Washington man catches burglar: "A man wearing only his underpants caught a burglar breaking into his home and held him at gunpoint until officers could arrive, police said. The suspected prowler was facing serious charges after the alert homeowner caught him in the act and held him at gunpoint early Tuesday morning in northeast Vancouver. Police said Matthew Morris, 24, was trying to break into the family's cars and possibly their home, when he ended up facing the barrel of the homeowner's gun. Tuesday, a woman FOX 12 will refer to only as "Sandy" was still shaken up over her family's startling wake-up call. "We were afraid. I mean, my husband was afraid and I was afraid for my children and for our safety," Sandy said. After a recent string of car break-ins, including one right next door, Sandy and her husband set out a motion sensor in front of their house. So when the alarm was activated early Tuesday morning, they didn't hesitate."(We) went to the window and saw the person in between our two vehicles and then trying to look in the front window," Sandy said. Her husband grabbed one of their guns and ran out to confront the man. Sandy's husband ordered the suspect to get on the ground and he kept him there, at gunpoint, until deputies arrived. Sandy said she and her husband are trained to use their guns properly. Even though they hope they never have to fire them, she said she hopes her husband's actions send a message to other criminals. "This area has been burglarized for the past two weeks, methodically down the street so hopefully that will come to an end now," Sandy said. Morris was charged with attempted car prowling, trespassing and possession of meth. But officials said he has already bailed out of jail."


NJ: Harsher penalties for unlicensed guns: "Gun control legislation . was signed into law yesterday by NJ governor Jon Corzine. The new law imposes more jail time and a significantly increased fine for those caught possessing an unlicensed machine gun or assault firearm in New Jersey. The law raises the penalty from third-degree to second-degree crime for anyone carrying an unlicensed gun. `This legislation was designed to deter the unlawful possession of guns which may be used in serious crimes,' said Ramos today . `Too often, we are reading about our young people who are involved in senseless acts of violence. We must do everything in our power to show those who illegally peddle guns in our neighborhoods that the penalties will continue to grow more severe for such activity.'"


VA: Senate passes restaurant carry, rejects private gun sales ban: "Yesterday the Virginia Senate passed SB 1035 . to repeal the hated restaurant ban. A matching bill, HB 1821 . is pending action by the House of Delegates. Meanwhile New Mexico's House Business & Industry Committee unanimously recommended a bill to decriminalize gun carry in many or most restaurants serving alcohol, and a similar bill will be also considered by the Tennessee legislature this year. . And today the Virginia Senate rejected SB 1257 patroned by Senator Henry Marsh (D - Richmond) and amended by Senator Creigh Deed (D - Bath County) to ban most private sales of guns at gun shows."


Literacy test for gun ownership a threat to civil rights: "From the late 1890s through the mid-1960s, African-American citizens in the Deep South were systematically and egregiously denied their voting rights through the administration of so-called `literacy tests.' It took an act of Congress and some Supreme Court rulings to abolish this despicable form of bigotry. But apparently history is lost on Congressman Bobby L. Rush . Astonishingly, this black congressman has introduced a gun control measure that would, among other things, require potential gun owners to first apply for a firearm license and before that license would be issued, they would have to present `a certificate attesting to the completion . of a written firearms examination.'"