Finally, it's Frighty night!
What's better than celebrating Halloween on a Friday night?
Maybe celebrating Christmas on a Thursday, which is a great way to launch a festive four-day weekend with the family. And guess what? That little dream also will come true in a couple of months.
But today is one of those days we look forward to all year. With respect to those whose belief systems do not include extortion at the hands of 3-foot tall gremlins and little witches with missing front teeth, Halloween is just plain fun. It's an excuse for the treaters to dress up, too. Why should the trickers have all the fun?
Unfortunately, it isn't all about make-believe and sugar overloads tonight. Nightmares - the real variety - are lurking, too.
As The Press reported earlier this week, trick-or-treaters should avoid any homes where the porch light is off. Under Idaho law, registered sex offenders on parole or probation must keep those lights out and refuse to answer the door on Halloween night. So please - please, parents - insist that your children skip every dark porch.
Yes, there are some spoilsports who just don't want to play. Respect them; they have that right every bit as much as the rest of us have the right to enjoy the autumnal harvest rituals of All Hallow's Eve. Again, no light means stay away, which is perfectly OK. It also means you won't waste time; you can concentrate on happy homes that will fill your treat bag.
• Dan, you always delivered
He's the best guy you never met.
Press subscribers, one of your staunchest supporters is hanging up his old newspaper carrier's bag and turning off the lights of his office; lights that have too often burned all night long. Dan Phillips, the longtime circulation director of this newspaper, is retiring at the end of the day today.
Because he is so good at what he does, we're willing to bet your newspaper delivery service won't skip a beat. (OK, with a national election Tuesday and local ballots not expected to be fully counted until the wee hours of the night, delivery might be a little late Wednesday. But that's the editorial department's fault, not circulation's.) The mark of any great manager, Phillips has hired the best people around to ensure that The Press's high delivery standards - held out as a national leader for most satisfied customers - will continue long after he's gone.
That doesn't mean he won't be missed.
The quick smile, the encouraging word, the zippy one-liners and yes, even the bragging after one of his favorite teams has kicked your team's rear belong to a unique and wonderful man. Dan, here's hoping your next adventure is even better than the last.