City of Yonkers Halloween 2020 Guidelines

Mayor Spano & Yonkers Police Advise Residents on Halloween Safety Tips:

In order to provide for a safe and enjoyable holiday, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced that the Yonkers Police Department will issue a citywide curfew for children 16 years of age and younger on Halloween night – Saturday, October 31. In addition, Mayor Spano urges Yonkers residents to follow New York State’s guidance for Halloween this year, avoiding traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating and adopting COVID-19 safe practices starting with social distancing and wearing a face covering.

“Halloween is a spooky holiday meant to be enjoyed by all, which is why we are taking a proactive approach in providing a safe fun-filled night for our communities,” said Mayor Spano. “While COVID-19 cases are on the rise in the region, we can still make Halloween a fun event, but we need to be smart about it. The City will impose its traditional late-night curfew on young people, but will not impose any other mandatory measures other than to urge adherence to the State’s guidelines.”

“I am wishing everyone a very happy, fun, and healthy Halloween,” said John Mueller, Yonkers Police Commissioner. “Kindly review the safety/curfew guidelines. Your Yonkers Police Department will do all that it can to ensure that everyone has a very safe holiday but in order to do that, we need our communities cooperation. Let’s all do our part to follow the guidelines so that we can all have an enjoyable holiday.”

As part of the curfew, the Yonkers Police Department advises:

  • Children ages 11 and younger must be home by 10PM
  • Children ages 12 to 13 must be home by 10:30PM
  • Children ages 14 to 16 must be home by 11PM

Exceptions include:

  • Accompanied by parent or guardian.
  • On an errand with parental permission, with prior notice to YPD Community Affairs Division – 914-377-7375
  • ½ hour after end of school, religious and volunteer public entertainment — no later than 12:30AM unless police are notified by host organization 24 hours in advance
  • ½ hour after work — with proof from Employer
  • All youngsters 16 and under not subject to curfew if on or immediately next to their home (and if neighbor does not object)

Violators of the curfew will be taken to the nearest Yonkers Police Precinct, and parent/guardian will be notified. For more information about the Halloween curfew, contact the Yonkers Police Department at 914-377-7375.

Following are Halloween safety tips issued by the City of Yonkers for parents, children & residents:

Parents

  • Do not leave children unattended.
  • Know the route your child will travel and give him or her curfew.
  • Be sure children can see through their masks. Costumes should be easy to see, either made from light colors or marked for nighttime with reflective tape.

Children

  • Avoid trick-or-treating alone.  Try to walk in groups.
  • Don’t eat anything from a trick-or-treat bag before your parents have looked at it first.
  • Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult.
  • Walk on sidewalks when possible and facing traffic to stay safe.
  • Stay away from dark streets and buildings — only visit well-lit homes.

Residents

  • Drive slowly and be alert in residential neighborhoods.  Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
  • Turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from great distances.
  • Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30PM to 9:30PM, so please be aware.

New York State’s safety guidelines recommend against distributing candy from a bowl or handing it directly to trick-or-treaters. It recommends trying other activities to substitute for door-to-door altogether. If individuals choose to go door-to-door or distribute candy, the State recommends the treats be individually wrapped or packaged and placed away from the front door. Trick-or-treaters should be wearing a face-covering in addition to their costumes masks while remaining socially distant, and avoid taking candy directly from people, and should especially avoid taking treats from a shared container.

View the full announcement of the New York State Halloween safety guidelines.

 

Sarah Lawrence College Update 10-5-20

As many LPWA members know, SLC has had a very measured campus opening this fall, with only a portion of their students in residence along with very strict pandemic related safety protocols. SLC reports their safety protocols include wearing masks at all times anywhere on campus except in dorm rooms or when eating and 6 foot social distancing all the times (even in classes). No informal gatherings of more than 10 people, and in the past few weeks SLC has begun to allow formal gatherings of no more than 25 — all with social distancing.

SLC has asked for LPWA’s help encouraging neighbors to wear masks if they are walking on the public streets through the campus as a way to further encourage students to comply with the college’s safety protocols. The college is aware they can’t require masks to be worn on public streets and many may think it’s unnecessary outside, but it would be an acknowledgement that the neighbors are supporting the college in its efforts to mitigate risks for their students, faculty and staff as well as the surrounding community. The LPWA Board has considered and supports SLC’s request.

SLC’s COVID related updates can be seen here: https://www.sarahlawrence.edu/fall-2020/

SLC’s general events calendar is here: https://www.sarahlawrence.edu/news-events/events/

City of Yonkers Update 10-5-20

Mike Breen’s office reports the Boulder Creek Property on Central Park Avenue is being rebuilt as a medical facility. Yonkers schools are opening and residents should expect more traffic on area roads during morning and afternoon rush hours. Repaving on Hampshire and Glen Washington Roads has been completed. Since May 2020, over 1200 summons have been issued for speeding vehicles and motorcycles and reckless driving in the areas of Central Park Avenue, NYS Thruway and the Sprain, Saw Mill and Bronx River Parkways.

President’s Update 10-5-20

At a recent LPWA Board meeting on 9/24 the Board discussed the most recent paving activity on Hampshire Road and Glen Washington Road as well as the recent storm water drainage upgrades on Ledgewood Road. While the City of Yonkers has a very limited repaving budget, the LPWA will continue to communicate with Mike Breen’s office on neighborhood repaving priorities.

Treasurers Report
The Treasurer reported the LPWA is currently in solid financial condition and we have finally obtained 501(C)4 status.

Landscaping and Beautification Committee
The Landscape Committee discussed the Boulder Trail/Highland Circle triangle being damaged from a fallen tree during Tropical Storm Isaias. The current plan is to let plants and dogwood tree that survived fill in and reassess the need to replant next year. The triangle off of Hampshire/Hereford has had damage from lack of curbing and the Committee is looking into options for preventing further damage.

Membership and Communications Committee
The Committee reported on the membership drive which began the end of May with emails to Association members. So far there are 55 paid credit card memberships along with 3 or 4 sent checks to the treasurer. 10 parties registered on the website but have not paid. Last year’s membership drive included snail mail, and resulted in 90 paid memberships vs. ~60 gained this year. The current plan is for the Membership Committee to pull the lapsed list and send post cards / follow-up emails to the 40-50 lapsed members.

Save the Date – The Board approved holding a public Annual Meeting via Zoom on Thursday, November 12th. More information to follow.

Miscellaneous
The LPWA received email from the President of SLC about an incident with a resident refusing to wear a mask on a public street through campus. The Association to post an announcement on the LPWA website encouraging all to follow SLC’s pandemic protocols, which requests mask wearing for everyone on campus, even when walking thru the campus on public streets. The college understands it cannot require mask wearing on public streets but has asked neighbors to respect it’s policies as way to help encourage students to do the same.

LPWA members have sent in reminders to fill out census forms by the recently revised deadline of October 31 as well as support local Bronxville merchants.

The Village of Bronxville, the Bronxville Chamber of Commerce, and a growing network of engaged local residents have created BXV FOR BXV, an ongoing and wide-ranging set of initiatives to invigorate the Bronxville community. More information can be found about the initiative at https://www.bronxvillechamber.org/bxvforbxv