A Harrison County grand jury found enough evidence to indict former Biloxi city official Fredrick Cliff Kirkland on nine sex crime charges. According to our media partner the Sun Herald, Kirkland was initially arrested on December 17th, 2019 on two counts of touching of a child for lustful purposes. After hearing evidence in the case, the grand jury indicted him…
The Waveland Police Department recently added a new furry officer to its ranks: Mako, a four-year-old Belgian Malinois. Mako will help the department apprehend felons, do building checks, and sniff out drugs in the area. While Mako may be new to Waveland, he’s no stranger to the Coast. The K9 also served at Pass Christian Police Department until he was…
The pandemic has taken its toll on plenty of organizations and functions in the past year, including the participating numbers in the Boy Scouts. In an effort to change that, Pack 301 of Gulfport held a round up event earlier this evening to recruit young boys from kindergarten to fifth grade to join. While the pandemic forced Pack 301 to…
Today kicked off 12 days of holiday wishes for one brave South Mississippi teen battling cancer. Kaleq and his family received the full Mississippi Aquarium experience and even a few big surprises. They say wishes do come true and for 13-year-old Kaleq Jefferson that’s especially the case. Kaleq’s sister Korde Jefferson said, “It’s good to know that other people support…
The Mississippi Maritime Museum announces Lorren West as their first executive director. West has an extensive background in college education management. She’s worked in colleges across the country and served as president of one for 18 years. She’s hoping to utilize her management skills as well as her passion for all things sea-faring. West has been working with the museum…
Thirty-one years and going strong, that’s just how long the Gulfport-Orange Grove Rotary Club has been providing gifts for young people here in South Mississippi. Members of the Gulfport-Orange Grove Rotary Club work year-round to help out our local community, setting up little free libraries and hosting dictionary giveaways at South Mississippi schools, but they’re turning a new page on…
2020 has provided many challenges for high school students and parents at Harrison Central High School have banded together this holiday season to support students in the marching band. This is the first time the Pride of the Coast band has held a silent auction for the holidays and it is designed to help some students in the band pay…
There will be a few changes when Mississippi lawmakers return to the state capitol in Jackson for the 2021 legislative session. Face masks will be required when legislators return in January for the 2021 session. According to lawmakers, they will continue with measures put in place this past year including social distancing and being in separate rooms, but it looks…
State Auditor Shad White announced his office returned nearly $500,000 to taxpayers across Mississippi after previous investigations showed public funds were stolen or misused. Amounts were returned from cases involving the City of Columbus after former Chief Financial Officer Milton Rawle was arrested for embezzlement in August. The Auditor’s Office has now recovered $242,951 for the city. Auditors also issued…
Long Beach High School announced they will move to virtual learning for the next two weeks. LBHS had 14 students test positive for COVID-19 and 135 plus students have been identified as close contacts. In an announcement on their website, they stated that “in an abundance of caution to keep students, staff, and community as safe as possible, LBHS will…
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas with all the decorations out and about and now it is beginning to sound like Christmas thanks to the Salvation Army’s bell ringers. Their Red Kettle Campaign is in full swing, but this year the army is experiencing some hardships. They are down $20,000 in donations from last year. If you would…
Another Gulf Coast club announces the cancelation of the 2021 Mardi Gras events as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. For the first time since Hurricane Katrina, the Second Liners Mardi Gras Club of Biloxi canceled all eight of their upcoming Mardi Gras festivities. The events included a parade, fundraisers, and more. President Anthony Mitchell says the cancelation was made official…
Newly released documents suggest the FDA will approve Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine for emergency use authorization on Thursday. The documents posted on the agency’s website state the vaccine meets its criteria for success. Research data shows the vaccine was 52 percent effective after the first dose and 95 percent effective after two doses. The vaccine also did not raise any specific…
The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 1,732 new COVID-19 cases and 56 new deaths across the state, including new deaths in all but one of the southern six counties, that one county being Stone. The statewide total stands at 167,926 confirmed cases and 4,017 deaths. Here are the number in our area: Hancock County has 1,388 cases and now…
The New Orleans Saints have experienced an incredible amount of success throughout the Sean Payton era and yet Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons put them in position to do something they’ve never done before. On the strength of their ninth straight victory, the Saints are now 5-0 in the division. One more win over the Carolina Panthers in week…
With Christmas just 18 days away, Harrison County’s Feed the Needy program is gearing up for its last meal distribution of the holiday season. Thirty-one years and still going strong, Harrison County’s annual holiday meal distribution program Feed the Needy has faced some unprecedented challenges trying to get food to those in need. However, even COVID-19 isn’t stopping the spirit…
The Gulfport community, along with students and staff at Gulfport High, are mourning the loss of student Molly Lee, who passed away last Friday. For Bailey Smith, the loss of her friend Molly Lee, is hard to digest. “It’s heart wrenching. It really makes my stomach hurt. It’s like my heart is shattered.” Molly died following a car accident last…
Climb CDC, a local nonprofit, betters the youth in our community by helping them with workforce training. This gives them a skill set that they can use for their careers and not just temporary employment. They’re enrolling in their AmeriCorps program, which helps participants by providing them with an educational award worth around $3,000. It also helps get them involved…
State legislators are scheduled to meet at the capitol in Jackson on Tuesday, January 5th for the opening of next year’s legislative session, but there is some talk that date could possibly be delayed due to COVID concerns despite the January 5th reconvening is constitutionally mandated. No official word yet on whether the January 5th reconvening date will be rescheduled….
It’s been just over a month since Mississippians and voters across the U.S. cast their ballots in the November 3rd general election. Now, certified results from the election in Mississippi are available on the Secretary of State’s website. Data from the statewide election management systems showed a total of more than 1.3 million legal votes cast for the president of…
‘What the HAIL Rupert?’ and other funny signs were seen at the drive-by farewell for the now former Harrison County Emergency Management Agency Director Rupert Lacy. That’s apparently an inside joke regarding Lacy’s sometimes comedic emails. Lacy served Harrison County as EMA Director for the past 13 years. While he says the past year didn’t put him into retirement, it…
The Mississippi Department of Health reported 1,263 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths across the state. The statewide total stands at 166,194 confirmed cases and 3,961 deaths. Here are the numbers in our area: Hancock County has 1,365 cases and 43 deaths Harrison County is now at 7,885 total cases and 116 deaths Jackson County has 6,898 cases and…
Monday marks the 79th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. December 7th, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called it “a date which will live in infamy.” Hundreds of Japanese bombers attacked the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. Twenty-one ships of the Pacific fleet were sunk or damaged, including the USS Arizona which lost more than 1,100 crewmen. More than 2,400…
The search continues for a man and teenager from Louisiana who went missing Thursday afternoon while duck hunting in Mississippi. Authorities say 21-year-old Jeb Hughes and 16-year-old Gunner Palmer of Denham Springs were reported missing after they didn’t return from hunting on the Mississippi River near Palmira Island. Neither have answered their phones and their truck and boat trailer were…