Winter storm breaks 121-year record on the Mississippi Coast for cold temperature Patrick Magee, The Sun Herald
Feb. 16 It s not every Mardi Gras morning that the Coast wakes up to icicles and frozen puddles.
Winter Storm Uri, which brought snow and ice to much of the northern half of Mississippi, also set record temperature lows for the date of Feb. 16 on the Coast on Tuesday morning.
The temperature dropped to 22 degrees at both Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi and the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport in Gulfport. That breaks the old record of 24 that was established in 1900, said Phil Grigsby, who is the lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in Slidell, Louisiana. Those are from our records dating back to 1893, so that record was 121 years old.
Members of 403rd Wing return home to their loved ones
A four month deployment finally ends
403rd Wing return home to their loved ones By Jwan Jordan | February 14, 2021 at 6:41 AM CST - Updated February 14 at 6:42 AM
BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - Itâs a day that any military family member awaits, the day their loved one returns from deployment.
That was the scene at Keesler Air Force Base Saturday as members of the 403rd Wing returned home.
Frigid winds pierced the winter coats of anxious family members braving the conditions on the landing strip of Keesler Airforce Base in Biloxi, awaiting the return of their loved ones.
$3.22 million approved for a visitor center at new Keesler Air Force Base gate in Biloxi Patrick Magee, The Sun Herald
Feb. 10 The U.S. Air Force has approved $3.22 million to fund the construction of a visitor center at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, three of Mississippi s congressional members announced on Tuesday.
The building will be 4,036-square-feet and handle all visitor access to Keesler.
It will be located at the new Division Street gate, a $37 million project to move Keesler s main entrance from White Avenue near U.S. 90 where train crossings interfere with traffic to near the exit ramp off Interstate 110.
Lt. Col. Jerry Koontz remembered for a life of military and civilian service to others James A. Jones Jr., The Bradenton Herald
Jan. 28 MANATEE Gerard F. Jerry Koontz Sr. of Bradenton, a career Air Force officer, who later led the United Way of Manatee County for 18 years, is being remembered for a lifetime of service.
Retired Lt. Col. Koontz died Jan. 19, 2021, at home, with his family at his side, following complications from a fall in October. He was 77. I am so blessed that he was my father. He was very loving and taught respect and kindness for others, his daughter, Kathe Neely, said. We always had dinner together with a prayer. He was the last to sit down and the last to get his plate. He was no different at home than in front of others: always generous and giving. It was a great family to grow up in.
Senior Airman Salem Rhea was nervous on Jan. 20, standing outside the U.S. Capitol.
Two weeks earlier, the spot where he was standing was absolute chaos as rioters stormed the building. But security was not his concern.
The West Monroe High School graduate was carrying the U.S. Air Force flag as part of the Armed Forces Color Guard. He said it s the biggest task the honor guard undertakes.
He had plenty of time to dwell.
The honor guard woke up at 2 a.m. for on-base processing and clearing their rifles and bags to go to the Capitol. After the police-escorted convoy, it was a matter of waiting for their time to shine.