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Halloween is enjoyed by people of all ages, but few get a bigger kick out of the holiday than children. There are costumes to be worn, time spent with friends and the opportunity to collect free candy and other treats. Although Halloween can be a fun time, the Children’s Safety Network warns that it’s also a time when accidents can happen. According to the CSN, the most dangerous day for child pedestrians is Halloween, with two times as many child pedestrians dying on Halloween compared to other days. It is essential to prioritize safety on Halloween, and following these guidelines can help. · Make sure costumes are short. Costumes that drag on the floor are tripping hazards, which can lead to injury. Be sure that costumes do not cover the feet or drag on the ground. · Trick-or-treat in groups. Children are safer in numbers due to the increased visibility of a crowd and because, if something happens, others can call for help. Parents can use their discretion on what age they feel is mature enough to let children go out alone. Until then, children should be accompanied by adults. · Improve visibility. It’s important to be seen while trick-ortreating, and that can be achieved by making sure costumes and trick-or-treat bags feature reflective tape. Trick-or-treaters also can carry flashlights or glow sticks to improve visibility, and stick to areas with streetlights if going out after dark. · Stay on sidewalks. Whenever possible, trick-or-treaters should stick to the sidewalks and avoid walking on the roads. This may not always be possible in neighborhoods without sidewalks, where parents and youngsters must be especially careful. · Eat before trick-or-treating. A meal or snack before trickor- treating can reduce the tendency to fill up on candy while out and about. All candy and other treats should be inspected by an adult before it is eaten.

(AP) — A food poisoning outbreak tied to McDonald's Quarter Pounders has expanded, with at least 75 people sick in 13 states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that at least 22 people have been hospitalized. One person died. No source of the E. coli outbreak has been identified, but officials are focused on slivered onions used on the burgers. McDonald's officials have said that a Calfornia-based grower supplied yellow onions that have been recalled for possible contamination.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four astronauts are back on Earth after a space station mission that lasted almost eight months. A SpaceX capsule carrying the crew parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast before dawn Friday. The three Americans and one Russian should have returned from the International Space Station two months ago. But their homecoming was stalled by all the problems with Boeing's new Starliner crew capsule, which came back empty in September because of safety concerns. Then Hurricane Milton interfered followed by more bad weather. The astronauts launched to the space station in March.