May 24, 2004
Columbus Dispatch

Editorial: Promote peace in parks
Cities need right to stop carrying of guns onto playgrounds, ball fields

The state’s wrongheaded new law that allows Ohioans to carry concealed handguns is especially onerous in its failure to put public parks and playgrounds on the list of places where packing heat is prohibited. Parks bring people together for many different reasons, and allowing any number of these folks to bring their weapons along to ballgames, picnics and hikes isn’t good public policy.

State lawmakers should approve legislation introduced this month by Sen. Ray Miller, D-Columbus, and Rep. Tyrone Yates, D-Cincinnati, that would allow cities to ban the carrying of guns in their public outdoor areas, including parks, swimming pools and sports fields.

Currently, the law allows cities to exclude firearms only from public buildings, such as recreation centers and town halls. The law prohibits the carrying of weapons into schools and day-care centers, and private businesses may bar firearms from their property.

For the same reasons that guns are banned from schools and day-care centers, they should not be taken into public outdoor areas, which are frequented by children. People of all ages converge at city parks, and few of them wish to be put into the position of wondering whether the man working himself into a lather over a soccer ref’s call or the quarreling couple at the picnic table might be armed and dangerous.

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

Chalk one up for fair and balanced reporting in Toledo...

On Friday May 21, 13 Action News (ABC affiliate) provided an excellent look at that the City of Toledo's illegal efforts to restrict concealed carry, and violate Section 9 of House Bill 12.

The report came in two parts - a 6:00 p.m. broadcast featured OFCC-supporter and Ohio Cconcealed handgun license (CHL)-holder Bruce Beatty on a walk through downtown Toledo. The reporter followed Beatty on his walk for an hour, interviewing passers-by as to what they perceived to be "different" about him. Not one single person was able to discern that he was carrying.

Although not reference in the report, Beatty was violating a (now illegal, but still on the books) Toledo law which bars possession of a firearm. Not only did Section 9 preempt this law, but so too did the Ohio Supreme Court's ruling last year that openly carrying a firearm is a "fundamental individual right."

This is the third bank (or bank customer) and fifth business on the Do Not Patronize While Armed list to have been robbed in the past two weeks.

May 22, 2004
Marion Star

MARION -- Officers are searching for a black male and female in connection with a Friday afternoon Fifth Third Bank armed robbery.

The pair entered the bank from the parking lot at about 4 p.m. The man drew a weapon and demanded cash, and the woman went behind the tellers' counter to collect money from tills, according to sheriff's reports. They fled the 1607 Marion-Mount Gilead Road bank branch in a dark-colored, possibly maroon, late-model four-door Chrysler. They were last seen driving south on U.S. 23.

An undetermined amount of cash was taken.

No shots were fired and no one was injured during the incident.

The male subject is described as 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10 and 150-160 pounds with braided hair, wearing a tan, hooded sweatshirt and tan pants. The female was described as approximately 5-foot-5 and 115 pounds, wearing a red, white and blue shirt dress.

Sheriff John Butterworth and at least two Marion County Sheriff's Office officials were on the scene. Three Marion City Police Department cruisers and two unmarked cars stayed in the area, as back-up for the Sheriff's Office, which has jurisdiction in the case.

"We were just there in case they needed us," said Police Lt. Matt Bayles.

Anyone with information about the robbery should call the Marion County Sheriff's office at 740-382-8244, ext. 0.

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Fifth Third Bank "traces its origins to the Bank of the Ohio Valley, which opened its doors in Cincinnati in 1858."

In addition to Ohio, the bank does business in the CCW states of Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Tennessee and Florida. Customer service reps in Michigan have told callers that they are unaware of any signs in that state, but one internal source says that the bank does ban in Kentucky and other CCW states.

------- Original message -------
From: 53_OtherCustomerServiceInquiries@53.com
Date: Wed, 5 May 2004

Dear XXXXX XXXXX:

Thank you for using Fifth Third Internet Banking and for providing us the opportunity to service your needs. In response to your recent inquiry,
the safety of our customers is important to Fifth Third Bank.

In order to limit the anxiety and address the concerns of the majority of our
customers, we have chosen to not allow the carrying of concealed weapons in our banking centers.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your business and look forward to serving you in the future. If you require any further assistance, please email us 24 hours a day or contact a Customer Service Professional at 1.800.972.3030, Monday through Friday between 7:00 AM and 12:00AM, ET, and Saturday or Sunday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, ET.

At Fifth Third Bank We're "Working Hard To Be The Only Bank You'll Ever Need. "

Melissa H. - Fifth Third Internet Banking

------------------

At the family's request, Ohioans For Concealed Carry is in the process of moving the Tony Gordon Memorial Fund away from this bank. As this Marion branch (along with one customer in Michigan) has learned the hard way, it can be quite dangerous to bank at Fifth Third without protection. More information to follow.

Please contact a Customer Service representative by using their secure online form or call 1-800-972-3030.

May 23, 2004
Cleveland Plain Dealer Sunday Magazine

When the Middlefield Giant Eagle posted a "no concealed weapons" sign last month, Scott Weber threatened to take his $200-a-week grocery business to the competition.

Weber, who owns The Gunrunner, a gun store and auction company in Burton, says he stowed his gun in his car and returned to the store to speak with the manager. After he stated his case, store owner P.J. Macali did the math and agreed to remove the sign. (Macali did not respond to a request for comment.)

Giant Eagle spokesman Rob Borella says the chain has instructed its stores not to post "no gun" signs. The Middlefield store, however, "is independently owned."

Weber and other supporters of Ohio's new concealed-carry handgun law are confronting Northeast Ohio business owners who display a "no gun" sign. They also are leaving business-size cards that read: "We have noticed your sign, and are going to respect your wishes by shopping elsewhere."

"We have been receiving a lot of requests for the cards, and we keep a detailed database of businesses with no gun' signs posted on the site [www.OhioCCW.org]," says Jim Irvine, a spokesman for Ohioans for Concealed Carry.

The Plain Dealer posts "no gun" signs and is listed on the Web site. So does Malley's Chocolates. Dan Malley, president and CEO of Malley's, doesn't plan to remove the signs from his 15 stores. "I don't want to alienate the gun people, but I wish they would leave their guns in their cars if they are coming to Malley's," he says.

Tony Alesci, owner of Alesci's Imported Foods in South Euclid, also listed on the Web site, isn't so sure about keeping his sign, which was provided by the police department. "It has offended a few of my good customers and we're going to discuss whether to leave the sign up," he says.

Weber's response to folks like Malley and Alesci?

"What we're really trying to say is, 'You missed my business today. Re-think your policy - you can't afford to do that.' "

Related Stories:
''No Guns-No Money'' Cards now available

Do Not Patronize While Armed

Broad daylight in a Kroger victim zone...

5/22/04
WCPO.com & Cincinnati Enquirer

Man Assaults 70-Year Old Woman, Steals Car

A 70-year old Tri-state woman is recovering Saturday night after a man assaulted her in a supermarket parking lot as he stole her vehicle.

Colerain Township police say Hazel Clemons was returning to her car at the Kroger on Colerain Avenue just before 1 p.m. Saturday.

A man approached her then threw her to the ground and took her keys.

Clemons was transported to Franciscan Hospital-Mount Airy for treatment of minor injuries.

The suspect - described as a white male in his 30s about 5-foot-10, heavyset with sandy blond, close-cut hair and wearing shorts and no shirt - fled the parking lot heading south on Colerain Avenue in the victim's car.

The suspect also has a tattoo on his left arm.

The the woman's car is a 1996 black Mazda with Ohio license plates, 694-LGA.

Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call the Hamilton County Sheriff's Patrol at 825-1500 or Crime Stoppers at 352-3040.

Commentary:
This incident happened at one of the southwest Ohio Kroger stores where regional management have assumed protection responsibilities for customers by posting "No Weapons" signs.

Criminals, by definition, do not care about prohibitions, and will certainly ignore, or perhaps even be drawn to, stores that advertise that their customers' have been rendered defenseless by company policy. Not only will criminals know customers are disarmed IN a posted store, they will know you are disarmed coming out.

In an email to concerned patrons about discriminatory signs in their southwest Ohio stores, Kroger stated that the company "understand[s] your stance as a shopper and respect[s] your right to take it. However, our obligation to our valued customers is to not only provide them with quality products and services, but also a safe place to shop."

We've asked before, and we're asking again: Since Kroger believes it is "obligated" to create this safe place, will the company accept liability when defenseless citizens are hurt or killed in Kroger stores in the future. Is the store going to be paying damages to this elderly woman?

The problems in southwest Ohio result from the policy of ONE man: Mr. Bob Hodge, President of the Cincinnati Division of Kroger.

Hodge controls stores in parts of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Stores are not posted in the IN or KY stores under Hodge's control (although those states' laws certainly allow the company to do so, just as they so willingly point out Ohio's does), nor are they posted anywhere else in the country. This is true hypocritical behaviour. Mr. Hodge can be written at:

Mr. Bob Hodge
President, Cincinnati Division
150 Tri-County Parkway
Cincinnati OH 45246
513-782-3300

Hodge's boss is Company President David Dillon.

Kroger's national customer service number is 800-576-4377 or 866-221-4141. Click here to share comments online.

Ohioans are already being forced to learn that businesses on the Do Not Patronize While Armed list are dangerous places to be. Customers at no less than 3 banks and 2 stores on the list have experienced violent criminal encounters. And that's just the ones we know about...

Related Stories:
Another day, another FirstMerit bank robbery AT "POSTED" BRANCH!

Reasons NOT to post ''No-CCW'' signs getting through, even to opponents

Business ban hypocrite: Kroger stores in Ohio enacting concealed carry ban

IRONY: Kroger employee honored for courage