Smokin' the Sound The 2009 Smokin' the Sound offshore races have come and gone. Despite some really bad weather that caused a lot of folks in the local area some grief Friday and Saturday, the crowd estimated at close...
Thunder on the Bay, Keesler AFB Airshow and Open House I have to admit, I'm about excited as a little kid on their first trip to a Disney theme park concerning this weekend's airshow at Keesler AFB. The Thunderbird's should be arriving soon, and starting...
Posted on : 07-05-2009 | By : admin | In : Local News
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Looks like hockey on the MS Gulf Coast is saved. A group of local businessman and others announced their approval today to play in the Southern Professional Hockey League. SPHL Commissioner Jim Combs said the league is excited to have the Mississippi team join the SPHL.
“Our league’s Board of Governors welcome Coast Hockey, L.L.C. to the league,” he said in a press release. “The Mississippi Gulf Coast has a rich tradition of professional hockey and we look forward to being a big part of that tradition for a long time to come.”
Posted on : 06-05-2009 | By : admin | In : Roll the Dice
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Local girl Robin Roberts is back in town and will broadcast live from Pass Christian for Good Morning America one more time. As someone that remembers her being one of the local news (WLOX) sports reporters way back when, I’m always happy to see her come home and promote where things are after Hurricane Katrina. Full story at the Sun Herald
PASS CHRISTIAN — This small city will hit the airwaves this morning when ABC’s “Good Morning America” arrives to broadcast the opening of a new Boys & Girls Club.
“GMA” host Robin Roberts, who grew up in Pass Christian, will be on hand with a lineup of dignitaries that includes Gov. Haley Barbour and Mississippi first lady Marsha Barbour. The broadcast begins at 6 a.m. and a ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for 7 a.m.
“We are all so excited,” said Lesley Back, director of development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast. She said no government funding was involved in the new center. It was built with donations from the country of Qatar, and will be named the Qatar Center.
Robin Roberts
The small, primarily Muslim country of Qatar is on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula and has a population of about 700,000. The Qatar Katrina Fellowship Fund was established after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005.
The fund has paid $100 million to individuals and established organizations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, to help in hurricane recovery.
“They are very quiet, very low key,” Back said of the organization.
The new Boys & Girls Club in the Pass is at the intersection of Second and Church streets, near Trinity Episcopal Church. Following the ribbon-cutting, grand opening speeches are scheduled at 8:05 a.m.
An open house begins at 9 a.m. and runs all day until 5 p.m. Other VIP guests expected to attend include Hamid Al-Dosari, a senior diplomat at Qatar’s embassy in Washington, and Roxanne Spillet, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Posted on : 09-04-2009 | By : admin | In : Roll the Dice
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According to the Sun Herald, MDOT expects the damaged Popps Ferry bridge to be open to vehicle traffic by the end of April, 2009. The bridge’s pedestrian walkway will not open until sometime around June 5th due to delivery timing of the hand railing. The bridge was damaged on March 20th when several barges crashed into it.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation has awarded a $2 million contract to repair the bridge and said work can begin Saturday.
Joe McGee Construction Co. of Lake, Miss., was the winning bidder and will be paid a $75,000 bonus for every day the work is finished ahead of schedule and penalized $75,000 per day if the deadline isn’t met.
“I think it’s fantastic that MDOT can let a contract on the 8th and start work on the 11th and finish it in 17 days,” said Ward 4 Councilman Mike Fitzpatrick, whose ward is split north and south of the bridge.” – Sun Herald.com
The Kanata Kourier in Canada featured a couple of articles in today’s issue concerning Biloxi post Katrina. The first one is on the state of recovery. The other highlights one of their locals that plays for the Mississippi Sea Wolves ECL hockey team in Biloxi. Rather ironic that they would publish two articles with mention of the MS Coast’s hockey involvement, as it was just announced this past week that our team was closing up shop for the next season. Looks like we will either lose the team all together to a move, or maybe they will join another league and stay. Despite being a symbol of things returning to normal, the Sea Wolves’ game attendance never recovered from the Katrina hiatus forced on them. Brad Kessie at WLOX wrote a great piece in his blog concerning the Sea Wolves departure.
What made the original Sea Wolves so special was the way they gave back to the community. To spread the word about Mississippi hockey, players saturated schools, reading books, signing autographs, and handing out tickets to young south Mississippi children.
Ice hockey leagues quickly formed. Roller hockey leagues got a lot more participation.
Mississippi’s off ice accomplishments made life just a bit better for the region.
I have to admit, I’m about excited as a little kid on their first trip to a Disney theme park concerning this weekend’s airshow at Keesler AFB. The Thunderbird’s should be arriving soon, and starting practices tomorrow. I want to apologize now to my family, as my attention span and penchant to run outside, looking skyward every time I think I hear a jet, will surely be unbearable! Checking over the the information I don’t see any indication of a demonstration or static display of any F-22 Raptors, so a little disappointed on that note. There will still be plenty to see though, like a fly by of a B-52 bomber from Barksdale AFB as well as a C-17 demo. The weather looks to be incredible, sunscreen is a must have item for the show. The base has put together a fact sheet of airshow tips that can be viewed here They also have created a map to help navigate your way around the flight line. I took the liberty of converting their file into a more printer friendly format here.
“This event sends a signal not only to the base but the whole community that Keesler and the Gulf Coast is back and better than ever.” -Brigadier General Greg Touhill
9 a.m. Gates open Parking info here
10 a.m. Opening ceremonies
10:05 a.m. Army Golden Knights Flag Jump with National Anthem with Greg Poe Circling Jumper
10:12 a.m. Army Golden Knights mass exit
10:20 a.m. Greg Poe FAGEN MX-2 Aerobatic Teaser
10:30 a.m. DAV B-25 Flight with P-40 and F4U Corsair
10:40 a.m. Michael Kennedy BT-13 Demo
10:50 a.m. John Bostic T-6 Demo
11 a.m. Fowler Cary T-33 Demo
11:15 a.m. Greg Poe FAGEN MX-2
11:30 a.m. Trojan Phlyers
11:50 a.m. Tim Weber GEICO Extra 300
12:05 p.m. Air Force Thunderbirds engine run and sound check
12:25 p.m. Keesler Combat Control Team parachute demonstration
12:32 p.m. Wings of Blue parachute team mass exit
12:40 p.m. Team Keesler C-21, C-130 fly by
12:45 p.m. Air Force Reserve Command C-130 demo
12:55 p.m. Navy F/A-18C Hornet tactical demo
1:10 p.m. Navy F-18 and F4U legacy flight
1:20 p.m. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress fly by
1:33 p.m. Gary Tower PT-17 demo
1:48 p.m. Tim Weber and Greg Poe two-ship routine
2:03 p.m. Army Golden Knights
2:37 p.m. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle demo
2:54 p.m. Air Force F-15E and P-47 heritage flight
3:06 p.m. Air Force C-17 demo
3:20 p.m. Air Force Thunderbirds
5 p.m. Show ends
The 2009 Smokin’ the Sound offshore races have come and gone. Despite some really bad weather that caused a lot of folks in the local area some grief Friday and Saturday, the crowd estimated at close to 45,000 seemed to enjoy the awesome display of power. The Sun Herald had this to report:
Following six hours of racing featuring seven different classes, the King of Biloxi was dethroned. Miss Geico, the defending champion, was primed to win another Cat Extreme/Turbine title, only to see JBS Racing out of Wisconsin take the crown away. JBS, which won the first heat, actually lost the second heat to Miss Geico but still managed to claim top honors based on an overall unofficial time differential of less than three seconds.
That fuel problem must be why I smelled faintly of jet fuel after the JBS boat made a close pass to the harbor wall!
Found this videos tonight on Vimeo about the JBS Team that was uploaded there 4 days ago. This one is really well produced, and is a definite must see via the main Vimeo page in HD.
Here’s something that looks a bit different and definitely fun.
2009 Gulf Coast Belly Dance Festival
Special Hotel Rates available $59.00 a night for Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 4 at the Super8 in Ocean Springs. Call to make reservations and mention the bellydance festival to get the reduced rate! Super8- 228-875-2288, 13838 Wilfred Seymour Road, Ocean Springs, MS 39565, located right north of I-10 at the Ocean Springs Exit (Exit number 50).
Performances at the Show Saturday beginning at 7PM: Tickets for the show- $10, age 10 and under $5. If you would like to perform, all music on CD along with name of soloist or group to be included in the program must be delivered by Friday, March 27 to Rosemary Eicher, 11515 Azalea Trace, Gulfport, MS 39503. Group performances no longer than 5 minutes and solos no longer than 4 minutes please. Please e-mail on the “contact us” form if you are interested in performing before sending music.
Welcome Dinner Friday night 6:30PM, details to follow.
Dinner after the Show on Saturday night and after party, details to follow.
“Back of the Closet”- have any old costumes, jewelry, etc. you don’t wear anymore? How about selling some of your old things for cash to spend on new costumes and jewelry right at the festival?! Register with us by Friday, March 27 and receive a number, bring your goods to the festival with your number and the price securely fastened to your products to sell at the festival. Cash only, 10% kept by the house to cover expenses. Register by e-mail on the “contact us” form.
All Vendors may set up at the Mary O’Keefe Center from 5-6PM on Friday, April 3. Registration begins 8AM on Saturday, April 4. The festival ends by 10PM on Saturday, April 4.
For more info visit The Priestess Dancers
Posted on : 27-03-2009 | By : admin | In : Lagniappe
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I came across a humorous article on FT.com from Sci Fi writer Michael Moorcock, detailing past and current memories of his journeys through MS including a stop in Biloxi for Coast Con last weekend. I had some good memories flood back as well as some laughs while reading it. I’m sure many a local would disagree with his view on the state of our recovery since Katrina compared to New Orleans, and probably a few that would agree. Worth the read, enjoy!
Unable to make it to Paris this spring, my wife Linda and I, along with our cats Bill and Betty, are heading towards the Mississippi Delta, via a science fiction convention in Biloxi.
With its tall Greek-columned houses, the holiday homes of southern aristocrats, Biloxi was once a rather genteel resort: Hove to New Orleans’ Brighton. But, after Hurricane Katrina, she is taking longer to restore herself than New Orleans and, sadly, might never come back as she was.
Flat, gleaming white sands again stretch down to the water of the Gulf of Mexico; the occasional hotel stands where there used to be a “steamboat gothic” mansion. But a few yards from our hotel, all that remains of a family and its memories are the foundations of a house, a weathered For Sale sign, and huge heaps of newly delivered sand giving an alpine contour to the landscape. Bulldozers stand ready to lay the beach down as soon as a viable property has been erected on the other side of the promenade. But there are more lots for sale than have been sold.
I rarely attend SF conventions. Sentiment got me involved in this one. Biloxi is in my wife’s home state and my old friend and illustrator, John Picacio, was a guest of honour. The people running it were courteously southern. But I haven’t really been to a regular SF convention for years, so was unprepared for the changes I found.
Posted on : 18-02-2009 | By : admin | In : Local News
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UPDATE: 2/19/09 @ 11:56am WDAM is now reporting that this is not just a hoax spread in the local area, but across the nation and Canada
The text message originated in Salt Lake City on Feb. 8, and has since spread like a virus to every state in the union and parts of Canada and Mexico.
The message varies from state to state, but always includes details about the abduction of a 7-year-old girl and a silver truck with the licence plate 72B381.
I’m only posting this here as I’ve gotten several text messages concerning this today. Please stop passing this along as it is a hoax. The text message is as follows:
Subject: AMBER ALERT!!!!!!
AMBER ALERT!!!!!! 7 yr old girl just taken from Petal, Ms. New model ford f150, silver, Tenn. lic plate 72B81. Please pass on.
WDAM has verified this AS A HOAX. Please check the official Amber Alerts before passing on such texts. Anytime an Amber Alert is issued in a local area, it’s not just via text messaging (that you have to sign up for), but also broadcast on the Emergency Broadcast system, local TV and radio.
The newly formed Ocean Springs Carnival Association has announced this Friday night as the night Ocean Springs “Goes Dark”. After a few weeks of scarce information, rumors and mysterious signs around town, The Sun Herald had the scoop today.
“People said it would be hard to get something like this started. Well, it was not that hard and now we are ready and on our way to making history.”
Although the group formed just weeks ago, they have more than 30 floats signed up to roll, more than 30 members, a Web site and T-shirts. And they can build their own floats.
The parade is set to roll at 7pm on Feb 20th. Don’t miss the inaugural event!
Parade route: Beginning at Ward Avenue and Government Street; west on Government Street to Washington Avenue; south on Washington Avenue to Porter Avenue; west on Porter Avenue to Jackson Street; south on Jackson Street to Calhoun Avenue; east on Calhoun Avenue to Washington Avenue; north on Washington Avenue to Government Street; east on Government Street to Ward Avenue.
Rather ironic that they would publish two articles with mention of the MS Coast’s hockey involvement, as it was just announced this past week that our team was 
hink I hear a jet, will surely be unbearable! Checking over the the information I don’t see any indication of a demonstration or static display of any F-22 Raptors, so a little disappointed on that note. There will still be plenty to see though, like a fly by of a B-52 bomber from Barksdale AFB as well as a C-17 demo. The 
s and mysterious signs around town, The 
