No joke: Mississippi county bans clowns ’til after Halloween

DEKALB, Miss. (AP) — Officials in one eastern Mississippi county have had their fill of a creepy craze, and they’re temporarily banning people from dressing as clowns.

Kemper County supervisors enacted the clown ban this week, effective until after Halloween.

The Kemper County Messenger reports (http://bit.ly/2epYioO ) that anyone caught in public wearing a clown costume, mask or makeup could face a $150 fine.

Supervisors’ president Johnny Whitsett says it’s a matter of public safety because people could react badly if they get scared by a clown in their yard.