A few residents have asked if Halloween Trick or Treating would be postponed due to the power related matters from the storm that remain to be resolved.  After discussion with public safety leadership, we will not take any action to interrupt the decisions that our parents make for themselves and their children.  We will, however, be posting personnel at locations where wires are down in an abundance of caution.  As with any Halloween, we encourage parents to be certain that each Trick or Treater has ability to be seen with at least reflective material, but ideally flash lights and adult supervision.

Elevated caution will be required in any neighborhood that is still dark and on the following streets where there are wires down.  Those are Pond House Road, near 2000 Providence Pike, Cider Mill Road, Woonsocket Hill Road near Stone Ridge Dr, Iron Mine Hill Road near Valley View Dr, Black Plain near Taylor Dr, and Mattity Road near Toni Circle.

We also remind everyone that the North Smithfield Police Department is holding a Halloween Party for any and all at Scouter's Hall this evening from 5 to 8 pm.

On the storm damage and power restoration effort, National Grid made substantial progress intown today, but there obviously still are locations where power will take time to restore.  We must caution against traveling under or through locations on Pond House Road and Iron Mine where trees and wires are hanging over the road.  Those conditions are regarded as unstable.  We have repeatedly brought the conditions to National Grid's attention and will continue to do so.

Our latest news is that Grid is hoping to have the power restored to both the Middle School and NSES by 8 pm this evening.  Obviously, parents and students will have to look to announcements by the school department for all decisions related to schools being open or closed.

For those who are struggling without water due to power loss, our fire stations, DPW garage, Annex and Town Hall are all available to those who wish to fill gallon jugs in reasonable quantities.  If other needs exist, I encourage that you contact me at 767 -2200 ext 303 or my cell phone at 401-640-5001.  I know that the people in DPW, Fire,  and Police want to do their best to get you what you need.

Finally, since everyone will soon be turning to the clean up of the mess that the storm left behind in our yards, we will be reopening the yard waste drop off at the DPW facility through to Nov 18 to make that process as easy as possible.

Thank you for your patience as National Grid and our DPW do what they have to do to return North Smithfield to normal.

Happy Halloween!  Please be safe on the streets this evening.