Buckeye Firearms Association Chairman Jim Irvine was a guest on the Armed American Radio Network Sunday, January 31 at 8:45 p.m. Jim discussed aviation security and the armed pilots program with Armed American Radio (AAR) host Mark Walters in conjunction with the United States Concealed Carry Association. Special guest Ted Nugent followed Irvine in an hour-long segment of the show.

Armed American Radio is broadcast live from the Intelligent Talk 920 WGKA studios in Atlanta and syndicated nationally by Salem Radio Network. Click here to listen live from 8:00 P.M. - 11:00 P.M. Eastern. At the conclusion of the show, podcasts are available at the official AAR website.

By Chad D. Baus

Yesterday, the Dayton Daily News published a story entitled "Law allowing guns in parks irks Beavercreek councilwoman," which addressed comments made by Beavercreek Councilwoman Phyllis Howard at a January 25 council meeting.

In the story, Howard is quoted as saying she opposed efforts to change to an ordinance prohibiting guns in public parks to comply with a state law passed in 2007 and upheld by the Ohio Supreme Court in 2008, calling the idea that anyone would want to carry a concealed firearm in a public park "ridiculous."

Today, Howard met with fellow Greene County Republican Central committee member and Buckeye Firearms Association Region Leader Larry S. Moore, and we are pleased to report that Howard is now rethinking her stance on the issue.

By Chad D. Baus

Last October, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg released video taken by people he paid to attend gun shows in Ohio, Tennessee and Nevada. The anti-gun mayor, who has had several Ohio mayors quit his gun control front group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns (with many saying they were misled, and others saying they had never agreed to join the first place), claimed the heavily-edited video was proof of "just how easy it is for criminals and the mentally ill to walk in and buy guns -- no questions asked."

While it is clear that Mayor Bloomberg has exceeded his authority and has no business doing investigations in Ohio, while it appears likely that his "investigators" have also broken the law, and while all the conduct he complains of is already illegal and prohibited, the fact is there is a critical threat to gun shows that won't go away.

The latest salvo launched in the war against gun shows came last weekend, as a "statewide liberal advocacy group" gathered across the street from a gun show at the Sharonville Convention Center, drawing the attention of a willing media.

But even as protest organizer Brian Rothenberg called upon city leaders to impose mandatory background checks on all gun sales, he inadvertently admitted that no such changes in the law are necessary.

January 29, 2010 UPDATE : Republican councilwoman rethinking stance on guns in parks

By Chad D. Baus

Dayton Daily News writer Christopher Magan is reporting that the City of Beavercreek is considering a change to an ordinance prohibiting guns in public parks to comply with a state law passed in 2007 and upheld by the Ohio Supreme Court in 2008. "Unfortunately," Magan editorializes (in what is purported to be a news story), "the City Council has no choice."

The story, entitled "Law allowing guns in parks irks Beavercreek councilwoman," notes that the move to restore rights to persons with concealed handgun licenses (CHLs) has at least one local official upset.

By Jeff Knox

I recently wrote about the need for preaching to the choir – too many of our own friends, family members, and fellow shooters are woefully uninformed about the fight for liberty. A chance conversation in a hardware store this week really brought home just how much work there is to do beyond the choir room doors.

At the hardware store I got into a conversation with a fellow shopper. As conversations with me tend to do, it wasn't long before we were talking about guns and gun laws. The fellow's wife had joined the conversation by this time and while his reaction was troubling, her reaction was down right scary.

Regulations on white-tailed deer to be heard at February 3 meeting

Ohio sportsmen may notice a few changes in next year's hunting and trapping regulations, based on proposals presented January 6 to the Ohio Wildlife Council by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

September 1 is again proposed as the kick-off date for the state's fall hunting seasons--with the opening of squirrel and dove hunting. Other proposed hunting and trapping rules and season dates will be similar to those now in effect, with only slight changes to fall and spring hunting dates.
Young hunters age 17 and under should again be able to hunt statewide for rabbit, pheasant and all other legal game in season during two designated weekends, October 16 -17 and 23 - 24. Spring youth turkey season is proposed for April 16 – 17, 2011.

The remainder of the proposals concerning Ohio's white-tailed deer hunting will be heard during a separate Wildlife Council meeting on February 3.

By Chad D. Baus

The Lima News is reporting that the number of people obtaining licenses to carry a concealed handgun exploded in 2009 to as high as 500 percent in some northwest Ohio counties.

And that has county sheriffs offering words of caution - to criminals:

"I hope criminals think twice before they attempt to steal from someone or harm someone," remarked Auglaize County Sheriff Al Solomon.

Allen County Sheriff Sam Crish added, "With the numbers growing, it's a huge risk if you're committing some type of offense you don't know who may be carrying."

Recently introduced bills in the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate could threaten the future of deer hunting in Ohio.

The measures, House Bill 410, sponsored by Representative Mark D. Okey (D- Carrollton), and Senate Bill 225, sponsored by Senator Mark Wagoner (R- Toledo), move oversight and regulation of captive deer breeders and deer hunting facilities from the Ohio Division of Wildlife and place them under the control of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. A move that is not only unnecessary but could prove to be devastating to Ohio's deer herd.

By Larry S. Moore

It was just a few years ago that Buckeye Firearms Association, along with support from the NRA, led the effort to obtain the ability for concealed handgun license holders to carry concealed while hunting. Working with the law enforcement side of the Division of Wildlife and with a major effort at the spring open house events by Buckeye Firearms supporters and volunteers, we were able to accomplish the goal without additional legislation.

A recent story from Ohio Outdoor News, entitled "Rabbit hunters stumble onto massive marijuana grow," provides yet another example of why this right is so important.

By Chad D. Baus

On April 18, 2009, Republican Prosecutor Dave Yost announced he would seek his party's nomination for attorney general in 2010, saying Ohio needs "a prosecutor, not a politician" in the state's top law enforcement job. Today, he will announce a decision that ensures his party will nominate a politician after all.

According to the Dayton Daily News, Yost will announce his plans to abandon his long campaign for attorney general, and accept a carrot offered by Ohio GOP chair Kevin DeWine - a party-backed run for state auditor. The announcement will come at a 2:30 press conference at the Ohio GOP headquarters in Columbus.