Diamond, Coal City all in for Halloween

Halloween will happen in the villages of Diamond and Coal City this year, barring an executive order from the governor.

At their respective meetings this week, the Diamond and Coal City Village Boards set 4-6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31 for trick-or-treating.

Diamond Mayor Terry Kernc said she was contracted earlier this month by Carbon Hill Mayor Rich Jurzak on the topic of trick-or-treating. After some discussion and thought she came up with a proposal for all three communities to come together on a unified plan to ensure children could safely trick-or-treat.

“They have lost so much from COVID, loosing Halloween is too much,” said Kernc, who put together a list of Halloween guidelines and sent them out to the neighboring mayors.

At its meeting on Tuesday, Diamond commissioners agreed to the plan, Coal City did the same this evening [Wednesday], and the Carbon Hill Village Board is scheduled to address the topic at its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The approved guidelines state:

• All participants must wear a face covering/mask that completely covers their nose and mouth.

• A parent accompanies their own children in their own small group.

• Homes with lights on welcome trick-or-treaters and homes with no lights on do not wish to participate in trick-or-treaters.

• The person handing out treats wears a face covering/mask that completely covers their nose and mouth.

• Only one group goes to the door at a time.

• Groups maintain a 10-foot separation from other groups.

• Parents disinfect treat packaging prior to letting children eat their treats.

• Parents have hand sanitizer with them to regularly clean their children's hands during trick-or-treat.

• Parents should take child's temperature and check for COVID symptoms prior to allowing child to participate. Anyone experiencing a fever or COVID symptoms should not participate.

As Kernc notes, the only change in the plan would be an executive order from the governor prohibiting trick-or-treating, an order that would superseded the municipalities guidelines.