by Chad D. Baus

Gun owners used to finding themselves diametrically opposed to the media when it comes to the topic of concealed handgun license records being publicly accessible might be surprised to find themselves in agreement with much of a recent editorial by Akron Beacon Journal's Managing Editor Mizell Stewart III, entitled "Government records laws benefit us all".

From the editorial:

Government in the sunshine.

That is the notion that our government should operate in the open -- and that a representative democracy depends on citizens who have access to the chambers where decisions are made and the information those decisions are based on.

Journalists spend an awful lot of time defending the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press, and rightly so. But the right of citizens to petition the government for redress of grievances is just as important.

Think about that right this way: In the absence of open records and open meetings, you would likely have no idea what to petition the government for.

An article in the Middletown Journal by Ed Richter this week educated readers to a sport that is racing into popularity.

From the story:

For the members of the 1st Ohio Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association, shooting from the hip is expected.

The organization is part of a growing equestrian sport that combines target shooting using .45 caliber, single action revolvers and barrel racing over a timed course on horseback.

Jana Bellamy, whose day job is treasurer of the Franklin Board of Education, is one of those weekend riders.

Bellamy was among 103 people from several states, and a few from Franklin and Butler County, who participated in the Midwest Regional Championship this past weekend.

...The riders, who all wear authentic cowboy and cowgirl garb or calvary uniforms from the 1800s, fire their pistols at 10 balloons arranged in more than 50 patterns, Bellamy said. She added that some riders also use rifles.

The article goes on to explain that riders carry two single-action pistols that are loaded with black powder and blanks to shoot the balloons, which are arranged in various target patterns.

Again, from the story:

Bellamy said she likes to come out to the competitions and watch everybody. It also allows her to relax and forget about work for a while.

...Linda Miller, Bellamy’s mother, said the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association started in 1994 in Scottsdale, Ariz. The national organization has more than 5,000 members, from children to adults of all ages. However, children, called “wranglers” do their shooting on the ground and wear safety goggles with a parent at their side.

...Locally, the 1st Ohio Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association has nearly 70 members from Ohio and several other states, according to Ruwe.

Click here to read the entire story from the Middletown Journal (free login required).