Oak Lawn's Halloween Saved!
Trustees reinstate 8 p.m. curfew for Halloween trick or treating--but with conditions.
Photos
Tuesday’s village board meeting lasted all of 29 minutes, much of which was spent discussing Oak Lawn’s curfew for Halloween trick or treating.
Last year the curfew for trick or treating in the village was shortened to 7 p.m. after Trustee Alex Olejniczak (Dist. 2) said he received calls from a concerned parent that 8 p.m. was too long of a window for kids to be out running around in the dark.
Olejniczak also said that 8 o'clock was a little late for seniors to be opening their doors at night. Some parents complained on Patch that they couldn't get home from work until 6 p.m. Under Olejniczak’s proposal to end trick or treating at 7 p.m., by the time they arrived home and got kids changed into costumes Halloween would be over. Oak Lawn trustees voted 3-1 to cut back the hours from 3 to 7 p.m.
The ordinance caused otherwise law-abiding families to break the law. Patch received numerous reports from readers last year who admitted to staying out past 7 p.m. on Halloween.
The ordinance so exasperated Oak Lawn-resident Dan Lupesco—a self-described Halloween enthusiast that he and his wife married on Oct. 31 in costume—that he created a “Save Oak Lawn’s Halloween” Facebook page.
“If there are children out there committing crimes the police already have everything they need to arrest and prosecute them,” Lupesco said. “The ordinance doesn’t help police do anything more or less. Let’s take a moment to look at these issues instead of punishing these innocent kids and their parents. The hoodlums are going to do whatever they want to do regardless of this ordinance.”
Lupesco, who is planning to go as the Burgess Meredith-era Penguin from the 1960s Batman TV show, proposed that children out trick-or-treating past 7 p.m. must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
“There is an election coming up,” Lupesco said, dropping the magic e-word. “This could be a time that everybody can show they can work together and come to a compromise. A lot of people say this board can’t do that so maybe you can try to do that.”
Following the announcement of a Lederhosen contest offered at the Oak Lawn Raiders Social Club’s upcoming fundraiser at the Homestead Barr from 5 to 10 p.m. this Saturday--Trustee Cindy Trautsch (Dist. 1) said she put Halloween hours on the agenda because “we had so much controversy over it last year.”
“I had requested we put it on the agenda for this year so we could have a lot of discussion and input from the community,” she added. “It was kind of mish-mosh last year.”
Trustee Alex Olejniczak (Dist. 2), who last year said he didn’t want to be known as the trustee that took Halloween away, thought Lupesco’s compromise was an excellent idea.
“I think the resident’s (Lupesco) input is invaluable,” Olejniczak said. “I know he loves Halloween and he’s passionate about it.”
Oak Lawn trustees unanimously voted 5-0 that trick-or-treating hours be extended from 3 to 8 p.m., requiring children age 10 and under to be accompanied by an adult between 7 and 8 p.m. on Halloween, Oct. 31.
After the meeting, Lupesco said he was happy that people were able to work together toward a compromise.
"Now I have to find a long nose that isn't a witch's nose. That's really hard," he said. "The Penguin had a long nose."
OakLawnHalloween
7:30 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Ollie is still the Trustee who stole Halloween. He is getting too big for his britches with his smugness
QC
9:10 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
He's courting the Senior vote. Remember he was involved in scaring them regarding ID theft and the referendum petition. His campaign slogan should be "I'm the only person in OL that cares about Seniors! - AO is #1!!!"
CQisScary
9:53 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Speaking of scary QC you mustve missed your Carol Quinlan slowly dragging out her speeches on tv so the seniors understand her. Carol Quinlan is the worst when it comes to selling herself to seniors. Slow and painful that Carol QUinlan is in trying to remember Daves script.
Sara
9:25 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
So who's running against Alex this year? Please somebody, ANYBODY, you'll get my vote whomever you are!
District 666 Resident
9:32 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Q baby, I love you but let up on the referendum petition. You sound foolish considering the widespread fraud found in the petition and the resulting conviction of the former community activist who spearheaded the drive. There was massive petition fraud and we have to admit it and move on. Ole may have been "involved" in challenging the drive and I Think it is better to admit that even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in a while.
Grunty
9:35 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
This was a team effort, as all village business should be, Alex included. The only way we will ever get things done is if we try to work things out so that they meet our own needs as well as others. This shouldn't be a springboard for attacking any trustee.
Charles Martel
11:35 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
I just hope that the stores in the area take off the shaving cream off shelves that some parents buy for thier offspring and then deliver it to them! Halloween use to be enjoyable for everyone but when you have roving groups of teenagers coming around the neighborhoods, getting thier treats and then depositing the wrappings al over the place it does get to be a bit to much!
Pat F
11:35 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Thank you..for the kids getting a chance to get to do a fun thing for a change! At least uptight PC people haven't totally ruined this occasion for "The Kids!" Maybe they could put the real names back on some of our holidays which are part of our Heritage.........
Concerned
9:22 am on Friday, September 28, 2012
I agree Pat with putting "real" names back..there is no more "Christmas/Easter" break, or Christmas Musicals with our good ole folk Christmas songs, those days are long gone. Why do we have to please everyone who might be "offended", they shouldn't be offended, this America, and those are OUR holidays, and OUR traditions, which us Americans' memories were built on. Why do the schools have to take that all away from the present day children?? No other country would ever sacrifice their traditions for visitors, so why should we! They should welcome our traditions with open arms from the Freedom we have given them by being a citizen of our awesome USA!!! God Bless America!
Rosemary Damrau
12:58 pm on Monday, October 1, 2012
If everyone is so concerned about getting home from work and taking their little ones trick or treating, maybe we should follow Evergreen Park's trick or treating rules. This would allow the little ones to enjoy the holiday, accompanied by an adult, without us seniors worrying about opening a door to older trick or treaters.
•For children under 18 years of age without a parental guardian, trick-or-treating will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
•For children under 18 years of age with a parental guardian, trick-or-treating will end at 8 p.m.