The Biloxi Seafood Festival, named one of the top events of the year by Southeastern Tourism Society, takes over the Town Green this weekend, offering two days of live music, arts and crafts, children’s activities, and, of course, fresh seafood dishes.
Headliners Saturday include Dikki Du and the Zydeco Krewe, the Rochelle Harper Band, Rhythm & Rain, and the Broadmoors, while Sunday’s lineup includes the Bucktown Allstars, Sista Jazz, and Tim Gross & The Blue Blazes.
A kids village, featuring slides and other attractions will be offered both days, and the Sun Herald Gumbo Contest will be conducted Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The festival will open Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m., closing on Saturday at 9 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, with a $1 discount for those with a military ID. Children under 12 enter for free.
To print a complete schedule, click here.
Elsewhere this weekend, you’ll find Dionne Warwick at the Hard Rock, Taylor Hicks at the Beau, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Blues & Heritage Festival at the Coast Coliseum, and Sylvia Brown at the IP. For details on these events, click here.
Holloway: No rush on nominee for police chief
Mayor A.J. Holloway has no plans to move forward anytime soon with a new nominee to direct the Biloxi Police Department, where Linda Atterberry continues to serve as acting director.
The City Council rejected the mayor’s nomination of Atterberry on Tuesday. Holloway had made the nomination after receiving a recommendation from a committee of law enforcement and community leaders.
Councilmembers, in failing to confirm the nomination, cited Holloway’s original position that acting director Atterberry would not be considered as permanent director of the department. It was also noted that although she has 35 years of police experience, Atterberry has an associate’s degree in criminal justice, not a bachelor’s degree.
“I, like the committee who recommended her, continue to have full confidence and support for Linda Atterberry and her ability to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Biloxi Police Department,” Holloway said. “Under the resolution passed by the City Council, Linda Atterberry serves at least until November.”
Among Holloway’s options: He could re-nominate Atterberry as director; re-visit the committee process; or nominate another qualified individual, regardless of whether an application was filed.
For a timeline on the process to date, click here.
News and notes
Council agenda: Members of the Biloxi City Council will meet Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. to discuss the FY 2010 municipal budget, and will gather again at 1:30 p.m. for their regularly scheduled meeting. Among the three dozen items on the afternoon agenda are setting tax rates for the next fiscal year – no change in city property taxes; slight increase for school taxes – and three zoning issues. To see the agenda for both meetings, click here.
Snyder hours: The Donal M. Snyder Sr. Community Center is reducing its Saturday hours because of decreased attendance at the facility. For details on the new schedule, click here.
City Hall renovations: Several divisions currently housed at City Hall – Human Resources, Information Systems, Contracts, Purchasing, clerks of council, Voter Registration and Citizens Services – will be re-locating to other city facilities in October during a year-long renovation of City Hall. City Council meetings will move to the Biloxi Community in late October before moving to the Community Development Department in mid-November while renovations occur. Details on the moves next week.
Traffic update: To see the latest on how road work is impacting traffic throughout the city, click here.
