The Sun Herald
2 new spots bring seafood, soul food, Italian to South MS
Two restaurants closed late last year on Howard Avenue in Biloxi and in a quick turnaround, two more are about to open in those vacant spaces. The countdown is on for the debut of Ole Biloxi Cafe, coming to the former Burger Burger location at 1039...
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Predawn crowd lines up at Lee’s for Dong Phuong king cakes
Carnival season began this week, which means Lee’s International Market is now offering the wildly popular Dong Phuong king cakes every Friday. The market is located at 917 Division St. and opens at 7:30 a.m., however those looking to get a king cake...
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Carnival season kicks off with 12th Night Celebration
As the Christmas season came to an end, the City of Biloxi kicked off Carnival season with their annual 12th Night Celebration at City Hall. The event began at 5 p.m. with a series of floats on Lameuse Street in front of City Hall where event...
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Ocean Springs-to-Gautier trail still in planning stage
It’s almost two years since a $9.6 million federal grant was announced to build a biking and pedestrian trail connecting downtown Ocean Springs to the center of Gautier. The 8.75-mile trail will run from Washington Avenue (Mississippi 609) in Ocean...
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Highway 90 bridges at MS-LA line face delay for repairs
The plan to fix five deteriorating bridges on Highway 90 at the Mississippi-Louisiana state line is stalled again because a federal program that could fund the project has not reopened since the government shutdown earlier this year, a lawmaker...
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Do 3 crashes on new Amtrak line point to underlying problem?
Geneva Ellegant sat outside her Alabama home on a Tuesday morning, remembering her daughter’s witty humor, her gift for painting and her beautiful singing voice. “She was my easy child,” Ellegant said of her daughter, Tavianna, who went by...
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K-9 credited with locating plane in Lake Pontchartrain
A K-9 named Ensey located the area where the United Cajun Navy found the fuselage on Saturday from a Cessna 172 that plunged Monday evening into Lake Pontchartrain, said the organization’s vice president, Brian Trascher of New Orleans. The trained...
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South MS bids farewell to ‘a firecracker’ gone too soon
Wendy Rae Figer never slowed down and never gave up. She was only 4 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 95 pounds, but she was, friends and family said, “a firecracker.” Figer was also an entrepreneur, wife, mom, friend, community fundraiser,...
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Board recommends 16 South Mississippi projects
An advisory board is recommending 16 of the 89 projects — and a revolving loan fund — proposed for millions of dollars the state Legislature has to spend on South Mississippi during the 2026 session. The grant money for economic recovery comes from a...
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Gulfport group fights to save historic civil rights hall
The old building on Tegarden Road in Gulfport is crumbling and empty now, a relic of its busier days. Long ago, it was a community center where neighbors met for church, where fraternal societies gathered, and where Black leaders striving for...
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Food giveaway line stretches a mile as SNAP benefits paused
Amid the government shutdown, hundreds of residents lined up Friday morning for a food giveaway at the Good Deeds Community Center in Gulfport. SNAP beneficiaries received their last food supplement benefits in October. Because of the shutdown, they...
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Two tornadoes leave trail of damage in Gautier, Pascagoula
Two tornadoes pounded Gautier and Pascagoula on Sunday with fierce winds that broke windows, pulled apart buildings and knocked out power for thousands of homes as severe storms thundered east across the region. The storm damaged the roof of Aztecas...
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Hundreds in Gulfport join national ‘No Kings’ protest
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Gulfport to join more than 2,600 other protests across the United States against the Trump administration on Saturday. The protests were held in response to what attendees view as rising authoritarianism from the...
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‘Transformative’ $105M project to reshape downtown Gulfport
expect to break ground in December on a $105 million project in downtown Gulfport unlike any the Coast has seen. “We do transformative projects only,” said Sunny Sethi of Madison, CEO of Bellamare Development. “We only do projects that move the needle...
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600 cars gather in Long Beach for Cruisin’ The Coast Parade
600 vintage car owners came together in Long Beach for the annual Cruisin’ The Coast parade. The cars began parking at Long Beach High School at 1 p.m., with only the first 600 vehicles to arrive getting to participate in the parade. At 6 p.m., cars...
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New events and big changes when Cruisin’ The Coast returns
Cruise Central returns to Jones Park on the beach in Gulfport, and that’s just one of the changes and new events on the way this 29th year of CruiVeterans sin’ The Coast. A second line parade in downtown Pass Christian, a Beatles’ invasion at Beau...
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Gulfport woman wrongly jailed for 25 days, lawsuit says
Kameca Locks, a mother of two who works in health care and lives in Gulfport, spent 25 days in jail without knowing why. She was scared. And she was exhausted. It’s hard to sleep in jail. The 39-year-old spent Thanksgiving 2021 in the Harrison County...
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Insurance savings elude South MS homeowners, but why?
Beth Sanders of Gautier was one of the lucky homeowners selected in a lottery to participate in a grant program that strengthened her and her husFORTIFIED band’s roof for hurricanes and is saving them money on homeowners insurance. “I’ve always been...
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5 most memorable quotes from Katrina remembrance event
A Hurricane Hunter flyby Friday opened the 20th anniversary ceremony of Hurricane Katrina at the Barksdale Pavilion in Gulfport, filled with hundreds of people who each has a story of where they were on Aug. 29, 2005, and how Katrina changed their...
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A look at historic homes, buildings impacted by Katrina
Preservationists fanned out across the Coast as soon as they could after Hurricane Katrina to document the historic structures ravaged by the powerful storm’s wind and surge. “Of course, some of them were completely gone,” said Ken P’Pool, then deputy...
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Coast celebrates Amtrak’s return after Hurricane Katrina
The new Amtrak Mardi Gras Service drew major crowds in four Coast cities during a preview run on Saturday as city and state officials, Amtrak leaders, Southern Rail Commission representatives and Mardi Gras Krewe executives rode the train from New...
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Amtrak’s journey back to Gulf Coast starts with celebrations
Bands played and crowds cheered as the first Amtrak train in more than a decade rolled up to stations in South Mississippi. That was 2016 and U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker recalls, “It was a massive crowd at every stop.” Kids and 80-year-old couples alike...
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What happened to Cash Alley’s colorful umbrellas?
Ocean Springs officials plan to replace the Cash Alley umbrellas after removing them Thursday due to their poor condition, according to project manager Sarah Harris. “The city will be ordering new umbrellas and is brainstorming new ideas for the...
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Judge revokes probation for man in fatal DUI case
A judge Monday slammed a South Mississippi man before sending him back to prison for probation violations in a drunk driving case that resulted in the death of DeAnna Tucker, the daughter of a former police chief and his wife. Before Judge Larry...
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July 11 dubbed ‘Jack Madison Day’ in honor of 100-year-old
Dozens gathered Friday morning on Ship Island to celebrate Jack Madison’s 100th birthday, with Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich proclaiming July 11, 2025, as “Jack Madison Day.” Madison gave his final tour of Fort Massachusetts in October 2024 after...
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Why tourists are choosing Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast
Jeff and Kristina Russell and their three kids skipped their annual trip to the South Carolina shore this summer and packed their bags for Pass Christian, Mississippi, instead. Over several days in late June, the Illinois family soaked up the...
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Ex-police officer avoids jail in embezzlement case
A former Gulfport police officer and assistant director of security and internal compliance at a Mississippi Coast school district has admitted embezzling thousands from a church while working in security there. A Harrison County grand jury indicted...
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Uninsured motorist ticketing sparks MS lawsuits, backlash
Politically connected members of a Mississippi company have fallen out with their Georgia partner in what promised to be a profitable business to snare uninsured motorists with cameras and artificial intelligence. A company that the three...
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Historic Bay St. Louis school could get new life
A building that once housed Second Street Elementary School in the heart of downtown Bay St. Louis has been vacant since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the waterfront city. Twenty years later, it could see a rebirth. The white Spanish Revivalstyle property...
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Buc-ee’s opens first massive travel center in Mississippi
The opening of the new $50 million Buc-ee’s travel center lived up to its hype Monday when people poured into the three entrances chanting “Bucremain ee’s!” The doors opened at 6 a.m. and, now that it’s open, it will that way 24 hours a day, seven...
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Saharan dust cloud near MS Coast may create vivid sunsets
A cloud of dust from the Saharan Desert will sweep across the Gulf Coast this week with dry air that could mute blue skies and intensify the color of sunsets. The dust is common this time of year and reached the Caribbean by Monday. Forecasters said...
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Biloxi Memorial Day honors fallen service members
Veterans, service members, Gold Star families and the public gathered Monday under the hot sun and the live oak trees that line Biloxi National Cemetery for an annual ceremony honoring fallen service members for Memorial Day. “Memorial Day is more...
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Perkinston couple prepares scenic property as primate sanctuary
The property in Perkinston could be just like any other in South Mississippi — a semirural, one-story house on several acres of land with a wide front porch, trucks parked on the long driveway, dogs playing in the large, rolling yard, and geese...
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Governor’s veto leaves $1.5M downtown projects on hold
Three Mississippi Coast cities are still waiting for a combined $1.5 million to improve downtown areas after Gov. Tate Reeves vetoed a bill this year that would have provided the money. Biloxi, Moss Point and Pascagoula were each expecting hundreds of...
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Fishermen sue over right to catch oysters on Sound reefs
Oysters are back in the Mississippi Sound and Coast fishermen want the right to keep harvesting them on the state reefs. Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United and 22 fishermen are suing the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the state...
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Mississippi disaster relief uncertain as FEMA decisions loom
As hurricane season approaches, South Mississippians are left to wonder how they and their communities would recover with less financial assistance and direction from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. President Trump has indicated states...
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Six-year-old remembered as a free spirit with a big heart
They came mostly dressed in purple, to honor the life of a Mississippi girl who, in six short years, filled the world with boundless joy, energy, and love. Gracelynn Vick, a kindergartner at Saucier Elementary School, died in what authorities believe...
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Black Spring Break sees smaller crowds, less traffic
stretch of sandy beach from the Mississippi Coast Coliseum to Edgewater Mall has historically been the focal point of Black Spring Break, a weekend-long event that has drawn large crowds to Biloxi. That could be changing, though. On Saturday, a small...
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Perdido Queen and others offer boat tours of the SS United States
Growing up in New York City, Paula Hughbanks thought her uncle was a star. Meeting celebrities, traveling around the world — she thought her uncle Anthony Lupia had the life as he worked as a social director on board the SS United States, the premier...
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Newcomers moving to Mississippi Coast subdivision
Often when Glynn Illich’s phone rings, it’s another call from Louisiana. He keeps hearing familiar laments about weariness with city life. And everyone is asking a question. What about moving to the Mississippi Coast? “It’s beautiful,” said Illich,...
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Mississippi Aquarium has welcomed its first baby penguins
In January, the Mississippi Aquarium welcomed two tiny critically endangered penguin hatchlings — the first penguins born in Mississippi. Now, the penguin chicks are chunky, fluffy, and can finally be seen by the public. The aquarium will be hosting a...
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How will Trump’s federal overhaul affect Mississippi Coast?
The Trump administration’s plans to overhaul the federal government are thrilling some state leaders, who say the steps coming into view will boost South Mississippi’s economies of aerospace and defense. Those goals are also unnerving some of the...
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Closure of busy Ocean Springs bridge creates traffic mess
Last week’s closure of the Hanshaw Road Bridge in Ocean Springs is sending traffic through neighborhoods and shifting drop-off routines at several nearby schools. The closure has stopped through traffic from Highway 90 to Old Spanish Trail. Alderman...
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Insurer USAA fights paying punitive damages award
The Mississippi Supreme Court should reverse its decision ordering United States Automobile Association to pay $15 million for acting in bad faith in adjusting the Hurricane Katrina claim of policyholders who owned a historic home on the waterfront in...
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Planned cuts put Mississippi disaster recovery at risk
The Trump administration’s reported plan to cut most staff at a federal office that sends states money years after natural disasters could change how some communities handle longterm recovery in Mississippi, which has received billions of dollars...
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Smalls Sliders bringing burgers, fries, shakes to beach
A prime spot on U.S. 90 with great views of the beach, just an empty lot for years, soon will be home to a new burger restaurant. A banner marks the spot at the southernmost spot in Edgewater Village, where Cajun’s chicken once stood and where Smalls...
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Mother sues over suicide, bullying allegations
Heather Wyatt is suing the Ocean Springs School District, alleging that daughter Aubreigh Wyatt was bullied for four years, in and out of school, leading to her death by suicide at age 13. Wyatt has filed the wrongfuldeath lawsuit in Jackson County...
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Historic Pascagoula train depot becoming a brew pub
The train station still standing after 121 years needs major restoration before it can become a hub of activity again in downtown Pascagoula. “It’s a building worth saving,” said Coast developer Joe Cloyd, as he wanders the depot along Railroad...
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Planet Fitness will join Bass Pro at South MS shopping center
Last week’s Bass Pro Shops announcement is only part of what’s planned for Le Moyne Landing in Jackson County, just east of the D’Iberville line. The website for the new shopping and dining complex shows a Planet Fitness also on the site plan along...
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Art museum to finish building 20 years after Katrina
Even along the row of bright casinos that line Beach Boulevard, the museum stands out. Its buildings are silver. Its unusual shape was designed by Frank Gehry, one of the most famous architects in the world. But Hurricane Katrina ruined the...
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Heartbroken mom mourns son, 15, who collapsed at school
Through tears Friday, Tawanda Carter shared a sentiment she wants all parents to remember about their children. “I just want to tell people to love on your kids because I will never get my baby back,” she said. “I’m heartbroken. We had a special bond...
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4-Bulls barbecue restaurant now open in Ocean Springs
It opened in early November as a butcher shop and now 4-Bulls has added a barbecue restaurant sharing the same building in Ocean Springs. The new restaurant features farm-to-table fare. The steaks and other products come directly from the 250-acre...
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South Mississippi community mourns beloved teacher
The sign outside his classroom says “Dear Dr. Smith.” One by one, in neat pencil and bright pen, his students wrote that he was the kindest, smartest, best teacher. “You saw my potential,” one teenager wrote of Gautier High School’s Robert D. Smith,...
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New pickleball facility to open with 15 courts
The Picklr Biloxi indoor pickleball courts open in South Mississippi just in time for holiday play and New Year’s resolutions. The grand opening is Saturday, Dec. 14 from noon to 6 p.m. Pickleball demonstrations and free learn-to-play clinics on...
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Secret recording reveals political infighting in Gautier
concert promoter and Gautier’s city manager both pressed for a council member’s wife to reconsider filing public drunk charges against Mayor Casey Vaughan, fearing bad publicity would dim prospects for the city’s new, multi-million amphitheater, a...
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Picayune overwhelms George County, earns trip to South State
Add it to his bag of tricks. Darrell Smith — the state’s leading rusher and Picayune’s running back, cornerback, holder and returner — took a direct snap, rolled to his right and tossed a pass over the middle that landed in the hands of Allen Magee for...
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Ocean Springs apartments not being converted to condos
Residents of Villa Maria Retirement Apartments have been abuzz for weeks, if not months, about their homes being turned into condominiums — a rumor that is untrue and is being blamed this week on a group that calls itself Save Ocean Springs, or Save...
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Family, politicians mourn veteran MS Coast Republican
The governor says his family is heartbroken. The attorney general has lost a friend. And of all the mourners grieving the sudden death this week of Jeanne Luckey, a veteran Republican force in Mississippi and national politics, none have lost more than...
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Muralist Hoxxoh paints parking garage in Ocean Springs
He’s known internationally for his colorful and dynamic murals, and Douglas “Hoxxoh” Hoekzema is spending two weeks in South Mississippi creating a massive centerpiece for OS 1515 and downtown Ocean Springs. Glimpses of his three-story mural, which...
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Biloxi casino developer scales down pier plan
Plans submitted to the state for a new pier at Veterans Avenue in Biloxi in advance of a casino project show a scaleddown version of what the casino owner originally proposed. A sign posted for years at the RW Development site at U.S. 90 and Veterans...
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MS Coast security guard sentenced in killing of sisters
Longtime Mississippi Coast security guard Joseph Leo Nangle is headed to prison for 45 years, followed by five years of probation for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and causing a fiery five-car crash that killed two sisters from New...
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Star RB, ex-soccer player shine as Maroon Tide score key win
Don’t call them the Miracle Tide. The Maroon Tide had been here before and knew how to handle it. Picayune (5-2, 1-0) turned a 21-14 halftime deficit into an emphatic 38-28 win over key region challenger Pascagoula (4-2, 0-1) Friday at home to open...
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How friendship brought a Brit to the US for Cruisin’ The Coast
Martin Bishop, a car lover from England, is at his first Cruisin’ The Coast all because of a Facebook friend request eight years ago. Bishop, 58, lives in Weston-super-Mare, a small oceanside town near Bristol in England, more than 4,000 miles away...
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Keesler Air Force Base chief out after Biloxi probe
Chief Master Sgt. Michael Venning has been relieved of his position as command chief of the 81st Training Wing at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi. Col. Billy Pope, the commander of the 81st Training Wing, said a “command-directed investigation” into...
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New body camera footage released from police shooting
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has released additional body camera footage from the Dec. 10, 2022, shooting death of Florida college student Isaiah Winkley. DPS last week released the camera footage from the admitted shooter, former...
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Favre, current and former MS Coast officials owe millions, state says
Mississippi Coast native and former Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Brett Favre is among those who still owe money to the state for allegedly misspent public funds, according to State Auditor Shad White’s 2024 audit exceptions report. The report covers...
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