Merchants To Hand Out Candy

Once again, merchants in the downtown area of the City of Van will be handing out candy on Saturday, October 31, Halloween night, from 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

The Van Police Department would like to offer helpful Halloween tips to local residents to help keep all children safe during this time.

-Instruct your children never to enter the home of a stranger.

-Do not allow your children to go out alone.

-Instruct your children to stay in their own neighborhood, at downtown activities and trick or treat at homes that have porch lights on.

-Children should wear costumes made of light colored material. If the costume is made of dark material, attachreflective tape to the costume to increase nighttime visibility.

-Children and adults should carry a flashlight so that motorists can see them and carry your Van Police Department reflective Halloween bags.

-Children should walk on the sidewalks, not on the street.

-Masks can restrict vision. If your child wears a mask, make sure he or she removes it before crossing the street.

-Children should never be allowed to go out alone on Halloween.

-Children should never eat any treats until they have been examined.

-All fruit should be cut and closely examined before eating.

-Children should never accept rides from strangers.

-Children should never take shortcuts through backyards or alleys.

-Set a specific time limit for your older children to be out on Halloween night.

-Instruct children not to stray from their group.

-A responsible adult should escort children while trick-or-treating.

"Please use caution and obey state laws and make sure that if there are children in the bed of a truck, your kids are over the age of 18," said Van Police Chief Kelly Smith.

Smith said that anyone that didn’t have one of the department’s reflective bags could stop at the police department between now and Saturday and pick one up.

"We will also be handing them out, as well as, glow sticks on Saturday night," said Smith.