A documentary that tells the story of a new Biloxi landmark being unveiled this month, the Fred Haise statue, makes its debut Tuesday on BTV, and the pace of work is picking up down at the site south of the Biloxi Lighthouse.
Videographer August Taconi, who has chronicled the Fred Haise statue progress from Day 1, has an update in “Fred Haise statue: The Final Countdown,” a documentary airing as a special presentation this month on BTV. In addition to interviews with Fred and sculptor Mary Ott Tremmel Davidson, Taconi traveled to Inferno Art Foundry in Union City, Ga., to see the casting of the eight-foot likeness of the Biloxi native who gained worldwide fame as one of the three members of the Apollo 13 crew in 1970.
See “Fred Haise statue: The Final Countdown” daily in February on BTV at 8 a.m., 8 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Meanwhile, motorists on U.S. 90 notice a beehive of activity at the site, which is south of the Biloxi Lighthouse.
City contractors are expected to erect a new flagpole at the site in several days, and new lightpoles are expected to soon ring the parking light. A Biloxi Public Works crew this morning was touching up the replica of a Saturn V rocket base where the statue will be placed by next weekend. A local muralist, Lucinda Perniciaro L’Enfant, today began crafting designs on the Moonwalk, a beachside area south of Fred Haise statue.
Said Bobby Weaver of Seymour Engineering, the firm that has guided the makeover of the high-profile area: “I’m looking forward to seeing a smile on Fred Haise’s face on Sunday, Feb. 13, when it’s all done.”
Gallery: See photos from the site today
Video: Inside BTV for February, a three-minute preveiw
Watch BTV online now
See the February BTV lineup
News & notes: Reports, council, Mardi Gras Ts, Tet
The week that was: Get the behind-the-scenes details on the week that was in Biloxi. Weekly reports from the departments of Police, Fire and Community Development are online for review. To see the reports from last week and an archive of weekly reports, click here.
Council agenda: The City Council meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall. To see the meeting agenda and supporting documents, click here. Watch the meeting Tuesday by clicking on the LIVE button Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Mardi Gras shirts: Looking for a Mardi Gras T-shirt? Well, stop by the Biloxi Visitors Center, 1050 Beach Blvd. They are selling shirts for $25. For details, call the center at 228-374-3105. To see the shirt, click here.
Tet celebration: The Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church on Oak Street is celebrating Tet tonight with an end of the year thanksgiving dinner at 7 and tomorrow at 9 a.m. with a mass followed by fireworks. There may even be a dancing dragon. For more information, call the church at 228-374-1116.
