According to reporting from the Harlan Tribune in its June 18 edition, Elk Horn facilities recently went into lockdown due to an incident involving a child.
Elk Horn pool staff was “notified by dispatch of a person in a white van that had attempted to lure a child into their vehicle.” The child was leaving the facility to walk home, the article states, and the driver was described as a white male, bald and wearing a black shirt.
Law enforcement performed a sweep of the area, but was unable to locate the vehicle. Stan Jens, Mayor of Elk Horn, “reminded parents to discuss stranger danger and the importance of staying vigilant with their children.”
That same reminder is essentially the purpose of this column. Elk Horn is just an hour east of here, and summer is a time where many children are given independence to walk to the pool, go grab ice cream or bike over to a friend's house.
I'm not encouraging anyone to be paranoid. Those aforementioned activities are an important part of growing up, and kids need to learn how to be responsible on their own. But, if you haven't had a conversation with them about stranger danger, now is a good time to do it.
If we all have a “see something, say something” attitude, things should be just fine in this neck of the woods.
