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With the number of comments on someone’s blog that bemoaned the fact that West Easton officials went to a locked building and doorbell system, sadly, Ross Township provided good reason why some type of protection is needed for representatives of small communities.

Ross Township suffered the loss of 3 people at the hands of Rockne Newell, a man who purchased an unlivable piece of property and began living on that land with disregard to the deed and the ordinances that prevented him from doing so. He kept his excrement in a bucket until he disposed of it in his stream, littered the property with his collection of other people’s discarded refuse, and had an ongoing battle with Ross Township that lasted for more than 18 years before they were finally able to evict him from the property.

His answer was to murder 3 and gravely wound 1 during a public meeting by shooting from outside the building with a rifle (1 was killed just as Newell was at the entrance doorway). Failing his stated desire, after his arrest, of wishing he had killed more, the death toll would have been higher if not for the actions of two men who subdued him, when he entered the building with a handgun he exchanged for his empty rifle.

For those of us old enough, there was a time after Kennedy when we thought that the only public officials at risk of being murdered was a President. Possibly a Senator or Governor and remotely, maybe a Mayor of a large metropolitan city. After all, a murderous nutbag might be found among millions, but not within a small town. We’ve gone from being fearful for those that obtain high office to fearing for the safety of school children. Those segments are now protected better than they were with security features and newly enacted laws that require security measures be put in place.

What has fallen through the crack is those who weren’t deemed at risk. Where in the past a resident who had a beef with local officials would sanely work to meet the requirements of meeting ordinance specs, obtaining variances, or civilly run against them in an election, this day and age finds some who will kill out of anger. By almost all accounts, Newell was a belligerent man who refused what help was offered him.

While the State has empowered not only themselves to prohibit guns in their buildings, they allow County buildings to prohibit guns. What isn’t included in the legislation allowing prohibition of weapons is Municipal owned property.

A borough, township, or municipality can not create an ordinance that prohibits someone from entering their building or property with a gun. That, it seems, violates a person’s rights. Until that flaw is corrected, other means are instituted to protect those who do what they must to protect themselves as best they can.

West Easton chose to require the ringing of a doorbell and if necessary, a police escort for those who have demonstrated they require one because of past actions and public threats.

While the initial killings by Newell, that he accomplished by shooting from outside in, might not have been prevented by a locked door, the drawing closed of blinds would have prevented him obtaining clear targets.  A locked door may have prevented him from obtaining access to inside the building, where it required the bravery of the unarmed to subdue him.

Unbelievably, one West Easton resident wrote a Letter to The Editor of, The Express-Times that supported Newell. Our resident sees Newell as the victim and called for the resignation of Ross Township Supervisors. The true victims hadn’t even been buried yet.

As a resident of West Easton I was shocked. The bulk of the LTE went on about our resident’s own perceived injustice and actually invoked “Hitler” and “Tyranny,” in describing a comparison with Ross Township officials. Disgusted by it, I made a public comment at our Council Meeting requesting they send a letter of condolence to Ross Township and to make clear that the thinking of one resident is not an opinion of our community, as a whole. I was informed that not only would a letter be sent, but flowers would also be discussed.

It’s the least we can do for a community that experienced what West Easton has known is a possibility. Because of Newell, you’ll see many more small communities installing locks and bells, while joining together to have the State enact legislation to prevent a nut with a gun having an easy time finding defenseless victims.

The next time you ring the bell at Borough Hall, take the few moments you wait to remember the victims of Ross Township.