PART 1: Top Stories of 2023

In following previous years’ tradition, EllwoodCity.org brings the 2023 calendar year to a close with the Top 10 most popular stories of the year.

Today is the first part of our two-part series featuring the top news stories of the year based on analytics and social media reach.  The year saw positive changes in the Ellwood City area, and plenty more twists and turns. EllwoodCity.org has been right there, keeping members of our community updated with the best information possible!

We would like to thank our valued readership that helped generated nearly 3 MILLION PAGE VIEWS this calendar year and our local businesses who support our website and help it stay free of charge – advertising opportunities are available! The EllwoodCity.org staff wishes everyone a safe and healthy 2024!

#10 – ELLWOOD CITY FAMILY CENTER RE-OPENS

After its closure in May 2023, John Dibuono, community resident and physical education teacher for 27 years at Lincoln High School, made it a point to work toward reopening it. The Ellwood City Family Center, under the new direction of Dibuono, hosted clinics in October ahead of its grand re-opening celebration. The center will feature programs, including Toddler Time, open gym for high school students, and the fastest growing game in the country – pickleball.

#9 – HALL OF FAME SERIES

We had the pleasure of featuring eight of the Ellwood City Class of 2022 Hall of Fame inductees. First we started with Dr. Jeffrey Hangst. He’s a little bit musician, a little bit mechanic, and a lot mad scientist … and by mad, I mean mad COOL! He is an experimental particle physicist at Aarhus University, Denmark, and founder and spokesperson of the ALPHA collaboration at the Antiproton Decelerator (AD) at CERN. CERN is the European laboratory for research in particle physics and is located in Geneva, Switzerland. Then we featured Dan Aloi, a Lincoln Class of 1987, and Ellwood City Hall of Fame Class of 2022, is no stranger to Hall of Fame classes. He was also inducted into the Lawrence County Historical Society Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. Another impressive inductee is Chief Justice Debra McCloskey Todd. Her dedication ultimately led her to become the first female chief justice in Pennsylvania history. She assumed the post on October 1st, 2022. At the time of her installation, she recognized the importance of her achievement. “Our Supreme Court is over 300 years old, and I am the first woman to serve as chief justice,” Todd said at that time. “So, it’s quite an honor. I feel like it’s an accomplishment for me, but more than that it’s symbolic for women in the law and little girls everywhere.” Speaking of “girls” making history, there isn’t a more positive person than Annie Malkowiak, LHS standout basketball star, who continues long after high school to pay it forward with positivity. And She is the first female to coach a varsity boys basketball team in Westmoreland County for Mt. Pleasant High School. Then there is the successful Dr. Nicholas Neupauer. And success is exactly what Neupauer has brought to his role since his appointment as president of BC3. Under his leadership, BC3 was named the number one community college in Pennsylvania eight times since 2015. And his love for BC3 is unmatched by any chief executive officer of any community college in the state, the state system of higher education universities, and state related institutions, as his presidency has been the longest standing at a single institution. Justice is served up by Tonya Sulia-Goodman. When the she is instrumental in putting them behind bars. The class of 1990 graduate has prosecuted some of the most dangerous offenders in Western PA. Her soft side comes out as a proud mom. Jake Walker has been running his entire life. The 2006 LHS graduate and Ellwood City Area Hall of Fame class of 2022 standout athlete still runs today. Despite his busy life as a family man and professional, Walker still fits running into his daily workout. Last but not least is Doneen Aloi-McDowell, LHS Class of 1989, Mom and Manufacturing Maven. She has made quite a name for herself at General Motors. In 2019, Doneen received the Women of Steel Manufacturing Leader Award by the Steel Market Development Institute at the North American Auto Show. In 2015, Doneen was recognized in Automotive News as one of the 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry.

#8 – DUNKIN DONUTS

There was a buzz around town at the start of 2023 … a caffeine buzz. Was Ellwood City getting a Dunkin Donuts? The fodder built as word spread around our small town. And then on May, Ellwood City Borough Council approved requests by Fifth and Spring, LLC to construct a Dunkin’ fast food restaurant at the intersection of Fifth Street and Spring Avenue. Council unanimously approved the 2,060 square foot facility as well as a drive thru. They also approved a request to convert four properties into one buildable lot to house the restaurant, parking lot, and drive thru. Dan Orie, vice president of development and general counsel for Heartland Restaurant Group, presented a site plan. The plans were met with excitement from some community members and concern from small local business owners who felt the facility would not add to the community and detract business from the shop local vibe. The Dunkin’ has yet to be constructed and open as of December 2023.

#7 – PA TURNPIKE CONSTRUCTION

In May, the PA Turnpike Commission announced start of a $270M total reconstruction that will impact many commuters and travels coming and going from the Ellwood City area.  The project called for the widening of two miles of the Turnpike’s east-west mainline (Interstate 76) between Milepost 12 and Milepost 14 in Beaver County that will include new interchange at the Exit 13 Beaver Valley (Beaver Falls/Ellwood City) exit. August brought updates from the project, including many photos of the ongoing construction, that has most recently forced the turnpike exit closure and temporary reformatting of the eastbound on ramp.  To date, all early action projects have been completed according to the project website. Construction of the mainline Turnpike and the bridges of the Beaver River are currently in progress with an expected completion date of September 2027.

#6 – NEW BUSINESS START-UPS

2023 was a big year for new and locally owned small businesses in Ellwood City. Some new businesses opened and others grew and expanded. Below are some notable featured stories our staff was able to collect and post this year.

Ellwood Ice: Flavor was the game as Ellwood Ice opened its doors. Apple, Banana, Birthday Cake, Blue Cotton Candy, Oh, my! Blue Raspberry, Bubble Gum, Caramel, Guava, Ellwood Ice opened its doors for the first time on January 28 to a big community-driven crowd The shop truly features options for everyone … premium shave ice and ice cream including gluten, dairy, dye, and sugar free options. Local parents Adam and Lauren Wilson are living their dream, to provide options that anyone can enjoy despite allergies and food sensitivities.

Sidetracks Boardgame Club: Bored? Looking for a date night idea? Want to try a new game that you aren’t quite prepared to commit to buying quite yet? Want to learn rules of the games? Tired of endless scrolling and staring at your phone?  Sidetracks opened in September and Owner Doug Smith is certain he has a game for everyone at Sidetracks. In fact, last he checked he had about 350 games. Smith said the mission for this new business is simple: to provide a place for social interaction and community building through the fun and enjoyment of tabletop gaming in a casual, family-friendly environment.

Bajgiel: November brought us just the comfort we needed with the opening of Bajgiel. Bajgiel is serving up delicious dough with scrumptious schmears. Although a brick-and-mortar bagel shop is still in the works, Bajgiel is starting out by hosting some pop up bagel events where you can stop by, learn more about all the tasty bagels, sandwiches, and schmears and then make the very tough decision of which one you want to order. Kristen Velez, who lives in the Ellwood City area with her husband and two daughters, works as a nail tech at Revive. She has been doing nails for six years now but has always loved a good bagel shop.

Grand Paws Pet Salon & Boutique: Have no fur … uhhhh … we mean fear although Grand Paws Pet Salon & Boutique moved in April of 2023 they are still will be offering the same fur-endly services. The operations moved to 609 Lawrence Ave. In April Grand Paws co-owner, Kelly Fennell, said she and her partner Jessica Sommers were excited for the opportunities in their new space. “Everything is the same, just a different location,” Fennell said. “The new location is comparable in size and even offers room for another tub, which means we might be able to potentially hire more groomers at some point.”

Konsignment Konnections: In May, Konsignment Konnections held its Grand Reopening. Owner Rochelle Spagnolo said she had been waiting a long time for her store expansion to include the space next door that formerly housed the Ellwood City Ledger. She said Konsignment Konnections doubled in size. “I was busting at the seams and wanted that space,” she said. “I had been waiting patiently to be able to expand.” Spagnolo said the extra space will allow her to display the fashions in better and more visible ways.

Evan’s Monumental Gifts: In addition to the non-profit, Evan’s Monumental Gifts hosted an annual holiday drive.