a proposed five story, mixed use building with commercial uses on the first floor and residential above. The developer has plans to incorporate the bricks from the existing structure into the new building which will have a façade and balconies reminiscent of Historic Biloxi.

In other news this week, at Tuesday’s meeting, the city council conducted the first reading of the proposed ordinance to establish a tree committee. The second reading and discussion will be held at the city council meeting on February 10.

 

News and notes

Big Red: With a new football coach now onboard, the Big Red Athletic Foundation will have its general membership meeting Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 6 p.m. at the Biloxi High School Cafeteria. To see a membership form, click here.

DRC: The Development Review Committee will be taking another look at three cases – Marshall Funeral Home, Dr. Horton Office Building and Blind Tiger – when it meets next week. To see the agenda, click here.

Webcasting: Chief Administrative Officer David Nichols opines on the issues of the day in this week’s City Desk webcast. The 15-mintue program includes the latest on infrastructure work, City Council issues, Mardi Gras, and udpates on Mayor A.J. Holloway and Acting Mayor Felix O. Gines. To listen, click here.