Alright, Memphis, here’s what we know so far going into Friday’s Halloween holiday. We’ll update this post as any new information rolls in.
• The cops say have fun but watch out for sex offenders and, also, don’t drink and drive.
• An online list factory says Memphis is among the worst cities for Halloween (because, of course).
• A local group says you can bring them your old jack-o-lantern and they’ll compost it for you.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is warning parents to be extra cautious of sex offenders this Halloween and the office is telling them where those offenders live.
The sheriff’s office has posted a link on its Facebook page to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s map of Tennessee’s registered sex offenders.
Users can type in any address and the map will show them the addresses of the registered sex offenders as close as a two-mile radius. The site shows the offender’s picture and tells why and when they were arrested.
Sex offenders are under strict restrictions during Halloween. Here’s what the SCSO says:
“Sex offenders on state-supervised parole or probation must abide by strict guidelines regarding Halloween and seasonal events. Offenders may not:
• Place any Halloween or fall season decorations inside or outside their homes
• Answer the door or have anyone else answer the door for trick-or-treaters
• Pass out candy, have a party at their home, or accompany any child who is trick-or-treating
• Dress in a costume with the intent to attract a minor or be in the presence of a minor
• Attend any Halloween or fall festival events including hayrides, haunted houses or functions where children are gathered
However, offenders who are parents or legal guardians of children may attend Halloween parties and fall festivals at schools provided their children and school officials are present.
Also, deputies will be taking extra precautions on Halloween night “to help prevent pranks and vandalism.” They’ll be paying close attention to the activities of trick-or-treaters and watching for drunk or impaired drivers.
The Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Unit offers these reminders to the parents of trick-or-treaters:
• All candy needs to be inspected by parents before it is eaten.
• Children should always have adults with them while visiting homes to collect candy.
• Parents need to carry flashlights while out with their children.
• Children need to wear light-colored costumes that do not drag the ground.
• Reflecting tape is also recommended to help make the costumes more visible.
• Face masks may impair the vision of children. Parents need to consider face paint or other costumes.
• Choose costumes that are flame resistant. Keep children away from pets. Pets might be frightened by the Halloween costumes and might possibly attack the children.
- WalletHub
WalletHub ranked the top 100 metros for celebrating Halloween.
Memphis ranked 81st on the list. Yep, the bottom 20 and sandwiched in between Corpus Christi and Cleveland. Now that is scary.
How seriously should we take this? Well, WalletHub’s intro to the whole list reads like this:
“It’s that time of year again when everyone gets to play dress-up and devour sweet treats. No, we’re not talking about your company’s annual meeting.”
Oh, boy. WalletHub’s a real cut up, a real card.
So, how did the company rank cities anyway? Cities got points in three categories:
1. Entertainment environment and safety (Memphis ranked 95th)
2. Parties and activities (Memphis ranked 52nd)
3. Weather forecast (Memphis ranked 24th)
WalletHub looked at crime, age of population, prices of Halloween party tickets, number of costume stores and candy stores per capita, and weather, of course.
WalletHub’s best city for Halloween? St. Paul, Minn. The worst Halloween city? Winston-Salem, N.C.
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Finally, GrowMemphis is inviting all the frumpy, rotting jack-o-lanterns to its office.
“After Halloween is over and your pumpkin looks sad and not scary, it is time to take it to GrowMemphis for composting.”
The non-profit says anyone can just drop off their old pumpkin at its office at 3573 Southern during business hours (8 a.m. To 5 p.m.) from next Monday to next Friday (Nov. 3 through Nov. 7).
They only ask you to remove any candles from the pumpkin and “please be tidy!”
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If you have any big-time Halloween news Memphis needs to know, send it over to toby@memphisflyer.com.
