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Halloween Trick or Treating in Macomb will be held

on Friday and Saturday, October 30 and 31, 2014.  Hours will be 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm.

Please leave a porch light on if you wish to hand out treats. 

Please use extra caution while driving through neighborhoods during these evenings.

Halloween season means little ghouls and goblins running around the neighborhood trick or treating. On average, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Here are some tips from safekids.org to help make your trick or treating a safe experience.

Walk Safely

 Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Corners are usually more well lit than the middle of the block.

 Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.

 Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.

 Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.

 Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.

Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.

Trick or Treat With an Adult 

 Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, remind them to stick to familiar areas that are   well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.

Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe

Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.

Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.

Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.

When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.

Drive Extra Safely on Halloween

Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.

Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.

Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.

Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.

Macomb’s trick-or-treating hours are 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

Western Illinois University will be having their Homecoming Parade traveling through the streets of Macomb on October 3^rd, 2015. Be aware that this will alter travel ways and parking throughout the city that day from 5:00 a.m. to approximately 1:00 p.m.

The parade participants will be lining up on W. Jefferson St. on October 3^rd, 2015. Expect W. Jefferson St. to be closed, from Ward St. to Randolph St., beginning at 7:00 AM.

Parking will be temporarily prohibited on W. Jefferson St., but will be reinstated after the event has ended. Residents on W. Jefferson St. should expect an increase in traffic. It may be difficult for residents to exit their driveways. We suggest using the alleyways behind houses, if one exists, or park your cars a block away, on Washington St. or Piper St., if you expect to leave before, or during the parade.

A detour of Hwy 136/67 will start at 10:00 a.m. routing traffic around on West University Drive to Wigwam Hollow Road until the event is concluded. The bypass will be closed from the intersections of Johnson and Jackson Street to Lafayette and Calhoun Street intersection.

Also at 10:00 A.M. the intersection of Wigwam Hollow will be closed for traveling east on Adams St. Southbound traffic will also be prohibited from the intersection of Murray St. and Western Ave. during the parade.

Local traffic trying to commute across town is advised to travel east and west on Grant Street to avoid the congestion the parade provides.

We apologize in advance for any inconvenience or disruption this provides in your weekend travels.

Macomb Police Department

The State of Illinois has declared September 13^th to 19^th as Illinois Rail Safety Week in order to promote vehicle and pedestrian safety around railroad tracks and trains.   In Illinois during 2014, there were 134 crossing collisions involving motor vehicles, which resulted in 55 injuries and 24 fatalities. In addition, there were 48 trespasser incidents that resulted in 19 injuries and 29 fatalities when people trespassed on to railroad property. During 2014, Illinois ranked 2^nd in the nation in vehicle collision fatalities and 3^rd in the nation in trespasser fatalities.

To promote rail safety awareness and education, the Macomb Police Department will be participating in Illinois Rail Safety Week. Enforcement details are planned throughout the week at various railroad grade crossings and train station within Macomb to cite both drivers and pedestrians who disobey the laws associated with railroad grade crossings and railroad property. In addition, police officers will be distributing literature to the public that contains information on how to be safe around trains and train tracks.

Please remember, not only is it against the law to stop your vehicle on railroad tracks, it is also against the law to stop your vehicle anywhere within the highway-rail grade crossing.     Highway-rail grade crossings are typically marked by white stop lines located on the pavement in advance of the crossing, and if not marked by white stop lines, the highway-rail grade crossing extends from protective gate arm to protective gate arm.

According to Illinois Operation Lifesaver, more than 67 percent of all collisions occur at crossings with active warning devices (flashing lights, gates, and ringing bells). For more information about Illinois Rail Safety Week, please visit www.illinoisrailsafetyweek.org.