Council to meet Tuesday morning, afternoon; other news and notes

The Biloxi Housing Authority will brief Mayor A.J. Holloway and the City Council on its plans for affordable housing during a special council meeting Tuesday morning at the Bea Brown Community Center at the BHA administrative offices on Benachi Avenue.

The meeting, which is open to the public, will begin at 10 a.m.

Later Tuesday afternoon, at 1:30, councilmembers will return to City Hall for their regularly scheduled meeting, which has an agenda of 14 measures, including a proposal for a 12-unit apartment complex on Pass Road, a resolution asking local restaurants to voluntarily enact a “no smoking” policy, and a request by the mayor to approve a plan to restore and improve lighting throughout the Vieux Marche.

Holloway also will be asking councilmembers to approve a $227,000 contract for repair and restoration work on a host of so-called federal aid roads in Biloxi. For background on the traffic work, click here.

To see the agendas and available resolutions for both meetings, click here.

Children’s walking parade planned for Saturday

Hundreds of children – on bikes, skates, in wagons and perhaps with parents in tow – are expected to participate in the annual Children’s Mardi Gras Walking Parade on Saturday.

The 10 a.m. parade – entrants should show up at 9 a.m. – will begin at the I-110 overpass at Howard Avenue and makes its way eastward on Howard Avenue through the Vieux Marche before turning south on Lameuse Street enroute to the Town Green, where a costume contest and refreshments will be on tap.

For background on the parade and Biloxi Mardi Gras in general,
click here.

Female firefighters to aid in rebuilding effort

More than two dozen female professional firefighters from across the country will be in Biloxi Feb. 11-20 to work with Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild homes.

The firefighters, who will be housed in the Volunteer Village at Yankie Stadium in Biloxi, are members of Women in the Fire Service, Inc. an organization that supports the worldwide community of fire service women through networking, special events and community projects.

Among the states expected to be represented in the effort, which has been a year in the works: New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Kansas, Washington, Illinois, Connecticut and Florida.

Several of the firefighters are expected to celebrate Mardi Gras in Biloxi on Feb. 20. Locally, the effort is being organized by Capt. Michelle Crowley of the Biloxi Fire Department.

News and notes

State of the City: The Biloxi Bay Chamber of Commerce reports that a limited number of seats – less than a 100 – remain for the Feb. 12 State of the City address by Mayor A.J. Holloway. For details, click here. The event is expected to sell out as early as Monday afternoon.

Batter up: The Parks & Recreation Department will hold its first of two registrations this weekend for youth baseball and softball leagues. For details, click here.

Employee recognition: The City of Biloxi recently recognized 20 employees with a combined 295 years of municipal service. Two in the Fire Department – Fire Staff Support Officer Samuel Elliot and Deputy Chief Andrew Wagner – have each logged 35 years on the job. To see the list of quarterly honorees, click here.

Webcasting: Newsman Gary Michiels asks the question “Why do we care about height, anway?” regarding the on-going public discussion over the height of proposed high-rises in Biloxi. To listen to the 20-minute “City Desk” webcast, click here.

Holloway on gaming, Part 1: Mayor A.J. Holloway has accepted an invitation to appear on a panel discussion about gaming when the Southern Gaming Summit returns to Biloxi and the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center on May 9-10.

Holloway on gaming, Part 2: Mayor A.J. Holloway was one of three elected leaders nationally – U.S. Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada and Atlantic City (N.J.) Mayor Robert W. Levy Sr. were the others – chosen to provide 2007 gaming industry forecasts for Casino Enterprise Management magazine, which has a worldwide audience of gaming industry executives. To read the mayor’s appraisal,and see his speeches archive, click here.