SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – On Hallows eve, Loma Portal residents dressed in their costumes for some trick-or-treating.
“You can see kind of all around us it’s a crazy kind of night,” said resident Joseph Polakovic.
Halloween night, as ABC 10News previously reported, was a concern for neighbors like Pete Mechalas, with the reason for the worries being the streetlights out to go with the amount of trick-or-treaters and cars driving around the neighborhood.
“It’s going to be really dark tonight. So, I brought my own lights out and I’m hoping I can at least our little section; our intersection here. But I am worried about what’s going to happen,” Mechalas said.
The dark streets made some Loma Portal parents prepare differently on this Halloween night.
“We had our kids dress up with glow lights on them just because it’s easier to find the kids and it’s easier to see through the street,” Polakovic said.
Other neighbors lit up a different path a different way after one dad said they saw the lights go out last year.
“We lead with a lantern, one of the parents, and so all of the kids can meet with them, and we can see them. We make sure we have a count of all of the kids because you can see anything around here,” said resident Robert Pesik.
City of San Diego officials told ABC 10News on Monday in a statement that crews have worked on the streetlights earlier this month.
They were able to get seven turned back on, but they went out again due to aging series circuits that need to be totally replaced.
In that statement, the city said ,in part, “The teams will continue to assess temporary measures, but ultimately capital investments will be needed to ensure a permanent return of service in this area.”
Until that happens, neighbors will see someone like Mechalas try to light up their street on Halloween.
“It’s great that someone’s willing to do that and has the equipment to do it, but not everybody has that,” Pesik said.
“So that’s good, but it’s sad that the neighbors have to do that in the first place,” said resident Janessa Goncalvles.
“I think they’re going to appreciate what we’re trying to do here. But, like I said, we shouldn’t be having to do this. I don’t know what to say I’m just disappointed,” Mechalas said.
