Stay Out of Turkey Day Trouble: Don’t Drink and Drive

are planning a drunk-driving crackdown to coincide with Thanksgiving.

The night before the holiday, known as “Black Wednesday” is typically a big night for bars. But area residents should think twice before they overindulge.

“We will be doing a drunk-driving enforcement initiative involving a few officers around the Thanksgiving holiday,” Assistant Chief Steven Lucchesi said in an email, but declined to specify the location of the stepped-up patrols.

Tips for shopping safely

Thanksgiving doesn’t just kick off the holiday party season — with “Black Friday” starting just as turkey day celebrations end, it’s also the unofficial beginning of the holiday shopping season. Before heading out to scoop up those bargains, shoppers are urged to heed the following safety tips, courtesy of the Romeoville Police Department, to help them avoid becoming victims:

• Be aware of your surroundings
• When store hopping, keep packages locked in the trunk or otherwise out of plain view and lock your car doors.
• Park in well-lit areas.
• Do not carry large amounts of cash with you.
• Do not leave purses unattended in shopping carts even for a moment.
• Do not overburden yourself with packages. Being loaded down may make it difficult to keep track of your purse or wallet.