There are more stories pertaining to our gun rights in Ohio then we can possibly draw attention to with individual daily commentary. But they are worthy of comment.

What follows is our weekly view of headlines from around the state though a pro-gun rights lens.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for seven days of headlines accompanied by short, concise pro-gun analysis.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Columbus - Attorney General Jim Petro filed a legal brief defending the constitutionality of Ohio's concealed carry law against a challenge by the city of Toledo.

"We believe the concealed carry law is an issue of statewide concern and prevents cities from enacting bans because statewide law supercedes local laws," said Attorney General Jim Petro.

Petro filed a friend of the court brief in the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Appellate District (Lucas County) in the case of City of Toledo v. Beatty. This case involves an appeal of the conviction of a concealed handgun license holder for carrying a concealed handgun in a Toledo park in violation of a local ordinance. Petro argued that the Ohio concealed handgun licensing law is a general law, and is constitutional in its entirety.

Earlier this year, Petro intervened in Ohioans For Concealed Carry, Inc. v City of Clyde, in the Sandusky County Court of Common Pleas, arguing Ohio's concealed carry law is constitutional.

That case stemmed from a challenge by Ohioans for Concealed Carry against an ordinance adopted by the city of Clyde in Sandusky County on May 18, 2004. The ordinance sought to place an additional restriction on the carrying of a concealed weapon in its city parks. Petro says this restriction is not contained in H.B. 12 (Ohio's concealed carry law).

There are lots of great stories being published this week about opening day for Ohio deer-gun season, and we're happy to bring you excerpts from and links to a few of our favorites.

Chillicothe Gazette: Photo caption - "It's not just for the boys"

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For the next several days, hunters with shotguns will replace speedy motorists as the top fear of area deer.

There are approximately 475,000 licensed deer hunters in the state, of which 400,000 use a shotgun, said Jim Marshall, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division District 4 manager. And from Monday through Sunday it's the season they've all been waiting for. (photo by Frank Robinson/ Chillicothe Gazette)

Dayton Daily News: Hunters open fire, deer season begins

When Burell Hall began hunting Monday morning on his farm in eastern Greene County, he saw a big buck chasing a doe.

"I spooked it up when I was driving in and watched it for a bit," Hall said. "I watched it until it bedded down over by a fence row on the other side of a bean field. So I got down on my hands and knees and crawled all the way across the field."

Hall crawled for about an hour and a half, watching the deer all the while.

"The wind was in my face, so I knew he couldn't hear me or get my scent. The bean stubble hurt my hands and I had mud up to my elbows and all over my gun," Hall said. "And while I was crawling I must have had four of five does come within 20 yards of me."

But Hall didn't crawl in the mud for more than hour to shoot a doe. He had the buck's rack in his sight all the way. And when he had crawled within 30 yards of the 11-point whitetail, he stood up and took his shot. And he didn't miss.

Hall was one of an estimated 400,000 hunters who will hunt deer this week in Ohio. The annual deer gun season opened Monday and will run through Sunday. By that time, the Ohio Division of Wildlife estimates hunters will have taken about 125,000 deer statewide.

"It always depends on the weather," said Todd Haines, manager of the Division of Wildlife's District 5, southwest Ohio. "But we are expecting a lot of activity."

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

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that anti-gun Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman will announce his withdrawal from the race for governor later today.

From the story:

Mayor Michael B. Coleman today will quit the race for governor after his miscue-plagued campaign failed to get traction.
Greg Haas, Coleman's campaign manager, said that Coleman has scheduled a news conference for 3 p.m. in the mayor's office to announce his withdrawal.

"This was not a matter of electability," Haas said. "Frankly, it was a matter of personal priorites of his family and his being mayor . . . He just decided he wasn't going to pull away from his family and from his responsibilities of being mayor."

As the Dispatch notes, Coleman's campaign has been beset with problems, most recently the arrest of his wife by Bexley police Oct. 20 for drunken-driving.

On April 8, 2004, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman staged a press conference next to a jungle gym, lamenting the fact that the city was unable to "protect children" by posting signs banning concealed handgun license-holders. Coleman called Ohio's concealed carry law "a travesty for our city and for our state."

Mayor Coleman's anti-gun rhetoric again became an issue in Columbus after passage of the Columbus Assault Weapons (Mentel) Ban.

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

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Friday that the Ohio Democratic Party Chairman is resigning, effective Nov. 30, and that among the names being considered for his replacement is a former endorsee of this political action committee.

From the story:

Ohio Democrats are searching for a new state chairman -- just months before they must officially field a slate of candidates for next year's pivotal statewide races.

Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Denny White announced Wednesday that he is resigning Nov. 30 -- an announcement that came five weeks after he told the party's governing board he would not step down until his term expires in June.

His abrupt departure sets up a potentially divisive contest to succeed him.

Possible successors are Montgomery County Democratic Party Chairman Dennis Lieberman and former U.S. Rep. Dennis Eckart of Greater Cleveland -- both of whom expressed interest in the job this year -- and a new contender, House Minority Leader Chris Redfern of Catawba Island.

U.S Representative Ted Strickland, a Democrat who is polling as the party's front-runner in the race for Ohio Governor, told the media he prefers that a new chair be selected immediately, and said Redfern is his choice. He called Redfern, "The future of the Democratic Party." Like Redfern, who received an endorsement from this PAC in 2004, Ted Strickland is a pro-gun Democrat.

So can a 2004 endorsee of this political action committee and a pro-gun Federal legislator-turned gubernatorial candidate change the attitude of the Democrat Party toward our gun rights? It's looking more and more like Ohioans may get the opportunity to find out!

The Columbus Dispatch on Sunday published an inspiring story about a veteran who isn't about to let a double amputation get in the way of his love for the outdoors.

The story begins like this:

Here comes the deer, wandering through the woods of Morgan County, his slow steps cracking twigs and leaves.

The man leans forward in the wheelchair and watches the young buck down in the gully.

The deer stops 30 yards in front of him.

The man’s heart thumps. He raises the rifle and looks through the scope.

The deer looks directly at him.

There is one bullet in the man’s .50-caliber Hawken muzzleloader.

All you need, hunters say, is one shot.

In life, however, you sometimes need more.

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

By Jim Irvine

Yes is cliché, but it’s true. But how much of a difference does your effort to vote really make?

Consider Buckeye Firearms Association endorsee Paul Blevins. This year he was up for re-election of the Elyria city council, ward 4.

Paul was very outspoken and influential in preventing the city council from adopting a gun ban similar to what the City of Clyde adopted in 2004. On election night a few weeks ago, Paul lost by 13 votes (1140-1127). But wait, there were still 36 absentee votes, and 20 provisional ballots to cast.

So who won?

Click on the "Read More..." link below to find out...

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Between 120,000 to 130,000 deer projected to be taken during the week-long season

Ohio's popular deer-gun season opens statewide on Monday, November 28. Deer hunters will see some of the most liberal deer hunting regulations ever offered, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

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"Our regulations are designed to reduce the overall deer population in the majority of Ohio," said Steven A. Gray, chief of the Division of Wildlife. "Liberal regulations on the taking of does, combined with the state's reputation for quality deer, make Ohio a great place to hunt."

The deer-gun season will be open from Monday, November 28, through Sunday, December 4, from one half-hour before sunrise to sunset. With a pre-hunting season population estimate of 650,000 white-tailed deer, the Division of Wildlife anticipates a kill of 120,000 to 130,000 deer during the week-long hunt. Approximately 400,000 hunters are expected to participate in this year's season, including a record number of out-of-state hunters.

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

With Ohio's Deer Gun season fast approaching and an already highly successful bow season under way we thought we would mention a couple programs that are doing their part to feed the less fortunate of Ohio's citizens.

Click on the "Read More..." link below to hear about these important programs.