Several more Dayton Daily News readers have responded to a narrow-minded, uninformed rant from DDN columnist Martin Gottlieb, in which he attempted to make the case that because about 1% of eligible Ohioans have obtained licenses in the first nine months, that support for Right to Carry laws are a "narrow interest". As with the last round of letter-writers, DDN readers are proving to have far more of an understanding than this journalist about how concealed carry reform actually works.

Carry law has big impact

Re "99.5 percent ignore new gun law," March 4: Is Martin Gottlieb truly this ignorant about how the Ohio Conceal-Carry program is supposed to work, or is he just hoping his readers are?

It's not just Ohio gun owners who have concerns about the media's rampant abuse of open records, and shameless advocacy via biased reporting.

March 25, 2005
Columbus Dispatch

I salute The Dispatch for again raising debate on public records by focusing on the issue in the March 13 newspaper. Clearly, the editors support House Bill 9, sponsored by Rep. W. Scott Oelslager, R-Canton. One didn’t have to wade too far into the six stories to know why the paper feels Ohio needs the legislation. It was evident by the biased reporting. Then the editorial "Focus on Sunshine Week" confirmed it.
The Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics says to "seek truth and report it." The code also says to "distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context."

Only the editorial page was identified as commentary. The newspaper certainly misrepresented the fact and context of testimony of three school communicators in one news story. All three school representatives testified to the House of Representatives’ Civil and Commercial Law Committee that they were strong supporters of the public’s right to know and supported several parts of House Bill 9, including the education portion. They said they take their role as keepers of the public’s records seriously.

Leah Mercer told of a personal incident when she was beset by a parent and feared for her own safety. The parent could easily obtain her home address through a public records request. Jeff Kursman provided examples of excessive public-records requests that were made to harass the district. Karen Derby told of a request for copies of all emails that contained one particular word. She said the proposed fines and limited time window are an enticement to financially exploit taxpayer dollars for personal gain.

Those witnesses and Columbus Police Sgt. Laura Stratton talked about receiving voluminous requests, involving thousands of copies, that were not picked up nor paid for, which cost the taxpayers money that could have gone to instruction or public safety.

With the advent of technology, one can type a phone number into an Internet search engine and obtain a map to someone’s house. Do school, municipal, township and state employees give up all rights of privacy simply because they are on the public payroll?

Most government bodies and public schools provide public records in a timely, lawful fashion. Thousands of public records are being shared each business day.

Remember, there are two sides to this story and readers deserve both.

Fred Pausch
Director of legislative services
Ohio School Boards Association
Columbus

CLICK HERE TO ASK YOUR LEGISLATORS TO PROTECT LAW-ABIDING PEOPLE BY AMENDING HOUSE BILL 9 AND CLOSING THE MEDIA ACCESS LOOPHOLE.

Another example of how background checks fail to keep criminals from obtaining firearms, and of how criminals who want to steal guns will take time to pick a target that ensures they'll find them.

March 24, 2005
ChannelCincinnati.com

Officials said 11 guns were stolen during the robbery of a gun store in Colerain Township Thursday.

At about 2 a.m., officials received a call to investigate an intrusion alarm at the Sportsman''s Gallery on Pippin Road. Officers determined that the thief or thieves entered a vacant neighboring business, removed dry wall and broke a hole through a cinder block, gaining access to the gun shop.

The following handguns were stolen from a display case:

· An S&W .44 Magnum revolver, model 29 classic #BSP4318.
· An S&W .357 Magnum revolver, model 27 #N377269.
· A Colt .38 special revolver #131205.
· An S&W .38-caliber revolver, model 10 #C765759.
· A Ruger .44 Magnum revolver super Blackhawk #8754357.
· A Beretta 9 mm semiautomatic pistol, model 92SB #B820742.
· A Glock .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol, model 21 #6F2238.
· A Glock .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol, model 22 #BER70903.
· A Glock 9 mm semiautomatic pistol, model 17 #ACN61305.
· A Llama .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol, mod MAX1 #71040648104.
· A Walther .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol, model P22 #L067837.

Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (513) 352-3040.

Related Stories:
Criminals don't let background checks stop them at Cincy-area gun store

Op-Ed: If Gun Background Checks Don't Work, Will 'Watch Lists' Be Any More Effective?

The Chillicothe Gazette is reporting that Sgt. Dale Gillette and Lt. Don Dettillion of the Ross County Sheriff's Office have enlisted the help of the National Rifle Association's Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program in an effort to educate children on what to do if they find a gun.

From the story:

Parents who think their children have no idea where their handguns, rifles and ammunition are hidden should know the secret is out.

Kids know where the guns are hidden.

At least that's what about a dozen kids told Ross County sheriff's deputies Tuesday at a gun safety class.

It was shocking, but not the first time Sgt. Dale Gillette and Lt. Don Dettillion of the Ross County Sheriff's Office said kids have confessed their little secret.

While millions of guns in homes across America, Gillette said it is rare to run across an adult who takes the time to teach their children about guns.

"Parents really think if they say 'don't touch it' their kids will listen," Gillette told the newspaper. "That just doesn't always happen, and someone has to tell these kids how dangerous guns are."

Getting that message across is the reason Gillette and Dettillion have been crisscrossing the county teaching the Eddie Eagle gun safety program to fourth- and fifth-graders.

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