It's 11 p.m.—Know Where the Children Are?

Did you know curfew for persons under the age of 17 is 11 p.m. in Sunday through Thursday? And that the curfew is midnight for Friday and Saturday nights?

Neighborhood Police Officer Jamie Reiter indicated in the recent Neighborhood Watch Letter that as curfew violations go up, accident numbers increase as well as larcencies and trespassing. Youths caught out after curfews are taken to the police station and must be picked up by parents or guardians.

"It's a good idea to remind our teenage drivers to take it easy on the pedal and to not overload their vehicles with passsengers," Reiter stated in the letter.

Reiter also encouraged reminding youths that Wildwood's many parks and trails are off-limits at dusk.

She said there are sometimes legitimate reasons for minors to be out past curfews, such as when they are going to or from work. However, repeat curfew offenders can be referred to Family Court, she said.

Curfews are similar in .

Eureka City Administrator Craig Sabo said it is unlawful for any minor under the age of 17 years to "loiter, idle, wander, stroll or to drive or ride in an automobile or other conveyance, or play in or upon the public streets, highways, roads, alleys, parks, playgrounds or other public grounds, public places and public buildings, places of amusement and entertainment, vacant lots or other unsupervised places," between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. of the following day—except on Fridays and Saturdays when the hours are midnight to 6 a.m. of the following day.

Sabo said the provisions of Eureka's code do not apply to a minor in the following circumstances:

1. minors accompanied by parents, guardians or other adults having the care and custody of the minor
2. where the minor is on an emergency errand or legitimate business directed by his parent, guardian or other adult person having the care and custody of the minor.