Biz Buzz

More Monies. Mayor Dewey Bartlett has announced that the City of Tulsa has been selected to receive a never-offered-before $175,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency for a Brownfields pilot planning program. Tulsa is the only city in Oklahoma to receive this grant.

"Brownfields represent some of the best development opportunities," Mayor Bartlett said. "We need to take advantage of these to be successful in redeveloping Tulsa and this region with a long-term view."

Economic Development Director Mike Bunney added, "Redevelopment of Brownfield sites is critical to the overall economic development of our community."

With funding available in early 2011, this pilot planning program will enhance the City's efforts to identify Brownfields in Tulsa. It will enable the City to spread the word among potential developers of Brownfield sites about opportunities to work with the City and what the City can offer.

The program will demonstrate how planning for the assessment, cleanup and reuse of Brownfield sites supports revitalization of areas around them through improvement of environmental and socio-economic conditions. "Brownfield sites" means real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.

Targeted Brownfield Assessments, funded through the EPA, are available to evaluate potential Brownfields and to redevelop Brownfields sites. Developers interested in a Targeted Brownfield Assessment of a specific site may contact the Tulsa Industrial Authority. TIA has received 10 Targeted Brownfield Assessments for developers in 2010.

Also this month, the City of Tulsa has applied for three more Brownfields grants from the EPA. These include a $200,000 cleanup grant for the Old Morton Health Center site and two City Coalition Grants with Tulsa County, Tulsa Industrial Authority, and Tulsa Development Authority: $1 million for assessment and $4 million for cleanup through a revolving loan fund.

Reporter

Light Up the Night

Organizers of the Tulsa Christmas Parade of Lights, Tulsa's annual holiday parade, announced today that applications are still being accepted for floats, marching bands and specialty units wanting to participate in this year's event.

Sponsorship opportunities for professionally--built floats and giant helium balloons are also still available.

The 2010 Parade of Lights is scheduled to take place in downtown Tulsa at 6pm Saturday, Dec. 11. 2010 marks the 75th year that the city has hosted a holiday parade.

Application forms, along with parade rules and regulations, can be obtained by sending an email to parade chairman/coordinator, Larry Fox, at Larry.Fox@aa.com, or by calling (918) 292-2157 or (918) 808-1138. The application deadline has been extended, and applications are now due no later than Friday, Oct. 29.

Volunteers are also being sought to serve as parade marshals. To be a parade marshal, you must be at least 18 years old or a senior in high school.

Day for the Dead

An altar to honor fallen soldiers will be featured along with Hispanic food, music and dancing at the 16th annual Day of the Dead Arts Festival Monday, Nov. 1, at Living Arts of Tulsa, 307 E. Brady St.

The festival, held from 5 to 11pm, is open to the public. Admission is $5 per person, but children 12 and under are free.

Dozens of altars will be on display, including the one for the "Fallen Soldier" and many created by area artists. A community altar will be set up for anyone to place items to remember a loved one. The Rev. David Medina of St. Francis Xavier Parish will bless the altars at 7:30pm.

For the traditional "Día de los Muertos," relatives remember those who have died by decorating an altar, often at a grave, with flowers, food and drinks favored by the deceased. Outdoor performers will include Mariachi Tulsa, 5pm; Sol Azteca folkloric dancers, 5:35pm; Eleganza Musical, 6:30pm; DJ Kike, 7:15pm; Salsasabor, 7:30pm; DJ Kike, 8:30pm; skeleton procession and fire dancers, 8:35pm; Banda Sonic, 9:15-10:15pm.

Performing indoors will be the Tulsa Youth Orchestra, 5pm; guitarist and singer Marcelino Leal, 5:50pm; Ecuadorian musician Erik Zurita, 6:45pm; and the Tierra Mestiza folkloric dancers, 7:30pm.

Life-size papier-mâché skeletons will be paraded down Brady Street, which will be closed between Elgin and Detroit avenues for the event. Festival visitors will be able to decorate traditional sugar skulls and incinerate letters written to the deceased. Festival T-shirts and posters will be available for purchase, and more than 30 artists will have their works for sale.

Major sponsors of the festival include the Oklahoma Arts Council. For more information, call Living Arts at (918) 585-1234 or visit livingarts.org.

Meet Mr. Claus

Mothers Group, Inc., is putting on the Santa Community Event. The local non-profit group has held this event for the past 20 years. It will be at the Greenwood Cultural Center on Dec. 4, from 9am to 12pm. It is free and open to the public. All children who come get a brand new book from Santa, and a picture taken with him. The main goal of this event is to encourage literacy and reading skills in North Tulsa children.