Selectmen close South Village Road for Halloween; chiefs warn of drought, wildfire risk

The Loudon Board of Selectmen voted to close South Village Road from Wales Bridge to Recreation Drive from 5 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31 for Halloween trick-or-treat safety and heard department head reports on emergency preparedness, a worsening drought, and ongoing public-works projects.

Police Chief Keith Landers proposed the closure to reduce conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians during trick-or-treating, saying the village becomes crowded and it can be hazardous even with emergency vehicles present. "I would like to close South Village Road for trick or treating from Wales Bridge to Recreation Drive and make [it] restricted to local traffic only," Landers said. He asked the board to consider the plan so staff could publicize detours and parking options; the board approved the motion by voice vote.

At the same meeting, Landers reported one department cruiser (a 2024 Ford Explorer) suffered a blown engine at about 8,000 miles; he said repairs were covered under warranty and the…