The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that Northeast Ohio native and former Attorney General, Jim Petro, has set his sights on becoming Ohio's next Supreme Court chief justice.

From the story:

Party leaders, including U.S. House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio, had urged Petro, a moderate Republican who made an unsuccessful bid for governor in 2006, to run next year for a seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce of subur- ban Columbus.

"I have had strong experience as a manager, a lawyer and advocate in courts across the country, so I really do lean toward running for the Supreme Court in Ohio," said Petro, who also has served as state auditor.

..."I don't hesitate to tell people in the political circles that I'm interested in running for chief justice, but that's still three years away -- a lifetime," he said.

In the meantime, Petro, 58, told the newspaper he will continue doing what he is doing -- practicing law, including performing death-penalty pro bono work, and playing handyman around his Columbus home -- until he begins a campaign in earnest in 2010.

August 28, 2007
Chillicothe Gazette

By Ross Co. Sheriff Ron Nichols

It was a law that had the support of politicians and law-enforcement personnel, alike, three years ago when it was enacted. The so-called "concealed carry" law gave honest citizens the right to apply for a permit to carry a concealed weapon - legally.

The sheriff's office has issued hundreds of these permits, and we have yet to see a problem as a result of it.

The right to bear arms is guaranteed by the United States Constitution, and it's not the law-abiding citizens we worry about, anyway. It's the criminals: They're going to be armed whether there's a law or not!

Sgt. Penny Pierce is the administrator of the permit process [in Ross County], and she is assisted by Deputies Vicki Hall and Pam McMurray.

And it is quite a process.

Click here to read the entire editorial in the Chillicothe Gazette.