Friday, May 8, 2015

Getting the Guns Out of Yarmouth

Just some food for thought:

"Gun rights battle brews over target ranges in Yarmouth" by Steve Annear Globe Staff  April 30, 2015

Yarmouth is headed for a Town Meeting showdown this weekend over a proposal to ban private backyard firing ranges, a measure that is aimed at reducing the risk from stray bullets but has raised the ire of gun-rights advocates.

Bryan Day, who proposed the change, said he is tired of hearing the loud bangs from the guns some in town use for backyard target practice. “It’s a quality of life issue,” said Day.

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Craig Williams, who lives in the same neighborhood as Day and has a makeshift target shooting space on his property, has garnered the support of local gun advocates, as well as the Massachusetts affiliate of the National Rifle Association.

At a meeting in early April, the town’s Board of Selectmen advised residents to vote against the bylaw.

Besides approval from residents, Day’s plan would also need the approval of Attorney General Maura Healey, usually a routine procedure when a town amends its bylaws....

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