Reprinted with permission of the Dayton Daily News

September 23, 2004
Dayton Daily News

Concealed-carry applications post sharp drop

MORAINE | — Bill Seevers got his permit to carry a concealed weapon as soon as he could. Seevers already had taken a concealed-carry course and was ready to apply under Ohio's new law when sheriff's offices opened their doors April 8 to potential applicants.

"Do I carry all the time? No," Seevers said Monday, as he prepared to shoot at Sim-Trainer, a firearms training company that opened its range in May. "But I like to think that criminals are worried about who is carrying."

Seevers, a Centerville resident who is a competitive shooter, is one of thousands of Ohio people who lined up to apply for the permits.

From April through June, 26,307 permits were issued statewide, with 247 applicants denied and eight licenses suspended, according to the Ohio Attorney General's Office. Numbers for the third quarter are not yet available.

But the early rush has faded for permits to carry concealed weapons in the Miami Valley.

In Montgomery County, 163 applied on the first day. The demand dropped sharply in less than two weeks.

The decline has persisted. For all of August, 166 people applied in Montgomery County, just three more than the first day's total.

"It's real slow," said Jeff Pedro, one of several local law-enforcement officers who founded Sim-Trainer. "Nowhere near the volume. It almost tailed off in 45 days."

In Montgomery County, where the sheriff's office issued 1,710 permits through Sept. 13, it is processing 107 applications, all from August and September. During the first five months, the office denied 14 applicants, according to Major Jeff Busch.

Between April and June 30, the Miami County Sheriff's Office averaged about 45 appointments a week. Since then, it has averaged 10 to 12.

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

The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Interstate Bakeries Corp. (IBC), the nation's largest wholesaler baker whose products include Twinkies and Wonder Bread, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The electronic filing, made shortly after midnight with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri in Kansas City, listed assets of $1.626 billion and liabilities of $1.321 billion.

The company said it had a commitment, subject to bankruptcy court approval, from JP Morgan Chase Bank to provide $200 million to pay suppliers, employees and other operating costs during the reorganization. It said it would continue operating its bakeries, outlet stores and distribution centers.

Earlier this year, IBC-owned stores in Ohio offended members of its customer-base by posting discriminatory signs banning concealed handgun license-holders from the stores, which include all Toledo-area locations of the Wonder Bread Bakery Outlet, and the Wonder Hostess Bread Store in Madison.

As they struggle to reorganize and reemerge from bankruptcy, can these stores really afford to continue to discriminate against customers who have proven themselves to be some of the most law-abiding members of society?

The following message is from OFCC Business Education Coordinator Joe Eaton (jeaton@ofcc.net):

OFCC members and supporters, we need you to get involved quickly in response to
some Anti-Self Defense activities that are taking place. The following is an
email we received from an OFCC member in Summit County.

"There is someone going around (again) to Summit county convenient stores and gas stations telling them that they must post 'No CCW' signs because they sell alcohol. The gentleman in question is even nice enough to give the stores the 'No CCW' signs free of charge. I have compiled info and supplied it to a couple stores. Upon seeing the truth, they have removed the signs.

Please review this summary of the Ohio Division of Liquor Control's statement of facts relating to Class-D permit holders posting of no firearms signs.

If you are in Summit County or the surrounding area, print some copies of the June 24 letter from Division of Liquor Control (.pdf)
and go find the locations this person is lying to and politely make sure they
have truthful information.

If you are not in the Summit County area, we still need your assistance. Visit
the Do Not Patronize While Armed database and find posted locations in your area to
visit and politely discuss their decision to discriminate again the most law
abiding Ohioans. Below is part of an email from another member who shows how a
little effort can make a huge difference.

I just want to give you the heads up that I passed the information (emailed him a copy) on this web site to a buddy of mine who is a sales manager at Don Wood Automotive in Athens. He then passed it up the ladder to Jeff Wood (Don's son) and Jeff showed it to his Dad... I was at the store yesterday and all of the signs have been removed from all of the dealerships... They should be removed from the list now... We are making a difference!

We ARE making a difference. The list of businesses which have removed discriminatory signs banning CHL-holders continues to grow daily.

Now let's go out and show the vendors who we are and why they want us as
customers. You all can make a difference all it takes is just a little effort.
The Anti's are still out there working hard so we need to redouble our efforts
to make sure the truth is being told.