What's Up, Waveland? December 2022

Read about the Waveland holiday parade on December 17, the December 6 election results, and updates on the new Coleman Avenue development.
 
- by Bruce Northridge 

Waveland has a long history of holiday events, like this Festival of Lights event in 2016. Photo from our Shoofly Magazine archives, by Ellis Anderson.

December 17 Santa Express Parade
 
The announcement for a Waveland holiday event was late in coming, but during the first week of December, plans for a holiday parade were announced. The Santa Express Parade takes place on Coleman Avenue, starting at 5 pm. Children will be able to meet and greet Santa – and tell him their hearts’ desires – at the Town Green afterward. 

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Photo opportunities will be offered, along with hot chocolate, popcorn, and cookies to help fuel the good cheer! 

 
Then at 6 pm, a holiday movie will be shown.
 
This free, family event is being sponsored by the City of Waveland, the Waveland Fire Department, Moss Towing, and Coast Electric Association. 
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 Waveland Election Results 

 
The people of Waveland went to the polls on Tuesday, December 6 on a beautiful sunny day. It was a true picture of democracy in action. Candidates set up tents, chairs, and tables all along Coleman Avenue and stayed there all day greeting voters.
 
Two seemingly contradictory words capture the result – “change” and “balance.”
 
The change is marked by a new mayor and two new members of the Board of Aldermen. The balance is indicated by the board having two continuing members along with the two new aldermen.
 
The two continuing aldermen are:

• Shane Lafontaine (who ran unopposed in Ward 3)
• Bobby Richardson (who got 242 votes to challenger Clarence Harris’s 125 in Ward 2)

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The new members are:

• Rhonda Aime Gamble, who won in Ward 1 with 324 votes (beating Cheryl Crosby Tenney who got 173 and Matthew Adams who got 44). Her paralegal experience is just one of the many attributes she’s bringing to the Board.

 

• In Ward 4, Jeremy Clark garnered 136 votes, to edge out Gary Catalano’s 72 and Lynn Smith’s 22 votes. Jeremy is head of admissions at St. Stanislaus.

 
Wavelanders are eager to see what this new blend of experience on the Board brings us.
 

At the Mayor’s position, Jay Trapani gained the vote of over a thousand Waveland voters. His 1,030 outdistanced Micah Tinkler (212) and Brice Phillips (62). Waveland voters are eager to see the ways that Jay’s business background will help the city.
 
In fact, the Hancock Chamber is helping us get to know our new Mayor by hosting a Meet-the-Mayor-Elect Coffee Call next Thursday, December 15 at 9 am at the Silver Slipper’s Blue Bayou Bar & Grill. It’s an excellent way to show support for our new leadership in Waveland!
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 P&Z Green-lights New Waveland Development
 
At the November 14 Waveland Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, the board considered the new Coleman Avenue development.

Artist's rendering "The Waveland," the development plan which came before the Planning & Zoning Commission in November.

 
Developer Shane Bernard was present at the meeting, requesting a variance on the number of parking spaces required for the development. Members of the public and some officials expressed gratitude that someone was finally taking the first step toward redeveloping Coleman Avenue. Others thanked Bernard for the choice of the development’s name: The Waveland.
 
After much discussion, the variance passed. It also came to light at the meeting that a 15,000 square-foot parcel just to the north of the development was recently purchased by the city and will be set aside for parking.
 
To read our Shoofly Big Buzz story about the development, click here. 

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