New Castle News

Local News

Discussion

August 20, 2007

NEW LOCAL: Council plans to repeal gun ban on borough property

By MaryAlice Meli

Tonight, Ellwood City Council plans to repeal the ban enacted last month on carrying guns into borough buildings and vehicles.

The only exceptions were certified law enforcement officers.

“We’re going to repeal it,” Glenn Jones, council president, said last night.

“We can’t ban guns as I understand it,” noted vice president Tony Court last night. “It’s unconstitutional. We thought we could do it because they’re banned in the courthouse. I guess we may have overstepped our bounds; our stance is to back off a bit.”

Borough solicitor Edward Leymarie Jr. noted last week he supports council’s action, saying this is not a fight he would recommend council undertake.

Pressure on council to repeal its action came in a letter from the National Rifle Association and from a group that founded a Web site — OpenCarry.org — that advocates openly carrying guns.

In a 1996 opinion, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in Ortiz v the Commonwealth that assault weapons bans enacted in ordinances in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh were not valid. Both are home-rule cities.

Chief Justice John P. Flaherty wrote that the General Assembly has said, “no cities, municipalities or townships may — in any manner — regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of Pennsylvania.”

Flaherty held that the law extends to home-rule cities as well as all other municipalities in the state.

Michael Stollenwerk of Mountville, Pa., and John Pierce of Bristol, Va., are co-founders of OpenCarry.org, a Web site that advocates the legal right of ordinary citizens to carry weapons openly.

Stollenwerk noted it is legal for anyone over age 18 to openly carry guns in holsters on the hip in 44 U.S. states, including Pennsylvania. The only places excepted are schools, courthouses, state parks and the Capitol in Harrisburg.

It is illegal to carry guns only if the guns are concealed. Carrying a concealed weapon requires a permit.

The Web site notes this stems from the frontier days when many of those who wore concealed guns were up to no good.

Stollenwerk has been quoted in a Lancaster County newspaper as saying, “We shouldn’t have gun bans anywhere where there isn’t real security.”

Dom Viccari, Ellwood’s borough manager, said banning guns from the municipal building was a way to protect borough building employees, especially on days when the electric department must shut off non-paying customers. He noted today’s society is much less predictable and dangerous than in the past.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local News
  • Corvi.jpg News, Herald to launch Business Chronicle

    You will find in Monday’s edition of the New Castle News a magazine called the Mercer-Lawrence County Business Chronicle.
    The News is joining forces with our sister paper, The  Herald in Sharon, which has been producing the Business Chronicle in Mercer County for six years.

    May 26, 2012 1 Photo

  • DYM.jpg Meet the 2013 contestants for Lawrence County Distinguished Young Women

    The 2013 Distinguished Young Women Program will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday in Westminster College’s Orr Auditorium. Tickets will be available at the door. Here's your chance to meet all of this year's contestants.
     

    May 25, 2012 1 Photo

  • City Council Briefs: Firm to provide city hall security

    New Castle City Council approved an agreement last night with a Butler firm to provide armed security at city hall. Security Service’s fee is $16 per hour under a seven-month agreement, which will run through the end of this year.

    May 25, 2012

  • Offices to be closed Memorial Day

    Local government offices and other agencies will be closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day. They include:

    May 25, 2012

  • McDonald.jpg Ellwood City’s fire chief resigns

    A 9-year-old boy with spinal meningitis opened his eyes when he heard a fire siren. As longtime colleague Don Ries tells it, the siren was calling Ellwood City volunteers to a shed fire at the B&O Railroad freight station.

    May 24, 2012 1 Photo

  • gavel.jpg Council considers board compromise

    New Castle City Council talked of possible compromise Tuesday night regarding the status of the city’s Historical Architectural Review Board.

    May 24, 2012 1 Photo

  • Neshannock to pave streets this summer

    The Neshannock Township supervisors will spend $208,226 to pave roads this summer. The supervisors last night selected Youngblood Paving of Wampum for the project as the lowest of four bidders. Greg DelPrincipe of RAR Engineering opened and tallied the bids.

    May 24, 2012

  • Custer.jpg Pastor attains master chaplain status

    The Rev. Tod Custer has attained a master chaplain certificate from the International Conference Police Chaplains. Ellwood City Mayor Anthony J. Court recently recognized Custer, an Ellwood City police chaplain, for his achievement.
    Custer will receive his certification in Spokane, Wash.

    May 23, 2012 1 Photo

  • Improvements set for Little Beaver bridge

    Improvements to a bridge that carries Huston Road over Little Beaver Creek in Little Beaver Township are to begin Tuesday. Huston Road will be closed between Route 351 and Scott Wallace Road beginning at 7 a.m. The road will be closed through late August.

    May 23, 2012

  • Mahoning gets sewer tap-in grant

     The Mahoning Township supervisors have received a $500,000 block grant to help residents tap into the new sewer system. Supervisor Vito Yeropoli, who is also sanitation plant secretary/manager, said the township was notified of the grant Monday.

    May 23, 2012