Captain Al’s Steak and Seafood preparing for the summer

Summer is approaching and Captain Al’s Steak and Seafood is doing some remodeling as they prepare to enjoy the summer days ahead. Captain Al has a beach front vision for his waterfront restaurant. The crew has built a brand-new deck, put in white sand to provide the illusion of beach and lounge chairs. Captain Al plans to create a summer…

More funding to help businesses with Zeta damage available

It’s been more than three months since Hurricane Zeta hit our Mississippi Gulf Coast and people are still making repairs and cleaning up damage from the October storm. While a number of local business owners have applied for federal help, such as SBA loans, there are some other options to help businesses recover. One source is local. Mississippi Gulf Coast…

Mississippi Highway Patrol demonstrates seat belt safety in Biloxi

Changing bad driving habits can save your life. The Mississippi Highway Patrol demonstrated seat belt safety today. After watching a stuffed dummy fly out the safety simulator vehicle, Ocean Springs resident Angie Smith was reminded of the day her daughter was involved in a vehicle roll-over accident. Her daughter was properly strapped in and walked away with no injuries. Smith…

Protest calling for boycott of Froogel’s after an incident involving alleged racial slur

Protesters are calling for a boycott of Froogel’s in Gulfport following an incident involving alleged racial slurs. The protesters are saying “don’t shop where you are not respected.” A Gulfport woman claims than an employee at the shop used the slur in a derogatory context with her. She also says that she talked to the manager and he laughed at…

Two arrested for human trafficking in Lauderdale County

On Thursday, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation conducted an undercover human trafficking operation in Lauderdale County, resulting in the arrest of two men and the recovery of four trafficking victims. Forty-three-year-old James T. Boylan and 52-year-old Guy Hammonds were both charged with human trafficking after a collaborative investigation between multiple departments including Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Narcotics, led…

Memorial distributes first-round COVID-19 vaccines in Diamondhead

Hundreds are on schedule to receive their COVID vaccine in Diamondhead today. The vaccine distribution happened at Diamondhead City Hall courtesy of Memorial medical staff.  All those in attendance received their first dose of Pfizer vaccine. Director of Clinic Operations Troy Pepperman says the turnout and experience has been exceptional. Memorial expects to administer anywhere from 400 to 600 shots…

Picayune Main Street and Mississippi Power team up for beautification projects

There was a ribbon cutting Monday afternoon in Picayune for a new parking lot with several handicapped spaces across the street from City Hall. But the story is bigger than this one parking lot. Picayune Main Street has undertaken several projects to beautify and modernize downtown Picayune. They’ve opened a couple of other parking lots, removed old signs from businesses,…

MSDH reports 357 new COVID-19 cases and 26 new deaths

The Mississippi State Department of Health has reported 357 new COVID-19 cases and 26 new deaths including three in Harrison County. The statewide total stands at 298,008 cases and 6,834 deaths. Here’s a look at the cases by county in our area: Hancock County has 3,555 cases and 78 deaths Harrison County is at 16,943 cases and now 288 deaths…

Prescribed firing operations today at Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is planning to conduct prescribed firing operations today at the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. The potential burn site represents 133 acres located at the end of Bayou Bend Road, west of Gautier-Vancleave Road and south of Interstate 10 in Gautier. Prescribed fires are an essential part of refuge management to restore the…

International Women’s Day Floral Design Seminar

In honor of International Women’s Day, floral specialist Dr. Jim Delprince held a virtual floral design seminar, highlighting floral arrangements for Easter. Delprince demonstrated how to create three different tabletop floral designs made with fresh flowers during the Zoom seminar.  The first design featured was a round arrangement accented with flowers of various values of whites. The second arrangement featured…

Ocean Springs leaders make final preps for Fort Bayou Drawbridge closure

In less than a week, the Fort Bayou Drawbridge will shutdown for repairs, causing local leaders to make their final preparations in notifying the public. The intersection of Bienville Boulevard and Washington Avenue will look quite different one week from now as Ocean Springs city leaders make their final preps for the Fort Bayou Drawbridge closure at 10 p.m. on…

Harrison County bus driver motivates students

Surround yourself with someone who motivates you! Local bus driver Anthony Thompson motivates the kids on his bus daily. Last week he provided them with t-shirts motivating them to be their best. Last Friday, 40 students at Bel-Aire Elementary in Gulfport walked off the bus with some words of encouragement. Bus driver Anthony Thompson wanted to remind each and every…

New data reveal on sea turtles tracked by IMMS

Sea turtles are rescued, cared for, and rehabbed by the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies. You may remember two sea turtles we reported on earlier, Magnolia, a green sea turtle, and Toni, a rare female Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, named after our own Toni Miles. Satellite trackers were placed on each of the turtles upon their release just south of…

Male dolphin rehabilitation at IMMS is moving along

Dolphins are revered for their intelligence, playfulness, and friendly interactions with humans, but let’s delve a little deeper as these majestic marine mammals are celebrated world-wide for National Dolphin Awareness Month. News 25’s Toni Miles takes us behind the scenes at the IMMS with an update on the recently rescued orphaned dolphin and what part he and his species play…

MSDH operating free drive-thru vaccination at the Coast Coliseum

One year ago today, the first positive case of COVID-19 was reported in the state of Mississippi. The progress in the fight against COVID-19 can be seen as the State Department of Health is operating free drive-thru vaccination site locations around the state. The site at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum is vaccinating about 980 qualifying individuals daily. The U.S. National…

Coast Residents receive new Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine

Today is the first day Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccine appointments are underway. At the Singing River Cedar Lake Clinic in Biloxi, 20 of the new one dose vaccines were given to South Mississippians. Ten Singing River Health System clinics across Jackson and Harrison counties will administer 1,000 Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccines this week. Retired teacher Patty Comer was…

MSDH reports 70 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths

The Mississippi State Department of Health has reported 70 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths. The statewide total stands at 297,651 cases and still 6,808 deaths. Here’s a look at the cases by county in our area: Hancock County has 3,535 cases and 78 deaths Harrison County is at 16,904 cases and now 238 deaths Jackson County has 12,756…

The Whiskey Barrel in Bay St. Louis holding grand opening March 20th

The Whiskey Barrel in Bay St. Louis will be hosting their grand opening with Wayne Toups performing on March 20th. The Whiskey Barrel, located at 7165 Lower Bay Road, wanted to expand their venue to allow more customers in and allow bigger acts to perform. The bigger venue will hold up to 350 people. The Whiskey Barrel will host a…

Bayou Bargains grand opening in Gulfport

Gulf Coast residents are getting a bang for their buck thanks to a new discount store. Bayou Bargains in Gulfport hosted their grand opening this weekend. The new discount store allows you to get high priced items at a much lower price. Each day of the week is a specific price, but nothing will ever be more than $7. The…

Courtney Farms in Ocean Springs hosted a Grow your own Beverage Garden Workshop

Over the weekend, Courtney Farms in Ocean Springs hosted a cocktail, mocktails, teas, and infusion ‘Growing your own Beverage Garden’ workshop. The hands-on workshop allowed each guest to plant their own beverage garden with herbs of their choosing, including mint, rosemary, and chamomile. After planting the garden, guests learned ways to incorporate it into a drink, learned how to care…