Halloween will be here before we can say "Boo!" Soon, costumed kids dressed as friendly ghosts, winsome witches and precocious princesses will be trick-or-treating in your neighborhood. Because children tend to focus on the excitement of Halloween and forget about safety, it's up to parents, caregivers and motorists to make sure that every little boy and girl has a safe and happy holiday.

It's important for adults and drivers to be even more alert during Halloween because so many kids are out, and they may not be watching for cars," said Bill Whitfield, executive committee chair for the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.

During the 2014 Halloween holiday Missouri had one fatality and four injuries involving pedestrians under the age of 16.

To avoid real-life Halloween horrors, remember the following:
Stay alert. Neighborhoods that don't normally have a lot of pedestrian and bicycle traffic may experience an increase on Halloween night.
Remember that kids are excited and may be trying to visit as many houses as possible in a short amount of time. They may forget to stop, look and listen as they cross the street.

Be cautious in areas where cars are parked along the side of the street. Trick-or-treaters may suddenly dart into traffic from between parked cars.

Wear bright, reflective clothing or decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape/patches.

Be patient, and SLOW DOWN.

Enjoy the Halloween holiday, but be on the lookout for those little goblins and caped crusaders. They may be superheroes, but they'll be looking to you to provide their safety.

Calling our aspiring artist students in Missouri. Get out your art supplies and create a piece illustrating the theme "Air Sports in Harmony with Nature" for the 2016 International Aviation Art Contest.

The contest challenges young people ages 6 to 17 to illustrate the importance of aviation through art. The U.S. portion of the art contest is sanctioned by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), managed by the NASAO Center for Aviation Research and Education and sponsored by many other national aviation organizations.

All artwork must be done by hand and can be in any of the following media: watercolor, acrylic, oil paint, indelible marker pens, felt-tip pens, soft ball-point pens, inedible ink, Crayola or any similar indelible medium. Entries are judged in three age classes for creative use of the theme. Entries from Missouri youth will be evaluated by MoDOT employees. The winners will advance to national and possible international levels of the contest.

All artwork for the state competition must be postmarked and received by Friday,
Jan. 22, 2016. Missouri students submitting artwork should mail to the Missouri Department
of Transportation, Attn: Teresa Hall, PO Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102. For more information, call (573) 751-2589, send an email to s.hall@modot.mo.gov

Dexter, Missouri - "Argh Matey!!!  Come out and Trick or Treat at Dexter Fire Department!" said Fire Chief Don Seymore. 

He's ready for all the little ghosts and goblins, witches and princesses to come out and visit the firemen!  Don't be shy! 

Local Trick or Treaters are invited to the Dexter Fire Department's #3 Station on October 31st - Halloween!

According to Fire Chief, Don Seymore, the #3 Station will host youngsters between the hours of 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.  The station is located on Stoddard Street across from City Hall.

Firemen will be on hand to distribute TREATS to all the little trick-or-treaters!

Dunklin County, Missouri - Chalk Bluff chapter, NSDAR, and Missouri Bootheel Society, C.A.R., commemorated the 125th Anniversary of DAR with a day of service cleaning the oldest cemetery in Dunklin County, Missouri.

Members participating from Dexter were Tyler Stevenson (back row center), MO Bootheel Society C.A.R. President and MO State Society C.A.R. Historian and Kay Polsgrove Stevenson, (back row right), Chalk Bluff Chapter DAR Treasurer.

Photo provided by Kay Stevenson.

 
Southbound Route 67 in Butler County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs.

This section of roadway is located between Route C and Route 160.

Weather permitting, work will take place Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.