Here's to a happy 'Fright Night'

No designated time for trick-or-treating

By Jamie Paige
jpaige@news-press.com
Originally posted on October 31, 2006

Safety Tips

To help ensure a safe Halloween, the Lee County Sheriff's Office has suggested reviewing these safety tips with your family before trick-or-treating:

• Use makeup instead of a mask so you can see.

• Wear light-colored clothing or costumes. Carry a flashlight or light stick.

• Make a map of your trick-or-treat route. Parents can check public Web sites or other information sources as a precaution, such as familywatchdog.us.

• Stay in your own neighborhood.

• Keep a safe distance between you and moving cars. Use sidewalks or walk facing traffic.

• Be respectful of other people and their property.

• Stop only at well-lit houses. Don't go inside a stranger's house, no matter what anyone says.

• Screen all treats before you eat them. Don't accept and, especially, don't eat anything not commercially wrapped.

• Start early, end early.

• Walk, don't run. Don't carry sharp instruments. And never carry a lighted torch or candles.

• Don't go between parked cars or crisscross back and forth across streets or into traffic.

• Trick-or-treaters should always be in groups; parents should accompany young children.

Parents who want information should contact the Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Unit at 477-1400.

Trick or treating

There is no designated time for trick-or-treating in Lee County. "I would recommend trying to get younger kids in before dark, or shortly after," said Assistant County Manager Pete Winton. "We don't promulgate a time for it, but just use your common sense."

The city of Bonita Springs is not limiting hours of trick-or-treating.

"Just advising people to use caution and safety and if they are going to have the kids out after the sun goes down to make sure that everybody carries a flashlight," Assistant City Manager Barbara Barnes-Buchanan said.

While Cape Coral doesn't have a designated night to unleash ghosts and goblins, city spokeswoman Connie Barron said residents usually head out Halloween night for trick-or-treat.

"We leave that up to the parents," Baron said. "But we do anticipate it will be (today)."

Holiday history

Observance of Halloween dates back to Celtic rituals thousands of years ago. In the United States, the first official citywide Halloween celebration was in Anoka, Minn., in 1921.

About 2,000 years ago, the Celts, who lived in what is now the United Kingdom, Ireland and northern France, celebrated their new year Nov. 1. It marked the end of harvest and summer and beginning of winter, a time that was often associated with human death.

On Oct. 31, they observed Samhain, when it was believed ghosts of the dead returned to earth, according to history.com. Celts believed presence of spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future.

The Druids would build large bonfires, and people would burn crops and animals as sacrifices to Celtic deities. They wore costumes, typically animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes.

Black cat ban

A black cat is less likely to cross your path this Halloween in Lee County.

Like many shelters across the country, the Gulf Coast Humane Society in Lee County is prohibiting black cat adoptions until Nov. 3, fearing the animals could be mistreated in Halloween pranks — or worse, sacrificed in a satanic ritual.

It's not clear how many shelters still seasonally ban black cat adoptions, said Kim Intino, director of animal sheltering issues for the Humane Society of the United States. But Intino said the trend seems to be fading — along with the once-common bans on bunny adoptions around Easter or puppy adoptions as Christmas gifts.

Spooky numbers

According to the U.S. Census Bureau:

•36.1 million: Estimated number of potential "trick-or-treaters" in 2005 — 5- to 13-year-olds — across the United States, which declined by 284,000 from 2004.

•108 million: Number of occupied housing units across the nation — all potential stops for trick-or-treaters.

•1.1 billion pounds: Total production of major U.S. pumpkin-producing states in 2005. Illinois led by producing 497 million pounds of the vined orange gourd. Pumpkin patches in California, Ohio and Pennsylvania also provided lots of pumpkins: Each state produced at least 100 million pounds.

•1,241: Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products in 2004, employing 43,322 people and shipping $12.5 billion worth of goods.

•515: Number of U.S. establishments that manufactured non-chocolate confectionary products in 2004.

•26 pounds: Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2005; it is believed a large portion is consumed around Halloween.

•2,497: Number of formal-wear and costume-rental establishments across the nation in 2004.

Find area sex offenders before Halloween night


NBC2 News
Last updated on: 10/30/2006 6:19:05 PM

LEE COUNTY: Deputies with the Lee County Sheriff�s Office say if you have bought the costumes and the candy and think that you are ready for Halloween night � think again. Deputies want parents to know if you don�t do your homework, you could be sending your child to the door of a sexual predator.

Lee County resident Scott Coyne says he wants to make sure his daughter Shelby�s Halloween is a safe one.

�It gets dark early now; we wanted to pick her up something a little lighter so it's easier to see,� said Coyne.

But beyond the safe costumes, candy checks, and looking both ways to cross the street, parents need to know whose door their children are about to knock on.

�We now really have to think about what house they're going to,� said Ileana Foell of the Lee County Sheriff�s Office.

Foell explained that there are hundreds of sexual offenders and predators in both Lee and Collier Counties. To find out if they live in your neighborhood, all you need to do is sign onto the internet.

�You can put in a street address and it will map out where all of the offenders are living at the moment,� said Foell.

Coyne says that he has visited sites such as familywatchdog.us and familybeacon.com three or four times every year.

�It comes up with signs and lists and some have places where they work which are helpful,� said Coyne.

�Many neighborhoods don't have offenders or predators living there. But if there is one you want to know,� said Foell.

Coyne says he makes sure he knows � especially around Halloween.

"You have to enjoy the day because the kids have to have fun. But at the same time, you've got to take care of your own,� said Coyne.

Statistics show that one in five girls and one out of six boys are molested before the age of 18. The numbers also show that 90 percent of molestations are done by someone the child knows.

� 2006 by NBC2 NEWS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Create A Safe Route For Your Trick or Treaters

As your witches and goblins go door to door this Halloween, cavities and sugar highs aren't the only concerns. Sex offenders live all around us, and most times they are just the guy or girl next door.

Halloween -- the day to be anyone but yourself. Kids transform into angels and ghosts, bumble bees and pirates, but sex offenders don't need a costume to get close to your children. It's the one night a year children parade from door to door, knocking for candy even from strangers.

It's important to know where your children are trick or treating. You can plan a trick or treating route right from your computer. Familywatchdog.us will map out your area and tell you where sex offenders live.

Looking at a map of Idaho Falls, it looks like every neighborhood is home to at least one. Type in your address and a map of your area will pop up. The colored dots represent sex offenders. The red dots are child sex offenders, yellow dots are rapists and green represents all other offenses.

Click on the pin points for more information. All of the offenders information is on your screen -- What the offenders been convicted of, what he looks like and his or her exact address, so while parents worry about cavities and sugar highs, make sure to beware of other threats as well.

Last year drastic steps were taken by law enforcement and probation and parole in some states to keep children away from sex offenders on Halloween.

In New Jersey, sex offenders couldn't leave their homes, and they were prohibited from opening their door for trick-or-treaters. In some counties in New York, sex offenders went to a mandatory educational program Oct. 31.

For more information, visit http://www.familywatchdog.us/.

Story Created: Oct 27, 2006 at 4:16 PM MST

Story Updated: Oct 27, 2006 at 8:09 PM MST

Don’t be a victim

By Pat Hambrick

Thursday, October 26, 2006 6:54 PM CDT

The Daily Citizen

Would-be attackers take heed: at least 18 women from the Searcy area will not be attacked without a fight.

After attending a self-defense workshop presented by Detectives Alza Cheek and Ann Owens of the Searcy Police Department’s Crimes Against Women Unit and White County Domestic Violence Prevention on Tuesday night, the women are prepared to defend themselves.

The detectives talked to the women about proactive measures to protect themselves while shopping, traveling, or at home, as well as demonstrated self-defense methods and suggested improvised weapons to use if they are attacked.

Owens warned the women to be alert when shopping at Wal-Mart, because four sexual offenders live nearby. She said information on the location of sexual predators can be found at www.familywatchdog.com or www.acic.org, though it is often not current due to the volume of data that must be entered daily. There are 133 sexual offenders currently living in White County and 14 of those live within the Searcy city limits, she said.

“It is important that you not consider yourself a victim. Have the mindset ‘I am not going to be a victim. I am not going down without a fight,’” Owens said.

The detectives stressed that a self-confident attitude — walking with your head up, alert and aware of the people around you — can be enough to deter a would-be attacker, who is usually looking for a less-confident target.

The detectives said the same awareness applies to people you encounter inside a store: pay attention to what people are wearing and be able to give a description, especially if the person makes you feel uncomfortable. If you do feel uncomfortable or someone seems to be following you outside the store, go to security and ask to be escorted to your car.

Before you exit the store, have your car keys in the palm of your hand with the key protruding between your fingers. The key can be used as a weapon, and the grasp on the key is secure so there is no fumbling when you go to unlock your car. Especially if it is dark, look under your vehicle to make sure no one is hiding there. If the car has been left unlocked, look in your back seat. Keep packages stored in the trunk or covered with a blanket in the back seat, the detectives advised.

If someone approaches you that you do not know, keep something between you and that person — the shopping cart, your car door, or package. Those things can also be used as a weapon. Owens reminded the women how much pain can be caused by an accidental bump on the leg from a shopping cart and suggested they thrust the cart into a would-be attacker. If asked for their purse, they should throw the purse past the attacker and run in the opposite direction, screaming for help.

Other improvised weapons the detectives suggested, in addition to the key above, include perfume, ink pen or pencil, high heel shoe, a drink in your hand, or pepper spray. Owens said caution should be used with pepper spray, especially if the wind is blowing, and anyone using the spray should always turn her head.

“Act crazy. Scream. Faint. Vomit. The attacker is not expecting that,” Owens said. “Spit, bite, scratch, hit — leave a mark that will allow police to identify the attacker.”

Other advice included: ask for help from the first person you see, call police, and try to remember a description of the suspect. If a sexual assault has occurred, do not shower or bathe, go straight to the hospital and do not change your clothes.

Women traveling alone by car should let someone know the route they will be taking and pay attention to road markers so they know where they are if they need to call for help. If your car breaks down, call police and report your location. Don’t let anyone in your car, Cheek advised.

Owens said a kit can be purchased at Wal-Mart, which includes a “call for help” sign that can be placed in the car window. Even if you do not have an activated cell phone, any cell phone that is charged will allow you to call 911. If you don’t have a cell phone, donated cell phones are available from the detectives or from WCDVP free of charge, Cheek said.

When at home, keep your doors and windows locked and do not let strangers into your home, they advised.

Cheek and Owens demonstrated some simple self-defense moves. Owens said a kick to the common peroneal nerve, on the side of the knee, is very painful, as is a kick to the kneecap or the back of the knee. The elbow is the hardest and strongest part of the body and can be a weapon. She reminded the women to SING, as demonstrated by Sandra Bullock in the movie “Miss Congeniality:” hit the attacker’s solar plexus, instep, nose and groin.

The detectives spoke about domestic violence and said bruising is one thing they look for, because the color of a bruise indicates the age of the bruise. It helps them to discern if a report of domestic violence took place within the time frame reported, among other things.

The women were shown photos of a local woman who was badly beaten and kicked, but managed to survive, and pointed out the way the color of her bruises changed over time. Issues surrounding domestic violence were also discussed.

The self-defense workshop was one of a number of programs presented in White County during October by WCDVP as part of Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention month activities.

“Part of the mission of WCDVP is to educate the public about domestic violence. So many myths and stereotypes surround domestic violence, and those stereotypes interfere with the victim getting help,” said Kaye Candlish, Executive Director of WCDVP.

How safe is your child's trick or treat path?

Nov 2, 2006 09:05 AM

DUNCAN-- Halloween is less than a week away and that means many of you will be sending your kids out trick or treating. But times have changed for parents these days. It's not just about checking your candy and the little ones' costumes. Who's checking your neighborhood and how safe is your child's trick or treat path?

There are restrictions on where sex offenders can live, but nothing stops them from passing out candy to your kids. Theres a web site called http://www.familywatchdog.us/ it's something all parents should look at before Halloween night.

Most neighborhoods are ready for Halloween. Getting all the decorations in the right place didn't keep sandra chamberlain from checking for sex offenders in her neighborhood. Chamberlain says "its very important to know your path, your surroundings and make sure you know who lives there."

Sandra has looked up sex offender information on the Duncan Police Department's website. Detective Keith Stewart says he's concerned that too many parents aren't doing that. Detective Stewart says "they don't think about who's next door or who's around the corner and that can cause problems. We cant forget that they're here, they're in our community, they're in our society and you just have to be aware and be cautious of what you do."

The Duncan Police Department has a link to it on their page. But anyone can access it. When you go there, you'll see on the right side of your computer screen a spot that says "find offenders. " You just type your own address in and within seconds you have a list of sexual offenders in your community.

CITY SCHOOLS' CHIEF ACTS TO WARN PARENTS OF PREDATORS

Oct. 26, 2006

By SARAH McCROBIE, Staff Writer

Within a casual stroll of the Oswego Community Christian School, a registered sex offender makes his home.

Some 27 registered sex offenders live in Oswego, with a dozen of them living within a half mile of schools.

The sex offenders include three local men, who reside in homes within 1/2 mile from Leighton Elementary School; four men near Kingsford Park School, including one who lives .28 miles away; and one offender living 1/2 mile away from Riley Elementary School, and one near Fitzhugh, according to www.familywatchdog.us.

To make students, parents, and faculty aware of these individuals, Superintendent of Schools David Fischer recently mailed an informational letter to notify parents of Oswego students.

“I know parents are concerned about this issue, and this letter provided them with information to help them locate sex offenders within the district,” Fischer said.

Although Fischer is not legally required to inform parents of sex offenders living in the area, Fischer said he felt obligated to do so, “as it has the potential to impact district students.”

In addition to informing parents that there is a paroled sex offender living in the district, the superintendent also provided a Web site and the phone numbers of local law enforcement departments aimed at tracking registered sex offenders.

Fischer said that he sent out a similar letter last year after meeting with other Oswego County superintendents and members of the sheriff's department and other law enforcement officials. Despite the district's continual efforts to make parents aware, the superintendent said it is no easy task.

“The sex offender registry changes frequently ... It's a cumbersome task to keep parents informed because of all the changes,” Fischer said. However, he noted that the district was doing its best to increase awareness of sex offenders in the area, and said he would continue distributing such letters in the future.

CITY SCHOOLS' CHIEF ACTS TO WARN PARENTS OF PREDATORS

Within a casual stroll of the Oswego Community Christian School, a registered sex offender makes his home.

MAN WANTS TO TAKE BACK THE NIGHT AT OHS

After several years of complaining to the school district because of its continual use of the high-powered lights over the Oswego High School tennis courts, one resident has had enough.

AT BOCES, NOT ALL LEARNING IS IN SCHOOL

“This is not your daddy's BOCES,” declares Ron Camp.

WEATHERIZATION DAY TO FOCUS ON LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

As the cold weather approaches, most families across Oswego County are turning up their thermostats to combat dropping temperatures. For low-income families, however, cranking up the heat is not always an option. These families could pay 16 percent or more of their annual incomes for energy compared with only 5 percent for non-low-income families. Unable to pay gaping balances or hefty reconnection fees, some families are considering how they will survive this winter without heat.

LIFE PARTICIPATES IN PAJAMA BRIGADE

The participants of the LIFE Day Habilitation program at Oswego Industries Inc. donated shirts and pajama bottoms to B104.7's “Pajama Brigade.” The country music radio station was collecting pajamas to send to help wounded soldiers in Iraq feel more comfortable while recovering from their injuries. The LIFE participants used money they had earned from a silent auction of some of their artwork. When they delivered the pajamas to the station, they were given a tour and were even on the air with Amber Taylor.