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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency services, Aug. 21 ... Family of firefighter who died in crash sues for $5 million ... 'Doc' to all ... Emergency services, Aug. 21 ... Family of firefighter who died in crash sues for $5 million ... 'Doc' to all ... OPEN CARRY Mollalla divided after patrol walk with guns Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 19, 2016 at 6:06 PM By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 19, 2016 at 6:06 PM » Social News MOLALLA — An Oregon community is divided after a few residents openly carried firearms during a "community patrol event." The two-hour Wednesday night walk was meant to help police and suppress criminal activity in Moalla, organizers told the Oregonian. But City Councilor Leota Childress and others said the walk raises as many issues as it was supposed to solve. "The reference to unwanted persons makes me concerned," Childress wrote in a Facebook post. "Who among this group is going to judge who is wanted or unwanted??" Councilor Jimmy Thompson, a participant in the event, said the idea was prompted by a sense that property crimes are on the rise in the 9,000-person community. "We have a relatively small police force here and they obviously can't be everywhere," Thompson said. "We talked about being the eyes and the ears for the police. We want people to know we're watching." He acknowledged that the guns made some people uncomfortable, but said "they're legal." The walk was organized by longtime Moalla resident John Chenoweth, who says he hopes to organize a gun-free walk for next week. Of the dozen people who participated in the walk, only three carried firearms, he said. "I won't tell anyone they can't carry a weapon," he said. "But I'd really like to foster an atmosphere where everyone in the community will feel comfortable turning out." By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 19, 2016 at 6:06 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501