The city may have an encore showing of the documentary “Katrina & Biloxi,” Sunday evening at the Saenger Theater, based on interest generated by the initial airing of “Heaven’s Cry,” a song included in the documentary.
The world premiere of the production is Sunday at 5:30 p.m. at the downtown Biloxi theater, and a second presentation, if warranted, would be at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. No admission fee will be charged, and seats are on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors to the theater open at 5 p.m.
Television screens in the lobby of the theater will show national news reports from Biloxi airing in the immediate aftermath of the storm, when electricity had not yet been restored to most of Biloxi.
The 50-minute documentary that will be shown Sunday is part of a nearly 70-minute DVD titled “Katrina & Biloxi: A story of resolve and resilience,” which, along with a commemorative photo album, is being sold by the city to generate funds for its recovery effort.
The DVD contains bonus storm footage, including aerial and surge footage, and a video of “Heaven’s Cry,” which was penned by songwriter Brad Jerkins of Dothan, Ala., and a member of the DVD production crew.
The three-minute song, a slow-moving ballad that opens with the lyric “Goodbye, my Biloxi,” was played Friday morning on several Biloxi radio stations and aired with the accompanying video later that day on WLOX’s “4 O’Clock Show.”
That coverage, along with previews in “The Sun Herald” and “City Desk” webcast, prompted dozens of phone calls about the permiere and drove pre-orders for the DVD, which is not scheduled to be available until mid-February. Pre-orders can be placed online at biloxi.ms.us or via mail-order.
To hear “Heaven’s Cry” from “Katrina & Biloxi” and read how to order the DVD and photo album, click here.
Status of CSX rail-crossing repairs
CSX, which aims to have rail-crossing repairs completed in Biloxi next week, has reported to the city the following status on upgrades and associated closings at its rail crossings in Biloxi
— Re-opened: Iris Street, Rodenberg Avenue, Veterans Avenue and Bohn Street.
–Benachi Avenue: re-opens Monday around noon.
–Magnolia and Delauney: re-open Wednesday.
— Lameuse Street: closed; will update status mid-day Monday.
— Closing Monday at 7 a.m.: Nixon, Lee, Keller, Holley, Dorries, Crawford and Oak. Keller and Oak will re-open Monday afternoon; will update status on others mid-day Monday..
CSX, which expects to have as many as 17 trains a day using its Gulf Coast line as early as Feb. 1, has an 80-worker team making repairs to two to three-mile stretches of track at a time in Biloxi through next week. The nine-mile stretch of CSX rail in Biloxi, CSX points out, has 30 crossings.
The city, meantime, has asked CSX to help provide timely reports to the public regarding the status of temporary rail closures to help motorists plan alternate routes. The city has also asked that CSX try to avoid multiple rail closures where possible.
