‘We pause and remember’

“Rarely has a day gone by when we have not thought of Katrina,” Mayor A.J. Holloway told the hundred or so people gathered at this morning’s Katrina memorial observance on the Town Green. “It might thinking about something that used to be, and isn’t any more. Or it might be giving directions to someone and telling them to turn ‘where so and so used to be.’

“But these days, it may be seeing something new or seeing something rebuilt. We make progress – large or small — each and every day. Today is a day when we pause and remember what we went through, how we endured, and how we are prevailing.”

The ceremony was also a time to remember those who had perished in the storm. Emily Cvitanovich and Reagan Norwood, seniors at Biloxi High School, and Albert Lechner and “J.R.”  Riojas, two sophomores at St. Patrick Catholic High School, read the names of the 52 people who died in Biloxi during Katrina.

Bishop Roger Morin also took part in the 15-minute ceremony, along with singer Monica Boudreaux, who sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Amazing Grace.”
See photos from today’s ceremony
 
Sports Hall of Fame to welcome Class of 2014

A legendary sports promoter, a highly respected basketball coach, a well-traveled professional boxer and two brothers who starred on the football teams at Biloxi High School and the University of Southern Mississippi head the 14 players elected to the 2014 class of the Biloxi Sports Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony takes place Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m. at the Biloxi Civic Center.
Read more about the Class of 2014
Read the overall entertainment lineup for this weekend
 
Development report: By the numbers

By Jerry Creel, Community Development Director

This week in economic development, the news is about New Single Family Residential Homes. During this week, we have issued 3 building permits for new houses, and are reviewing plans for 4 more. Since the fiscal year began on October 1, 2013, we have issued 87 building permits for new single family homes, with many more on the way.

This week we also completed the final plan reviews for Saint Michael’s New Life Parish Center, and the Thomas Genin Restaurant. The piles have been installed for the new restaurant and the builders are moving forward with the foundation. “The Reef” Restaurant has completed the sheathing process and is still on track to open before “Crusin’ the Coast”. The Walmart Neighborhood Market on Pass Road is also on schedule to open in October.

We are currently reviewing commercial plans for emergency room renovations to the Biloxi Regional Hospital, and for the VIP area at the Beau Rivage’ Casino Resort. A review of our permit totals this week show that after 7.5 months this year, we are $19.8 Million Dollars ahead of our total construction valuation for all of 2013. We are averaging $1000 dollars more each month in permit fees, and our business license total has increased from 1879 in 2013 to 1950 in 2014.
 
City Council meets twice Tuesday

Members of the Biloxi City Council will wind down their series of budget meetings with a special meeting on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at City Hall, followed by the regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m.

Councilmembers are expected to make final decisions on several funding issues during the 4 p.m. meeting, which is open to the public. Citizens will also have a chance to comment on the budget during the 6 p.m. meeting.

Councilmembers are expected to vote on a zoning issue where a developer is seeking to change a 40-acre parcel of land off Old Highway 15 from single family zoning to neighborhood business to allow the construction of an RV park.
Read the agenda for the 6 p.m. meeting
 
News and notes

Webcasting: Hear the latest on the city budget and other issues du jour in this week’s City Desk webcast. To listen to the seven-minute program, click here.

No DRC agenda: No Development Review Committee agenda was available for this week. To see the archive of past agendas, click here.

A can’t-miss beach: Congratulations to sand beach director Chuck Loftis and the sand beach crew. A new report from CNN listing 31 can’t-miss beaches in the U.S. has the Mississippi Gulf Coast at No. 13 on the list. To see the lineup, which includes a photo from a stretch of beach in Long Beach, click here.