Gabber file image
About the midterm elections
“As everyone knows, by Nov. 8 everyone will have voted (I hope). In 2020, Gulfport turnout was 88%. That’s the number to beat this year. I hope we can do better. This is the midterms. People do not necessarily always turn out. After Nov. 8 we can put away our signs and continue to live our lives here in Gulfport.” –Ingrid Bredenburg on behalf of the nonpartisan ad hoc group known as Gulfport Votes 100%
About wifi at city facilities
“I’m wondering what progress we’ve made on installing wifi in the Catherine Hickman Theater. I attended a council meeting a year ago and I know it was in the budget. It was a very grandiose plan to add wifi to a lot of city facilities, including the dog park and things like that. I humbly ask you to please take one bite out of the elephant and put wifi in the Catherine Hickman Theater as soon as possible. It’s really, really needed.” –Eileen Navarro
“With regard to the wifi, we still have equipment on back order. As soon as we get everything delivered we’ll start the process for all of the locations, including the theater.” –City Manager Jim O’Reilly
About ongoing renovations at the tennis courts
“The last time I asked I was told they would be finished in March of 2022. We’ve had no tennis courts now for five-six weeks. I don’t think anything has been done in two weeks. I’m wondering if our contractor has been fired – because someone knocked over, or put at a great slant, our lighting system – or quit and gone on to greater jobs. I hope that can publicly be addressed.” –Karen Love
“As for the tennis courts and pickleball court, it’s an ongoing process. The contractor is still on the job. I’ll check with Tom [Nicholls] tomorrow and get a better timeline. That’s the best I can do tonight. We are still working on the project. Usually these take more than five-six weeks to be completed.” –O’Reilly
About homeless encampments in the city
“I’ve been to enough meetings to know that the city does not have a lot of rights that you can do with our homeless people. But I do feel like my life was threatened by the man who resides at Pavilion #3 and I did talk about it when it happened. He is still there every day. He has a full encampment. He sleeps on the picnic bench. He has his chairs, his food, his furniture, and his goods in the area.
“In addition to that, there is another house that has been taken over by a homeless person now on the corner of 26th and Beach. There is a gentleman that goes there every night, sets up his camp on their side porch and side yard. He sleeps there all night – you can still see him because he sleeps until about 9 in the morning. He leaves his stuff there all day while he goes and does what he wants, and then he comes back. The hurricane shutters are on. I don’t think these people know. Can the rest of us set up camp and start renting out our yards? It is a serious question.” –Love
“The house that was identified at 26th Avenue and Beach Boulevard? The police have investigated that situation and this person is a family member of the property owner.” –O’Reilly
