CHICAGO (CBS) — Firing ranges could soon be legal within the Chicago city limits.

As WBBM Newsradio 780’s Dave Marsett reports, the City Council Public Safety Committee has approved a plan to allow gun ranges. The Chicago Tribune says Mayor Rahm Emanuel is fast-tracking the plan.

But the gun ranges would be subject to severe restrictions. The ranges could only be set up in areas zoned for manufacturing, and could not open within 1,000 feet of residential areas, schools, parks, libraries, museums, hospitals or liquor stores, the Tribune reported.

Currently, firing ranges are not permitted in the city, except for those with use restricted to Chicago Police officers. A police firing range, in fact, was approved this past November on a marshland the city’s Far Southeast Side, despite concerns that it would threaten birds that roost nearby.

But firing ranges for the general public were banned as part of the new city gun ordinance that was drawn up when the U.S. Supreme Court rendered unenforceable the city’s 1982 ban on handgun ownership in McDonald v. Chicago.

Even though gun ranges can’t open in the city, gun owners must get firing range training under the ordinance. This resulted in two federal lawsuits, which said having to go outside the city for training placed an undue burden on those who own guns, the Tribune reported.

Published reports say Emanuel is fast-tracking the firing range ordinance because he doesn’t want to risk the ban being overturned with a less restrictive ordinance.

Even when the old handgun ban was in effect, a shooting range for another type of firearms operated for many years in the city – right on the lakefront. The Lincoln Park Gun Club operated a trap and skeet shooting range along the lake at Diversey Parkway from 1912 until it disbanded in 1991, amid environmental concerns about the lead shot the club was leaving in Lake Michigan.

 

Tue, 07/05/2011 - 10:09am | The News-Gazette

Illinoisans looking forward to packing heat will be waiting quite a while.

With the state of Wisconsin on the verge of allowing its citizens to carry concealed weapons, Illinois soon will be the only state in the nation to deny its citizens that right.

Some, including state legislators and gun-advocacy groups, suggest it won't be all that long before Illinois abandons its status as the union's sole dissenter on concealed carry. Don't bet on it.

As long as Illinois politics continues to be dominated by Chicago politicians, concealed carry remains a very long shot — no matter how popular the notion is to the public at large.

That's why some concealed-carry proponents have proposed a compromise. They have suggested that individual counties be allowed to decide for themselves. That's a particularly bad idea that would create a patchwork of conflicting rules throughout Illinois. But it's a non-starter because it's just as obnoxious to gun foes as concealed carry statewide.

For all practical purposes, Illinois politics is ruled by Cook County and Chicago. The state's other 101 counties are just along for the ride.

Outside Cook County, most Illinois residents view guns as a source of recreation or self-protection. In Cook County, guns are perceived by elected officials as a source of crime.

Here's the irony. Guns are a source of crime in Cook County, but that's because the criminals there ignore existing legal restrictions on gun ownership. They've turned the city into the world's largest outdoor shooting gallery. Meanwhile, honest citizens either risk arrest by arming themselves or cross their fingers and take their chances.

At first glance, concealed carry laws appear to be a genuinely frightening proposition. They conjure up images of the old west and daily shoot-outs in the town square.

But it's not that simple. Those who seek to take advantage of these new laws often are required to take a series of steps before being eligible to do so. The most important include gun safety training and background checks.

People who take advantage of concealed carry laws are not just honest, hard-working citizens but knowledgeable of and comfortable with firearms. In other words, they are the people best suited for handling the serious responsibility of carrying a concealed weapon.

But don't try telling that to Gov. Pat Quinn. He's repeatedly denounced concealed carry legislation and promised to veto any bill that authorizes it.

"I don't agree with those advocates who feel that that is a measure for public safety. I think it's the opposite," Quinn said.

No anti-gun zealot could have stated his grounds for opposition any better than Quinn. Here's the problem with his logic.

If concealed carry really is a source of more mindless violence, as Quinn suggests, why have 49 states legalized it? If these laws result in the kind of impulsive, heart-breaking carnage that Quinn presumes, why is the trend moving in the direction of more concealed carry, not less concealed carry?

Gun foes, however, cannot be persuaded. Former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley routinely worked himself into frenzied opposition whenever the subject was raised in his presence.

With House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, both Chicago Democrats, in strict control of the legislative process in Springfield, it's hard to imagine any concealed carry bills being allowed to move through the legislative process or surviving a Quinn veto.

Like it or not, that's just a political fact of life.

 

URGENT ALERT – YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED

ANTI-GUN STATE REPRESENTATIVE TO HOLD TOWN HALL MEETING – YOUR ATTENDANCE REQUIRED

Illinois State Representative Karen May (D-58), will be holding a town hall meeting on Saturday, July 9, 2011. May is a long time opponent of the law-abiding citizen’s right to own firearms and has consistently voted in support of gun control bills introduced by the Daley/Emanuel Gun Grabbing Machine.

Most recently, May has voted against HB 148 which was a bill that would allow well qualified, law-abiding citizens to carry defensive firearms for the purpose of protecting themselves and their families against dangerous criminals.

After casting her vote against concealed carry, May released the following statement regarding her vote:

May Pleased as Concealed Carry Bill Fails

SPRINGFIELD, IL—State Rep. Karen May (D-Highwood) on Thursday released the following statement in response to the defeat of a House Bill 148 that would allow citizens to carry concealed weapons in Illinois:

“Growing up downstate, I understand how important gun ownership is for many residents of Illinois, but in modern society, there is no need for regular citizens to carry loaded, concealed weapons in public. I voted against allowing concealed carry to make sure our streets remain safe and free from violence.”

“Our local police officers need every tool they can get to keep our communities safe, and I am glad this bill failed so that their job will not be more complicated by worrying about wild-west showdowns in our community, even by well-intentioned individuals.”

Based on her statements on concealed carry, May is obviously out of touch with the violent realities of daily life that so may of us face. Of course, it’s easy for someone like May to sit up there in Highland Park and tell the rest of us that we have nothing to worry about. May’s “let them eat cake” attitude is inconsistent with the principles upon which our nation was founded and must not be tolerated.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO HELP PROMOTE THE RIGHT TO DEFEND YOURSELF:

1. Regardless of where you live, plan on attending Rep. Karen May’s town hall meeting on Saturday, July 9, 2011. The meeting begins at 10:00 AM and will be held in the community meeting room in the Public Safety building located at 1677 Old Deerfield Road, Highland Park. Please be prepared to politely challenge Rep. May on her position that our streets are safer when unarmed citizens must share those streets with dangerous thugs.

2. Please share this alert with your friends and family and urge them to attend Rep. May’s town hall meeting.

3. Please post this alert to any and all Internet blogs or bulletin boards to which you belong.

4. If you’re not a member of the ISRA, then join today.

5. Remember, Rep. May and her friends in the gun control movement are taxpayer funded. The ISRA relies on the generosity of Patriots like you to fuel our fight against the gun grabbers. So, please make a donation to the ISRA today.

REMEMBER, ONLY YOU CAN PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS. IF YOU DON’T STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, WHO WILL?

 

they need to make Chicago it's own state and leave the rest of us alone . we will never see concealed carry in this state .

 

Come on JV, that's the attitude they want you to have!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Winston Churchill said, "Never, Never, Never Quit", he was alluding to situations such as this.

NEVER QUIT. When we quit, they win.

 

I'm a realist lived in this god forsaken state my whole life you can't beat city hall Chicago that is . the new mayor is as bad as the last my be worse with his buddy in the WHITE house

 

IMPORTANT UPDATE – REP. MAY’S TOWN HALL MEETING

REP. MAY SEEKS TO SILENCE YOUR VOICE ON THE ISSUE OF CONCEALED CARRY

As we reported in an alert earlier this week, Rep. Karen May will be holding a town hall meeting on Saturday, July 9th. As many of you know, Rep. May is a long-time opponent of the right to keep and bear arms who routinely votes for the Daley/Emanuel gun control packages. Earlier this year, May voted against concealed carry when HB148 came to the floor of the Illinois House. After voting against concealed carry, Rep. May issued a statement bashing concealed carry and claiming that there is no reason for law-abiding citizens to carry firearms for protection.

In our earlier alert, we urged supporters of concealed carry to attend Rep. May’s town hall meeting and challenge her on her position against self defense. In response to our alert, Rep. May issued a statement saying that her staff would be checking IDs at the door to the meeting and would deny entry to anyone who did not live in Rep. May’s House District.

Recall that the meeting is being held in the Highland Park Public Safety building – a building most certainly built using state and federal tax dollars – your tax dollars. Therefore, we believe it improper - and possibly illegal - for May to deny any well-behaved person from entering a public meeting in a public building.

Do not let May’s threats deter you! It is now especially important for you to attend Saturday’s public meeting. It is equally important that you bring one or two friends or family members with you. Here are some tips on how to make our attendance at Rep. May’s town hall a success:

1. Assemble outside the Highland Park Public Safety Building, 1677 Old Deerfield Road, Highland Park, IL at 9:00 AM. The meeting begins at 10:00, but we’d like to have everyone there early so that we are not denied entry due to “over crowding.”

2. Be sure to wear yellow IGOLD t-shirts and hats, if you have them.

3. There will be an ISRA representative there to brief you on what questions to ask at the meeting.

4. Be polite, yet firm, in your dealings with anyone who opposes our position on Concealed Carry.

Again, it is critically important that you attend Rep. May’s town hall meeting. Do not let your voice be silenced!

 

Your tax dollars at work (trying to hold back the tides).

NRA Sues Illinois Over Concealed Carry Ban
By Mike Flannery, FOX Chicago News

Chicago - Illinois’s ban on carrying firearms outside the home or business came under attack on a new front Friday. The National Rifle Association asked a federal judge in Southern Illinois to immediately declare it unconstitutional.

The Virginia-based NRA’s move came one day after a nearly identical request was filed by the Bellevue, Washington-based Second Amendment Foundation. The gun lobby has painted a legal bull’s-eye on Illinois, now that it is the only state in America to prohibit concealed carry.

Gun rights advocates have failed repeatedly to persuade the Illinois General Assembly to remove the restrictions. They’ve now turned to the courts. FOX Chicago News has counted at least 7 pending lawsuits filed by various arms of the gun lobby, seeking not only to legalize the concealed carrying of handguns, but also to require the City of Chicago to allow residents to register semi-automatic weapons, what critics call assault weapons.

Another goal: force Chicago to grant gun permits to persons with convictions for weapons offenses and/or drunk driving, as long as the convictions were misdemeanors. The city currently rejects such applicants.

More than 3,500 have applied for Chicago Firearms Permits (CFPs.) About 100 applicants have so far been rejected.

On Wednesday, the Chicago-based U.S. Court of Appeals issued a scathing opinion striking down a portion of Chicago’s gun control regime. The ruling declared unconstitutional the city’s ban on public gun shooting ranges. Appellate Court Judge Ilana Diamond Rovner called the city’s law “a thumbing of the municipal nose at the U.S. Supreme Court.”

The lead plaintiff in the case was South Sider Rhonda Ezell. She said her home had been the target of three attempted burglaries since 2007, and she wanted access to a shooting range in the city in order to complete the training required to qualify for a CFP. Ezell, a lifetime member of the Illinois State Rifle Association, said she needed a gun in order to defend herself and her family.

Ezell and her lawyer, David Sigale, are scheduled to appear on Fox Chicago Sunday with Political Editor Mike Flannery. The broadcast airs Sunday at 8:30 a.m.

 

Can we vote on this I for one, won't miss it

Thanks Quick Silver for keeping us updated


Patrick

 

I'm only in it to protect/defend myself & loved ones, BTW you are all considered "loved ones"!

If I must have a politician's permission, so be it.

3 positive comments at breakfast on T-shirt du jour and still 2 cruise-ins yet to go today.

Get the word OUT!


(not fer profit)

 

"Governor Walker has signed the law allowing Wisconsin citizens to carry concealed firearms, but Muskego Police want to remind residents that they can't exercise that right just yet.

It is important for people to realize that, while the bill has been signed it is not in effect yet," explained Lt. Dave Constantineau. "It is anticipated that the law will take effect November 2011. Until that time, it is still unlawful for a person to carry a concealed weapon."

The law passed also carries concerns for some Democrats who feel the provisions for permitting and training aren't going to be enough, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Constantineau also added that the law is age-specific.

"Please also remember that anyone interested in obtaining a permit must be 21 years of age and have received training. If you are interested in receiving training, there are several very good places to receive it, including WCTC which is now offering firearms training for persons interested in obtaining a permit." "

Petition here (IL), if you like...
[http://www.electadam.com/

 

"Pat Quinn, Gun Laws, Legal Limits Why There Are No Illegal Guns

Recently, Gov. Pat Quinn signed a law banning the release of firearm owners’ names. It’s supposed to keep thieves from looking up the names of gun owners, then breaking into their houses. But it won’t solve the problem of criminals using guns to commit crimes, in Illinois or elsewhere.

Last week, a man named Rodrick Dantzler went on a murderous rampage in Grand Rapids, Mich. Dantzler killed seven people, shot it out with police during a chase through downtown, then broke into a house and took three hostages. He finally took his own life with the .40 caliber pistol he’d used to kill his victims.

A convicted felon who had served time in prison for shooting at a man and woman in a car, Dantzler was not legally allowed to own a gun. So Grand Rapids police are trying to trace the source of his weapon.

I can tell them exactly where it came from: It came from a gun factory.

The point is, there is no such thing as an illegal gun. Every gun used in a crime is legal at some point in its journey from gunsmith to armed robber/murderer/home invader.

“We obviously want to track that back and figure out how it was stolen, with the idea of trying to prevent these sorts of things from happening again,” Grand Rapids Police Chief Kevin Belk told the Grand Rapids Press. “One of the problems we have with our shootings, most of them are involving stolen firearms.”

The only way to prevent this sort of thing from happening again is to track the weapon back to the gun manufacturer, then burn its factory to the ground.

As long as it is legal to make and sell a product whose only function is to kill people, that product will be used to kill people illegally. A thug who’s planning a murder is not likely to worry about the penalty for stealing a gun.

As a society, we’ve decided that the free manufacture of firearms is worth the sacrifice of seven people in Grand Rapids, or five people in DeKalb, or 32 people in Blacksburg, Va. Did you hear any politician suggest banning firearms after those bloodbaths? I didn’t.

After the Virginia Tech Massacre, President George W. Bush signed a bill strengthening the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

But that bill didn’t stop Rodrick Dantzler. It won’t stop the next small-town mass murderer, either."

 

URGENT ALERT – YOUR ACTION REQUIRED
ANTI-CONCEALED CARRY STATE REPRESENTATIVE TO HOLD TOWN HALL MEETING

BE THERE TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO SELF DEFENSE

Anti-Concealed Carry State Representative Michelle Mussman will be holding a town hall meeting on Thursday, July 21, 2011 at 7:00 PM.

Mussman was one of 52 state representatives who voted against HB148 – the concealed carry bill. Mussman voted against HB148 because she felt it is more important to please the Daley/Emanuel Gun Grabbing Machine than it is to protect you against violent criminals.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO SUPPORT YOUR RIGHT TO SELF DEFENSE:

No matter where you live, be sure to attend Rep. Mussman’s town hall meeting. The town hall meeting will take place on Thursday, July 21, 2011 at 7:00 PM. The location for the meeting is at the Elk Grove Village Hall, 901 Wellington Avenue, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. Be sure to wear your IGold t-shirts and hats if you have them.

Be prepared to politely engage our opponents and defend your right to protect your self and family against violent criminals.

Pass this alert on to your family and friends. Tell them to be there too.

Please post this alert to any and all Internet blogs or bulletin boards.

 

Babes with Bullets and other women who believe the Constitution applies in Illinois
John Kass July 14, 2011

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed a concealed carry bill late last week, making Wisconsin the 49th state to allow trained, law-abiding citizens the right to carry concealed firearms.

And this means that Illinois is the only state without such a law. In Illinois, our Chicago aldermen can carry guns in their purses and even in ankle holsters, and criminals obviously carry guns, since breaking the law is what they do.

But the rest of us, the chumbolone law-abiding taxpayers, can't carry.

I'm not desperate to carry a gun, but the fact that Illinois has exempted its citizens from the Individual Rights Sweepstakes is so constitutionally depressing that there's only one sight that could cheer me up:

A few dozen women with Smith & Wesson handguns learning how to get lethal, with the help of top female shooters and instructors in firearm safety.

And so I spent a recent afternoon with a group called Babes with Bullets, hosted by the Oak Park Sportsmen's Club in Plainfield, where sisters, mothers, daughters and friends learned how to shoot safely and well.

They ranged in ages from their 20s to their mid-60s. And what struck me was how serious they were about learning.

"I'm a secretary and work for accountants," said Diane McGrath, as she filled the magazine of her Smith & Wesson 9 mm M&P (Military and Police) handgun with bullets.

"My husband shoots," McGrath said. "And all my bosses are hunters. And I heard about Babes with Bullets and thought, 'What the heck is that?' I couldn't pass it up."

Deb Ferns, of Tucson, Ariz., is one of the co-founders of Babes with Bullets. And while we took a break from the shooting range, I asked her the simple question: Why?

"I was 45 and I never shot a gun, but the kids left for college and my husband was traveling and I was alone in the house and we live off in the country. And you know what? I heard all the creaking. Every creak. And I thought, I'm going to take control.

"So I went shooting. And I learned that a gun is a tool and to respect it. And so I started shooting, competitively, in matches. And I got hooked. What we want is for women to get involved."

Ferns says that while there are guns in many households, the guns most likely are the province of the male. And that the women of such households often don't know a thing about them.

"Is that smart, or good?" Ferns asked. "All these households with guns, and the women don't know anything about firearms? Is that a good thing? Of course not."

More than 2,000 women have gone through the Babes with Bullets camps, and most are first-time or novice shooters who show up with their relatives, like members of the Runkle, Boyll and Busso families, from Indiana and Michigan.

Analise Busso came with her mother, Melanie. They live in Valparaiso.

"But I think you're mistaken about concealed carry in Illinois. Are you sure it's outlawed?" Analise asked.

Yes, I'm sure. Our Gov. Pat Quinn won't allow it.

"But I get the news out of Chicago, and every night people in Chicago are carrying weapons, aren't they?" she asked, feigning confusion.

Yes, I said.

Happily, sarcasm is not dead.

A few minutes later, I watched the smart-alecky Analise and her cousins out on the firing range with top instructors, serious champion instructors like Lisa Munson and T.D. Roe, of Lemont, who teaches personal protection shooting.

And there was Kay Miculek, of Louisiana, another co-founder of Babes with Bullets. From now on, when I think of a serious person, I'll think of her.

Miculek has many national titles, and her husband, Jerry, is one of the top shots. She's middle aged, and I liked the way she worked with the young women, calm but serious, because what they were doing was serious.

She had them stand properly, weight balanced. She made sure no one touched the trigger until each shooter was ready to fire a round. There was no joking, no bravado, no posturing.

With women like Kay Miculek, you could tell that a gun was a tool that does not forgive. In her hands, it was only a gun, not a symbol.

"We're working with beginners, and this is all about safety," she told me. "We're working to get their feet right, to have them be comfortable out here. To learn. And safety, safety, safety."

Marie Bonter, of Paw Paw, Mich., was one of the young women in Miculek's group.

"My dad's in law enforcement," she said. "He likes the fact that I'm getting good instruction. I know how to shoot. I grew up with it. But I haven't worked on handguns for a while. I want to do this the right way."

They were serious women, taxpaying women, law-abiding moms and sisters and daughters and friends.

And they're the women who have the audacity to believe that the Constitution applies to them, too, even in Illinois.

 

Know your target and what is beyond.
Be absolutely sure you have identified your target beyond any doubt. Equally important, be aware of the area beyond your target. This means observing your prospective area of fire before you shoot. Never fire in a direction in which there are people or any other potential for mishap. Think first. Shoot second.


An Elgin man faces a felony charge after allegedly firing a rifle bullet into a neighbor’s home while apparently try to hunt squirrels.

A 32-year-old woman said she was cleaning her home near Bent Street and Lavoie Avenue about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday when she heard glass break in her kitchen, police said.

She discovered a bullet had gone through the kitchen’s sliding glass patio door, passed through a curtain and imbedded itself in a wall, police said. Fortunately, she told officers, her two children had been in the basement and her husband had been at work. Police found a bullet fragment on the floor near the broken glass window.

Police said a large number of patrol officers and gang detectives began searching the area and found empty shell casings in the driveway of a home in the 500 block of Lavoie.

Police said the man who lives there, John E. Hegel, 64, admitted he had been using his .22-caliber rifle to shoot at squirrels in his backyard.

Hegel was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm and criminal damage to property. He was released without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on July 27.

 

Fer Yuz Facebook types...

https://www.facebook.com/ILGUNLOBBY#...NLOBBY?sk=wall

 

Concealed carry getting a fresh look from officials
By SARAH SUTSCHEK

Especially now that Illinois is the only state that does not allow concealed carry, some local officials said it’s time to change the law.

State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, wasn’t always in support of concealed carry but has since shifted positions, even co-sponsoring a bill that would allow it.

The deaths of several police officers around Chicago helped change his mind.

“Last year, when I saw a number of police officers being targeted around Chicago, I saw that the laws we’re using aren’t working,” Franks said. “I think it’s time to try a different thing.”

In Illinois, a concealed carry bill went to a vote in May, but it fell just short of the supermajority it needed to move forward. In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker signed concealed carry into law July 8.

State Rep. Mike Tryon, R-Crystal Lake, said that although concealed carry is controversial, the issue isn’t guns, it’s gun violence.

“We should treat gun violence like we do with other communicable diseases and develop prevention programs for it,” he said. “Clearly, Chicago has a problem with gun violence.”

McHenry County State’s Attorney Louis Bianchi supports concealed carry on a personal level.

“I am very pro Second Amendment, right to bear arms,” he said. “Unfortunately, those who commit crimes have access to all kinds of weapons, and our current statute really punishes law-abiding citizens who are trying to protect themselves.”

But professionally, Bianchi must enforce the law as it currently stands.

“As the state’s attorney, I enforce the laws, and we will continue to follow and enforce the gun laws,” he said.

McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren echoes the position of the Illinois Sheriffs Association, which supports the “right of law-abiding citizens to possess and carry a concealed firearm for the purpose of protecting their life and families.”

The association believes that there also should be rules and regulations, such as permits and training. The bill that went before the Illinois House included provisions for this, as well as restrictions on where concealed firearms were allowed. Schools, courthouses and professional sporting events all were listed as off-limits.

The McHenry County Right to Carry Association has been an active voice locally in the concealed carry debates with President Lou Rofrano as a driving force.

People opposed to concealed carry often say they don’t want a Wild West where there are shootouts in the streets, but that has never happened anywhere, Rofrano said.

Those who have concealed carry permits tend to be among the most law-abiding citizens and take it very seriously, he said.

“They understand that it’s a huge responsibility,” he said. “If you make the decision to carry a firearm, not only do you risk criminal penalties if you’re involved in an incident, there’s also the risk of civil liabilities.”

He questions how Illinois can be “so out of step” with the rest of the country.

“Why do our leaders think that Illinois residents are less responsible than the residents of Indiana, Missouri or now Wisconsin?” he said.

Lawsuits saying that Second Amendment rights are being violated are common. Earlier this week, the Illinois Second Amendment Foundation filed paperwork in U.S. District Court seeking an injunction that would prevent enforcement of the laws against concealed carry.

Rofrano remains hopeful that a concealed carry law will pass, although he’s unsure when and whether it will be through legislation or litigation.

“Illinois is such a complicated political landscape that it’s very difficult to predict,” he said. “I think it will eventually come one way or another.”

 

Side note:

Iowa Congressman, Family Safe After Home Invasion -AP

Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell speaks to fellow Democrats, prior to keynote speaker Ed Rendell, at the Jefferson Jackson Dinner, Saturday Oct. 16, 2010, in Des Moines, Iowa.
A home invasion at Rep. Leonard Boswell's Iowa farm ended when his 22-year-old grandson fetched a shotgun and aimed it at the intruder, according to a statement from the congressman's office. No one was seriously injured.

The incident started about 10:45 p.m. Saturday when an armed man came in through the front door, attacked Boswell's daughter, Cindy Brown, and demanded money, the statement said. Boswell, 77, heard his daughter's screams, came into the entryway and attempted to disarm the intruder.

As they struggled, Boswell's grandson, Mitchell Brown, got a shotgun from another room. When he pointed the shotgun at the intruder, the man fled into the fields around the house outside Lamoni.

Boswell's wife, Dody Boswell, 75, also was home during the attack. His spokesman Grant Woodard said the whole family is safe and unhurt, aside from some scrapes and bruises.
The family is shaken up, but "they're dealing with it pretty well," Woodard said Sunday morning.

He deferred other questions to the Decatur County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating along with the FBI and other agencies. Sheriff Herbert Muir wasn't available for comment Sunday morning.

Boswell, a Democrat, has represented Iowa's 3rd District for eight terms in Congress. He is expected to face a challenge next year from Republican Rep. Tom Latham, who is moving into the district to avoid running against Republican Rep. Steve King after their territories were merged during once-per-decade redistricting that follows each census.

Iowa is going from five to four congressional seats because its population growth hasn't kept pace with the rest of the nation. The new 3rd District will include Des Moines and 16 counties in southwest Iowa.

 

CHICAGO (CBS) — A minister from south suburban Robbins and a member of his congregation prayed outside Mayor Emanuel’s office at noon today, asking for divine – and political – intervention to stop violence.

Pastor Anthony Williams is co-chairman of Clergy and Laity Against Violence in the Chicagoland Community.

He says if political leaders can ban smoking, they can ban violence.

Williams wants a crackdown on the sale of illegal handguns.

“Many of our young people in the city of Chicago and around the Chicagoland community know where to get guns from,” Williams said. “We want a crackdown on the illegal sale of handguns that are killing our children in the streets of Chicago and elsewhere.”

Williams also wants more job training programs for young people.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Emanuel says the mayor will take a look at the minister’s demands and she says Emanuel has just announced the addition of more police officers to the streets.