Ribbon Cutting at Photography/Boutique Shop

 

Ribbon cutting on Feb. 5 at Alan Hinkel Photography/ Bridget Blue Boutique, located at 710 Delmas Ave. in Pascagoula. Their phone number is 228-249-9305. (Yvette Barr/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce)

 

Then Came the Slow Thaw After the Big Freeze

From what I hear, another winter storm in headed this-a-way. Well, sort of. Mostly, Winter Storm Nika is expected to blast the Midwest, but some forcast say it could affect parts of the South and East. 

Just think, it was only a week ago that Winter Storm Leon provided South Mississippi and the rest of a very surprised Deep South residents with four days of very dangerous ice, snow flurries and bone-chilling temperatures. Life was interestingly colder for a time, kind of like it is for everyone who lives north of the Mason-Dixon line.   

By the way, where did this name Leon come from, and why Leon?

As those in the Southeast attempt to fight off a rare winter storm, many have begun to wonder about things other than how long they will be stuck in traffic – for example what’s the origin of Winter Storm Leon’s name and when will he crawl back into his cave.
Here’s a primer.
Leon is the Greek word for “lion,” the most famous of which in Greek mythology is Leon Nemeois, a nearly indestructible beast who terrorized the people of Argolis.
To handle matters, King Eurystheus enlisted the hero Heracles who stunned it with a club then threw some UFC style moves on the animal, wrestling it to death. Later, he skinned its hide and made a cape, which by lore was impervious to the elements and also a coat of armor.
(MORE: Winter Storm Leon: State-by-State)
In short, Heracles killed a lion to make the kind of all-weather coat millions of Americans wish they had this week as Winter Storm Leon pelts southern states from Texas to Virginia.
Leon, like other winter storm names, was chosen by a Latin class at Bozeman High School in Bozeman, Mont. Many of the names come from Greek mythology.
http://www.weather.com/news/winter-storm-leon-explaining-name-20140128

Non-travelers took precedence over mobile folks for two days Tuesday and Wednesday. Days when folks were glad to be at home and off the roads regardless of the loss of money for most hourly workers.

Many regretted the economic loss, but compared to the bone-chilling cold and potential danger to life and damage to automobile (and even more more money lost), it was worth it.

Temps eventually dipped into the low teens. In north Mississippi, the gauges registered in the single digits. Something that happened in the early 1980's that this writer remembers. Deja vu again.!  

Coast Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. for 85th Birthday

SOUTH MISSISSIPPI -- Monday's culmination of Martin Luther King Jr. Day marked the 28th year of celebrations that began officially Jan. 20, 1986, three years after President Ronald Reagan signed the national holiday into law.

The much anticipated Coastwide Parade and Battle of the Bands started at 19th Street and 30th Avenue in Gulfport, kicking off at 11 a.m. with some numerous units that included civic organizations, churches, and bands from local high schools and college groups from across the South. Hundreds of other residents spent the day performing community service.

A cornucopia of events marked the week and weekend leading up to Monday's federal holiday, marked by closing of most government offices and an increasing number of private businesses.

Jackson County Celebrates MLK
Sun Herald MultMedia (VIDEO) Jan. 20, 2014
follow videos to see Gulfport parade

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Main article: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Beginning in 1971, cities such as Saint Louis, Missouri, and states established annual holidays to honor King.^[242] At the White House Rose Garden on November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor King. Observed for the first time on January 20, 1986, it is called Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Following President George H. W. Bush's 1992 proclamation, the holiday is observed on the third Monday of January each year, near the time of King's birthday.^[243][244] On January 17, 2000, for the first time, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was officially observed in all fifty U.S. states.^[245] Arizona (1992), New Hampshire (1999) and Utah (2000) were the last three states to recognized the holiday. Utah previously celebrated the holiday at the same time but under the name Human Rights Day.^[246]

Attorney General Hood Wants Lawsuit Against Entergy Sent Back to Court

JACKSON, Miss. — Attorney General Jim Hood is asking a federal court to send the State of Mississippi’s lawsuit against Entergy back to state court.

In its recent ruling inMississippi ex rel. Hood v. AU Optronics Corp., the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed with Attorney General Hood’s argument that cases brought by attorneys general to enforce their states’ laws should be heard in state court. The Court’s unanimous holding is significant because it reversed a decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit which said such cases should stay in federal court.

In December 2008, the Attorney General's Office was forced to file a lawsuit against Entergy on behalf of the state, charging the company with violations of the Mississippi Consumer Protection Act, the Mississippi Anti-Trust Act, Fraud and related claims.

Entergy moved the state’s lawsuit from state court to federal court. Federal Judge Henry Wingate denied the state’s motion to remand the case to state court based on the Fifth Circuit’s decision. On Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court held that the Fifth Circuit’s view of the law was incorrect. The state has now filed a motion with Judge Wingate asking him to remand the case to state court in light of the Supreme Court’s unanimous opinion.

“Entergy has already admitted to overcharging Mississippi ratepayers for power,” said Attorney General Hood. “As we argued in our motion to remand, this is a state issue and should be addressed in state court. We think it only fair, given this recent ruling clarifying the point, that we ask the Court to reconsider the remand denial.”

Attorney General Hood has asked Entergy to turn over documents about its business practices to shed some light on the way in which it operates. Entergy has refused every request.

 

Report provided by State Attorney General's Office. Contact Jan Schaefer, public information officer, at jscha@ago.state.ms.us and 601-359-2002.

Firefighters wear pink shirts to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Know the names of these men? 

Firefighters with Moss Point Fire Department observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

Names of these four Moss Point firefighters will be provided Oct. 18 for those who don't know. 

Louisiana Residents Use Cruisin' to Spend Time Together

GULFPORT -- The 2013 Cruisin' the Coast kicked off on Sunday following rains from Tropical Storm Karen, which had turned fallen apart and returned to a tropical depression by the time it hit Florida.

The weather system had put South Mississippi residents and emergency management personnel on edge for a few days as the storm system threatened to turn into at least a Category 1 hurricane that had been expected to hit somewhere between Grand Isle, La., and Indian Pass, Fla.

Tropical Storm Karen Doesn't Scare Cruisers (Sun Herald)

Cruisers were unfazed and arrived for the annual fall cruisin event headquarted in Gulfport but featuring events in several cities. Some put off their arrival about a day, but that was about the most effect on the event.

 Blaine and Tanya Covington of Walker, La., drove their 1950 Ford F1 to Cruisin' the Coast. They and his parents, Marion and Joanne Covington, took time for breakfast at McDonald's on Thursday.

A 1954 Chevrolet pickup owned by Marion and Joanne Covington of Denham, La., is among the classic vehicles during the 2013 Cruisin' the Coast in Gulfport and other cities of South Mississippi.

Joanne Covington proudly shows off her Chevrolet pickup. Cruisin' is family vacation time.
"That's our only once a year get-away," she said. "It's just fun. It's something we can all get together and do."

Justin McNamee of Shivers, Miss., just north of Hattiesburg, and his daughter Shelby along with his wife (not pictured) are enjoying their first Cruisin' the Coast this year.

"My work schedule doesn't let me come every year, but I'm gonna start coming every year," he said, while showing off his Camaro 327.

Dean, Rie, Judy Become Volunteers of Year for Time at Nursing Center

 Dean Brown and dog Judy visit with Claretha Evans and Ellen Bracks at Singing River Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. He, his wife Rie and their dog visit residents at the center on Wednesday, conduct church service on Thursday and drop in for more time on Saturday.
                                                           "This is family for us," he said.

Cindy Proske looks forward to visiting with Dean and Rie (pronounced Leah) Brown and their dog Judy during their visits to Singing River Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Moss Point. The couple and canine were named Volunteers of the Year for the Mississippi Health Care Association and were honored with a plague and dog bowl during an award luncheon in Jackson during August.

Volunteer Moss Point Couple and Labrador Judy Have Positive Impact on Nursing Center Residents

Find full story at The Mississipp Press and at www.gulflive.com