Joe Eaton, OFCC's Business Education Task Force Coordinator, has received the following notification from First Clermont Bank:

Dear Joe,

We have removed our "no guns" signs from all First Clermont Bank locations.

We gave the issue considerable thought before we added the signs in the first place, and went through a similar process before taking them down. Your letter was helpful, as were the comments of two customers who have passed the conceal carry certification process.

FYI,

Ed Brady
VP, Administrative Services
First Clermont Bank
400 TechneCenter Drive
Milford, OH 45150
(513) 576-0600 phone
(513) 576-6454 fax
Ed.Brady@firstclermont.com
www.firstclermont.com

Please take a moment to thank Mr. Brady and his staff for their wise decision. There are no credible studies that show increased dangers to businesses because of concealed carry, yet many prove the benefits.

First Clermont Bank joins a host of other Ohio businesses who are removing their "No CCW' signs after learning more feeling more comfortable with concealed handgun licensees.

To view the rapidly expanding list of businesses which have removed signs banning concealed handgun license-holders from their businesses, click here.

To view the list of businesses which have registered as "Safe Alternatives" - places where CCW is not only allowed, but welcomed, click here.

Ohioans For Concealed Carry and the OFCC PAC are pleased to announce that efforts to receive clarification with the Ohio Division of Liquor Control over the law's requirements for Class D liquor permit holders have been met with complete success.

At issue was the question of whether groceries and convenience stores which possess Class D liquor permits, but which do not dispense liquor by the drink, were automatically rendered off-limits to concealed handgun license-holders by House Bill 12.

In an April 5 letter to 415 liquor agency stores, Superintendent Rae Ann Estep correctly informed class D permit holders that "the Concealed Carry Bill does not specifically address the issue of carrying concealed weapons into spirituous liquor agency stores." She went on to state that
"since agency stores are private businesses, the issue [of whether or not to post signs banning concealed carry] is within the sole discretion and business judgement of each spiritous liquor agency store."

Unfortunately, the letter ended in with a statement that confused many of the letter's recipients:

"...No policy can authorize the carrying of a concealed weapon in any room or open air arena where a class D liquor permit in force."

This statement was also repeated in a "Superintendent's Message" on the Division's website in the month of May, and some store owners told OFCC the statement was repeated or reinforced when they called the Board for clarification.

There are many business-owners at Ohio groceries and convenience stores who do not wish to post "no-CCW" signs, believing they discriminate against CHL-holders and advertise defenselessness to criminals. Unfortunately, up to now, they were under a false impression that they had a legal obligation to post these signs.

OFCC PAC Vice Chairman Chad Baus has been working for more than two months to correct this problem with the Division of Liquor Control, and can now announce that the matter has been corrected.

A Division official confirmed Tuesday that the confusing statement has been removed from the Liquor Control website.

A June 24 letter from this official states as follows:

..."As private employers, the Class D permit holders are governed by Ohio Revised Code Section 2923.126(C)(1) regarding whether they choose to post a sign stating that no person shall carry a concealed weapon onto their property."

"If class D permit holders have chosen to post a sign other than the sign the Division was statutorily required to provide them [the Firearms Warning sign described in 4301.637(B)], this was not done upon the direction of the Division."

Division stresses that any legal interpretations regarding compliance with statutory requirements should not be asked of the Division, but should be addressed to the business' private legal counsel.

As we have long maintained, the choice to post "no CCW" signs is strictly a private one for non-serving Class D permit holders. Unless they dispense liquor for on-premises consumption (served by the drink), Class D permitees are under no legal requirement to post "no CCW" signs.

"Persons obtaining Ohio concealed handgun licenses are trained as to where they can and cannot go," said Baus. "CHL-holders know that the law currently forbids them entry into any establishment that holds a Class D liquor permit and which serves liquor by the drink. We are pleased that the Division of Liquor Control has acted to confirm the facts for all interested parties."

"OFCC volunteers will now set about to inform stores listed on the Do Not Patronize While Armed database of the facts," said Joe Eaton, OFCC's Business Education Task Force Coordinator. "We know this will be a relief to many grocers and convenience store owners who have posted signs out of confusion about the law."

For a look at the many stores which may be misinterpreting the law, read our Do Not Patronize While Armed database.

NOTICE: This story has been updated at the request of the Division of Liquor Control. The letter from Division Counsel is now available for grassroots volunteers wishing to share it with business-owners in their area:

Download June 24 letter from Division of Liquor Control (.pdf)

June 29, 2004
Akron Beacon Journal

Security guard Donald Swartout felt like he didn't have a choice. He had to shoot the man who was trying to rob a charity ``Las Vegas Nite.''

"It was him or me,'' said the 68-year-old former policeman. ``I'm not sorry I shot, but I didn't shoot to kill. I was protecting myself. I just fired. He already had his gun pointed at me.

"I would have rather caught him alive.''

The shooting occurred about 4:30 a.m. Monday in a rear building on the National Guard Armory grounds on North Hawkins Avenue. Akron police identified the dead man as 19-year-old Kevin E. Moss II of Cleveland Heights.

About 20 people were gathered for the card-playing andcasino-style event, which organizers say was being held to raise money for a youth football program in Coventry Township. A masked gunman rushed into the building and leaped behind a counter where the money was being kept.

Swartout said he sneaked out of the "money room'' as the robber struck. He was trying to slip back into the room to confront the gunman when the shooting happened.

"I figured (the robber) would have his back turned, scooping the money,'' Swartout said. "But I turned the corner and he was standing right there with a gun pointed at me.''

Swartout refused to drop his gun, and the robber didn't lower his. A single shot in the face ended the quick standoff.

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

June 28, 2004
San Francisco Chronicle

Washington -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein knows the odds are increasingly daunting as she tries to win congressional renewal of her 10-year-old assault weapons ban before it expires Sept. 13, and she warns that if the law lapses "you can expect the market to become flooded'' with such guns as AK-47s and Uzis.

The California Democrat will be home in San Francisco on Tuesday to join her colleague Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in marking the 11th anniversary week of the 101 California St. shootings that killed eight people and left six others wounded. The shootings helped persuade Congress to pass the assault weapons ban a decade ago. A frustrated Feinstein is looking toward November's elections to produce a president and a House leadership more supportive of gun control.

"I really believe passionately in this,'' Feinstein said in an interview about her bid for the renewal. "I'm not going to give up.''