This weekend brings the first of many Mardi Gras events to Galveston and several other communities in the area.

Rumors about 21, a popular downtown island upscale martini and wine bar, were rampant Wednesday, making their way via social media sites, texts and emails. (I heard about it the old school way, at 5:30 a.m. during Island Boot Camp).

From pop to rock, country, Americana, jazz and everything in between, this year’s Mardi Gras! Galveston band lineup covers all bases. The downtown entertainment district will be gated again this year, so if you like live music with your beads and beer, bring some cash or buy tickets here.

GALVESTON — Housing authority officials are working on a list of frequently asked questions about their plan to rebuild public housing on the island.

For all the attention her husband gets with such deals as buying Morton's Steakhouses or buying out a casino once owned by Donald Trump in Atlantic City and remodeling it as a Golden Nugget or for spending $60 million to bring back the splendor of Galveston Island's Historic Pleasure Pier, Paige Fertitta does a lot of stuff too.

Galveston got a big boost of publicity last week when ratings juggernaut American Idol aired the round of auditions shot at Galveston Island Convention Center.

Galveston County topped last year's total of athletes signing letters of intent to play collegiate sports on Wednesday morning when more than 40 local players made it official. There were a few surprises in the list, but as always, the sport of football was ever prevalent in helping Galveston County's college-bound athletes secure scholarships.

Here’s the text of a letter State Rep. Larry Taylor of Friendswood sent to Mike Gerick, the chairman of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. His basic complaint is that it’s unreasonable for the board to continue to raise rates until it makes a better effort at cutting costs.

A visiting judge on Thursday ordered $7,500 in sanctions against Christopher Dupuy, judge of Galveston County Court at Law No. 3, stemming from a Houston attorney's attempts to depose Dupuy in connection with a $500,000 fraud and malpractice suit filed against him.

TEXAS CITY — Wydell Dixon, founder of Whiskerville Animal Sanctuary, is attempting to appeal last week’s ruling that the nearly 200 cats seized from the shelter should stay with county animal control.