It’s Oct. 31. Trick or Treat!
The origins of Halloween date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain more than 2,000 years ago when some villagers dressed in costumes. Not sure what the trick-or-treating was like back then, but I remember as a child hitting the sidewalk, house after house, hour after hour. Every house was visited, except that one house we were all scared of.
That scary house only had a silver pail by the front door, full of candy. For some reason we dared not get close enough to walk up the rotting, creaky wooden stairs. From sundown until we heard the echoes of our names being howled out by our parents, we collected candy.
Our pillow sacks, paper grocery bags or plastic pumpkins acted as a repository for our sugar-filled condiments. We ate candy until our stomach cried for help.
Halloween at its best!
For all who enjoy taking our children around neighborhoods or helping make other children happy by handing out expertly made hyperactivity sticks, we emphasize safety.
Please make sure your child’s costume is safe. Make sure he or she can clearly see and breathe through the mask. If possible, have your children attach a glow stick to their costume and carry a flashlight. Make sure the capes are not too long so as to not get wrapped around an object and cause them to trip.
If you’re manning the home front, passing out treats to all the ghosts and goblins, make sure the pathway to that candy is clear of debris. Don’t get scared when a ghost comes by for a visit or when Chucky asks for some sugar.
Let us not forget, for those who are driving, please be extra careful and watch for those little munchkins. Once we get back home, check for any unwrapped, open or suspicious-looking candy pieces.
I hope everyone has a safe and scary Halloween night!
“Control, 269, I’ll be in service. Dracula will be riding shotgun.”
Sunday, Oct. 20. A resident is in the Boulder City Police Department lobby wanting some assistance regarding her teenage daughter texting an out-of-state boy. The conscientious parent realizes her daughter had been texting an unknown boy in Ohio. The parent isn’t sure about the boy’s age. Officers investigate and determine the teenage boy is real and provide the local parents with the boy’s parent information. Kudos to mom for checking up!
Monday, Oct. 21. The report of a male trying to call girls into his motel initially causes a tense moment. Officers arrive to find the intoxicated man was with his girlfriend. The woman was OK. The person reporting misheard the intoxicated man. Nevertheless, great job on calling in to report suspicious circumstances.
Tuesday, Oct. 22. When we travel, you may have the good fortune of stopping in at a state’s Welcome Center. That’s what some unknown person did, but realized the Welcome Center on Lakeside was closed. So, instead of taking a map, he or she decided to steal the inoperative security camera. Needless to say, no video footage was available from that camera. However, thank goodness, the center had more than one camera.
Wednesday, Oct. 23. A resident goes to the post office to get his mail, but instead gets an eyeful. The caller reports a man and woman inside a parked truck are engaged with a special delivery — of love that is. We arrive, but the truck and its lustful occupants are gone. I don’t even think FedEx is that fast.
Thursday, Oct. 24. Officers respond to the Backstop Sports Bar. Apparently, an intoxicated woman battered her ex-boyfriend after seeing him out with the new mademoiselle. I’m not sure who said it, but there is no fury like that of a woman scorned. Henderson Detention Center has a new guest.
Friday, Oct. 25. Officers handle a call regarding a car being vandalized. The couple reports their car, which is being used by mom, has been vandalized. It appears an unknown person damaged the van’s fuel line. No suspect or witness information could be gathered. The suspicious incident is logged on our computer-animated dispatch reporting system.
Saturday, Oct. 26. With days like today, why do we have to work? Gorgeous day is an understatement. Were children always so mischievous? Today we dealt with several juvenile issues from throwing rocks to sneaking out to drinking alcohol.
For all the parents and grandparents out there, set a solid foundation for the little ones. Show them plenty of love and provide them with positive examples. We can’t expect excellence from our children if we set the standard of being mediocre.
OK, put down the candy and brush your teeth! OK, you can have one more piece. I hope everyone will have a great Halloween. Thanks BC for being awesome!
Officer Jeffrey Grasso is a 10-year veteran of the Boulder City Police Department. He previously serve as police officer in south Florida for four years.