Now Trending on Facebook: Week of September 1

A lot of stuff has been heating up our Facebook page this week, here’s a peek at what’s been hot:

• Syria has been the big news topic all week, and it was the most commented-on topic on our page. Here’s the most popular thought: Teresa Kovalick “Stay out of it…..stop trying to be the ‘savior’ to every country in the world. We need to take of our own country. Get jobs back in the US, help people get housing, take care of the children, elderly and disabled that are neglected here.”
• The Bloom Fair lifting the firearms ban was also a big topic, probably the most divisive we had this week. Here’s out most popular thought there: Brach William “I am 100% for the right to carry (a big hunter and recreational shooter myself), but sorry to say, the Bloomsburg Fair, or any other fair for that matter, is NOT the place to have a gun. Some crazed nut job who gets angered over a game that they think was rigged or a person that butts in line could potentially pull the gun and end up injuring or killing someone. Congrats to those people who felt the need to make this a massive demonstration just to prove a ‘point.’ You have made me and a lot more people all the more hesitant to visit the fair this year.”
• A squeaker topic, which garnered some interest was the photo of John McCain playing poker during the Syria hearings, with most people saying he was in the wrong. Here’s the photo:

Make sure to check out our Facebook page to get in on the conversation!

Facebook reaction to gun story

Yesterday, I talked about a tragic case involving two young children in Kentucky.

The case has created a lot of reaction from across the board, including on The Daily Item’s Facebook page. Here’s a taste of that:

The consensus seems to be that poor parental supervision may be to blame in this situation – although I would say it can be so easy to overlook something that other people think is obvious if you’re busy and frazzled, such as when trying to take care of a house and at least two young children.

And only about 5 posts blaming “the media” – that’s a win in my book.

Anyway, you can read more at dailyitem.com, but the company that made the gun isn’t commenting until a full investigation is complete.

What’s your take on situation? Do we need stricter gun laws or was this just a tragic accident?

Child’s accidental shooting puts Milton business in hot seat

In a tragic case that came out Wednesday, a young girl’s death in Kentucky is putting a local business in the hot seat.

Here’s a bit from the Associated Press:

BURKESVILLE, Ky. — In southern Kentucky, where children get their first guns even before they start first grade, Stephanie Sparks paid little attention as her 5-year-old son, Kristian, played with the rifle he was given last year. Then, as she stepped onto the front porch while cleaning the kitchen, “she heard the gun go off,” a coroner said.

In a horrific accident Tuesday that shocked a rural area far removed from the national debate over gun control, the boy had killed his 2-year-old sister, Caroline, with a single shot to the chest with a children’s rifle made by a company in Milton, Pa.

The rifle was manufactured by Keystone Sporting Arms, which sells guns specifically for children — “My first rifle” is the slogan — in colors ranging from plain brown to hot pink to orange to royal blue to multi-color swirls.

Keystone Sporting Arms has a “Kids Corner” on its website with pictures of young boys and girls at shooting ranges and on bird and deer hunts. It says the company produced 60,000 Crickett and Chipmunk rifles for kids in 2008. The smaller rifles are sold with a mount to use at a shooting range.

Keystone also makes guns for adults, but most of its products are geared toward children, including books and bright orange vests and hats.

“The goal of KSA is to instill gun safety in the minds of youth shooters and encourage them to gain the knowledge and respect that hunting and shooting activities require and deserve,” the website said.

The incident has put Keystone in the national spotlight – here’s some links to national coverage of the accident. We’ll have some local coverage on dailyitem.com coming up:

• Guns for Kids Marketing Debate Ignited by Latest Child Death
• New York Daily New Coverage including pictures of rifles
• Rifle used by Ky. boy in sister’s death made for kids

What should all this mean for the gun control debate? Is this just a freak accident or is it time for a drastic change?

Eastern Sports Show: Who’s right?

There’s been a lot of hoopla surrounding the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show – vendors started pulling out after the show’s organizers put a limit of the types of guns and ammunition that could be brought to the show.

Now, after more than 300 vendors pulled out, the show has been postponed indefinitely.

And appears people are split about it, with some saying it serves the show’s organizers right to have to cancel, while others say it’s their right to limit what can be brought to the show.

Read more on the controversy at dailyitem.com.

Here’s a snapshot of the debate on Facebook:

What do you think? Let me know in the comments!

“Bubble Gun” story goes viral

An incident first reported in the Daily Item has officially gone viral.

Numerous news outlets – including The Huffington Post, the New York Daily News, ABCNews (and GMA) and FOX News just to name a few – picked up on the story of a young girl suspended after “threatening” her friends with a Hello Kitty bubble gun (similar to the one pictured).

[Note: The Huffington Post article cites and links to the Daily Item coverage too!]

The school says she made legitimate threats; her mother and lawyer say she’s just a 5-year-old girl saying things that she doesn’t fully understand.

The story has attracted numerous reactions, both in support of the young girl and the school, with both sides citing recent events – some saying that school shootings have left the public oversensitive, while others say you can’t be too careful these days.

A Facebook post we did on the subject got 94 comments.

So now, the question is, what do you think?

School security changing

Associated Press file photo

School security is changing – and here in the Valley we have examples of all kinds:

• In Milton, they’re considering re-instating a school resource officer in the middle of the first school year since 1999 without one.
• In Shamokin, they’re installing metal detectors.
• In Line Mountain, they want to allow teachers to carry guns
• In other districts, they’re not sure.

Read more about all of this on dailyitem.com.

I’ve been covering this topic and I’m all kinds of torn up about how schools should proceed.

I like the idea of school resource officers, but that costs a lot of money, and, as was pointed out after the NRA’s call for more armed guards in schools, Columbine had one.

However, I’m not sure MORE guns in schools is what we really need. What kind of example is that setting?

So I’m asking for what you think – how can we make schools safer?

Gun control – What’s the answer?

Much like the debate over the  financial backing of firearms manufacturers, the debate about gun control is raging, with some people advocating for stricter gun controls, while others are saying that it’s not the guns that are the problem – it’s about treating mental illness and how entertainment glorifies violence.

Read more of my local coverage of the issue at dailyitem.com.

I posted the question on Facebook yesterday and got a bunch of responses. Here are a few:

What’s your take? Should we get tougher on guns or focus on other factors?