A story in today's Chattanooga Times states that applications for concealed carry permits "skyrocketed" between 2003 and 2007:

... Applications for Tennessee carry permits statewide have skyrocketed over the last five years, increasing from 237 in 2003 to 195,251 in 2007. Applications more than tripled between 2006 and 2007, records show.

The Brady Campaign's Brian Malte was quoted later in the piece responding to a question about how concealed carry should be implemented:

... Still, some groups such as the Washington, D.C.-based Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said Tennessee and many other states have weak control over who gets a concealed weapons permit.

“We feel, at the very least, local law enforcement should have the discretion in deciding who gets a concealed weapons permit,� said Brian Malte, director of state legislation for the Brady Campaign. “Laws like Tennessee’s just say that, if you pass a background check and any other requirements, you must be allowed to receive a permit.�

[more]

The Associated Press reporting on the Chattanooga Times story, however, calls into question the notion that permit applications are "skyrocketing" at all:

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Safety Department records show applications to carry concealed handguns have dropped slightly between 2005 and 2007.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported Monday the number of Tennessee residents applying for permits to legally carry handguns skyrocketed from 237 in 2003 to 195,251 last year.

Tennessee Department of Safety spokesman Mike Browning says the paper incorrectly interpreted the department's statistics.

Browning told the Associated Press in an e-mail that "statewide the number of handgun carry permits issued dropped from 57,044 in 2005 to 51,987 in 2007."