The city’s Parks and Recreation Department presents the annual Halloween in Woolmarket on Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Woolmarket School grounds, 12513 John Lee Road.
Children ages 11 and younger are invited to don Halloween attire and enjoy snacks and games.
“This is more of a fun carnival-type event,” Parks and Recreation Director Cheryl Bell said. “We will have broom stick, sack and pumpkin races as well as inflatables for the children to enjoy.”
A costume contest will begin at 6:30 p.m. with awards for first, second and third place winners in each age group.
The police and fire departments will also be on hand to pass out candy and give safety tips.
See the flyer
City’s Brownfields Program breaks new ground
Motorists passing Pass Road and Veterans Avenue will soon see a project underway to remove age-old underground gas tanks at the site of a former gas station at that intersection.
The work is part of the city’s federally-funded Brownfields Program, which seeks to rid properties of potential environmental hazards and render the sites suitable for future redevelopment.
The city is also seeking to identify other properties for the program, which the city launched in 2014 after receiving a $400,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. Any property in the city may apply for assistance, but the program ends Sept. 30, 2017.  Those interested should contact Biloxi Federal Programs Manager Susan Pickich at (228) 435-6269 or spickich@biloxi.ms.us.
Environmental site assessments, including all phases of assessment and removal of underground storage tanks, as well as testing of lead-based paint and asbestos, are conducted at no cost to the property owner. Typical environmental assessments range in cost from $4,500 to $50,000. All properties in Biloxi are eligible.
“Environmental site assessments are normally required by lenders, especially for the sale of commercial or industrial properties,” Pickich said. “This program allows an owner, regardless of whether they are selling their property, to get a clean bill of health for a property. You’ll have clearances from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and the EPA. In cases where issues are discovered, those costs for redevelopment planning of a site are also covered by the grant. Furthermore, this is about economic development. Our overall goal is to turn any problem properties into usable land.”
Learn more about the city’s Brownfields Program
News and notes
Gas line work to continue: Crews from CenterPoint Energy, who were installing a new gas line on Irish Hill for several weeks, are moving to Gill Avenue beginning Monday at noon. Work and lane closures are expected to continue through Friday.
Splashing to temporarily stop: On Monday, the city’s three splash pads will close for the winter. The splash pads, at Point Cadet Plaza, Margaret Sherry recreational area, and John Henry Beck Park, are expected to reopen during third weekend in April, which is also Easter weekend.
Cemetery clean up: The Old Biloxi Cemetery Tour, is coming up in a couple weeks, and the City of Biloxi is calling for volunteers to assist with a clean up of the cemetery.  Individuals or groups are being sought to help on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Details: 228-435-6339 or kmiller@biloxi.ms.us.
