RYAN MORGAN — Managing Editor
Jack-o-lanterns were the only glow from neighborhood porches on Halloween night, as much of the state remained in the dark without power. These issues and the constant cleanup efforts part of the aftermath of Winter Storm Alfred have forced all festivities to cease.
The autumn nor-easter dumped a record amount of snow onto homes for the month of October, along with the roadways and already leaf-heavy trees. As the branches fell, they created a danger zone of downed power lines in their wake, forcing many cities and towns to cancel their Halloween festivities. Even Governor Malloy refused to pass out candy to local trick-or-treaters, passing on Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra’s message to abstain from braving the dark roads.
Town mayors and selectmen mirrored the action as some even cancelled and placed bans on Halloween. Waterbury and Westport both rescheduled Halloween trick-or-treating until next Saturday while Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst tweeted the town would also be rescheduling Halloween by the end of the week. The safety of trick-or-treaters was named as the primary concern statewide.
This seems like a reasonable judgment call. However, if you took to social media Monday afternoon, you’d see a wave of disgruntled angry Connecticut citizens asking their local municipalities “how dare you cancel Halloween?”
Why was everyone seemingly ok with school being cancelled but not trick-or-treating? Because people want to believe their local politicians are purposely trying to mess with them.
Society’s outlook has become so negatively skewed it’s beginning to seem like people simply want to argue. I can see speaking out against rising taxes, but against a safety warning? Come on. Power lines are down and wires are everywhere but you still wanted to take your kids door-to-door for candy in the darkness? If it is too dangerous out there to go to school, trick-or-treating might not be such a good idea.
Next time a winter storm attacks the state ruining Halloween plans, stay inside and take advantage of all the great candy you no longer have to share with the neighborhood batman or princess.
