In Missouri, Halloween night signs were required in the yards of sex offenders. Until now

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Many states have laws designed to keep children away from convicted sexual offenders on Halloween night, such as curfews for those on offender registries and requirements to keep their porch lights off.

But a Missouri law mandating a yard sign was a step too far, a judge ruled.

A 2008 law required registered offenders in Missouri to post signs on Oct. 31 that read “No candy or treats at this residence.” U.S. District Judge John Ross ruled this month that the provision violated the First Amendment by forcing “compelled speech," depriving those on the registry "of their freedom to speak in their own words or to not speak at all.”

The ruling lets stand other provisions of the Missouri law that require people on the registry on Halloween to remain inside their home from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and to leave their outdoor lights off.

The Missouri sign law is unique among states, but some cities and counties have tried similar laws that were either struck down in court or withdrawn as part of lawsuit settlements.

Ross' ruling about the Missouri sign law drew a mixed response. Some said extraordinary steps are necessary on a night when children flood the streets and often knock on the doors of strangers. Others said the sign law was unnecessarily cruel — and even counterproductive.

“I feel like it’s a setback and another example of predators’ rights kind of trumping those of their victims,” said Tara Bishop, a 40-year-old mother of four from southwestern Missouri who operates a Facebook page called Child Predators Exposed with more than 10,000 followers.

Janice Bellucci, the lawyer for the Missouri man who challenged the law, said that for those forced to place the sign, the damage is long-lasting.

“It’s not just stigmatizing you that one day, it stigmatizes you for the rest of your life, as long as you live there," said Bellucci, who is part of the California-based Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Thomas L. Sanderson of Hazelwood, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb. He was convicted of second-degree sodomy in 2006 after a 16-year-old family friend accused him of sexually touching her. Sanderson, who has maintained his innocence, was sentenced to two years in prison and required to register as a sexual offender for 25 years.

The Missouri Halloween law was adopted two years later. It is unclear how many of the state's approximately 26,000 convicted sexual offenders have been charged for violating the statute, or how stringent enforcement has been.

The lawsuit said Sanderson asked police if he was subject to the law because his conviction happened before its passage. He said he was told he was not, so he continued to host Halloween parties complete with animatronic figures, lights, a bonfire, music and candy, the lawsuit said.

But the lawsuit said that on Halloween night 2022, police arrived at Sanderson's home. No sign was posted, and he was arrested. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for violating the Halloween statute and received probation. He sued last year.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey's office, in court filings, wrote that the state is duty-bound to protect children who can't make adequate decisions on their own. Bailey's office said an appeal is planned.

“I want Missouri to be the safest state in the nation for children. That includes on Halloween," Bailey, a Republican, said in a statement.

Alison Feigh, director of Jacob Wetterling Resource Center at Zero Abuse Project, which focuses on helping institutions prevent, recognize and respond to child sexual abuse, said most assaults happen after offenders build relationships with victims and their families. Tactics like signs are not helpful in keeping children safe, she said in an email.

“These public signs may give a false sense of security to families while not actually preventing child abuse,” Feigh said.

Other Halloween sign laws also have faced setbacks.

In Georgia, the Butts County Sheriff's Office was sued in 2019, with people on registries alleging that authorities trespassed onto their properties to post signs that caused humiliation and anxiety. The signs read: “WARNING! NO TRICK-OR-TREATING AT THIS ADDRESS!! A COMMUNITY SAFETY MESSAGE FROM BUTTS COUNTY SHERIFF GARY LONG."

A federal appeals court panel in 2022 said the signage violated the First Amendment.

In California, Simi Valley required Halloween signs in the yards of registered sexual offenders until reaching a 2013 settlement in a lawsuit filed by the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws on behalf of five offenders.

In January, the alliance filed suit after the sheriff's office in Marion County, Arkansas, created and posted signs and placed them in the yards of those on the registry. The signs read: "Sorry! No Trick or Treat.” The sheriff's office later agreed to stop posting or requiring the signs.

Halloween candy and pumpkins sit outside of a home Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in St. Joseph, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Ingram)

Halloween candy and pumpkins sit outside of a home Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in St. Joseph, Mo. (AP Photo/Nick Ingram)

The Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse is shown Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse is shown Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

The Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse is shown Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

A good loaf of challah is tender, pillowy and slightly sweet, but homemade loaves tend to dry and stale quickly. To keep our challah tender and extend its shelf-life, we borrow the water roux technique known as tangzhong that’s used to make fluffy Japanese milk bread.

In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street Bakes,” the tangzhong increases the hydration level in the dough while keeping the mixture workable. Tangzhong is a mixture of flour and liquid cooked to a gel; it’s often referred to as a roux, though it does not contain any butter or oil and serves a different purpose than a classic roux. The gelatinized starch in tangzhong can hold on to more water than uncooked flour, so the dough is easy to handle despite the high hydration level. The loaf attains a high rise and a light, airy crumb and the baked bread keeps well.

Oil is the fat of choice in traditional challah. For more complex, nuanced flavor, extra-virgin olive oil is used instead of a flavorless neutral oil. To complement the fruity, peppery notes of the olive oil, golden raisins plumped in orange juice are mixed into the dough at the end of kneading.

Though we love the look of challah formed into an intricate six-strand braid or an impressively mounded crown, for ease, we make two simple braids and bake them in loaf pans. Well wrapped, the loaves will keep at room temperature for two or three days.

Don’t forget to drain the raisins before adding them to the dough. Also, don’t cut into the challah while it’s still warm. With such a light, tender crumb, the bread slices more easily and has a better texture after cooling to room temperature.

Olive Oil Challah with Golden Raisins Start to finish: 3½ hours (1¼ hours active), plus cooling

Servings: Makes two 1¼-pound loaves

43 grams (⅓ cup), plus 607 grams (4⅔ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

155 grams (1 cup) golden raisins

¼ cup orange juice

3 large eggs, room temperature, plus 1 large egg, for brushing

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pans

63 grams (3 tablespoons) honey

2 teaspoons table salt

2¼ teaspoons instant yeast

In a small saucepan, whisk together 1 cup water and the 43 grams (⅓ cup) flour until smooth. Over medium, cook, whisking constantly, until it thickens (a silicone spatula drawn through the mixture leaves a trail) and bubbles slowly, 2 to 4 minutes; this is a “water roux.” Scrape the mixture into a stand mixer bowl, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface and cool until barely warm, at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the raisins and orange juice; bring to a simmer over medium, stirring, then remove from the heat. (Alternatively, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the raisins and juice; microwave on high until simmering, about 1 minute.) Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. To the cooled water roux, whisk in the 3 eggs. Whisk in the oil and honey. Add the remaining 607 grams (4⅔ cups) flour, the salt and yeast, then attach the bowl and dough hook to the mixer. Mix on low until a sticky, slightly elastic dough forms, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl and push the dough off the hook. Drain the raisins in a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on them with a spoon to remove excess liquid. Add the raisins to the dough and mix on medium-low, scraping the bowl as needed, until the raisins are evenly distributed and the dough is tacky but not wet, about another 5 minutes. Detach the bowl from the mixer and use the spatula to scrape the bowl and gather the dough at the center. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1½ hours. Meanwhile, brush two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with oil, then line each with an 8-by-14-inch piece of kitchen parchment, allowing the excess to overhang the long sides of the pan. Lightly flour the counter and turn the dough out onto it. Using a bench scraper or chef’s knife, divide the dough in half; each piece should weigh about 650 grams (23 ounces). Now divide each half into 3 equal pieces, for a total of 6 pieces; cover with a kitchen towel. Roll each portion back and forth against the counter to form a 12-inch rope; as you work, keep the previously formed ropes covered. Position 3 ropes perpendicular to the counter’s edge but parallel to each other. Firmly pinch together the far ends of the ropes. Flour your fingers, then lift the right rope, cross it over the middle rope and lay it between the other 2; adjust the spacing of the ropes as you go. Now cross the left rope over the new middle rope and lay it between the 2. Repeat the braiding until you reach the ends of the ropes. Firmly pinch together the ends. Tuck the ends under the loaf and transfer the braid to a prepared loaf pan, compacting it as needed to fit. Cover with a kitchen towel. Shape the second loaf in the same way and cover. Let rise at room temperature until the loaves have increased by half and the dough feels puffy but slowly springs back when gently poked with a finger, 1¼ to 1½ hours. About 45 minutes into rising, heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg. When the loaves have risen by 50 percent, brush the tops with beaten egg. Place the pans in the oven, spaced several inches apart, and immediately reduce the temperature to 325°F. Bake until the loaves are golden brown and the centers reach about 185°F to 190°F, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes. Using the parchment slings, lift the loaves from their pans, peel off the parchment and set them directly on the rack. Cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. EDITOR’S NOTE: For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street at 177milkstreet.com/ap

This image released by Milk Street shows a recipe for olive oil challah with golden raisins. (Milk Street via AP)

This image released by Milk Street shows a recipe for olive oil challah with golden raisins. (Milk Street via AP)

This image released by Milk Street shows a recipe for olive oil challah with golden raisins. (Milk Street via AP)