Mar. 15, 2004
By Mike Dooley

Ft. Wayne News-Sentinel

Nearly 14,000 Allen County residents had permits for handguns as of last year.

You might be surprised at who's licensed to pack heat in Allen County.

Late last year, at least 13,972 county residents -- including four times as many men as women -- had permits to carry handguns. While fairly consistent with previous years, the number of permits can fluctuate daily as new ones are issued, existing ones expire and some are recalled.

Across the state, there were about 311,000 permit holders in 2003, according to the Indiana State Police. That's about 51 permits for every 1,000 Hoosiers, compared with Allen County's rate of about 41 for every 1,000 residents.

Among those you might recognize on the public list of permit holders are:

The ACLU rightly objects to this as a right to privacy issue, but was strangely silent when Bob Taft raised the spectre of making law-abiding CHL-holders subject to media scrutiny.

March 14, 2004
Columbus Dispatch
Story edited for space - click here to read the entire story.

The Bureau of Motor Vehicles has sold Ohioans’ driving records to a Florida company that is building a federal law-enforcement database, The Dispatch has learned.

The American Civil Liberties Union condemned the practice on privacy grounds.

Ohio sold personal information last year, including moving-violation reports, to Seisint Inc., a Boca Raton company that has an exclusive contract to create a database for detecting criminal and terrorist activity, state officials confirmed.

Seisint’s founder quit its board of directors in August after he admitted smuggling cocaine as a pilot in the early 1980s.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

Mar. 14, 2004
Akron Beacon Journal
By Mike Needs, Public Editor

They call me Mr. Negative.

At least a few newsroom colleagues do because of my daily reports on reader comments. They see them as being too negative too often.

In this space on Sundays, you've seen phrases like "chorus of complaints'' and "firestorm of feedback'' to reflect how some of you have reacted to Beacon Journal efforts.

Clearly, part of my role as public editor is to give voice to your opinions about what you read and -- appropriately -- the vast majority of your comments are critical. I say appropriately because you expect a high level of quality in your newspaper and feel compelled to comment mostly when those high expectations aren't met.

That's also how it is with the newspaper and the community. A newspaper's purpose is to shed light on those areas that need improvement, with the underlying assumption that most of the world around us performs quite well. Too often, though, many view that approach as focusing on the "negative.''

But my emphasis on reader complaints also has led to assumptions that the paper must be failing somehow because praise is so seldom seen. Fact is, quite a number of you call and e-mail to say thanks. You rarely see those comments in this column or in the Voice of the People because the paper doesn't want to appear self-congratulatory or self-serving.

In addition, many at the newspaper, including myself, believe it helps promote a fruitful discussion of community issues when reader criticism gets aired. After all, the paper had its chance when it published the material; then you get your opportunity to sound off.

That said, and risking an avalanche of acrimony, allow me to share some positive reader reaction.

(At this point, Needs publishes several comments)

However, two recent efforts failed to register on the praise-o-meter. The top of Wednesday's front page featured a flattering photo of President Bush. All those radio talk-show listeners who have claimed that never happens remained silent.

On Monday, the dominant item on the front page highlighted the increase in shooting lessons by the elderly and the disabled as a result of Ohio's new "concealed carry'' law. Not a peep from firearm fans who regularly blast the paper's editorial stance.

That's OK, though. A day without disagreement means your expectations for quality have been met, giving me the opportunity to be Mr. Positive for a change.

Send your own comments about the Beacon Journal to Public Editor Mike Needs. Phone: 330-996-3860. E-mail: mneeds@thebeaconjournal.com.

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Commentary:
After the Beacon Journal ran "Some unlikely candidates are ready to carry firearms" last week, several letter writers CC'd OFCC on letters they sent to the Beacon Journal, thanking them for the story.

After reading Need's complaint in "Mr. Negative", we notified him of these letters. To read the correspondence, click on the "Read More..." link below.

03/11/2004
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Robbers pointed a gun at Bryan Rutherford and demanded that he hand over valuables from his pickup Tuesday evening in Lemay.

Rutherford didn't pull out cash or jewelry. He pulled out a .22-caliber pistol hidden in his vehicle and opened fire in what authorities believe is the first instance of self-defense with a concealed firearm since the Missouri Legislature loosened the state's gun laws.

The man holding what turned out to be a BB gun on Rutherford was hit several times in the torso before he and two accomplices fled. Three suspects were later captured and charged.

Rutherford was uninjured.

"He shot a man holding a gun on him," said St. Louis County police Lt. Jon Belmar. "This appears justifiable use of force in defense of his own life."

Occasionally we hear that signs have been posted on local business entrances to prohibit firearms on the property of that business.

These notices are designed to warn law-abiding customers, who are duly licensed by the State of Ohio to carry concealed firearms for self-protection, that they are expected to give up the right of self-defense while on that property.

OFCC has now made available an information card to leave behind at businesses who have posted discriminatory signs banning CHL-holders. (Do Not Patronize While Armed)

Let them know they have just turned away a customer!

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Click on the image at right to purchase:

At the recent Canfield City Council meeting, city manager Chuck Tieche reported on the new conceal-carry laws that will go into effect next month.He said there are several issues that need to be addressed as far as the city is concerned.

One issue involves municipal buildings. Tieche said the citywill soon be posting a no firearms notice at the entrance. A person entering the building with a concealed weapon would be subject to arrest and fines.

The other issue involves city employees who may have a conceal-carry permit.

"We need to discuss whether or not we want to establish a policy for city employees," Tieche said.

The policy would define whether or not a city employee could carry a weapon while on the job. A municipality has the right to form a policy, and Tieche said it would require a disscussion to see which way to go on the issue. He said police officers would, of course, be exempt from such a policy.

Source is the Canfield Town Crier, Thursday March 11, 2004. Reporter J. T. Whitehouse

Related Story:
Public officials' rush to ban CHL-holders could be illegal

This Toledo Blade story has been picked up by Knight Ridder News Service, and published in the Miami (FL) Herald.

March 10, 2004
Toledo Blade

Attorneys Advise Ohio Employers to Tighten Ban on Guns in Businesses

Ohio employers may need to firm up their policies prohibiting guns -- or put such guidance in place -- if they want to ensure employees and visitors know they aren't allowed to carry weapons into businesses, attorneys dealing with employment issues say.

As the April 8 implementation date nears for the state's concealed weapons law, Toledo attorney Jim Yates said he is advising employers to make sure their policies spell out prohibitions on guns even if carriers have permits. Firms should take the next step, he added, and post signs at all entrances -and even in parking lots -- alerting employees, contractors, and vendors about no-weapons policies.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.