Halloween 2004

By GREG WELTER - Staff Writer

Chico ER Nov 1, 2004

Halloween revelers who headed for central Chico discovered virtually every street in the downtown and westside areas closed to vehicle traffic Sunday night.

One officer said he'd been told that a 50-block area was closed off.

The closest open street to downtown was Broadway on the east and Nord Avenue and Walnut Street on the west. Barricades were also up along a one-mile stretch of West Eighth Street, preventing any right-hand turns.

Rather than crowds of costumed celebrants downtown, every corner was choked with officers and police volunteers.

Road barricades were staffed as well, with police preventing even local residents from driving into the downtown or westside areas.

Pedicabs were permitted into the closed-off areas. One driver, however, had his stolen in the 300 block of Ash Street as he was taking a break.

Police originally said there were no definite plans to close off any streets, but barricades went up early on Halloween night and were still in place at midnight.

While downtown streets were virtually deserted, and police made only occasional arrests, crowds at an alternative event at Chico State University a stand-up comedy show were reportedly standing room only.

Some businesses in the westside area that sell alcohol pledged to close early on Halloween, and most did.

Police were out in force and ready for any trouble, but said Sunday night was shaping up to be possibly the most subdued of the three-day Halloween weekend.

Lt. Mike Weber said crowds were down significantly over past Halloweens, and believes pleas for people to stay away from the downtown and westside areas are having the desired effect.

By late Sunday night the arrest total for the three-day weekend was just fewer than 100. More than two-thirds of those were for drunk in public. Fewer than a dozen were for driving under the influence.

Officers manning five DUI checkpoints surrounding the downtown area said the night was quiet