Ohioans For Concealed Carry has confirmed that Summit Co. Executive James McCarthy's executive order "prohibiting guns in all county buildings and vehicles and on county property" will be modified to reflect the law under Section 9 of Ohio House Bill 12.

Readers of this website were first made aware of this original Section 9 violator in early February.

On February 2, the Akron Beacon Journal reported that Summit County Executive James McCarthy issued an executive order "prohibiting guns in all county buildings and vehicles and on county property." This represented the first such action by a political subdivision in the wake of passage of House Bill 12.

Ohioans For Concealed Carry was quick to point out that the General Assembly expressed it's intent to preempt any such actions to restrict concealed carry in Section 9 of House Bill 12.

Steven H. Libbey, Deputy Director of the Summit Co. Criminal Justice Affairs Division, confirmed yesterday that the executive order is being modified.

"No-CCW" signs will be posted on county buildings only, in accordance with the law under HB12, and concealed handgun license-holders will not be prohibited from county property.

County officials are still discussing the implementation of rules regarding concealed carry for county employees while at work.

Upon discovery a potential violation, OFCC's legal representation has been contacting county, city, and township law directors across the state. To date, approximately fifteen political subdivisions in Ohio have reversed course on plans to enact new bans after being made aware of Section 9 of House Bill 12. In addition, the cities of Columbus, Cleveland, Newark and Loveland had existing bans in place (pre-HB12), and have publicly acknowledged that Section 9 preempts their ability to continue to enforce the ban.

Toledo Mayor Jack Ford continues to claim that CHL-holders will be arrested and face extensive fines and jail-time if found on public property such as parks. Enforcement of such a ban would clearly violate the law, which Ford took an oath of office to uphold.

Related Story:
Attorney General concurs: City and county gun banners preempted by state law

...and yet the gun ban lobby claims you are "buying into a culture of fear" if you make a responsible choice to bear arms for self-defense.

April 29, 2004
Columbus Dispatch

Deputies going after 10,000 felony suspects

Franklin County deputy sheriffs will work overtime to whittle away at a backlog of 10,000 outstanding felony warrants for crimes ranging from drug offenses to murder.

The department’s fugitive squad, which nabs an average of 1,200 suspects a year and travels across the country to retrieve those arrested elsewhere, has been unable to keep up, Chief Deputy Steve Martin said.

"You name it, we got it," Martin said of the crimes on the outstanding warrants. "A smattering," he said, are murders. Charges cover all five levels of felonies, and some are years old.

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Last October, Central Ohio Crime Stoppers published a book that listed the names, descriptions, last known addresses and other information for 900 of Franklin County’s most-wanted felons.

The attempt to enlist the public’s help came two months after a North Side Wendy’s employee was shot and killed, allegedly by a 22-year-old man who already was wanted on an outstanding felony warrant.

It was a one-time effort, though, said Columbus police detective Gerald Milner, the group’s coordinator. It was expensive and would have required constant updating, he said.

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

To hear the gun ban extremists tell it, there is no need for self-defense in parks, and those who make preparations to defend themselves in case they do, are "buying into a culture of fear." Notice how this news outlet suggests that having a cell phone can make you safer, but says nothing of Ohio's new concealed handgun license law.

Flasher exposes himself to young woman in North Chagrin Reservation

April 29, 2004
WKYC.com NBC Ch. 3 Cleveland

NORTH CHAGRIN RESERVATION -- As the weather turns warmer and more people are getting outdoors comes word that authorities are looking for a man who targeted a woman in one of the Metroparks.

Metropark rangers say the man flashed himself to a woman jogger then asked for sex.

It happened at the North Chagrin Reservation.

"I'm always aware that that could happen or even something worse even," said Lisa Casamatta.

Hikers like Lisa Casamatta and Libbie Tenaglia enjoy the North Chagin Reservation and are cautious. But they say they won't let this incident scare them away.

"This is really a park that's used by all ages, families and seniors and everybody in between so we still want folks to come out and enjoy this park," said Casamatta. "We're very lucky to have it."

It was an unlucky morning for a 24-year-old woman when she encountered the flasher at 11:30 a.m. on a warm spring Saturday.

"A white male had himself exposed and he blocked her path and she was brave enough not to let him scare her, but that was apparently enough to frighten him away and he took off running," said Sgt. Ernie Oergel of the Cleveland Metroparks.

The woman describes the man as about six-foot-two in his late thirties with dark blonde hair and a beard.

Park rangers fear they'll be the more victims since these incidents seem to rise as the temperature does.

"As soon as the warm weather comes we get a few here and there and it can happen in any of our park reservations," said Oergel.

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