It's getting to be that time of year again. Plans are in full swing for a number of parades and activities this weekend as Mardi Gras season rolls around.

Rumors are rampant that Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches is planning a second island eatery, this time on the Seawall in a gray building just west of 61st Street that has for months piqued the curiosity of islanders.

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 — Mayor Joe Jaworski joined The Oak Ridge Boys onstage at The Grand 1894 Opera House this week, taking up a pair of drumsticks to play surf rock favorite "Wipe Out" with the quartet.

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.

GALVESTON — A jury sentenced Cheretta Smith, 20, to 84 years in prison on Friday. Smith pleaded guilty to murder in the Feb. 12, 2010, slaying of her grandmother, Theretta Gayden Miller, 57, who was found dead in the Texas City home she shared with Smith.