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In the State of Ohio, statutory townships—like Elyria Township—use the laws provided by the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) for regulation, zoning, and enforcement purposes on private property. Per ORC, it is legal to discharge firearms on private property in Ohio’s Townships if discharging the firearm(s) is done in a safe and legal manner, and the person(s) discharging the firearm is the landowner or someone to whom the landowner has given permission.

What is a ‘Safe and Legal Manner?’ You are responsible for every bullet that leaves the barrel of your firearm. You still own that bullet and will be held legally responsible for any injuries, fatalities, or damages it causes. In order to be safe while discharging firearms, a shooter needs to be able to see the intended target, the backstop, and beyond. For this reason, shooting activities are restricted to daylight hours.

Those convicted of violent felonies or domestic violence and persons who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol are prohibited from possessing or discharging a firearm. The Ohio Revised Code contains specific laws allowing for the arrest of such violators. Ohio Revised Code 2923.162 prohibits persons from discharging firearms upon, over or within 100 yards of a cemetery; a public roadway; and also on the ground belonging to a school, church, or inhabited dwelling or property of another. It is also illegal to discharge a firearm from a vehicle. Persons found guilty of violating this code will face penalization ranging in severity from a fourth degree misdemeanor to a first degree felony.

Target Practice A private property owner, prior to allowing the discharging of a firearm on his/her property, needs to have a proper backstop made of soil or some other soft porous material and free of rocks or hard material that may increase the chances of a ricochet bullet. The backstop must also be of sufficient height and width to guarantee the capture of all bullets fired at targets. A wooded area is generally not considered a proper backstop as the shape of trees increases the chance of a bullet glancing off in an unsafe direction.

A range should be located so that nobody is shooting toward a house, vehicle, roadway, or any other structure. Not all private properties are suitable for shooting activities. Properties located in housing developments are typically not suitable for shooting ranges due to smaller lot sizes and their close proximity to neighboring houses. Please review the National Rifle Association’s NRA Range Source Book for more information on shooting ranges.

Hunting It is legal to hunt on private property in the township. Hunters are bound by the rules and regulations set by the Ohio Division of Wildlife, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the ORC. There are many hunting laws and restrictions, and I recommend hunter safety courses for all those unfamiliar with safe and legal hunting practices.

How We Handle Firearms Complaints When the Sheriff’s Office receives a firearms complaint, the Deputy will first survey the location to ensure a proper backstop is in place, that persons are shooting in a safe direction, and that the shooting activity has been conducted in a safe manner. If the Deputy deems the location of the shooting activity unsafe, a cease-fire may be ordered until the location, backstop, and activity are safe.

To minimize neighbors calling in shooting complaints, be cordial and respectful, exercise common sense and good discretion, and ensure you address all of the aforementioned safety concerns. Building rapport and good relationships with your neighbors and inviting them to target practice with you may be helpful in demonstrating to them that you are safe and responsible.

Call the sheriff's department, not the trustees, to report illegal shooting.

Signs to Look For:

Most surfaces, such as countertops, sinks, stoves, and desks, are piled with items in the home.

The clutter may also have moved outside to the yard, garage or vehicles when there is no more room inside the home.

There are stacks of newspapers, magazines, or junk mail.

The person often moves items from one

pile to another without throwing away anything.

The person cannot throw things away, accumulating unnecessary items such as trash.

The person has difficulty managing daily activities and making decisions, organizing items, and has an extreme attachment to items.

The person often experiences shame or embarrassment.

To learn more about available help, please contact

Lorain County Public Health

440-322-6367

Ask for Environmental Health

The county has recently updated its website; the new website for the Solid Waste District is https://loraincountyohio.gov/solidwaste
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1I85kBEa1o

Link to the Collection Center page on the website: https://loraincountyohio.gov/184/Lorain-County-Collection-Center

Please continuously check https://loraincountyohio.gov/solidwaste for updates.

Rumpke will collect bulky items on your regular service day. You may place bulky items out for collection on one day during each calendar month at no charge. There will be a charge for collection of bulky items on additional days in the same month. Any item placed outside the trash cart will be considered a bulky item. Plastic bags for mattresses and other upholstered furniture can be obtained at the Township Complex on Griswold Road.

Please remember leaves should be placed on the tree lawn area & NOT in the street. Piles of leaves on the road make dangerous driving conditions, covering road markings or road hazards. Driving on wet leaves can be like driving on ice.

“The pandemic has increased the financial hardships our customers are facing, particularly as the cold weather approaches,” said Ed Shuttleworth, president of FirstEnergy’s Ohio Operations. “Customers who have lost income during this crisis and who are behind on their utility bills may be eligible for assistance that was unavailable to them before.”

Programs customers may be eligible to participate in include:

• The Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP): Allows customers to pay a set percentage of their income toward their electric bill, regardless of the balance. Customers who maintain their payment plans may be eligible for debt forgiveness. Eligible customers should have income below 150% of federal poverty guidelines. To apply, call 1-800-282-0880 or visit www.energyhelp.ohio.gov. 

• Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP): Provides eligible customers with cash grants for home heating bills and emergencies. Customers must have gross income below 175% of federal poverty guidelines. Call the Ohio Development Service Agency at 1-800-282-0880 or visit www.energyhelp.ohio.gov for more information.

• 2-1-1 Helpline: This nationwide resource and information helpline identifies locally available programs that may assist customers with utility bills or other needs. For more information, dial 211, text your ZIP code to 898211 or visit the 211 website.

• Customers who are having difficulty paying utilities, rent or mortgage due to the pandemic may apply for a Home Relief Grant. Visit https://oacaa.org/agency-directory/ for an agency near you.

• Additionally, the $175 Winter Reconnect Option allows residential customers who are disconnected or at risk of disconnection the opportunity to pay a designated amount to have their service restored or maintained. There is no income eligibility requirement. PIPP customers who use this option may be eligible to have a reset of their past due amount.

For a complete list of assistance programs for which customers may be eligible, including installment payment plans and budget billing, please visit www.firstenergycorp.com/billassist, or call customer service:

Ohio Edison 1-800-633-4766

Ohio Edison serves more than one million customers across 34 Ohio counties. Follow Ohio Edison on Twitter @OhioEdison, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OhioEdison, and online at www.ohioedison.com.

The Illuminating Company serves 750,000 customers across Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties. Connect with The Illuminating Company at www.illuminatingcompany.com, on Twitter @IlluminatingCo and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IlluminatingCo.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland, and New York. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter: @FirstEnergyCorp.