Friday, February 11, 2011

Newton Chamber discusses the new gun carry law

During a breakfast of fruit salad, muffins and pastries Jasper County Sheriff Mike Balmer and Newton Police Chief Jeff Hoebelheinrich:
educated the chamber on the rights they have as business owners and the sheriff’s responsibilities pertaining to Iowa Senate File 2379, which allows any Iowa citizen to openly carry a weapon pending a criminal and mental health background check.
After a business owner stated he recognizes the right to carry a gun but was banning guns from his store, Sheriff Balmer replied:
“As a business owner you always have the right to refuse service,” said Balmer. “But responsible people may have been entering your business with a concealed firearm for years, and you’d never have known.”
Other than another reference to the "wild west" (sigh) it seems like this sheriff and police chief informed the business owners of their rights as owners without advocating them to ban guns with a magic sign at their door.

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