Fire damages Ohr; Murphy luncheon moved to Saenger

Former Atlanta Braves baseball player Dale Murphy, arguably the biggest speaker in the Ohr-O’Keefe’s weekly Friday luncheon series, is going to get a big room – the Saenger Theater – after a fire has caused smoke damage at the museum’s Mississippi Sound Welcome Center, site of the weekly luncheons.

Murphy’s sold-out luncheon, with a crowd of 200 expected, begins at noon at the Saenger on Reynoir Street, a block north of Merit Health.

The museum, meantime, continues to recover from an early morning fire that began in a small display case that held candy and Cracker Jack.

Although the fire was small and contained to a display case, smoke was carried throughout the Visitors Center. The museum will be closed for at least the remainder of the week. No artwork was damaged, but all merchandise in the museum gift shop, just off the Visitors Center, was damaged.

“Right now, we’re waiting on the insurance adjustors and investigators,” said Ohr-O’Keefe Executive Director Kevin O’Brien. “They’ve said don’t touch anything until they’ve done their work, but we expected to be ready to go next week.
See the Ohr-O’Keefe website

 

City begins process for dredging permits

The City of Biloxi is seeking permits to dredge seven sites along the peninsula, including two public boat docks and the Hiller Park boat launch and bayou.

The $355,000 project, which would be paid for with Tidelands funds, proposes deepening the water at seven locations: a canal near the Sherman L. Canaan Back Bay Fishing Dock, the western end of Point Cadet Marina, the canal and boat launch area at Hiller Park, and four neighborhood canals fronting more than a dozen streets on the north and south sides of Back Bay.

“These are all areas where residents and boat owners have complained for years that they wanted to see silt removed,” said Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich. “We’re looking to make that happen, to make these areas more accessible for boat owners.”

The dredging is not expected to begin until at least after the first of the year, depending on the outcome of a hearing next month at the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

“We’re hoping to get this project ready to bid by the end of the year, but it all depends on the permitting,” said City Engineer Christy LeBatard. “The DMR will conduct a public hearing on Sept. 20. We’re hoping the permits will be issued shortly after that, but depending on the public comments we may have to adjust the plans or locations slightly.”
See aerial photos of the proposed sites

 

News and notes

I-110 update:  Inspections of the I-110 draw bridge continue tonight with work and lane closures on the northbound lanes beginning at 8.  Lane closures, along with workers, will be in the area through 5 tomorrow morning. To read more about road closures and traffic advisories, click here.

Bears on Patrol:  On Saturday, Sept. 10 the North Bay Civitan Club will be collecting teddy bears in the D’Iberville Promenade for the Biloxi Police and Fire departments to use during emergencies involving children.  See more about this event by clicking here.

Louisiana relief: Several Biloxi police officers and firefighters joined other local first responders in collecting donations and cooking for first responders in Louisiana that were effected by the recent flooding.  To see images posted on the city’s Facebook page, click here.