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Halloween Still On In Greenburgh, Elmsford

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Not even Hurricane Sandy could ruin Greenburgh's Halloween spirit.

Despite Hurricane Sandy's damages, trick-or-treating has not been postponed in Greenburgh or Elmsford.

Despite Hurricane Sandy's damages, trick-or-treating has not been postponed in Greenburgh or Elmsford.

Photo Credit: Flickr user Stephen Depolo

Halloween is still on, but Greenburgh and Elmsford officials are urging children and parents to take extra caution this year. There are still several roads blocked, and trees and wires down could pose risks for children walking in the dark, officials cautioned.

"I am requesting the cooperation of parents, teachers, student leaders and all of our young people in making Halloween 2012 safe and enjoyable," said Greenburgh Chief of Police Joseph DeCarlo in a message to the public.

DeCarlo will be assigning additional police officers to patrol neighborhoods, as is usually done for the holiday every year.

Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said "people have the right" to celebrate Halloween by trick-or-treating, but he urged everyone to be prudent.

"Use caution. If the road is fine, that's one thing. But if it's dangerous or closed, parents shouldn't be sending their kids there," Feiner said.

Feiner added that Greenburgh's recovery from Hurricane Sandy's devastation is going "very slow," and there are still plenty of neighborhoods without power.

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino said parents should take their children to well-lit neighborhoods if theirs remains in the dark without power.

"While Halloween is a night that kids always look forward to, this year it is especially important for parents to exercise extreme caution due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy," Astorino said in a press release. "The safety of our children and families comes first."

Children living in Elmsford will also still be able to trick-or-treat, as all of its streets are now open and passable, according to the village website. Additional police will be dispatched to patrol neighborhoods, and there will be a 9 p.m. curfew.

Greenburgh police have released the following guidelines for trick-or-treaters:

  • Make sure younger children are accompanied by an adult or responsible teenager, and have older children use the buddy system.
  • Trick-or-treat only in familiar neighborhoods and only approach well-lit homes.
  • If children will be staying out after dark, make sure their costume is light in color. Consider using reflective tape, and make sure they carry flashlights.
  • Tell children to remove face masks when crossing streets. This is especially important this Halloween, as the street could have fallen branches or wires on it.

For a safer alternative to trick-or-treating, the Theodore D. Young Community Center, 33 Manhattan Ave., will host its annual Halloween party Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The party will include face painting, candy bags, a scary movie and a haunted house masquerade party for teens.

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