Halloween Painting Contest to Begin

Judging starts today on Halloween paintings created by about 50 children on the windows of local businesses. The $15 first prize will be awarded at a Nov. 6 public library ceremony, said Jessica Takakjian, co-chair of the contest.

The 10-year-old contest, which is co-sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce, allows children, 6 to 12, to take up to a week to design and complete a window project, she said.

“The kids are assigned streets; they have to get the merchants to sign off on painting their windows,” she said.

One merchant, she noted, gave his approval--so long as nobody painted black cats on his window.