Ohioans For Concealed Carry has learned that the Garfield Heights branch of First Merit bank was robbed on Wednesday, July 21. According to sources, the perpetrator walked right past "no-guns" sign on the outer door, made his way to the counter, and presented a demand note.

First Merit has posted "no-guns" signs at its branches throughout Ohio for just eight weeks, and OFCC has documented at least seven robberies in various parts of the state since that time.

What makes this branch notable is that it once held the accounts of Ohioans For Concealed Carry Inc. Upon the posting of signs, and after the failure of bank management to even enter a dialogue about the potential danger they were forcing upon patrons, OFCC began the process of moving its accounts.

Pictured at right is a photo of the Garfield Heights "no-guns signs". The red sign in the background was posted after the robbery - "This office closed temporarily due to an emergency. We regret the inconvenience."

"We've tried and tried to tell them - posting signs will not keep out armed criminals, and may even provide them incentive," remarked Jeff Garvas, OFCC President. "When it became clear that bank management was unwilling to put the safety of their patrons ahead of imaginary liability concerns, OFCC began the process of moving our accounts, just as many other Ohioans have moved their business away from businesses who deny their self-defense rights. First Merit is proving to be a very unsafe place to do business."

July 21, 2004
Gannett News

COLUMBUS — Sen. Bill Harris, R-Ashland, is expected to take over as president of the Ohio Senate in 2005, after his primary rival dropped out of the race today and endorsed him.

Harris, 69, a former U.S. Marine, auto dealership owner and state lawmaker for nearly 10 years, is expected to take over for Senate President Doug White, who is term-limited at the end of the year.

A future power vacuum opened up last month when presumptive Senate president-elect Jeff Jacobson withdrew from consideration after media reports tied him to a pair of controversial GOP consultants at the heart of state and federal investigations into alleged campaign and fund-raising misdeeds.

Gardner, the current No. 2 Senate leader, and Harris, chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, emerged as the early favorites to take the Senate’s top post.

But in a memo to colleagues on Wednesday, Gardner threw his support behind Harris, who he said, “has the legislative experience and work ethic, but even more important the integrity to serve superbly as Senate president.”

Harris would succeed Senate President Doug White of Adams County, who is term-limited at the end of this year.

Commentary:
Last December, Senator Bill Harris joined a handful of term-limited Republicans and refused to commit to a veto-override, thus ensuring that the media gain access to private information about CHL-holders.

Now that the media has abused this privilege, will he work as President to assist in reforming the law to protect his constituents' privacy, or will he hold Bob Taft's hand, standing in the way of concealed carry reform, as past Senate Presidents have done?

The answer may depend, in part, on the make-up of the Senate, one-half of which is up for re-election this November.

Related Story:
December 17, 2003: Senate Veto-Override Outlook

July 22, 2004
Cleveland Plain Dealer

Columbus - Restrictions on the right of off-duty police officers to carry concealed weapons could create headaches, Bob Beck, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolman's Association, said Wednesday.

Beck reacted to an opinion released Monday by Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro that said off-duty officers can carry concealed weapons at any time in any jurisdiction, except in bars, schools, courthouses and on private property that posts restrictions.

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