Created after Hurricane Katrina, BSL’s Depot District duck pond has something for everyone. 

- Story by Wendy Sullivan
​- photos by Wendy Sullivan and Ellis Anderson
​

There’s something exciting going on at our bird feeders this winter. Read our story to find out what surprise visitors you might find just outside your window!⁠
 
- story and photos by Dena Temple
​

Are you nursing a case of cabin fever? Here is a fun way to get rid of that “Quarantine 15” while enjoying nature and the outdoors close to home.
 
- Story by Dena Temple, photos by Dena and John Temple

With some thought and advance planning, you can prepare for the next big storm and protect what’s most important to you. We've got a complete list of resources to help. 
​
 - story by Dena Temple
​photos by Dena Temple and Ellis Anderson

Least Terns are the new celebrity neighbors on Beach Boulevard… but will they be allowed to nest here, or will they be evicted from their chosen home?
 
- Story by Dena Temple

The folks at “Keep Waveland Beautiful” aren’t afraid of big ideas – and they were determined to beautify the Waveland beach, one tree at a time.
 
- Story by Dena Temple
​- Photos by Dena Temple and Valerie Fitts

​Take a quiz to see if you can identify some of the sounds you hear during a nature walk in your neighborhood.
 
- Story by Dena Temple

More campsites, improved trails and an amphitheater are a few of the improvements slated for this hidden gem.
 
– Story and photos by Dena Temple

Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count paints a one-day portrait of bird populations – and you can help!
 
- Story by Dena Temple, photos by Dena and John Temple
​ 

​As gruesome as this sounds to today’s conservationists, this was the standard for the hobby at the turn of the 20th Century.

 
In 1900 Frank M. Chapman, an officer of the fledgling National Audubon Society, organized a new event to counter the sport-killing tradition, calling it the “Holiday Census.” The first census involved 27 counters and 25 count circles, and a total of 90 species of birds were counted. In the winter of 2017-18 a record-breaking 77,000 people participated in the annual Christmas Bird Count, tallying birds in 2,585 count circles, also a record. And roughly one-quarter of all species of birds in the world were tallied, yet another amazing feat!
 
Celebrating its 120th year, the event is still sponsored today by the National Audubon Society. “The Christmas Bird Count is a great tradition and an opportunity to be a part of 120 years of ongoing community science,” said Geoff LeBaron, Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count director, who started leading the community science effort in 1987. “Adding your observations to twelve decades of data helps scientists and conservationists discover trends that make our work more impactful.”

​ 
Here’s how it works: A circular area 15 miles in diameter is defined. This “count circle” is divided into territories, and teams of volunteers scour those territories and count every bird they see or hear. Common or rare, every single bird is important on the Christmas Bird Count!
 
After spending an invigorating day scanning fields, ponds and beaches, the teams get together for a “roundup” to compare notes, brag about interesting finds and commiserate about “the ones that got away.” It’s a great way to meet people who share your interest in the outdoors, and maybe learn a little something in the process.

​ 
There are 20 count circles in the state of Mississippi, including one in our immediate area, the Southern Hancock County circle. Counters have been tallying birds in this territory since 1976. In 2018, the 32 counters in the Southern Hancock count circle tallied 142 species of birds over the course of the count day – very impressive!
 
Participation is fun, and free. Birders with intermediate or better identification skills are particularly welcome. Beginners are usually paired with a more experienced participant, so you don’t need to be intimately familiar with your territory in order to enjoy the event.
 

 
This year, the Southern Hancock County CBC will be held on Tuesday, December 17. If you would like more information, contact the compiler, Ned Boyajian, at nedrbo@gmail.com.

After the Bonne Carré Spillway opening closed Mississippi beaches for three months this year, statewide opposition grows against a plan to make diversions permanent. 

- by Lisa Monti

 George Cavignac, executive director of nonprofit Gulf Coast Resource Coalition, told the Bay city council the plan is currently in the Corps of Engineers permitting process and is being fast-tracked. He called it an impending crisis.

​ 
“The time to act is now,” he said. “This is something that literally will wipe out the culture that is Southeast Louisiana and South Mississippi and our recreational and commercial fishing industries and tourism. It’s definitely worth fighting for."
 
The push in Hancock County to oppose the river diversion effort comes just days after Mississippi’s beaches were cleared for swimming. They were closed by the state Department of Environmental Quality because of toxic algal resulting from the opening of the Bonne Carre spillway for 123 days this year.
 
The spillway released 10 trillion gallons of Mississippi River water which GCRC says inundated Mississippi’s coastal waters, causing massive harm to the economy, fisheries and marine mammal population.
 
The proposed Mid-Breton Project is designed to release 33 million gallons of Mississippi River water per minute, though the amount can vary. The minimum flow would be 5,000 CFS (cubic feet per second) - which is 2,250,000 gallons per minute.

 
Mid-Breton backers have taken a couple of legislative moves to give the project a better chance of getting approval, but that would negatively impact marine life. Cavignac said the Louisiana group got a waiver to the Marine Mammal Protection Act passed and is now trying to amend a bill to remove the essential fish habitat environmental review that is part of the required environmental review.
 
“The project can’t sustain an environmental review. If it can’t pass the environmental impact study process, they need to either not do it or mitigate for the fisheries and tourism dollars. That would drive project out of its price range,” he said.
 
One councilman called Cavignac’s presentation “very informative and alarming.” The council voted unanimously to ask the state Congressional delegation to oppose the project and to ask the governor to oppose the issuance of a federal permit to construct the project. The Hancock supervisors took similar steps at their meeting.
 
Wendy McDonald, a candidate for Mississippi House District 122, lists opposition to the diversion plans as her number one priority in Jackson. She told the Shoofly Magazine, “We celebrate the reopening of the beaches but we’re going to have to work to keep them that way. It’s going to take all of us pulling together.”
 
For more information, go to https://gulfcoastresource.org.

There are many Fido-friendly establishments in Bay St. Louis - and we've compiled a comprehensive list for our furry friends.

- story by Denise Jacobs
​

 While Mississippi coast is not known for its dog-friendly beaches, the beaches of Bay St. Louis and Waveland are an exception to the rule. Enjoy your romp in the water. Then, when surf time is over and Rover has shaken the salt from his coat, simply snap a leash on your canine companion and enjoy a walk along our sandy beaches, where dogs are welcome, day or night.
 
When you’ve exhausted the surf and sand, and your ice bucket is empty, head into town for some refreshment, and bring Fido along.
 

 
At the Mockingbird Café, a favorite watering hole at 110 Second Street, guests can enjoy Coast Roast coffee specialties, extraordinary biscuits, the award-winning Mockingburger, or hearty pub fare — all on the shady outdoor wrap-around porch and patio. Dogs are also welcome in the outdoor stage area, home of the Atticus Finch Night Market, nestled between the Mockingbird Café and Smith & Lens.
 

The back patio at the Parrot Head Bar & Grill (inside Bodega at 111 Court Street), where beloved chef Rickey Peters serves up Cajun favorites, is another favorite hangout you can share with your pooch.  Pop Brothers (111 Main Street), the go-to place for gourmet popsicles, even makes pops for pups.

The Buttercup on Second Street (112 North Second Street), the popular local breakfast/lunch eatery, welcomes dogs on the porch and patio, and your server is always happy to bring a bowl of fresh water for Fido. At 200 North Beach, patrons can enjoy food, drinks, and a beach view while dining with their dog on the deck.
 

The motto of the historic Sycamore House Restaurant (210 Main Street) is “Come casual, we supply the elegance.” “Casual” includes your dog at this fine dining establishment if you sit on their oak-shaded patio in back, where you can order up gourmet pizza.
 
Lulu’s on Main (126 Main Street) is a breakfast and lunch spot with a large screened-in side porch that welcomes dogs; The Ugly Pirate (144 DeMontluzin Avenue) and The Blind Tiger (119 North Beach) are also dog-friendly, with outdoor seating and, at The Blind Tiger, a lovely marina view.
 

When in doubt about a shop’s openness to dogs, it is best to poke your head inside and ask if it’s alright to bring your dog inside. In my experience as a dog owner here in the Bay, most shops try to accommodate.
 
In fact, while shopping for antiques, art, home decor, apparel, or gifts, beachcombers and landlubbers alike will most likely be pleasantly surprised by the welcome their four-legged friends receive.
 
Gallery 220 (220 Main Street), keeps a full bowl of fresh water on hand for the pooches. If you’re lucky, Egypt, the shop dog at California Drawstrings (216 Main Street), may greet you at the door. In December, California Drawstrings offers photos with Santa and your dog as a benefit for the Hancock County Animal Shelter.

​Just across the street, The French Potager (213 Main Street) welcomes pups, while at Social Chair (201 Main Street), doggie treats are kept behind the counter and shared with canine customers.  Magnolia Antiques (200 Main Street) is dog-friendly, with two local dogs and their owner dropping in each day to visit, making their daily Old Town rounds. 

Thirsty pups can always count on a bowl of fresh water at The Shops at Century Hall, 112 South Second Street. Janice Guido, shopkeeper at Bay Life Gifts, is one of several pet-loving proprietors within Century Hall with two shelter cats at home. JoAnn Saucier, The Porch, also at Century Hall, owns four shelter puppies.
 
“We love our pets at Century Hall,” she says.
  
Bay Town Inn (208 North Beach Blvd.) comes highly recommended as a dog-friendly place to stay. The realtors at H. L. Raymond Properties, 529 Ulman Avenue, let dogs weigh-in on the properties considered by prospective buyers (owner/broker Holly Lemoine Raymond is known for her work on behalf of the Hancock Animal Shelter).
​

 
Bay Hide Away RV Park and Campground, 8360 Lakeshore Road, recently installed a fenced-in dog park for its campers.
 
Not everyone appreciates the dog-friendly trend. With that in mind, I include this Chicago Tribune article for the rules it provides for shopping with Fido. Good behavior can be a dog-lover’s best defense.
 
One of the best pieces of advice I ever found on the topic of dogs in traditionally human spaces — source long forgotten — is to always remind our pets to keep their voices down while talking on cell phones.

​While 16 species of hummingbirds breed in the Northern Hemisphere, there is only one species that regularly inhabits our area, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The male is an iridescent green with a white underside and a red gorget (throat). As light is reflected off the gorget, it appears a fiery red; out of direct light, it appears dark.

​With wings that beat about 70 times per second, hummingbirds can indeed hover as well as fly backwards and upside down. They are interesting to watch and worthwhile to attract to your yard.
 
There is no trick or special formula to attract hummingbirds. You just need to understand that all living things require three things to survive: food, shelter, and water. If you provide those things for hummingbirds, they will visit your yard, too.
 
First, let’s talk food. Hummingbirds subsist on a combination of insects and the nectar from tubular-shaped flowers. While you probably won’t be able to set up an insect diner for the hummers, supplying nectar is as simple as putting out a hummingbird feeder.
 
The feeder needn’t be fancy, or expensive; most wild bird stores and many garden centers have inexpensive feeders available. When selecting a feeder, be sure to choose one that is easy to clean, because you’ll be cleaning it often. My personal favorite is the Aspects Mini HummZinger (shown). It is extremely easy to clean and fill, and it comes with a lifetime warranty. 
​

​Fill the feeder with a nectar solution made from one part sugar to four parts water. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to boil the mixture; just stir until the sugar dissolves. Mix only as much nectar as you need at that moment.

And please, don’t use commercially available nectar formulations from the home center. They cost a fortune and include red dye and other unnecessary chemicals that may negatively affect your little lodgers. Hang your feeder in a semi-sheltered location such as under the eaves of the house, if possible, to keep rain water from contaminating the nectar.
 
Clean your feeders often – at least once a week in cool weather, and more often in warmer weather. If the nectar looks cloudy or shows any mold growth, it’s past time to clean.
 
The usual reason for lack of success in attracting hummers is setting out the feeder too late in the spring. Reports are already coming in from neighboring communities that the first hummers are back!

​Males return first to stake out breeding territories. If they find your feeder and the area looks safe, one may take up residence. In a week or two the females will return, looking for love – and an attractive territory.
 
The right food plants can also make your yard more attractive to hummers. If you are planning on adding to your landscape, you might want to keep these plants in mind. (See list at the end of this article.)
​

​Shelter is the second requirement for attracting hummingbirds. If you have numerous trees and shrubs on your property, the birds have plenty of places to construct a nest or hide from predators.
 
Water is the third requirement. A simple birdbath can be constructed from almost anything – a plate, a trash can lid (clean it first, please), a shallow plastic bowl. Again, be sure to keep the birdbath clean and shallowly filled.
 
In our area, your first guest should appear in early March. You may not see regular activity at your hummingbird feeder for quite some time while the birds establish their territories.

​Once you start seeing the birds, note how territorial they are: One male will not allow another to use “his” feeder. If you hang more than one feeder, try to locate them so that they are not in direct view of each other, so one male cannot monopolize two feeders.
 
Do not be surprised if your “guests” disappear several times during the summer season. When their favorite flowers bloom, they will feed only from the flowers, rejecting your finest offering. Don’t worry; they’ll be back.
 
Also, breeding activity may keep them from being active in the garden. But just wait: if you provide them with suitable nesting habitat, you can enjoy watching the young hummers cavort around your hard all summer long, until they begin their southbound migration in September. Their games are enchanting to watch.

As autumn approaches, you will see less and less of your guests as they begin their long migration to the tropics. You have helped make this trip possible by supplying them with the energy they need for this arduous trip. Do not be sad at their leaving; if all goes well, the same birds may reappear next year.

Fall is the time to double up on your feeders; you will probably need to refill them daily to keep up with demand.  Then, as hummers migrate south from the rest of North America, get ready for Invasion of the Migrants! An entire continent’s worth of hummers will stream past, pausing before making the arduous trip across the Gulf of Mexico.

​The amazing video above was taken at a Waveland feeder in mid-September. Keep your eyes open for rare migrating Western hummingbirds that occasionally lose their way and end up along the Gulf Coast.
 
Hummingbirds make an attractive and interesting addition to any summer garden. It is well worth your while to invite them to spend their summer vacation at your “resort,” where they fascinate and captivate. All it takes is a few pennies’ worth of sugar – and a little patience.

A giddy newcomer and seasoned bird-watcher finds a wildlife bonanza here on the Gulf Coast.
- story by Dena Temple

Black Skimmer feeds by dragging its lower mandible through the water, trolling for fish.
​

“Tu-a-wee!” A flock of Eastern Bluebirds frolicked in the front yard.
 
Yes, we are birders. Bird-brains. Bird nerds! In fact, our fascination with feathered fauna helped drive our southern migration. And as birders, we weren’t looking for a home so much as a “habitat.”

​​The pretty brick house on the tracks in Waveland fit the bill perfectly – lots of land bordered by dense woods, near a bayou. We signed the papers just before Thanksgiving, and by Turkey Day we were unpacking our binoculars and setting up feeding stations.
 
We’re also a little competitive. And by “little,” I mean very. We compete with other bird nerds to see how many species of birds we can ID in our yards. We re-started our 2018 list when we moved to Waveland – and by the time the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve, our list stood at an astounding 52 species. In five weeks!

​While all seasons along the Coast provide excellent opportunities for wildlife-watching, perhaps the best kept secret is the diversity here in the winter.
​

Joining the resident species of the Gulf are thousands of birds that spend their summers breeding farther north. As lakes and bays freeze over, species that rely on aquatic habitat are forced to head south.
 
In addition, land birds that eat insects must migrate to follow the food source. So, while spring and fall offer the best variety because of the migratory birds passing along the Mississippi Flyway, winter birding delights savvy Gulf Coast residents who are “in the know.” 
​

​​Gulls, terns and particularly shorebirds flock to the Gulf beaches, much like our snowbirds do, for the Gulf’s agreeable climate and excellent dining. Everyone eats seafood along the Coast!
 
Ducks, too, migrate south for the winter. Many only go as far as necessary to find unfrozen water, so they can find food. Some, however, make their way to our coastline and local ponds.
 
Commonly seen from our beaches are Bufflehead, tiny black ducks with white bonnet-like caps, and Common Loons, looking drab in their “basic” winter plumage.
 

​One of my favorite places to look for birds is the Washington Street Pier in Bay St. Louis. What makes any location excellent for birds is habitat diversity, and this spot has it.
 
Along the beach you’ll see lots of terns, gulls and shorebirds. Try to pick out the Willet, a large shorebird with drab, brown plumage – until he flies, revealing a distinctive and brilliant white wing stripe.

​​Walking to the end of the pier, scan the water for the aforementioned ducks, along with Horned Grebes, which are common in the Sound in the winter, and Red-breasted Mergansers, ducks with a distinctive dagger-like bill. 
​

​​Next, scan the rocks at the pier for Ruddy Turnstone, a medium-sized shorebird with orange legs and an unusually patterned chest. Perhaps you’ll get lucky and spot a Purple Sandpiper in the rocks, a rare visitor from the North.
 
While you’re out there, scan the distant skies for the beautiful white Northern Gannett, a large, graceful booby-like bird that nests on island cliffs but spends its entire winter over the water.
 
Back on land, patiently check the dune grass for birds like Marsh Wren, sparrows and Scaly-breasted Munia, a non-native, pet-shop escapee that has been spotted here recently.
 
There are many places along the Gulf Coast where beginners and pros alike can enjoy looking at, and learning about, birds. 
​

​A great source is the Mississippi Coast Audubon Society, which hosts mostly free field trips to various locations in the area. Attending one of these trips is a great way to meet like-minded people, increase your local knowledge, and learn about conservation and habitat protection.
 
If you’d rather strike out on your own, you can find information on the website for the Mississippi Coastal Birding Trail . The website identifies more than 40 prime birding locations in the six southern counties of Mississippi. It’s a great resource, and I’ll be working my way through that list myself.
 
If you are the type who likes to volunteer, there are opportunities through both MCAS and the National Audubon Society for winter shorebird monitoring.
 
Also coming up February 15-19 is the Great Backyard Bird Count, which encourages individuals to count birds in their own backyards (or a local park or hotspot), then report your findings online through a special website, www.birdsource.org. The event is held over Presidents Day weekend, which may give you an extra day to venture out and enjoy what our area has to offer.

This outdoor music fest in Kiln, Mississippi offers a stellar line-up, a pristine natural setting, and a rural location that's easily reached from several metro areas. 
- story by LB Kovac

That's changing now, thanks to the Sugar Magnolia Music Festival. Now in its second year, the event seeks to bring everything we’re missing out on to the Mississippi coast – top music acts, delicious food, and a pristine rural setting with the ability to camp on-site, in either tents or RVs with hookups.  

Mike Rosato and his Bay Rat Productions team are behind this festival. And Rosato says that this “brackish mix” of Mississippi and Louisiana culture dubbed “Sugar Mag,” scheduled for November 9-11 at the Hancock County Fairgrounds in Kiln, is sure to get the hearts of all attendees pumping.

But the fun doesn’t stop at the music. “Honestly, events like Sugar Magnolia are more about a total experience rather than a stand-alone concert or festival that is focused on any one band, food or artist. It’s the whole kaleidoscope of sights, sounds and smells and interactions,” Rosato says.

“For those who have never been, there is something very friendly, primal and relaxing about going to a music festival,” says Rosato.

In the vein of festivals like Burning Man and Bonnaroo, about half of the Sugar Mag’s festival attendees camp out for the weekend. “Bring your RV and set it up,” says Rosato.  And if you don’t have an RV, you can always rent one.

Primitive tent camping (with no hook-ups) is included in the ticket prices.  Advance tickets are only $35 for one day and $55 for the weekend.  Advance ticket prices even include tent camping without hookups (there are free shower facilities on-site). RV hookups are available for those who want more luxe accommodations for the weekend.  An advance weekend camping pass with hook-ups - which includes two tickets - is just $140.  Purchase tickets online here).  

“Sharing the weekend with your friends and enjoying the entire experience together… It’s like the best tailgate party of your life but you don’t have to go home if you don’t want to!” says Rosato.

And if you’re in the half that is not the camping type, then you still have plenty of options. There are lots of nearby hotels and home rentals. And home is probably just a short drive away.

“Kiln…is NOT in the middle of nowhere," says Rosato, "But rather in the middle of everywhere! New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Jackson, Hattiesburg, Biloxi, Mobile, and Pensacola are all far enough to leave your worries back home, but close enough to run back to if you need to.”

​The music will play throughout the day in this weekend community, with special late night shows as well.

“Samantha Fish, Raw Oyster Cult, Russel Batiste and Friends and The Dustbowl Revival are leading an amazingly talented lineup,” said Rosato.

Fish, a Blues protégé, debuted her latest album, Belle of the West¸ in the Number 1 spot on the Billboard Blues Albums charts just last year. That album went on to win the Best Blues Album at last year’s Best of the Beat Awards.

And Los Angeles-based The Dustbowl Revival, with their unique brand of vintage Americana sound, has been generating a lot of buzz. Under the direction of Grammy Award-winning producer Tedd Hutt, their latest self-titled album got them a resounding recommendation from Rolling Stones reviewer Rob Sheffield.

New Orleans jam bands The Iceman Special and The Quickening, as well local R&B group 'Sippiana Soul, are just a few of the other outstanding acts scheduled for the vibrant 3-day weekend. Everyone can find a band to sing to all night.
​

Away from the stage, the Bay Rat Productions team pulled out all of the stops, bringing Southern flair to every aspect of the festival. Big Wil and the Warden will serve up all your Southern fried favorites; an oyster bar will be on hand - in the middle of oyster season, no less; and the festival bars will be stocked with local micro brew beers and specialty drinks spiked with spirits from Louisiana and Mississippi distilleries.

Great music, good food, and friends you haven’t met yet, will all be just a short drive (or a short camp) away come the weekend of November 9/10.  This Southern-stewed music fest offers it all.  

For more information and tickets, go to the Sugar Magnolia Fest website.

Golf carts have escaped the boundaries of the greens and become a popular form of neighborhood transportation - and parade vehicle.  We've got the new Bay St. Louis & Waveland ordinances designed to keep you safe on the go.  
- story by Denise Jacobs, photos by Ellis Anderson 

According to the legislation, this definition is met by “any four-wheeled electric or gasoline-powered vehicle that has a top speed greater than 20 miles-per-hour but less than 25 miles-per-hour and is equipped with safety equipment as required under 49 CFR [Federal Code of Regulations} Section 571.500." 

This means the vehicle must be equipped with things like head and tail lights, brake lights, front and rear turn signals, mirrors, a windshield and a parking brake and more (read the complete list here).  

UPDATE:  This story was published August 1, the BSL Police Department released the flyer below August 15:  

 Who can operate a golf cart?
Golf cart operators must possess a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance. 
 
Where can you drive your golf cart? 
As a rule of thumb, golf carts are allowed on public roads and streets with a speed limit of 25 miles-per-hour or less. 
 
Can you cross higher speed limit roads?  For instance, what if you live in Bay St. Louis on the north side of Highway 90 and want to travel via golf cart to the Second Saturday Artwalk festivities in Old Town? 

According to Senate Bill 3055 and the Bay's new ordinance 627-06-2018, golf carts may not be operated on U.S. 40, Highway 90, or Highway 603. However, golf carts may cross U.S. Highway 90 at the following signalized intersections in Bay St. Louis:

• Highway 90 and Beach Boulevard 

• Highway 90 and Dunbar Avenue
• Highway 90 Main Street/Blue Meadow Road
• Highway 90 and Drinkwater Road 
• Highway 90 and Washington Street
• Highway 90 and Bouslog Street

According to Waveland City Council Ordinance NO. 374, passed on July 3, 2018, golf carts will be allowed only "within the residential areas above and below Highway 90" with the exclusion of: ​

• all of U.S. Highway 90; 
• all of Kiln-Waveland Cutoff; 
• all of Highway 603 from the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Waveland Avenue to Maple Street; and 
• from the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Nicholson Avenue to Jeff Davis Avenue

State legislation mandates that golf carts must be registered.  According to the Waveland ordinance, registration should be made through the City of Waveland Police Department and requires a $50.00 payment to the City of Waveland.  Check with the BSL Police Department for details on registration. 

Upon payment and registration, the City will provide applicants with a handy-dandy map of public roads on which golf carts can operate along with a registration decal that must be displayed on the left rear fender of the vehicle.  The registration is good as long as the registering owner owns the golf cart. 

Now, back to the parade - because we can never get too far from parades in the Bay:

Section 2 of Senate Bill 3055 stipulates that “Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, when operated by a person participating in a parade permitted by the city, low-speed vehicles and golf carts may be operated on the permitted route of the parade while participating in the parade.”  Go Mystic Krewe! 

Golf Cart Parade Checklist:

• Golf cart registered
• Registration decal is visible on the vehicle 
• Drivers license & registration in vehicle
• Headlights work
• Brake lights work
• Turn signals work
• Windshield is clean 
• Golf cart is bedecked & bedazzled according to season and theme

A-OK! Good to go! 

It's hard to keep coast residents and their pets indoors - even in mid-summer.  Longtime dog owner and daily walker Lisa Monti offers savvy advice to stay cool and safe. 
- story by Lisa Monti

My dog walking starts earlier in the summer and my bike rides are shorter when the heat really bears down like it did recently. We were only three days into official summertime this year when the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory June 24 warning of a heat index of 105 to 109 scorching degrees. 
 
The combination of hot temps and high humidity can cause heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but you can take simple precautions such as drinking plenty of fluids, staying in an air-conditioned room and generally staying out of the sun. 
 
If you are spending time outside, take extra precautions like rescheduling your activities for early morning or evening, wearing light, loose fitting clothes and drinking plenty of water.  If you’re working outdoors, OSHA recommends that you take a lot of breaks either in the shade or inside an air-conditioned place. Call 911 if you or someone else feels overcome by heat. ​

Pet owners should keep an eye on their dogs and other animals during hot weather as well. Make sure they have plenty of fresh clean water (in containers protected from the sun) and a shady place to help keep them cool. The ASPCA also advises to take care not to over-exercise your pets and keep them indoors when it’s extremely hot.
 
If you’re walking your dog outdoors, the same basic safety rules apply to dogs.  Exercise early or in the evening. If you’re out in the mid-day heat, walk in shaded areas so they don’t burn their paws on hot asphalt.  Test pavement for heat by pressing your palm against it for seven seconds.  If it’s too hot for your hand, it will burn your dog’s paws.  If the air temperature is 87 degrees, the asphalt is 143 degrees. An egg fries in five minutes at 131F. ​

​Some symptoms of overheating in pets, according to the ASPCA, are excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. And, of course, don’t ever leave a pet in a vehicle in the heat.  In just a few minutes, the interior temperature of a closed car can shoot up.  It may be a moderately hot 80 degrees outside,  but in just 10 minutes, it’ll be 99 degrees inside a vehicle in 10 minutes and a deadly 114 in 30 minutes.

 
If you’re dog walking, you can get creative finding shade in some local spots, like the old City Park shoofly on Second Street or one of the local restaurants with outside seating (the porch and sideyard of the Mockingbird Café are local favorites. If you prefer a spot beachside, the pavilion at Washington Street offers benches along with breezes off the water.
 
If you’re poochless, you have even more options.  The library is the perfect place to comfortably spend some cool, quiet time on a summer day and so is a local health club. 
 
Bike riders (and walkers) can find shady stretches on streets and lots of good places to take a water break around town. I like riding down Third Street, from Washington to Bay Oaks Drive and loop back around. There’s plenty of shade in spots on both sides of Third as well as some less traveled blocks between Main and Ulman and on the grounds of the Depot.
 
Staying safe outdoors in the grip of summertime takes a bit of preparation but it’s worth the effort to enjoy exercising, socializing and keeping a spoiled dog happy between now and October.

A savvy entrepreneur and nature lover finds that making camping easy for others isn't just fun - it's a growing business.  Meet Kristine Lyons of Gulf Coast Camper Rentals.
- story by Lisa Monti, photos courtesy GCCR

Kristine Lyons has held on to fond childhood memories of family camping trips to Buccaneer State Park, exploring nature trails and pulling in fish and crabs on the seawall with her brother.

Those special memories were so strong that she wanted her own kids to have similar experiences, so Lyons continued the tradition of camping at Buccaneer with them as they grew up.

Lyons knew that the camping tradition was successfully passed when her daughter asked to go camping on a visit home from college. But there was a hitch.
​

“I had just sold my camper, and when we started looking for one to rent we couldn’t find one. I ended up buying one,” she said. Always the entrepreneur, Lyons decided on that very camping trip to start renting her new rig to help make payments on it. That was in late 2014 and in short order Gulf Coast Camper Rentals was officially in business.

A Facebook page and word of mouth quickly attracted customers, so she doubled down on inventory based on high demand. “I bought another one and it stayed booked. Then two more,” Lyons said.  “Once I got to six I quit my day job. Selling furniture wasn’t my thing anyway,”  she said.

Today there are 13 2017-2018 model campers for rent in an assortment of sizes for $120 to $155 a night with a two-night minimum.  The largest can comfortably accommodate four adults and four children.
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But Lyons takes it one step further by offering delivery and set up of the campers at several campsites in Hancock County and beyond. Her brother, Robert Miller, and his wife, Michelle, take care of delivery and pick up, servicing and cleaning up everything when you’re headed back home. 

Yes, all the renters have to do is show up and, well, camp. “That’s what we do the best,” she said of the unique delivery, set up and pick up service. “We’re living in a society where nobody has enough time. They would rather me do the work so they can just show up and have fun. Our motto is, ‘We do the work, You enjoy the adventure!’ ”

Locally, Gulf Coast Camper Rentals sets up at Buccaneer State Park, long Mississippi’s most popular state park, McLeod Park, the campsites connected to the Silver Slipper Casino and Hollywood Casino and nearby Flint Creek in Stone County. The convenience will cost you an additional $85 for locations in Hancock County. Farther afield you pay by the mile.

Lately they have set up for campers at the new Reunion Lake facility in Robert, La., as well as at popular campgrounds in Lumberton and throughout Louisiana and over to Gulf Shores, Ala., and Destin, Fla.

Lyons said the campers aren’t used strictly for camping. They’re popular with participants at festivals, Cruising the Coast, ATV events and the annual Gulf Coast Winter Classic horse show in Harrison County. “People use them for mother-in-law suites in their yard and for weddings. Film companies use them when they’re shooting commercials and just to hang out in.”

She’s also thinking about adding some special packages for honeymooners and customized services customers may request. 

“We’re flexible. We just want you to have good time.”

It seems that when people get a taste of camping, they enjoy it enough to want to do it again and that means plenty of repeat business for Gulf Coast Camper Rentals. “Some of our best customers owned campers in the past and are not interested in owning one now. They want to camp a couple of times a year and renting is cheaper.”

The success of the camper rentals led Lyons to buy a building on Highway 603 and open a camper store which is stocked with camper parts and supplies, everything from water hoses to backup cameras. 
​

“We’re doing camper service now too,” she said. She and her brother are newly certified recreational vehicle inspectors available for those looking to invest in an RV. “We’re trying to be a one-stop shop,” Lyons said.

And she’s keeping the family camping tradition going these days by taking her grandchildren camping at Buccaneer. “Basically, camping is making memories. Even the most miserable times we had camping we still laugh about today.


Gulf Coast Camper Rentals
10381 Highway 603, Suite A
Bay Saint Louis, MS 39520
228-463-3200
Email: info@gulfcoastcampers.com

A state monitoring program tests the waters of the Mississippi coast and issues advisories if needed.  What are they testing for and where?  We have the info and the links to make it easy to check before you swim. 
- story by Lisa Monti

​Doug Upton, chief of MDEQ’s field service division that does all monitoring across state, said the water samples are collected at least once a week by staffers at MDEQ’s regional office in Biloxi. The samples are analyzed at a private lab in Ocean Springs and results are typically reported in 24 hours.
 
What they’re looking for is Enterococci bacteria, which Upton calls “an indicator organism” that signals pollution caused by stormwater runoff, wildlife, boating waste or sewer overflows. High winds and heavy rainfall can also increase bacteria levels in our coastal waters. That’s why the Beach Task Force recommends not swimming during or within 24 hours of significant rainfall.

​When Enterococci bacteria levels exceed federal water quality standards in two consecutive samplings, MDEQ will issue an advisory using warning signs at the beach location itself and through the news media and social media. The goal is to let people know that if they come in contact with the contaminated water, there is a higher risk of infections of the ear, eye, skin and respiratory system. Gastrointestinal illness and even meningitis and hepatitis could occur through water contact.
 
You can still enjoy the sand beach section but, MDEQ says, you swim at your own risk.
 
The advisory is lifted after two daily samples show acceptable levels.
 
Very seldom does MDEQ issue beach closures, Upton said. “We do from time to time have sewage releases into the Sound from infrastructure failures. Then we will immediately issue an advisory and out of an abundance of caution, we make the advisory area probably bigger than it should be and assess the impact and monitor it daily until the threat is no longer there.”

Warmer weather also brings concerns about Vibrio or “flesh eating” bacteria, which multiply as water temperatures rise, the same time more people are swimming and boating. Upton said MDEQ doesn’t monitor for Vibrio bacteria because those bacteria exist naturally in brackish waters and they are not linked to pollution.
 
Upton said MDEQ puts great emphasis on its beach monitoring public notification system and website which contains current and historic data going back to 2000 for its sampling locations. The public can sign up to receive email notifications, automatic text messages and Twitter blasts about the beach advisories.
 
“The whole emphasis for beach monitoring is to make sure beachgoers know the condition of the water they will be swimming in,” he said.
 
To receive beach advisories, send an email to rwilbur@mdeq.ms.gov, text "MDEQbeach" to 95577, or follow MDEQ on Twitter: @MDEQ.

A committee of dedicated Chamber volunteers is offering a series of fascinating public workshops to help raise awareness on what it takes to be a "Smart Community." 
- story by LB Kovac

Allison Anderson is a founder and one of the architects behind unabridged Architecture; she was also the first LEEDs-accredited professional in the entire state of Mississippi (LEEDS - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - is a nationally recognized design standard).

​Her portfolio ranges from small-scale residential remodels to macro commercial redevelopments, but much of her practice incorporates her community-driven approach. 

Anderson’s been a member of the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce Greenways and Scenic Byways Committee for more than twenty-three years and has a long history of volunteerism and advocacy in the county. 

“[As a city], you might want to be big enough to support a community college. How big is that?” she asks. “What does that town look like?”

Anderson’s eye for the bigger picture led her to develop “Smart Communities,” a series of lectures sponsored by the committee and spanning the year that highlights the powers shaping today’s communities. Anderson said, “The point of the conversations is to educate people on these ideas and open up the conversation to a larger group of people.” 

The first lecture, given by leading economic development specialist Knox Ross, asked what communities could do to grow smarter. Some of the advice Ross gave might seem obvious, such as investing in local businesses, having a distinctive character and considering the role every individual plays in the community. But maybe less obvious? Moving your business a few blocks over.

“Good communities have to have these dense urban cores,” said Anderson. These cores help support small businesses, restaurants, culture, and a city’s night life, but they are often not ideal spaces for a new business. At some point, she said, “We have to look at places where our community can support new development.” 

And, we have to think about the painful possibility of disaster. Much of the Mississippi coast is located on a 100-year flood plain. Anderson said, “Every home in our area has a 1-in-4 chance of flooding over the life of a mortgage.”

Rather than implementing the costly services necessary to support people in emergencies, communities need to consider retreating from the areas at the most risk.

“Katrina was a watershed moment for us,” said Anderson. Unabridged had just finished two projects before the hurricane and only one survived. “The guesthouse we had just finished was completely erased. It didn’t make it a month. And it was built to the same code as our office. A few blocks distance was really the only difference.” 

The next lecture, given by Anderson Kim Architecture & Urban Design principal designer  R. John Anderson on February 16, focuses on the mathematics of city planning. He specializes in urban strategy and will help explain why two businesses only a few miles apart can pay wildly different property taxes. 

Other lectures planned for the year include a presentation by the Stennis Institute, a discussion on urban waterways, and a presentation by Mississippi Power on smart ways to incorporate power in communities.

​Many aspects of “smart communities” will be explored at the series, which are all scheduled to take place at the Bay St. Louis Library. You can find updates on topics and lecture times at the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce website.

“There are a wide range of opinions about the right way to design, the right direction for our community,” said Anderson. “We want to take the temperature of the people. This is a chance for everyone to become part of the conversation.” 




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We rarely glimpse these nocturnal neighbors, but when we do, it's another reason to appreciate life on the coast.  Find out what makes these critters good neighbors and ways you can help offset shrinking wildlife habitat.  
- story by LB Kovac and Ellis Anderson 

• Four friends in an SUV are heading out to dinner at a restaurant.  It’s just after dark.  They pull up to a stop sign at St. Charles Ave., when one notices movement in the wood strip just ahead where the road curves.  It’s a fox! they breathe in awe, sitting at the stop sign, the headlights illuminating the creature.  Time stretches, as they watch it watch them.  Finally, the fox slips into the underbrush and vanishes.  The friends drive on, understanding they’ve been gifted by nature on this night.  ​​

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​One of the charms of Bay St. Louis is that the humans coexist with an astonishing variety of wildlife.  Bald eagles and foxes, owls and ospreys, turtles and pelicans, squirrels and geckos and possums and raccoons – to name only a few. 

In fact, Mississippi is home to a substantial number of land mammals alone: 63. For reference, the Magnolia state beats Louisiana, the state closest in land size, by 11 species. Some of our furry neighbors, like the gray squirrel or the eastern cottontail, are a welcome sight no matter where you see them--be it on a nature trail or in your own backyard.

Yet some people may be dubious about critters like foxes, raccoons and opossums, critters important to the delicate Mississippi ecosystem.

Missy Dubuisson, owner of Vancleave-based wildlife rescue organization Wild at Heart, says that these are some of the animals her organization most often sees. She says, “we receive calls from federal, state and local law officers, and the general public” on a regular basis.

Dubuisson has been rehabilitating animals since she was a little girl growing up in Pass Christian. Her love for wild animals, especially America’s only marsupial, has earned her the nickname “the Possum Queen.” 

According to Dubuisson, some homeowners erroneously believe that opossums, raccoons and foxes are aggressive or carry infectious diseases like rabies.  Both turn out to be myths.
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“Many people see a possum and they think they’re going to attack. That’s not going to happen,” Dubuisson promises. She goes on to explain that they’ll only get aggressive if they’re on the defense.  “Rightly so.”

As for rabies?   The state has been surprisingly rabies-free for the past fifty years.  According to the Mississippi Department of Health, “Land animal rabies is rare in Mississippi. Since 1961, only a single case of land animal rabies (a feral cat in 2015) has been identified in our state.” Experts found that the cat had contracted rabies after being bitten, not by another land mammal, but by a bat.

Possums, foxes and raccoons mostly live invisibly alongside humans in urban or semi-suburban areas like Bay-Waveland. All three creatures are dubbed opportunistic eaters.  Possums feed on everything from roaches to slugs. Raccoons have a varied diet too, eating crawfish to berries.  Much of a fox’s fare consists of invertebrates, like grasshoppers and caterpillars. 

Fortunately for their human neighbors, all three eagerly devour nuisance rodents.  The fox, in particular, is valued for its superlative ability to catch rats and mice. 

But as more lots and wooded areas are cleared for development along the coast, the habitat for native wildlife is rapidly disappearing.  The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has several programs in place to offset shrinking habitats by encouraging individuals and communities to create new ones.   

​Individuals can participate with the 40-year-old program, Garden for Wildlife.  This step-by-step program guides homeowners in transforming an ordinary yard into a haven for birds and mammals that we love to watch.  NWF even offers a certification once their checklist has been fulfilled.  Signage celebrates the efforts and encourages neighbors to do likewise. 

Schools, college campuses and place of worship also have wildlife habitat programs, tailored specifically for them.  Entire cities, like Bay St. Louis or Waveland, can apply to be official Wildlife Habitat Communities.  In addition to practicing more sustainable, nature-friendly lifestyles that benefit both humans and animals, these communities receive positive national recognition. 

If Bay St. Louis or Waveland chose to participate, we’d be in good company:  Disney’s Epcot Center is a showcase Habitat Community.  As is the Denver Zoo.  And in Maryland, “Baltimore Gas and Electric has created habitats along its power line rights of way.” 

For more information on participating, click on the links above.  In the meantime savor another sighting: 

• Driving home from a college class in New Orleans one night, a woman crosses the tracks at Ballentine, heading toward the beach.  The moon is full, so movement in a vacant field catches her eye.  She stops the car.  Two foxes freeze, their coats of red glowing, even in the blue moonlight.  The human and animals regard each other calmly.  There’s no fear on either part, only recognition as fellow beings sharing this extraordinary place and time.  When the foxes decide they have better things to do, they move on out of sight.  The woman slowly drives on toward her home, understanding that this brief encounter will be treasured for the rest of her days.  ​