POLLS: AMERICANS SAY MORE GUN CONTROL WON’T WORK; PUT EMPHASIS ON MENTAL HEALTH.

Some 63 percent of Americans do not believe that tighter restrictions on purchasing and owning firearms will be effective, according to a new Reason-Rupe poll. Only 32 percent of poll respondents said stricter regulations would be effective in preventing criminals from obtaining guns.

The same polling organization found that when asked to select the most important factor that may have prevented the tragic shooting in Newtown, some 27 percent of respondents told the Reason-Rupe poll that better mental-health treatment is the most important factor in preventing such tragedy. Twenty-two percent said better parenting is most critical; 20 percent said having armed personnel onsite would have been the most likely way to prevent the tragedy. The fourth most preferred approach was stricter gun-control laws, selected by 16 percent of respondents.
  • USA SHOOTING’S OUTSTANDING ATHLETES . . . Shotgun competitors Glenn Eller and Corey Cogdell are being honored as USA Shooting’s 2013 Athletes of the Year, and pistol shooter Emil Milev and Paralympic competitor John Joss are being recognized for performances in their respective event disciplines. Consideration for USA Shooting’s Athlete of the Year is based upon winning performances in major ISSF/IPC competitions. Read more about these outstanding athletes.
  • SARAH PALIN JOINS SPORTSMAN CHANNEL AS HOST OF NEW SHOW . . .Former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will host a new show on Sportsman Channel. The weekly series, “Amazing America with Sarah Palin,” will premier in April. “I’m excited to help shine a light on all the great American sportsmen and women in the country who live the outdoors lifestyle,” said Palin. The show is the first part of the network’s “Red, Wild and Blue America” programming plan.