Hiller Park movie, Scrapin’ on tap; other news and notes

The Friends of Hiller Park and the city will present the outdoor movie “How to Train Your Dragon 2” this evening at Hiller Park, and you’ll find the weekend dominated by Scrapin’ the Coast and the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth.

The Hiller Park movie, the first of this year, begins at dusk, or around 7:30 p.m., and you’ll find a dragon egg hunt, a dragon roar contest, a dragon bean bag toss, and nominally priced concessions. All proceeds will help in the effort to revitalize Hiller Park, a 100-acre park in west Biloxi.

Meantime, over in the city’s John Henry Beck Park in east Biloxi, you’ll find Juneteenth activities – games, contests, vendors and music – taking place through the day Saturday and Sunday. The park is located at 671 Division St. The Juneteenth observance actually kicks off this afternoon with a memorial beach wade-in south of the Biloxi Lighthouse.

And throughout the weekend you can expect to see the roadways populated with dozens and dozens of vehicles involved in Scrapin’ the Coast, the edgy version of Cruisin’ the Coast and billed as the wildest show on the Coast. You’ll find car shows, stereo sales, bands, vendors, frame draggin’ contests and more taking place through the day Saturday and Sunday at the Coast Coliseum.
See the weekend’s overall lineup

 

Planning OKs vacation of portion of Anglada Street

By Jerry Creel, Community Development Director

This week in economic development, the Biloxi Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve an application from IP Casino Resort to vacate the northern 507’ of Anglada Street, south of Bayview. The application was approved on the condition that IP would provide an 18 foot wide paved connector road from Fayard street  to the northern end of the remainder of Anglada. This connector will provide access for the remaining lots on Anglada, south to Elder Street.  The Planning Commission recommendation will now go before the City Council for final consideration. If approved by the City Council, this action will allow IP to construct a paved and landscaped parking lot on their property south of Bayview. Fayard and Reynoir Streets will remain open as public streets.

In other news, at the Architectural Historical Review Commission (AHRC) Meeting on Thursday (6/25/15), representatives will reveal the improved exterior building design for the former Casino Magic structure. The meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. in the auditorium of the Community Development Building at 676 Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd.

 

News and notes

Podcast: Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer David Nichols joins the city’s public affairs manager for a discussion of the issues of the day in this week’s City Desk podcast. Among the topics: the proposed new gate at Keesler and the burned-out house proposed for demolition on Porter Avenue. To listen to the 15-minute program, click here.

Mayor wings it: Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich and City Attorney Gerald Blessey have been attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors convention this week in San Francisco.

Council meeting: When the Biloxi City Council conducts its next scheduled meeting on Tuesday, June 30 at 1:30 p.m., the gathering will be at Biloxi City Hall, now that the building’s elevator has been repaired.

More public meetings: The Archetectural and Historical Review Commission and the Development Review Commission meet next week. To see meetings times, places and agendas, click here.

Lunch with Bobby E.: It was standing-room-only today at lunchtime when D’Iberville City Manager Bobby Eleuterius spoke to the Hancock Bank Katrina Cafe about his city’s post-Katrina successes.  To see dozens of photos from the event at the Ohr-O’Keefe, as captured by Public Affairs Intern Charlie Benton, click here.