Jackson Free Press

The Downtown Business Association is hosting the Capitol Street Dine and Dash, an event celebrating the recent completion of new paving and landscaping work on the street and sidewalks of Capitol Street, Saturday, May 16, from 1 to 5 p.m.

More than a dozen downtown restaurants will provide free food for the event, including The Iron Horse Grill, Underground 119, La Finestra, One Block East, Jaco's Tacos, Wasabi Sushi & Bar and Elite Restaurant. The event will have live entertainment from numerous local musicians, local art displays, a Ballet Magnificat performance, face painters and live street acts.

For more information, call event coordinator Allison Bell at Jaco's Tacos at 601-961-7001 or email [email protected].

Sal & Phil's Planning Bar Expansion

Anthony Walker and Casey Waggener, owners of Sal & Phil's Seafood and Lounge (6600 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland), recently began work on an expansion that will nearly double the size of the restaurant when completed.

Last month, Walker and Waggener purchased a closed-down tobacco market connected to their building. They plan to knock down the wall between the restaurant and the former tobacco market and turn the new space into a bar and lounge. The Cajun-themed bar will feature 20 drafts from local breweries, as well as a large selection of wine and liquor, and a stage for live music performances. Sal & Phil's will remain open during the renovations, which should be complete in about two months.

Sal Todaro Jr. and Phil Sizler started Sal & Phil's in 1989. Sal Jr. eventually left to pursue other endeavors, and his father, Sal Todaro Sr., took over and ran the restaurant with Sizler until the co-owner's passing in 2008. Walker, a former busboy, and Waggener, a former waiter, stepped up to manage the business later that year. In August 2013, they became managing partners with Todaro Sr.

Sal & Phil's serves a wide variety of seafood, including crab cakes, grilled snapper, stuffed flounder, crawfish tails and fried jumbo shrimp. The menu also offers muffulettas, burgers, chicken-fried steak and eight types of po'boys.

Walker and Waggener are planning to throw a grand-opening celebration when the new bar is finished. Details are still pending.

National Walk @ Lunch Day

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi is encouraging everyone to take a walk during lunch hour Wednesday, April 29, as part of the ninth annual National Walk @ Lunch Day. The national program aims to get people to walk toward better health. Because most people's schedules are built around their workdays, National Walk @ Lunch Day is designed to fit into and not compete with the average person's daily routine.

Regular exercise is among the most effective ways to manage a person's health, and health experts recommend getting at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that the average cost to treat the illnesses and chronic diseases that inactive lifestyles can cause is $1,000 per American family every year. However, just 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week significantly reduces obesity rates and the associated health-care costs.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi is offering tips and resources on organizing lunchtime walks on April 29. Businesses can visit www.bcbsms.com to find more information on how to participate. For information on starting a walking program, visit www.letsgowalkinms.com.