It’s the holidays! Bring on the Peppermint Pops

Award-winning soprano Marcia Porter, who made her solo recital debut in 2005 at Carnegie Hall, will be featured this weekend in the Gulf Coast Symphony’s Holiday Peppermint Pops.

The performance takes place Friday beginning at 7 p.m. at the Biloxi Saenger Theater,  170 Reynoir St., and will include the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Youth Orchestra and Santa.

Tickets to the family-oriented holiday symphony tradition are $35 for adults and $15 for students and military.

Other headliners this weekend: Local artist Deborah Jordan Sackett will showcase her aquatic and nature-inspired hand-painted glass during an opening reception Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Biloxi Visitors Center, contemporary music artist Brian McKnight performs on at the IP on Friday, and comedy’s queen of mean, Lisa Lampanelli will be at the IP on Saturday.
See a complete weekend lineup 
Read more about the Sackett opening reception

 

Council to hold more hearings Tuesday

A number of familiar issues – waterfront design standards, new ward lines and the new Keesler gate – will be on the agenda when the City Council meets Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

The agenda includes more than three dozen measures in all, including public hearings to discuss the proposed new standards and guidelines for construction along the waterfront and the proposed changes to ward lines for the 2017 municipal elections.

The Keesler measure would allow Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich to offer to the Secretary of Air Force six parcels of property on Forrest Avenue to be used for the new Division Street entrance to Keesler

Also during the meeting Tuesday, the council will hear nine Code Enforcement cases and is expected to decide two zoning issues: whether to allow a real-estate brokerage office to open in a residential area of Popp’s Ferry Road, near Martin Road, and to allow an auto repair shop on Pass Road.
See the complete agenda and supporting documents

 

News and notes

Sackettdoodles and more: This week’s City Desk podcast offers a review of recent City Council issues, a preview of upcoming holiday events and answers the age-old question, “Just what is a sackettdoodle and how can I get mine?” To listen to the program, recorded this morning and featuring guest Bill Raymond, click here.

Road progress: So the good news: Final paving has been applied at the Cedar-Popp’s intersection, Back Bay Boulevard is paved and open to traffic, and the newly paved area of the boat ramp at the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor is open as well. To see the status of roadwork elsewhere throughout the city, click here.

Thanksgiving break: Non-emergency municipal offices in Biloxi will close at mid-afternoon today, and will be closed on Thursday and Friday in observance of Thanksgiving.