NY STATE NEWS

Gov. Pataki VETOED "canned shoots" bill, A-4609/S-2735

NY Times article highlights NYC Council's push for new gun laws

Out of NYC NY resident looses Article 78 hearing to have license validated for NYC Target.

Judge rejects NYC bid to reopen gun case

New Web site for NYC

NY City resident looses Article 78 hearing, Judge OK's NY City not issuing "Target License"

NATIONAL NEWS

15 year old wins national Steel Challenge title

US Military personnel in Germany must register Private firearms with German authorities.

Davis Sport Shop of Sloatsburg, NY purchases Old Knights Range

     Wayne Davis, who owns Davis Sport Shop in Sloatsburg, NY has purchased the old Knight's range. Knight's featured a 100 yard indoor range and is located outside of Goshen . Wayne hopes to keep the 100 yard range and plans to expand the retail operation of the store to more than he has in his current location in Sloatsburg. If that happens, the store will be the largest full service sporting goods store in region.
     The transition will not be quick because he still has to have a closing and then he will have to have the plans drawn up and get all of the approvals that he will need.

CLICK HERE TO SEE RELATED STORY IN T H-R ABOUT SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT PLANS TO BUILD A RANGE IF THEY CAN FIND THE MONEY. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WANTED TO BUY THE RANGE BUT DID NOT HAVE THE $$.

Plate match results from Master Class

     Dennis at Master Class had a summer Plate Match and picnic and everyone had a good time. Alice did the paperwork and Dennis cooked the hotdogs, hamburgers and the turkey outside. The turkey was cooked in a fryer and it turned out great. The cakes, cheesecakes and other deserts were also good and made sure that we all got our weekly dose of fat and cholesterol.
     Shubert was the only one to clear all 24 plates and he did so in 28.28 seconds taking first place in the DOT class. He was followed by Parris and Sparling, both with 23 plates and G. Gates with 22 plates rounded out the top 4 in DOT.
     Shubert, Parris and Sparling also cleaned 23 plates to finish in the top 3 spots in the Iron class with Utzig coming in 4th. I came in 12th, last place in Class A. Class B winners in order were S. Cunniffee, M. Cunniffe, Licciardi and T. Gates.
     These events are great fun and don't cost much especially when you include all of the free food. You get 24 rounds to clean 24 plates. You might even luck up and win a few bucks. Master Class also host the Orange County Pistol League, a 22 league that should start in September and the Combat League.

4TH SHAWANGUNK FISH & GAME CLUB'S
ANNUAL SPORTSMENS EXTRAVAGANZA
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PHOTO ALBUM

     Everyone had a good time at this years event. They had a little of just about anything you would want. Sat. they had a Silhouette pistol match, a kids fishing contest, Jr. shooting with a 22 cal., a chicken dinner, fly fishing lessons, a demo by a K-9 unit, a band and other stuff. Sunday they had a 3-D event and a kids BB shoot. Everyone should try to attend next years event.
     Everyone should try to go to these types of events. It is a great way to meets some of the local merchants, clubs and other groups and a great way to expose kids to fishing and shooting.
     I put together a photo album that you should check out.

Shawangunk Fish and Game Club
CLICK HERE TO SEE PICTURES FROM 2002

 KNIGHT'S RANGE SOLD
CLICK HERE FOR THE TH-R ARTICLE

August 8, 2003, Goshen, Firing range takeover shot down at auction TIMES HERALD RECORD

     A six-figure bid from a private developer has put a bullet in the Orange County sheriff's plan to purchase a state-of-the-art indoor gun training range.
     The foreclosed Knight's Firing Range and Sporting Goods property in Goshen, which the Sheriff's Office was eyeing, was auctioned off for $535,000 Tuesday. The developer's name was unavailable.
The county had hoped no one would bid on the range so it could get the property at a lower price. But after Tuesday's auction, the county will not pursue the property, said County Executive Edward Diana's chief aide, Joe Vespo.
     "We have no plans to do anything with a pistol range," Vespo said. "It's not something we really want to get into at this point."
     That leaves the sheriff's deputies and correction officers without a place to qualify on their firearms. Goshen's range, which the deputies used, has closed for environmental violations and the office had to vacate a private range after a deputy was injured by a ricocheting bullet.
     "I guess we're back to the drawing board," Capt. Dennis Barry said.

Gov. Pataki VETOED "canned shoots" bill, A-4609/S-2735

     I don't know what happened but Gov. Pataki VETOED A-4609/S-2735 called the “canned shoots” bill on 8/26/03. We need to thank Gov. Pataki for vetoing this poorly worded bill. Most people are againsed "canned shoots or hunts" but you have to define what you mean so that it does not include everything. (He can do something right sometimes.) The bill was deliberately vague in defining prohibiting shooting animals (native and non-native) in areas "in a fenced or other area from which there is no reasonable means for such animal to escape" and would effect all hunting within NYS. We are still waiting for the memo #134 to see the reasons that he gave for his veto.
     A special thanks to the NYS Farm Bureau who set up an electronic fax system to register opposition to the ill-named "canned hunt" bill A-4609/S-2735. http://www.nyfb.org

NY Times article highlights NYC Council's push for new gun laws
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ARTICLE: Council Seeks to Toughen Gun Controls, By WINNIE HU - NY Times, Aug. 23, 03 (You will have to log in.)

     Take a NYC Councilman who knows that a person is acting strangely but still allows the person to bypass security measures, add a person who illegally purchased a handgun out of state and illegally brought that gun back to NYC and was illegally in possession of the firearm because they did not have a license, and illegally carried that handgun into an area that it is illegal for them to carry it into and then that person illegally murders the Councilman and what do you get? Calls for more gun control laws for those who legally want to own a gun in NYC.
     What they want to pass are the laws that the gun banners have always dreamed of passing. Laws that will make it all most impossible for anyone to own a gun in NYC and will allow NYC to sue every gun maker for every gun crime in NY City. Some of the proposed laws are:

• Hold gun makers, dealers and importers liable for damages if their weapons are used to kill or injure people in the city by passing a law creating a strict liability cause of action against weapons manufacturers. Int 0395-2003
• Prohibiting gun dealers from selling more than one firearm to the same person within 90 days.
• Requiring rifle and shotgun owners to obtain $250,000 in yearly liability insurance. (As far as I know, no one offers this type of insurance.) Int 0363-2003
• Prohibiting the sale of a rifle or shotgun to anyone under 21 years of age. Int 0454-2003
• Require certain establishments where weapons violations have taken place to adopt security measures. Int 0395-2003

Some quotes from the article:

• Peter Vallone Jr., chairman of the Public Safety Committee, which is holding next month's hearing. " There was no urgency prior to the shooting. But now there is a sense that we all want to move as quickly as possible on these bills in his memory." " People all over the country watch what New York City does, and we intend to show leadership on this issue."
• Sheldon Silver, NY State's Assembly speaker, " I think it would be a good thing if the city did it, and showed the state the way"
• Gifford Miller, Council speaker, "My hope is that out of the hearing process the Council will put forward gun-control measures that limit as much as possible the number of guns on the streets." (Please note that he did not say illegal guns.)
• Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, "I don't know why people carry guns. Guns kill people."
• Councilman David Yassky, "certainly the shooting at City Hall opened their eyes to the gun problem in a very dramatic way."
• John McArdle, a spokesman for the Senate majority leader, Joseph L. Bruno, " We support the federal Constitution in terms of the right to bear arms, but we have taken action to pass reasonable laws."
• Patrick Brophy, a director of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, " They don't have a day-to-day familiarity with guns anymore like they have with, say, cars. Guns are a useful tool, but many people have no understanding of that tool anymore, and what they don't know, they fear."

     One statement from the article showed how uninformed and biased the article was. "The .40-caliber handgun that Mr. Askew used to shoot Mr. Davis was legally bought out of state, police officials said." Yes the gun was legal if you ignore all of the laws the guy broke. Plus the article's writer failed to report that the shooter had attacked his boyfriend with a hammer and would have been banned from owning any firearms and would have been rejected by the Brady background check that was done when he illegally bought the handgun except he was allowed to plea bargain the charge down.

NY State Penal Law Section 400 contains the following:
6. License: validity. ... A license to carry or possess a pistol or revolver, not otherwise limited as to place or time of possession, shall be effective throughout the state, except that the same shall not be valid within the city of New York unless a special permit granting validity is issued by the police commissioner of that city.

     NEW YORK (AP) _ A federal judge decided Thursday to keep the city's lawsuit against the gun industry on hold until an appeal in a similar case brought by the state is decided.
     The city had wanted U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein to lift a stay on its suit accusing handgun makers of creating a public nuisance by failing to take strong measures to keep their products out of the hands of criminals.
     At a hearing in federal court in Brooklyn, a city attorney, Eric Proshansky, asked the judge to reopen the case and find for the city based on his recent ruling in another suit filed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
     The judge said he wanted to await the outcome of an appeal of a 2001 decision which dismissed the state attorney general's own gun suit before deciding whether the city's case should go forward.
     "I don't see how I can lift the stay right now," he said.
     Last month, the judge threw out the NAACP case because the civil rights group failed to show its members had been harmed. But he also found the industry "caused, contributed to and maintained" a public nuisance.
     Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press

NY City resident looses Article 78 hearing, Judge OK's NY City not issuing "Target License"
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE WHOLE RULLING IN PDF FORMAT
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS ISSUE FROM 12/02 NEWSLETTER

     I finally got in touch with one of the lawyers who had an Article 78 Hearing against NY City and their decision to not issue "TARGET LICENSE" and to turn them all into "Premises Licenses"

     Some selected quotes from the decision:

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
COUNTY OF NEW YORK: IAS PART 47
In the Matter of the Application of TIM DE LILLY Petitioner,
Index No. 11 7385/02
ORDER AND JUDGMENT
For a Judgment under Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law & Rules,
- against-
RAYMOND KELLY, as Commissioner of the Police Department of the City of New York

      Insofar as petitioner claims that the State Penal Law f 400.00 pre-empts the field and prohibits the City from enacting firearm licensing rules, he had no complaint when respondent issued him a Target License, although no such category exists in Penal Law 400.00. In any event. Penal Law $400.00 is not a comprehensive and detailed regulatory scheme but, to the contrary, looks to local governments to issue rules and regulations compatible with its mandate.
      It is hard to see how petitioner is aggrieved. He has the same rights he had under the Target License. He fears that. when transporting his guns, unloaded. to sporting location. he will be arrested outside the City of New York . He might have had the same fear when he was the holder of a Target License, a category not expressly authorized by Penal Law $400.00. In any event, his fears are wholly speculative.

15 year old wins national Steel Challenge title
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRESS RELEASE

The last man standing barely came up to the shoulders of his world-class squad-mates, but K.C. Eusebio, a southern California high school student from Diamond Bar, proved he had all the right stuff in a spectacular upset at Saturday’s Steel Challenge. The "fastest gun alive" is 15 years old and can’t even buy his own competition pistol for six more years. "It’s pretty cool," said K.C., after besting a field that included the best shooters in the world — names like Leatham, Jarrett, Miculek, Vidanes and Koenig. Eusebio was shooting a full "race gun" built by fellow Filipino Johnny Lim, a semi-auto designed for pure speed, at competitions in Piru, California.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE WEBSITE OF THE GUNSMITH, LIMCAT CUSTOM PRODUCTS, AND CLICK ON THE PICTURE OF "JJ Racaza talks about the new Brass Base Pads," TO SEE A FAST RELOAD.

Stars and Stripes, European edition, Saturday, August 16, 2003

     Americans in Germany have until June 30, 2005 to get their privately owned firearms registered with German authorities. Until that deadline, firearms owners must either comply with German registration requirements, ship their firearms stateside or legally dispose of them.
       Once firearms are officially registered with German authorities, they must continue to be stored in a local arms room. Owners are allowed to take firearms out only to ship them to the United States or after the arms have been registered on a valid German weapons possession card.
       U.S. personnel may qualify for the card by successfully completing the U.S. forces hunting course or sport shooting program. Contact any Morale, Welfare and Recreation rod and gun club for more information.
       Privately owned firearms not registered by the June 30 deadline will be considered contraband and seized and disposed of in coordination with German authorities.
       More information on the policy can be obtained by calling the U.S. Forces Registry of Motor Vehicles at DSN 386-7271 or civilian 0621-718-7271.
       To get information on shipping firearms stateside, call the U.S. European Command at DSN 381-7466 or civilian 0621-730-7466.