It seems difficult to believe that one year ago this week, Ohio was still suffering under a 150-year old ban on armed self-defense, and the final open carry 'Defense Walk' had just ended with much success in Vermilion, Ohio.

Christmas 2003: Self-defense ambassadors bring good will to Vermilion

Thanks for helping make 2004 a very Happy New Year...

Merry Christmas to one and all from all of us at Ohioans For Concealed Carry. Here's hoping Santa brings each of you your very own "official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time" (or the firearm of YOUR heart's desire).

Editorial: 'Is there no end to the irrational prejudice against Red Ryder and his peacemaker?'

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The Akron Beacon Journal is reporting that an employee at a Copley Road gas station ran and locked herself in a back room during a holdup attempt Wednesday, causing the would-be robber to flee with nothing.

The incident occurred about 8 p.m. at the Holland Oil in the 1200 block of Copley. The newpaper reports that a man entered the station and passed a note stating he had a gun and ordering the female employee to put the money in a bag.

Commentary:
After publishing a story on how a gun was shoved in mouth of employee in ''no-guns'' business during a robbery earlier this month, Holland Oil's Senior Vice President Micharl Toth notified OFCC as follows:

"Now that the initial excitement over the passage of the weapons bill has passed, we have asked our insurance carrier to review this matter to see whether they will revise their position. We are awaiting their response."

Since far less than 1% of Ohio businesses are posted with discriminatory and dangerous "no-guns" signs, does anyone really believe it can be this difficult for Holland Oil to find a sensible insurance carrier?

"You don't need a gun - let the police protect you", right?

The Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting that residents throughout Brown County won't see as many sheriff's deputies on patrol and will have to go to the sheriff's office to report non-emergency crimes beginning Jan. 2.

Sheriff Dwayne Wenninger told the Enquirer his office will lay off 10 employees from its 42-member staff and will not fill six vacant positions.

The cuts were made to slice $400,000 from the sheriff's overall 2005 budget of $2 million, Wenninger said.

The biggest impact for residents: One sheriff's cruiser will patrol during each shift and will respond only to emergencies, such as a crime in progress, domestic violence and other violence-related calls.

Also, the sheriff's investigations division will decrease from four investigators to one, and the canine program will decrease from four officers to one.

The newspaper notes Wenninger's office patrols about 460 square miles of a mostly rural county, where nearly 44,000 people live.

Commentary:
Why does the State of Ohio continue to fund the Ohio State Highway Patrol so lavishly, while Ohio's highest law enforcement officers are forced to struggle like this?

Related Story:
Underfunded Sheriffs forced to accept hand-me-downs; OSHP wins ''best-dressed"

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Akron: Restaurant driver robbed at gunpoint - just drive away, right?
A restaurant delivery driver was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday night in the 500 block of Elbon Avenue in East Akron, police said. The driver, who is employed by Juwuan Kitchen, told officers he had made a delivery about 8:30 p.m. and was walking back to his car when a man with a gun approached. The gunman demanded money. After getting the cash, the robber fled in a dark four-door car.

Cincinnati: Man arrested in convenience store robbery - perhaps they needed a "no tire irons" sign?
A Sycamore Township man was arrested and charged in the robbery of a convenience store late Tuesday. Barry Jones, 40, was charged with the aggravated robbery of Mr. A's Mini Mart at 7752 School Road, Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies said. The suspect entered the store about 8:21 p.m. and hit the counter with a tire iron. While near the cash register, the suspect demanded money. The robber ran from the store with an undetermined amount of cash. A witness saw the suspect go into a nearby trailer park, where deputies found him, Sheriff's spokesman Steve Barnett said. The suspect was identified by two witnesses and arrested.

Columbus: Hostage-taking might be tied to wave of business robberies - don't they tell us criminals aren't smart enough to research their targets?
At the door to her apartment, the man who had been following her approached from behind and forced her inside, pointing a gun at her. He bound her, then waited. When her roommate arrived home, he bound her also. His plan was to keep them hostage in their apartment through the night. In the morning, he was going to accompany the woman he followed home to her job at a Hamilton Road check-cashing business and rob the place, Columbus police detective Gary Bowman said. But something scared him off that night. He left the woman’s East Side apartment and never robbed the business, Bowman said. Police were looking into whether the crime was part of a wave of kidnappings of employees of financial institutions in Columbus. Earlier this month, four people were indicted in a string of central Ohio robberies at check-cashing businesses and other institutions in which more than $839,000 was taken. In one case, robbers on July 27 snared $643,000 from Western Credit Union at 750 Georgesville Rd. An employee was held at gunpoint and eventually taken to the business and ordered to open the safe. Also robbed were: Sky Bank, on April 9, 2002; Check Land, on June 27, 2002; Cashland, on Dec. 9, 2002; Whitehall Credit Union, on May 23, 2003; and Western Credit Union, on July 27.

Toledo: Employee is assaulted in East Toledo robbery - of state-mandated victim zone!
Three suspects made off with an undetermined amount of money from the Idle Time Club, at 2044 Genesee St., in Toledo early yesterday. An employee at the club told police three suspects entered about 2:20 a.m. and one ordered food. When the employee went to the kitchen to prepare the food, one of the suspects hit him in the head with a handgun and ordered him to give them his watch and bracelet.