Ocean Springs mayor wants beaches shut down due to coronavirus. He has to wait on Jackson County
Crowds of more than 10 still gathered Saturday on Front Beach in Ocean Springs despite the threat of the new coronavirus.
Mayor Shea Dobson said he had been fielding complaints about the beach crowds in phone calls, text messages and on Facebook and Twitter.
“I’ve asked for the beach to be closed and the county (Jackson County) has not elected to close it,” Dobson said Saturday. “Our police department has their hands full enough dealing with the entire city.”
On Friday, Jackson County supervisors hired four constables to work as independent contractors to monitor the beaches in Pascagoula and Front Beach and East Beach in Ocean Springs.
County constables went to Front Beach on Saturday and took down the volleyball nets to try to disperse the larger groups gathered there. County supervisor Troy Ross later mentioned in a Facebook post that the nets were taken down to break up that very crowd.
“This is day one of trying to control this,” Ross said. “It’s difficult but our goal is to get it done. Everyone doesn’t have to lose beach access. It’s about personal responsibility. Stay 6-feet apart in groups of less than 10!”
Gov. Tate Reeves told Mississippians in an executive order to gather in groups of 10 or more. Reeves also ensured residents in a tweet Friday that law enforcement would make sure the ban on social gatherings would be strictly enforced along the Coast.
Though some larger crowds gathered, the majority were together in groups fewer than 10 and were the recommended six-feet or more apart.
“All of this would be a lot easier and we could get over this a lot faster if everybody would just cooperate with the recommendations of the CDC,” Dobson said. “I know this is not fun, but nothing about it is. Let’s just get through it.”
This story was originally published March 28, 2020 at 6:49 PM.
