The downtown streets of Biloxi are easing into the Mardi Gras mode, beginning Saturday morning at 10 with the Children’s Mardi Gras Walking Parade, which expects to attract dozens of youngsters with parents in tow.
In the event of rain, a gathering will be held in the Dukate Elementary Gym, north of the Biloxi Community Center, at Howard Avenue and Bellman Street. To read more about the parade, click here.
On Fat Tuesday, the city will see one instead of the usual three parades, but Gulf Coast Carnival Association’s 1 p.m. parade is expected to feature more units than in any previous years.
GCCA opted not to have royalty for this year’s carnival, but former royalty are expected to ride, as well as special guests GCCA plans to announce Sunday. For background on this year’s Gulf Coast Carnival activities, click here.
Police remind paradegoers that only limited areas of the parade route are barricaded this year, but officers will be stationed along the route, enforcing under-age drinking regulations and parking regulations.
At the six-month point – by the numbers
A host of statistics has been assembled to mark the six-month point of the city’s storm recovery. To see those stats, click here.
Several national stories about the city’s storm-recovery progress are scheduled for this weekend and leading up to the actual six-month point, which is Feb. 28. Among the broadcasts this weekend:
Mayor A.J. Holloway discusses the wind-vs.-water insurance issue during a segment scheduled to air on Anderson Cooper 360 this evening beginning at 9 on CNN.
Bill Raymond, historic administrator for the city, will guest on Public Radio’s “Weekend Edition” Sunday between 7 and 9 a.m. The program can be heard in Biloxi on FM 90.3.
NBC’s “Today Show” plans a four-minute segment on Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Caost on Tuesday.
Flood elevations on tap Monday
Mayor A.J. Holloway has called a special meeting for Monday at 11 a.m. to discuss the proposed new flood elevations, an issue the City Council is expected to address during its 1:30 p.m. meeting.
To see the complete agenda and available resolutions, click here. .
The city’s web site also includes FEMA’s new flood elevations for the city. To see them,
click here.
News and notes
State of City redux: Cable One Cable TV Advertising will air Mayor A.J. Holloway State of the City address this evening at 7, on Cable 13 in Biloxi.
City Desk: To hear this week’s City Desk webcast, click here.
Traffic: MDOT crews have adjusted the timing in the left-turn signal at the Caillavet and U.S. 90 intersection.
Debris deadline: The city is publishing advertisements this weekend to remind property owners of the approaching March 1 deadline to sign a right-of-entry agreement. To see the advertisements,
click here.
Katrina memorial: To see photographs from the city’s Katrina Memorial, and the events leading up to its dedication, click here.