The Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon, a Dec. 11 event whose route runs from Pass Christian to Biloxi, was announced only a couple of weeks ago, and it’s already making headlines.
The race, writes correspondent Larry Olmsted on Forbes online, combines two great ingredients: a flat, beachfront route that’s great for marathoners, especially first-time marathoners, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a hidden gem of a travel destination.
“There are few other races worldwide,” Olmstead writes, “with this much coastal exposure, the waves almost always in sight.”
And of Biloxi, he says, It’s “the region’s tourism epicenter, full of large modern casino hotels, standout golf courses, museums, attractions, fishing and great restaurants.”
The Forbes website attracts more than 23 million visitors each month.
Read the glowing report for yourself
Amtrak, rail representatives gather at City Hall
About two dozen members of the Federal Railway Administration’s Work Group advanced efforts to return passenger train service to the Mississippi Coast when they met in Biloxi last week.
The Work Group, which conducted a three-hour session at City Hall Wednesday, was formed at the suggestion of Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, and includes representatives of Amtrak, CSX, Southern Rail Commission and local stakeholders from Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Florida.
“It was a productive meeting that settled several areas of concern as we move toward completing a report to Congress by early September,” said F. Cliff Kirkland, Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich’s representative on the committee. “We are working with all the partners to develop the most logical plan for returning service across the central Gulf Coast, and identifying funding sources.”
See photos from the gathering
News and notes
The week that was: To see last week’s results from the Biloxi Fire, Police and Community Development departments, click here.
Road paving: Sections of six major east Biloxi thoroughfares were paved in six days last week, and the city’s Engineering Department is awaiting a status report  from infrastructure contractor Oscar Renda before more temporary paving work is scheduled. Those streets that received fresh asphalt in the six days of paving were Main, Division, Lee, Reynoir and Lameuse streets and Hopkins Boulevard.
