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Another Halloween With No Party In The Castro

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS/BCN) -- San Francisco city officials are reminding residents that there will be no Halloween party in the Castro District this year, the fourth straight year people have been encouraged instead to celebrate the holiday close to home.

The Home for Halloween campaign started in 2007 to curb increased  violence and vandalism during the holiday, especially from people who live  outside of San Francisco.

There have been problems historically on Halloween in San  Francisco, particularly in the Castro District where five people were stabbed  in 2004 and 2005, and nine people were shot in 2006.

There will be no city-sponsored events tonight or Sunday in the city for Halloween, and there will be no street closures in the Castro.

"There are many wonderful and safe events happening in San Francisco neighborhoods and throughout the Bay Area," Supervisor Bevan Dufty said in a statement.

"We're encouraging people to celebrate Halloween in their own home  neighborhoods and cities. The Castro, while open for business, will not be  closed for a street party," Dufty said.

The campaign's website, www.homeforhalloween.com, includes a list  of events throughout the Bay Area today and Sunday.

"For those people who would come into the Castro - or any part of  the city - with bad intentions and exhibiting bad behavior, the message is  very clear: please stay home for Halloween," Dufty said.

(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)

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