Free Republic

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri became the latest state to allow residents to carry a concealed weapon without a permit when lawmakers supported the change Wednesday. Tense debate during the legislature's annual veto override session encompassed themes of race and class as lawmakers clashed over whether to override Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of Senate Bill 656. In the days leading up to the session the debate drew national attention, with organizations on both sides of the issues working to influence lawmakers. Another controversial part of the bill is its "stand your ground" provision, which will allow residents to use deadly force...

Despite a recent court order, Washington, D.C., is still refusing to issue concealed-carry permits to its residents, according to Devin Watkins, who attempted to obtain a permit last week. Watkins, a columnist at the federalist.com, wrote that when he went to apply for the permit, police officers at the station told him they had been ordered by D.C.'s attorney general to ignore the court order and continue to deny applications.

A Bergen County man has lost his bid to fight the confiscation of his guns and ammunition following a domestic violence arrest and charges that he had high-capacity magazines and hollow-point ammunition. An appellate decision on Tuesday upheld a Superior Court judge’s earlier ruling that Arthur Vinogradsky was no longer qualified to be a gun owner even though the charges against him were eventually dropped. It’s the latest example of New Jersey’s gun-control laws, which are among the strictest in the nation. In New Jersey, residents must apply to their local police departments to obtain permits to buy, own or...

A federal judge has ruled that a key provision of the District’s new gun law is likely unconstitutional, ordering D.C. police to stop requiring individuals to show “good reason” to obtain a permit to carry a firearm on the streets of the nation’s capital. In imposing a preliminary injunction pending further litigation, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon reignited a running battle over the Second Amendment in the District and its courts where three different judges have now weighed in with varying conclusions. “The enshrinement of constitutional rights necessarily takes certain policy choices off the table,” Leon wrote in a...

Gun sales are up in Minnesota, so much so that some counties are having trouble keeping up with permit applications. Hennepin became the latest county to expand their permit application services, opening a second full-time permit to carry office in Brooklyn Park this week. "We've seen an exponential increase," Sheriff Rich Stanek said. In fact, the Sheriff's Office released numbers Tuesday showing they've seen a 16 percent increase in permit applications since 2014. Stanek said some attribute the rise in applications to recent mass shootings, a rise in violent crime, or Obama administration policies. Regardless, Stanek said the increase does...

Tim Macy, Chairman of Gun Owners of America, wrote an open letter to Second Amendment supporters exposing Republican presidential candidate John Kasich’s real anti-gun agenda.Labeling Kasich the “wolf in sheep’s clothing� still in the presidential race, Macy points to Kasich’s close relationship with Leftist, Communist, billionaire George Soros. In fact, the Soros Fund Management is one of John Kasich’s top financial contributors.“This can hardly be a surprise,� Macy writes. His full letter can be read here. An abbreviated version is below.Kasich and Soros share two important traits: (1) their desire to mess up the Republican selection process for devious motives,...

The former president took on the NRA at a campaign rally for his wife. He said each year gun ownership has gone down slightly in America, but PolitiFact says that's only half true. They looked at poll data, and gun ownership has fluctuated, up and down. Pew Research says there's no definitive data on the subject,

Subject: Sir, you are wrong with regard to your CCP order Sir, with all due respect, you are wrong in your decision to unilaterally withdraw CCP reciprocity with other states. While you may have concerns about their meeting Virginia's standards, the correct method of resolving a dispute is to talk about it first. Instead, you've slapped 26 other states across the face with your decision. As a result, you've now placed Virginians...VIRGINIANS, SIR... at risk of retaliation from other states when they subsequently withdraw their reciprocity agreements with Virginia. In effect, you've placed law-abiding VIRGINIANS at risk of breaking laws....

If you have followed the news headlines lately, you know that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) – the bureaucracy responsible for ensuring the safety of our nation’s travelers – has seen better days. An internal investigation released in June found that the TSA had a stunning 96 percent failure rate in detecting weapons and fake explosives. More recently, a report from “The Today Show� revealed that NBC producers were able to pass airport security with Swiss army knives and box cutters in tow. Comforting, huh? While knives and weapons may make it past airport security all too often, your handgun...

Gonzalez claims he was unfairly targeted because he was carrying a gun. The traffic stop began routine enough. Rosenberg officer Sgt. Anthony Schnacky asked Gonzalez for his license and insurance. "Yeah, what's the reason you stopped me?" Gonzalez asked. "I'll tell you in just a minute," the officer replied. But when Gonzalez informed Sgt. Schnacky that he was legally carrying a concealed firearm, the tone of the situation shifted dramatically. The officer called for backup and they both approached the driver's window -- one of them with his gun drawn. Schnacky ordered Gonzalez to put his hands on the steering...

I was in my local Lowes store today. Zipcode: 33541 I was shopping for and inquiring about windows to put in the wall of an existing home. There are metal, vinyl, etc. Single, double pane variations. Some block some of the light from the sun from entering to some extent. The Lowes salesman asked me if I was planning on pulling a county permit? I asked why he asked ! He said starting about two months ago they changed the code and requirements for windows. He told me the code that had been applying only to new construction had been...

ERIE, Pa. -- Deer that have been invading the thoroughbred horse racing track at Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Summit Township will be shot. The Pennsylvania Game Commission has given the casino a permit for the deer kill as one way to combat the problem of deer entering the track grounds and making it dangerous for jockeys and horses.

OVERTON, TX (KTRK) -- Police in Texas shut down a lemonade stand run by two little girls. They said it was illegal. Andria and Zoey Green told ABC affiliate KLTV they were trying to raise about $100 for a Father's Day present. They wanted to take him to Splash Kingdom. They had been selling lemonade and kettle corn for an hour - and made about $25 - when officers showed up and told them they need a $150 permit to sell their lemonade. Texas House Bill 970, or the Texas Baker's Bill, does not allow the sale of food that...

NEW HOLLAND - Firefighters said they may have stopped a massacre after a gunman surprised them at their station Tuesday. The Aiken County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to the New Holland Fire Department's Station 2 around 6:30 p.m. for a report of shots fired. Firefighters said Chad Barker pulled up to the crowded fire station parking lot full of children and firefighters, got out of his car, and began firing in the air and at his vehicle. They say he also pointed the firearm at individual firefighters for lengthy periods of time. "I came out of the office, saw...

Three years ago, The Los Angeles Times published a story on the Little Free Library movement. The idea is simple: A book lover puts a box or shelf or crate of books in their front yard. Neighbors browse, take one, and return later with a replacement.The L.A. Times followed up last week with a trend story that got things just about right. "two cities have recently cracked down on one of the country's biggest problems: small-community libraries where residents can share books," Michael Schaub wrote. "Officials in Los Angeles and Shreveport, Louisiana, have told the owners of homemade lending libraries...

The U.S. Forest Service has tightened restrictions on media coverage in vast swaths of the country's wild lands, requiring reporters to pay for a permit and get permission before shooting a photo or video in federally designated wilderness areas. Under rules being finalized in November, a reporter who met a biologist, wildlife advocate or whistleblower alleging neglect in any of the nation's 100 million acres of wilderness would first need special approval to shoot photos or videos even on an iPhone. Permits cost up to $1,500, says Forest Service spokesman Larry Chambers, and reporters who don't get a permit could...

**SNIP** Contrary to what some environmentalists say, FWS insists that the permitting process actually works to protect wildlife. "We're not going to issue a permit unless we think there's an overall conservation value," said David Cottingham, senior adviser to the director of the service. But environmentalists remain unconvinced—a stance that has put them at odds with the wind industry, which defends the permitting process as necessary to provide regulatory certainty for wind developers. "Most environmental organizations support the wind industry, but what we're saying right now is just because you're producing clean energy, that doesn't mean you have carte blanche...

"GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) -- A man who tried to rob someone with a fake gun is in the hospital after he was shot by his intended victim."

".....This 'teen' runs up and jabs a stun gun to the man's side but it does not shock him. The man thinking its a gun or knife pulls and fires his CCw .40 hitting the teen twice. The teen from jail says he's learned a lesson because it could have been much worse...(Video only)

One more lying Obama agency – The Parks Department. As you know, the permit for a no-stop ride through DC tomorrow September 11, 2103 was denied. A Park Department employee Sheila Gotha allegedly told media the Biker’s application for a permit was never received and that’s why it was denied. Odd since the organizer, Belinda Bee says: “From my understanding, [Gotha] has told two other media outlets that she had never heard of our permit, that we have never had a conference call. I shot them the email showing where she scheduled the conference call and on that conference call...

NASHVILLE — Applications for Tennessee handgun carry permits increased by more than 100 percent during the first six months of this year, a period that saw the Legislature enact new laws protecting permit holders from criminal prosecution and prohibiting public release of their names. The state Department of Safety and Homeland Security, which issues the permits, reported Thursday that it accepted 86,334 handgun carry permit applications at driver services centers from Jan. 1 through June 30, compared with 40,503 applications accepted during the first six months of 2012 — an increase of 113 percent.

Charlotte, NC --(Ammoland.com)-  As recently reported, your NRA is aggressively working to pass a comprehensive right-to-carry reform bill, House Bill 937. H 937 contains numerous pro-gun provisions, including a section to repeal the antiquated permit-to-purchase requirement for anyone who wishes to purchase a handgun in North Carolina.  However, the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association is apparently circulating a letter to legislators that urges them to remove this section from H 937. H 937 is currently being considered by the state Senate, so it is critical you contact your state Senator IMMEDIATELY and urge her or him to oppose efforts of the...

Carry permits for concealed weapons are soaring all across the country. Part of the reason for this is uncertainty about the future. No one knows what is going to happen with tax rates, inflation, Obamacare, and the stock market. This uncertainty has translated into uncertainty about public safety, both from ordinary criminals and from the possibility of a breakdown of public order. A comment writer in Lane County, Oregon expresses the motives for and results of obtaining a concealed carry permit well: After many years of no guns in the home (grandchildren, after all), we made the decision to resume...

Lexington Board of Selectmen wave victory flag for marathon attacker On April 16th the Lexington board of selectmen called an “emergency meeting” to discuss permit suspension for The Muster On The Battle Green. The permit was revoked under the guise of public safety. Video content can be viewed here. (at site) -- The “emergency meeting” assembled at 6:00PM but turned out to be a smoke and mirror show. The Lexington Patch reported that the permits have been revoked at 3:22PM April 16th. That is 2 hours and 38 minutes before it got voted on. As the organizer of this rally,...

Friday afternoon Kansas Governor Sam Brownback signed 11 bills into law, including SB 21 which amends several firearms-related statutes including authorizing official recognition of any valid concealed carry permit from another state for individuals traveling through or visiting Kansas. Thanks to Gov Brownback, Kansas now has the best Concealed Carry reciprocity in the nation!

SALT LAKE CITY — Permits wouldn't be necessary for most people to carry concealed weapons in Utah if a state lawmaker gets his way. Rep. John Mathis, R-Vernal, is sponsoring H.B. 76, which allows essentially any law-abiding citizen over the age of 21 in the state to carry a gun, openly or concealed. Utah would effectively become a "constitutional carry" state if the measure is approved. That term refers to a state where carrying a concealed weapon isn't restricted by law. It's unclear whether the bill can clear the Utah Legislature.

Thieves ransacked a house that features on the gun map published by the Journal News, just days after another home on the list was also targeted. Burglars broke into the house in New City, New York, on Wednesday and pried open two safes, before leaving with another one. The criminals escaped with two handguns, two pistol permits, cash, savings bonds and jewelry. The firearms were in the stolen safe. Burglars also broke into a house in White Plains, New York, on Saturday and headed straight for the gun safe.

In recent days, there has been substantial media attention focused on the issue whether the names and addresses of all pistol permit holders in Putnam County must be released to a newspaper, which has indicated its intention to publish such information. By law, the initial determination of this issue is to be made by the county clerk, who is the legal custodian of the licensee records, with any administrative appeal to be determined by the county executive and any further challenge to be decided by the courts. According to the media reports, the county clerk and county executive-as well as...

It’s official: Florida has passed the one million mark in issuing concealed carry gun permits – the most of any other state. In mid-December, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam released a statement announcing the upcoming milestone and sharing information about the Florida Concealed Weapon and Firearm License Program. “In 1987, Florida issued its first statewide concealed weapon license after the Florida Legislature established standardized and uniform requirements for the issuance of a concealed weapon license,” said Commissoner Putnam. “Twenty-five years later,...

Did some digging. From Dwight R. Worley's own piece at the Journal News website and Angry White Dude - Journal News reporter Dwight R. Worley owns a Smith & Wesson 686 .357 Magnum and has had a residence permit in New York City for that weapon since February 2011.I went to the Journal News map. There is no red dot on his address showing that he is a permit holder. To be fair, they may not have updated all of the info on that website yet. BUT, there are red dots shown in his area.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A suburban New York newspaper that sparked an uproar among gun enthusiasts by publishing names and addresses of residents holding pistol permits is now planning to publish even more identities of permit-toting locals. Further names and addresses will be added as they become available to a map originally published on December 24 in the White Plains, New York-based Journal News, the newspaper said. The original map listed thousands of pistol permit holders in suburban Westchester and Rockland counties just north of New York City. Along with an article entitled "The gun owner next door: What you...

<p>Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) no longer has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.</p> <p>Feinstein, who has taken the lead on efforts to renew a federal assault weapons ban, acknowledged during a hearing in 1995 of previously having a concealed weapon permit.</p>

Way too much red tape. That's the complaint of the Gun Owners’ Action League of Massachusetts, a group that is urging passage of a law that would abolish the requirement of having to renew a gun permit every six years, according to the Boston Herald. For comparison, Massachusetts vehicle drivers' licenses need to be renewed every five years. But the league says local police cannot keep up with timely gun permit renewals, and legitimate gunowners go license-less until the cops get time to do the paperwork. The law now allows 40 days for turning around license applications. In Boston, almost...

For the past two years, Peter Cimino has been selling gourmet tacos in business parks in Amherst, N.Y., a suburb of Buffalo. In his bright lime green truck, creative entrées like chimichurri chicken and tomatillo pork sizzle. His Lloyd Taco Truck was personally invited by the owner of the Amherst Commerce Park to enliven the area and Pete was operating entirely on private property. But on Monday, Amherst shut his business down. A police officer even threatened to tow away Pete’s taco truck, for not having a permit.  There’s just one problem: Amherst doesn’t have a food truck permit yet. The...

This is what government is all about. Forget roads, mass murder through warfare, or locking people up for their consumption choices: it's making sure that no one gives out water without a permit.This is from last week but I believe un-noted here: ABC-TV 15 from Phoenix reports that local Christian proselytizer Dana Crow-Smith was ordered by a "Neighborhood Preservation Inspector" to stop giving out free bottled water last month because she lacked a vending permit, though she was not vending.She is threatening to sue the city with help from the Rutherford Institute, a civil liberties group with a focus...

Top Republican Haley Barbour didn’t know it the time, but he unwittingly gave a robust endorsement Friday morning to the Obama administration’s surprise decision to give work permits to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants working in the U.S. Speaking at a breakfast with political reporters before the news broke, the former Mississippi governor and onetime Republican Party chairman launched into a robust argument on how to fix the nation’s immigration system, a position he portrayed as sharply different from that his party’s presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, and that of most other Republicans.“America is in a global battle for capital...

The sorry saga continues, as the Obama administration is intent on getting their way in everything and by any means possible. In January of 2011 I reported that the EPA had revoked the permit for an already-in-use coal mine in West Virginia, the Spruce Mine to be specific operated by Arch Coal, citing “violations of the Clean Air Act.” This unprecedented action struck fear in the hearts of not only coal companies who have invested millions of dollars and time into securing the necessary permits, but other business owners as well. After all, why would they want to invest in...

An Australian woman says she was "stalked" for two days by an angry kangaroo, which finally attacked, leaving her with a 12-inch scar. "It was lucky it was cool weather and I had two layers of clothing; otherwise it could have been worse," Kirrily McWilliams said. The (Sydney) Daily Telegraph reports that McWilliams called the National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) to report that the female eastern gray kangaroo was lurking outside her home, in Port Macquarie in New South Wales. But wildlife officials reportedly told her to simply ignore the kangaroo and that it would move on. Instead, the...

The “1 percent” comes in piece. Dozens of New York City’s billionaires, real-estate moguls and Wall Street CEOs are really loaded, according to the NYPD’s gun-permit list obtained by The Post under the Freedom of Information Act. Top guns include Donald Trump, Marvel Comics head Isaac Perlmutter and Gristedes chairman and mayoral wannabe John Catsimatidis. Billionaire cosmetics heir Ron Lauder — who once dumped $4 million of his own cash on an effort to install term limits for city pols, only to do a complete 180 and back anti-gun zealot Mayor Bloomberg’s third term — also packs heat. Real estate...

Monday’s big win for gun rights in Maryland – courtesy a lawsuit filed by the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation on behalf of Maryland resident Raymond Woollard – is already being demonized by anti-gunners, and will likely be appealed by the State Attorney General. The case is Woollard v. Sheridan. It was admittedly a big win for SAF, which has in the neighborhood of 20-plus cases in progress challenging onerous gun laws on constitutional grounds. SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb coined a slogan about two years ago that seems appropriate: “Winning Firearms Freedom One Lawsuit at a Time.”...

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – The Department of Justice is proposing to amend the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to extend the term of import permits for firearms, ammunition, and defense articles from 1 year to 2 years. The additional time will allow importers sufficient time to complete the importation of the authorized commodity. In addition, it will eliminate the need for the importer to submit a new import application, ATF Form 6, where the importation was not completed within the 1-year period. Extending the term of import permits will result...

MASSENA - A retired U.S. Border Patrol agent is working to stir up interest in a firearms training program that would give former law enforcement officers a chance to continue to carry concealed weapons. Jean-Pierre Plante has proposed bringing a certified gun instructor to the north country, giving former officers a one-day crash course on everything weapon-related. The class would be the first of its kind in the area and would help retirees take advantage of a federal law that allows them to carry a concealed handgun. "A lot of them (law enforcement officers) are retiring, and sometimes they are...

Madison - The state has fallen at least four days behind its legal timelines for handling background checks for Wisconsin's new concealed carry law but could be caught up as soon as this week, a state official said. The state fell behind Dec. 30 on its obligations under the new law, which requires new applications to be handled within 21 days. So far, nearly 71,000 people have applied for permits and swamped state officials at the Department of Justice, who have printed more than 51,000 so far. That comes as handgun sales and the state background checks for those sales...

'Occupy Congress' seeks permit for Jan. 17 protestBy: Aubrey Whelan | 01/04/12 12:18 PM Occupy Congress, a national group partnering with Occupy DC for a major protest this month, is slowly moving forward in its efforts to aquire a permit for the protest. The group has scheduled a meeting Thursday with the National Parks Service to discuss getting a permit that would allow up to 10,000 people to protest outside the Capitol on Jan. 17. Participant Mario Lozada said protesters are trying to avoid the mass arrests that Occupy DC endured in early December during a week of similar protests...

Georgia pistol-packing permits aren’t published on paper any more. In recent weeks, local probate court offices have been processing Georgia weapons carry licenses on a new system, which will produce cards that look something like a driver’s license with a photo, holographic seals and other security features. The old paper licenses are much more basic. Jerry Henry, executive director of GeorgiaCarry.Org, said the new licenses at least look better. “The remark I hear most often is the existing ones could be made by a fourth-grader and a crayon,” said Henry, who lives outside Fairburn. He said he objects to the...

CLAYTON - A local gun shop owner is suing to force Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell to grant him a machine gun permit. Ronnie Mitchell, Bizzell's attorney, said he will ask the court to dismiss the case. Dennis Nielsen, owner of Freedom Arms, a newly opened gun store on U.S. 70 Business in Clayton, requested a machine gun permit in May. Bizzell refused, saying he needed more information, including the type of automatic weapon Nielsen needed a permit for, where and how it would be stored and why Nielsen needed the weapon. State law requires permits from the county sheriff...

The Richmond Tea Party is demanding a refund from the city for $10,000 it spent on for permits, portable toilets, police presence and emergency personnel for three rallies held at same plaza where the Occupy Richmond squatters set up their camp. The Republic reported: The Richmond tea party is demanding a refund of about $10,000 from the city, claiming it unfairly charged them for rallies while allowing the Occupy protesters to use the same space for several weeks for free. The political organization is sending the city an invoice for the charges incurred for three rallies held in Kanawha Plaza...

RICHMOND -- The Richmond Tea Party wants its money back from the city of Richmond for the cost of permits and other fees to use the same area in which Occupy Richmond has settled for nearly the past two weeks for free. The local branch of the Tea Party says it should be reimbursed for all the fees accrued and paid over the past three years for use of Kanawha Plaza, a city-owned square across from the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank and a few blocks from Virginia state capitol buildings. Occupy Richmond, an affiliate with the Occupy Wall Street movement,...

Anchorage, Alaska (AP) -- Alaska Native and environmental groups are challenging a federal air permit granted to Royal Dutch Shell PLC for offshore drilling in Arctic waters. Shell hopes to drill exploratory wells next summer off Alaska's northern coasts. The Environmental Protection Agency issued an air permit Friday for a Shell drill ship called the Kulluk.

Police called him a "Good Samaritan," but Minneapolis detectives were still investigating Friday the case of a man who shot and killed an armed robber he chased down the night before. The man who fired the fatal shot had a permit for his handgun and told police he used the weapon after the fleeing robber turned and confronted him behind a restaurant. Police spokesman Sgt. William Palmer said the department was leaning toward classifying the shooting as self-defense. "However, decisions on charging are left up to the county attorney's office. And since there's a death, it might even be taken...