With 1,389 concealed-carry licenses issued since 2004, Athens County is no stranger to the Second Amendment.
But after a recent gun-range closing and a summer change in legislation allowing firearms in bars, area officials are making an effort to keep Athens safe.
The recently closed Strouds Run State Park gun range, 11661 State Park Rd., was where Hill Top Gun Club had been shooting since 1963, said Kevin Martin, the club’s chief instructor.
“Idiots man — 40 students up there on the range,” said Martin about the closure. “It was becoming overused and unsafe.”
Patrons were untrained, using the wrong targets and showed no regard for safety, he added.
In addition to recent reckless gun use, Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed off on legislation in June, allowing anyone with a concealed-carry license to bring a firearm into bars, pending the bars’ discretion.
“I’m totally against it,” Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly said, adding that he is backing the Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police in taking a stance against the bill.
Uptown bar owners share the same sentiment. Of 14 Athens bars that responded, none has chosen to allow firearms.
“I’m afraid of that rule,” said Art Oestrike, owner of Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery, adding that it might negatively affect his business.
Oestrike added that he does not want to discourage business from either side of the topic but still personally disagrees with the law.
“Of course, there is no alcohol,” said Melissa Riley of the Athens County Sheriffs Department. “While you can carry a firearm into a bar, you are not permitted to drink alcohol. If you’re caught consuming alcohol while armed, you could be charged with a felony.”
Despite unrest in terms of firearms in Athens County, Kelly said classes offered to those receiving their licenses are doing their jobs to teach safety as long as alcohol stays out of the mix.
To obtain a license, one must be 21 years old and a resident of the county you’re applying in for a minimum of 45 days. Once the license is obtained, a one-time, 12-hour class is required to keep it; this includes 10 hours of course time and 2 hours of time on the gun range.
Classes require a background check and are held at the Athens County Sheriff’s office at $61 for 5-year Athens residents.
“(The class) trains and equips a person to handle a weapon safely,” Kelly said.
With 44 percent of all Athens County licenses issued since 2009, Kelly added that safety is key with the recent surge.
“Law enforcement can’t protect everyone all the time,” Martin said.
wh092010@ohiou.edu
