SUNBURY — Police will be keeping an eye out for your child’s safety during trick-or-treat nights across the Valley this week, but parents also have a role to play.
“The single biggest issue that parents have to look at is highway safety,” Sunbury police Chief Stephen Mazzeo said.
Visibility of small children crossing roads is a big problem, Selinsgrove police Chief Thomas L. Garlock said.
“Kids will run across streets in costumes and they’re not always visible,” Garlock said. “That’s why we think they should be accompanied by adults.”
Parents should make sure their trick-or-treating children have a flashlight, Mazzeo said.
“And that an adult is somewhere within shouting distance,” he added. “I advise parents to go along with their trick-or-treating kids, if for no other reason than when kids starting getting candy they get excited and stop thinking about traffic safety.”
Inspect the candy collected by your children, Mazzeo.
“I haven’t heard of any incidents in this area of there being any contamination, but it’s always a good thing to check what they collect,” he said.
Garlock will stress safety when he meets Tuesday with third-, fourth- and fifth-graders at Selinsgrove Intermediate School.
“With the younger ones, we talk about things like not going with people who approach them,” Garlock said. “With the older fifth-graders, we’ll also talk about vandalism, asking them not to do anything stupid.”
Vandalism during trick-or-treating is not a big problem in Selinsgrove or in the Valley, Garlock said.
“I think that’s because police take a very proactive role on this day,” Garlock said. “It’s true: Every once in a while we have some minor vandalism problems. But we will have people patrolling that night. We take this day very seriously and want everyone who goes out trick-or-treating to get back home safely.”
Older children will sometimes smash pumpkins, throw corn and toilet-tissue their friends’ houses, Mazzeo said.
“As long as there is no serious property damage and it’s all done in good fun, I don’t really see where it’s an issue,” Mazzeo said. “What we don’t want to see is property damage. We don’t want to see tires slashed, or someone’s windows broken.
“We’re trying to keep this as happy a night as possible,” he said. “My experience in Sunbury consists of one year, last year, and there were no notable incidents of negativity. So my advice is, do what you do in good taste. If there are issues, we’ll be there if you need us.”
Extra police will be out in East Buffalo Township on Saturday night, police Chief Barry Hosterman said.
“We think it is best for adults to accompany both young and older kids, to keep them safe and in some cases out of trouble,” he said.
Incidents such as smashing pumpkins don’t happen until later at night, Hosterman said.
“Other than making a mess, we don’t consider it too bad,” Hosterman said. “But people should know that we are there to help if they need it.”
News
Related Photos
Discussion
Halloween: Keep fright night all in fun
Parents advised to accompany young children
- News
-
-
Lewisburg schools face cuts in personnel, programs
Superintendent Mark DiRocco told the Lewisburg school board Thursday night that a proposed block grant system of school budget funding will run the district short of cash that will have to be made up through personnel and program cuts.
-
Mom: Keller's response left her cold
Like many people, Elise Nicol is concerned about Marcellus Shale and the industry's effects on Pennsylvania's environment. The Lewisburg mother of two cares about it enough that she sent an email to state Rep. Fred Keller, R-85 of Kreamer, asking him to oppose House Bill 1950, which passed the General Assembly on Wednesday.
-
Point Township authority concerned by sewer plant violations
Point Township Sewer Authority members Thursday night expressed concerns about a Feb. 3 letter sent to the Northumberland Sewer Authority by the state's Department of Environmental Protection saying that the borough authority has violated the Clean Streams Act.
-
Persing truck fee idea stalls
While Pennsylvania has passed legislation allowing communities to collect impact fees in 35 counties, Northumberland County is not one of them, and business leaders and lawmakers do not think Sunbury Mayor David Persing's plan to try to do his own version of an impact fee will pass muster.
-
Barber draws a crowd
The talk can be spirited at times, ranging from hunting to sports to home repairs. "You hear all kinds of stories," Gene Koehler, of Riverside, said Thursday as he waited for a haircut at The Masters barbershop, 209 Mill St.
-
State board approves table games at Valley Forge casino
VALLEY FORGE — A casino resort scheduled to open this spring in the Philadelphia suburb of Valley Forge has been approved for table games.
-
Doctors telling more adults: Get out and exercise
ATLANTA — A new study shows more and more U.S. adults are being told by their doctor to get off their duffs and exercise. A government survey found nearly 33 percent of adults who saw a doctor in the previous year said they were told to exercise. That was up from about 23 percent in 2000.
-
Former Northumberland County judge and three others die in Florida crash
EVERGLADES CITY, Fla. -- A former Northumberland County judge was one of four people killed Wednesday afternoon when their car collided with a van at an intersection, according to the Naples News. The victims were identified as James J. Rosini, 66, William J. Rosini, 68, Patricia C. Rosini, 65, all of Coal Township, Pa., and Deborah A. Korbich, 59, of Elysburg, Pa.
-
Warden demotes four bosses
SUNBURY -- Northumberland County Prison Warden Roy Johnson was able to trim about $135,000 in expenses by demoting four supervisors. He said Wednesday that he found a way to cut costs without laying off any staff. "I cut out 120 hours of supervisors' pay each week, but I need to fill the correction officer positions," Johnson said.
-
DJ pumps up audience
Every Tuesday evening, Richard Grogg can be found spinning tunes at possibly the most well-attended dance in Snyder County. A resident at the Selinsgrove Center since 1988, the 57-year-old said the thing he likes most about selecting and playing music is "making people happy." "Some people come up and ask for requests," he said.
-
Agency closes adult center
PENNS CREEK -- Union and Snyder County caregivers have had to look farther and wider for another program that can offer respite because the Agency on Aging can no longer afford to provide the service. The adult daily living center at the Penns Creek Adult Resource Center was a helpful program each week to about eight adults from the area dealing with Alzheimer's and dementia. But it closed Dec. 30.
-
New Berlin pushes to acquire school
NEW BERLIN -- The Borough Council sold the property where the New Berlin Elementary School is to the precursor of the Mifflinburg Area School District for $1 back in 1950. It was deeded to the district for construction of a school.
- More News Headlines
-
Lewisburg schools face cuts in personnel, programs
