Byline: Marti Covington
Aug. 3--A block party, a barbecue or an ice-cream social may seem like a harmless bit of summer fun.
But local police say these routine neighborhood gatherings can serve a greater purpose: fighting crime.
That's the idea behind National Night Out, an annual event being held nationwide Tuesday. The event encourages people to come out of their homes and onto their porches and sidewalks between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to socialize and learn how they can help keep crime out of their community.
More than 34 million people participated in last year's event, according to the National Association of Town Watch, which developed the program 23 years ...