Florida Businesses Sue to Block Parking-Lot-Storage Law: Business interests Monday filed suit in federal court seeking to block the guns-at-work law Gov. Charlie Crist signed into law less than a week before. The Florida Retail Federation and Florida Chamber of Commerce brought the suit in U.S. District Court in Tallahassee. Rick McAllister, president and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation, said federal court was chosen because of the stark constitutional implications of the case. Similar suits in other states that have passed such laws still are on appeal. In Oklahoma, McAllister said, a challenge to a guns-at-work law was successful because it put state law in conflict with federal workplace safety regulations. The Florida law is similar to legislation in several other states, including Alaska, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Oklahoma. http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080422/NEWS0120/80421086/1075 --- North Carolina Students Push for Campus Carry: A number of college campus shootings over the past year have many UNCW students concerned. Some of those students want people with gun permits to be able to carry their guns on campus. Interested students want to join more than 25,000 people who are part of the national organization Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. Fatal shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University are examples of why UNCW student Tyler Millage and others want concealed weapons allowed on campus. Millage said, "In the hands of responsible citizens, there's no danger from handguns." Millage is spearheading an effort for the organization Students for Concealed Carry on Campus to be recognized as an official campus group. The group's mission is to allow people at least 21 years-old who have concealed carry permits to have their guns on them when on UNCW's campus, which is currently illegal. http://www.wwaytv3.com/should_college_student_be_allowed_to_carry_weapons_on_campus/04/2008 Empty Holsters in Virginia: Junior building construction major Ken Miller was walking in Newport News when he encountered two men. One walked behind him, the other stayed in front, and they were both swearing at him. "They were definitely acting aggressively," Miller said, adding that he believed they were about to attack him. But the men backed off after Miller let them know that he was armed. As a concealed carry permit holder, Miller was legally allowed to carry a firearm to protect himself against such an invasion. While he was legally permitted to carry a firearm in Newport News, he could be expelled for doing so on the Virginia Tech campus. "Those of us who carry concealed - we pay tuition so that we cannot have the same rights as everyone else," Miller said. "Because I pay tuition and am a member of this school, I have fewer rights than (visitors to the Tech campus who aren't students)." http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/2008/04/22/students_wear_empty_holsters_in_silent_protest ...in Kansas: If Eric Stein gets his way, students at Kansas University would be allowed to bring concealed weapons to campus - so long as they have the proper state permit. Stein, a Topeka junior, is the president of the local chapter of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, which has organized a nationwide "Empty Holsters" protest for this week. The campaign involves members of SCCC wearing their holsters to class and on campus - but without guns - as a visual reminder that concealed carry on campus is illegal, which members of the group object. "Since the (Northern Illinois) shooting, it's become abundantly clear to a lot of students that no-gun signs, no-carry signs on campus really don't do anything to mitigate a situation such as a campus shooter," Stein said. Six students died, including the shooter, when a man opened fire in a classroom at Northern Illinois University in February. http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/apr/22/students_protest_concealed_carry_ban/?city_local ...in Nebraska: College students across the country make a statement they say is all in the name of safety. Students at Hastings College were among them. They are part of a group pushing to get guns allowed on campus. 3 students wore empty holsters to class Monday. They are part of a group called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. It started after the Virginia Tech Shooting about a year ago. Students are trying to convince state lawmakers change is needed. They do not think concealed weapons should be banned on college campuses...Nebraska is one of 29 states that prohibits concealed weapons on college campuses. http://new.khastv.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=13085&storytopic=4 ...in Illinois: From Monday to Friday this week, the 25,000 members of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus will wear empty holsters to protest laws that deny students the right to carry concealed guns on campus. The protest closely follows the first anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings and comes at a time when nine states are considering legislation on the matter. According to CNN.com, Utah is the only state to allow weapons at all public universities, and Colorado allows guns at all public colleges except the University of Colorado-Boulder campus. To obtain a CHL (concealed handgun license) or a CCW (concealed carry weapons permit), states require applicants to meet an age requirement, take a class, pass written and shooting tests, state and federal fingerprint/background checks and pay a fee. Six states allow this license to be given out beginning at age 18, while the others begin at age 21. http://media.www.westerncourier.com/media/storage/paper650/news/2008/04/21/Opinion/Guns-Ok.On.Campus-3336899.shtml ...in Texas: KRIS 6 News was the only station to tell you about the national protest organized by a group called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. 6 News spoke with members of the group at TAMCC on Monday about why they feel it is important to have concealed handguns on college campuses. Armed with his backpack and an empty holster, student Cody Smiley worked to get the word out about why the members of the group are strapping up this week. Smiley told KRIS, "We're basically saying that we want the right of all people that are over the age of 21 that already have a concealed handgun license to be allowed to carry in class so that tragedies like Virginia Tech might be averted in the future. http://www.kristv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8205343&nav=Bsmh ...in Idaho: In the last year, there have been seven campus shootings which have made students at Idaho State University take action. They're holding a silent protest this week to represent their inability to carry concealed weapons on campus. Members of the group called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, or the SCCC, said it's a nationwide protest. Jared Harward is studying law enforcement at Idaho State University and will enter into the law enforcement program next year. But, for today, he's ..."Just attending classes like normal," said Jared Harward, SCCC Campus Leader... along with being openly passionate about carrying concealed weapons on campus. http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8205586&nav=menu554_2_4 ...in New Hampshire: A nation-wide student protest advocating for legally-permitted students to be allowed to carry concealed weapons on campuses drew fire from University of New Hampshire officials Monday. In an April 21 memo to staff, Mark Rubinstein, UNH Vice President of Student and Academic Services, said "we could not support this proposition." Rubinstein was referencing a week-long "empty holster protest," launched by Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, in his Monday memo. The student group urges supporters to wear empty holders to classes from April 21-25 "in protest of state laws and school policies that stack the odds in favor of dangerous criminals and armed killers by disarming law abiding citizens licensed to carry concealed handguns virtually everywhere else." http://seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080421/NEWS/80421032 In California,. However...: Officials at San Jose State plan to offer self-defense classes so that students and professors will be prepared in the event that a gunman opens fire on campus. College officials simulated just such a situation on campus last week. Junior Hillary Tiopa responded like it was the real thing. "Once I heard the gunshot I was speeding out of the building. I just wanted to get away from him. I wanted to get down the stairs and out of the building," said Tiopa. University officials say Tiopa did the right thing, using one of four techniques officials plan to teach in the course. "Lockdown, hide if it's possible, run if you have to, or play dead. Those are generally the four options," said San Jose State Spokeswoman Pat Lopes Harris. The fifth option is to attack the attacker. There will be more details on that option in the self-defense course, which will be offered in the fall. http://www.kcbs.com/pages/2041544.php? --- Kansans Will Be Able to Own NFA Weapons: Kansans will be able to own machine guns, other fully automatic weapons, sawed-off shotguns and silencers starting July 1. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius signed a bill Monday to legalize the possession of such weapons. The state banned owning machine guns in 1933, but some legislators said a change was necessary because legal questions threaten to keep dealers from delivering weapons to law enforcement agencies. Supporters believe the bill will benefit mostly collectors because machine guns typically cost at least $20,000. Also, anyone wanting to own such weapons must undergo two federal background checks. http://www.kansas.com/197/story/379574.html --- Oops, Wrong Liquor Store: An Oakland liquor-store owner shot and injured a would-be robber who shot him, the second incident in two days in which employees have fought back, police said. At about 9:55 p.m. Saturday, a man walked into Ed's Liquors at 2700 23rd Avenue and pointed a gun at the store owner while going behind the counter, police said. The owner pulled out a weapon of his own, but the assailant shot him first in the leg, police said. The store owner then fired back, hitting the man at least three times, police said. The suspect's condition could not immediately be determined Sunday. The store owner's injuries were not considered life-threatening. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/20/BATS109016.DTL --- Rule Three Reminder, Part 1: A man accidentally shot himself in the stomach after waving his gun in anger at a fellow driver in Tempe, and police say he will face charges. Tempe police spokesman Brandon Banks said Monday that David Lopez, 33, is expected to survive and could face charges including disorderly conduct, reckless display of a firearm and felony flight from police in the Friday night incident. Banks says it's unclear what sparked the incident and that Lopez has been evasive in police interviews. http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/235425 Rule Three Reminder, Part 2: Sergeant Wade Johnson, a 17 year veteran of the Holmes County (OH) Sheriff's Office, was hospitalized Sunday morning after accidentally shooting himself. Johnson was responding to a call at a Burger King near Berlin when the incident occurred. According to the sheriff's office, they believe Johnson was removing or repositioning his secondary weapon, a 9 MM handgun, after arriving on the scene and it discharged. The bullet passed through his abdominal area and lodged in his pelvis. (Rule Three: Keep your finger out of the trigger guard, up on the frame, until your sights are on the target and you're prepared to fire.) http://www.coshoctontribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080420/UPDATES01/80420003 --- Remington to Renovate, Consolidate: Remington Arms' plans to renovate its plant and add jobs could help stabilize the nearly 200-year-old company's future in the village and also boost economic development throughout the Mohawk Valley, local officials said Sunday. The Remington Arms plant will add 100 jobs by the end of 2009 and undergo a multi-million-dollar renovation, said Morgan Hook, spokesman for Gov. David A. Paterson's office...The 100 new jobs are being relocated from the Harrington and Richardson Firearms plant in Gardner, Mass., which recently closed, Hook said. http://www.uticaod.com/archive/x1498099403 --- American Pastor Sentenced for Ammo in Russia: ...Phillip Miles, pastor of the Christ Community Church in Conway, S.C., was arrested on February 3, several days after customs agents at a Moscow airport found a box of 20 rifle shells in his luggage. A Russian court sentenced him to serve three years in prison out of a possible seven for the smuggling charge, and an additional two months for trafficking, which carried a maximum penalty of four years, according to a State Department official...Miles has said he brought the .300 caliber cartridges for a friend who had recently bought a Winchester rifle. He said he did not know bringing such ammunition into Russia was illegal. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351922,00.html -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .