Ocean Springs to reopen beaches (Updated 5:40 p.m.)

OCEAN SPRINGS - The city has rescinded its closure of Front Beach and East Beach after being told by MDEQ officials that matter washing ashore was not oil.

Earlier today, gooey globs of what appeared to be weathered oil and tar balls washed ashore on portions of Front Beach and East Beach.

By late afternoon, Moran said the oily orange mousse had made it to shore, prompting city leaders to close the area but they reversed the decision after learning the mousse-like substance was not oil.

The Sun Herald

UPDATE On Conditions In Ocean Springs

I've spoken with someone with the City of Ocean Springs today, and it appears that oil has made its way to the mouth of Davis Bayou. I am headed to the coast tomorrow afternoon and hope to meet with city officials and will get a look for myself. This is NOT expected to affect the Old Fort Bayou area at this time, and it is comforting to note that both Mayor Moran and Governor Haley Barbour are ramping up efforts to protect Biloxi Bay. Once I have a clear update on the conditions in Davis Bayou, I will let everyone know.

I hope to speak with Melissa at South Coast Paddling and find a suitable Sunday afternoon paddle for those who were planning to stay and paddle with us the second day. But, please note, as of now this does NOT affect our Saturday paddle.

Stay Tuned

Ocean Springs closes front beach

OCEAN SPRINGS - Effective immediately, the city of Ocean Springs is closing Front Beach and East Beach as a result of an orange oil mousse that has come ashore, Mayor Connie Moran said.

Gooey globs of weathered oil and tar balls washed ashore on portions of Front Beach and East Beach this morning.

By late afternoon, Moran said the oily orange mousse had made it to shore, prompting city leaders to close the area.

The beachfront walkways remain open, she said.

Sun Herald

Things are getting a little sketchy on the coast, BUT . . .

It still appears we will have no problems with oil on Old Fort Bayou and Davis Bayou by Kickoff Weekend. The latest revisions to close waters are for commercial and recreational fishing only, not for navigation. Biloxi Bay is fed by Old Fort Bayou from the north. Deer Island protects it from the Sound to the south. This may not be the best news for Deer Island, but it helps protect the fragile ecosystem of Biloxi Bay and the adjacent Bayous. We continue to monitor the situation closely with a little help from our coast friends. Stay Tuned . . .



DMR, DEQ revised closed water areas in Mississippi

The state Department of Marine Resources and the state Department of Environmental Quality, in an abundance of caution, are closing an additional portion of Mississippi’s territorial marine waters, effective immediately to all commercial and recreational fishing, including all species of finfish, crabs, shrimp and oysters.

The closed area line is described as follows: starting at the northern most point of the Gulfport Ship Channel; eastward following the meanderings of the shoreline to a point on the shore due north of the western tip of Deer Island; due south to the western most tip of Deer Island; southeasterly following the southern shore of Deer Island to 88 degrees 51 minutes west longitude; due south to 30 degrees 19 minutes north latitude; due east to the East Biloxi Ship Channel; due south to the western most tip of Horn Island; easterly following the meanderings of the southernmost shoreline of Horn Island to 88 degrees 39 minutes west longitude; due north to 30 degrees 18 minutes north latitude; due east to the Bayou Casotte Ship Channel; due north to the CSX railroad; northeast along the CSX railroad to a point on the Mississippi/Alabama state boundary; due south following the Mississippi/Alabama state boundary to the Mississippi/Federal waters boundary; westerly following the Mississippi/Federal waters boundary to the Ship Island Bar Channel; northwest following the Ship Island Bar Channel; northwesterly following the channel until it becomes the Gulfport Ship Channel; back to the point of origin at the northern most point of the Gulfport Ship Channel.

Any individuals retaining any marine species from this closed area will be required to immediately return them to the waters. This precautionary closure is a result of oil sightings in this general area and the potential impacts on Mississippi’s coastal marine resources. The continuous monitoring of this situation is to ensure public safety and protection of Mississippi’s coastal resources.

Sun Herald



BLOWBACK
Shifting winds will bring BP oil to state’s shores

BILOXI — Mississippi’s lucky streak appears to have ended, with oil from the BP disaster washing into the Mississippi Sound and likely to make landfall on mainland beaches within the next few days, said Trudy Fisher, director of the state Department of Environmental Quality.

“I think we all need to be mentally prepared to see some impact on our beaches,” Fisher said Thursday afternoon, with reports of several streamers or patches of oil and tar hitting barrier islands and making it into the Sound. “While we are making sure BP and the Coast Guard are doing everything they can, we don’t believe they are going to be able to get it all.”

Both Fisher and Department of Marine Resources Director Bill Walker said the BP/Coast Guard Unified Command in Mobile does not appear to have enough skimmer-equipped boats to handle all the oil headed to Alabama, Florida, and now Mississippi, beaches. State officials, including Gov. Haley Barbour, have recently urged President Barack Obama and federal and BP leaders to get more skimmer boats.

“We are going to take matters into our own hands,” Walker said. “The Unified Command does have skimmers in their task force, but we don’t have total control over those, so if there is more oil in Alabama or Florida, they move them over there, which they should. But the idea from the start was that they would have enough of those to provide for all the states, but that hasn’t worked out.”

Fisher said the state should have some of its own skimmers “in a matter of a few weeks.”

Sun Herald

New Programming at the new offices of the Alzheimer’s Association-MS Chapter

The new offices of the Alzheimer’s Association-Mississippi Chapter at 196 Charmant Place, Suite 4, in Ridgeland will be the site for a variety of programs beginning in July.

A new support group will be meeting the first Wednesday of the month starting July 7 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Facility staff training workshops begin July 22. Two-hour sessions will include tips on communication and behavior as well as creative activities for those with dementia. Participants can sign up for a morning 9 to 11 session or an afternoon 1 to 3 p.m. time.

An interactive workshop entitled “Nourish Your Noggin” or ways to maintain the brain through nutrition, exercise and an overall healthy lifestyle is set for Friday, Aug. 6, beginning at 9 a.m.

“Plans call for train-the-trainer sessions in the future,” said Sara Murphy, outreach coordinator. “This will be an opportunity to learn about available programs and be trained to deliver them in local communities. We will also be conducting family orientation sessions each quarter, beginning July 21. Interested persons can call the chapter at 601-987-0020 or e-mail us at sara.murphy2@alz.org to sign up and reserve a seat.”

The orientations are designed for families of recently diagnosed individuals and for those individuals in the community who would like to know more about what information and resources the chapter can provide. Orientation covers a brief overview of the disease, discussion of the first steps to take after receiving a diagnosis and what resources are useful in the community.

There are no charges to attend the programs.

Mississippi Hospital Association

Lucy's Revenge Kickoff Weekend--July 10-11--Ocean Springs

Organizers of Lucy's Revenge are excited to announce that after much planning, Lucy's Revenge Kickoff Weekend is just around the corner. Many paddlers have already announced their intention to participate, and organizers expect a crowd of as many as 30 paddlers for the event.

A block of rooms has been reserved at a discounted rate of $79 a night for paddlers at the Gulf Hills Hotel. This rate will be good for Friday and Saturday nights for those who want to stick around to paddle the Fun Paddle Event on Davis Bayou on the June 11. To receive the discount, participants must request the Lucy’s Revenge Kickoff Rate. The Gulf Hills Hotel is next to Old Fort Bayou. The hotel has ample parking for trailers for those bringing their own boats, and a code at the front desk allows paddlers through a special gate to launch at Marker #1 for the Old Fort Bayou Blueway. Check out Gulf Hills Hotel at http://www.gulfhillshotel.com/ or call them at 1-866-875-4211. Participants must be booked by July 7 to receive the discount.


If you’re more the RV kind of person, call Camp Journey’s End. The RV Camp is adjacent to the final destination, and following lunch, you won’t have far to fall. Check them out at http://www.campjourneys-end.com/ , or call 1-888-288-8449.

Paddlers will leave at 8:00 am, putting the first wave making land at The Shed BBQ Joint around lunch. There, participants will join together to discuss the days adventure while enjoying BBQ provided by a place widely considered to be the best BBQ restaurant on the Gulf Coast. Check out what you’ll be building your appetite for at http://www.theshedbbq.com/ordereze/default.aspx

If you don’t have a kayak, then let not your heart be troubled. South Coast Paddling will rent you one, for the discounted rate of $25 for the trip, AND give a portion of that back as a donation to Lucy’s Revenge. How’s that for incentive?

Call Melissa and let her know you want to be part of Lucy’s Revenge Kickoff Weekend at 228-872-2030. You can visit them online at http://www.southcoastpaddling.com/  and become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=114958429790&ref=ts

For more information on the Old Fort Bayou Blueway including maps of the route go to http://www.ltmcp.org/downloads/ofbb_brochure.pdf

Participants are asked to RSVP there plans to attend by emailing Keith Plunkett at plun1100@bellsouth.net or calling 601.941.9668.

Mississippi State Games Canoe and Kayak Races in Pass Christian Saturday, June 19

I'll be going to Meridian this afternoon to participate in the kickoff of the State Games. Then following a late night tonight, I'll be loading up the kayaks at around 3:00 am in the morning for the drive to Pass Christian tomorrow to participate in the Canoe and Kayak Races.

I'll address the race participants during race announcments about how they can get involved with Lucy's Revenge, then race a 2 and 6 miler in the Mississippi Sound.

I should sleep good Saturday night.

Mississippi State Games Website

Drugmakers to share data to speed brain research

(Reuters) - Major drugmakers will share data from their clinical trials for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease in an effort to speed the development of new medicines to treat the brain disorders.

The database, a public/private partnership unveiled on Friday, will give academic and industry researchers worldwide access to information from more than 4,000 patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Bringing the data together, rather than keeping pieces of it within each drug company, will give scientists a larger amount of information on how the diseases progress and how they differ in various patients.

Backers hope the approach will jump start research into treatments for some of the toughest and most common brain disorders. Despite decades of study, doctors still have few effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease, which affects more than 26 million people globally. It is the most common form of dementia.

An estimated four million people worldwide have Parkinson's disease, which causes trembling and other symptoms.

Information in the new database should help drugmakers design more efficient clinical trials of potential treatments, said Dr. Raymond Woosley, president and chief executive of the Critical Path Institute, a nonprofit organization working to improve drug development.

Some patients, for example, develop Alzheimer's in their 80s while for others it starts in their 40s, Woosley said. The disease probably evolves differently in those groups, but companies only have small numbers in each age range to study in their own trials.

"If you have 4,000 patients (in the database), you begin to have enough data to see their real course" and can target a drug to specific types of patients, Woosley said in an interview.

At a news conference to unveil the effort, Woosley said future clinical trials "will be smaller, they'll be shorter and yet far more likely to find successful therapies because of this database."

The project is coordinated by the Coalition Against Major Diseases, an organization of patient groups and 13 drugmakers that is part of the Critical Path Institute.

Companies that have already contributed clinical data are Pfizer Inc, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson, Novartis AG Sanofi-Aventis and Abbott Laboratories Inc.

Manufacturers agreed to participate because they realize "innovation no longer happens in one company's laboratory. It happens through constant interaction between scientists in the biopharmaceutical industry, patient advocacy organizations, academia and government," said Dr. Frank Casty, an AstraZeneca vice president.

Officials from the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the European Medicines Agency serve as advisers.

FDA Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein said information gleaned from the data will help the agency and outside experts identify the best standards for future clinical trials.

The results "will allow safe and effective treatments to come to market and get to patients more quickly," he said.