PART 1: Top Stories Of 2025

In following previous years’ tradition, EllwoodCity.org brings the 2025 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 continued to see 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 4.2 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 2026!

#10 – MEMORIAL/TRIBUTES

1st Annual Carter Huzinec Memorial Powerlifting Meet & Strongman Event, In March, the community came together in a powerful and heartfelt way this year with the launch of the 1st Annual Carter Huzinec Memorial Powerlifting and Strongman Event, honoring the life and legacy of a young man whose love of fitness and kindness left a lasting impact. Hosted by Wampum Fitness and Carter4LifeCompany, the event celebrated strength, resilience, and community while raising awareness and support for traumatic brain injury. Through lifting, laughter, and shared purpose, the day transformed loss into hope, keeping Carter’s light shining bright and proving that even in the hardest moments, a community can lift one another up.

This year, the Ellwood City community celebrated the life and legacy of beloved educator and literacy advocate LuAnn Santillo with the installation of a Little Free Library in Franklin Community Park, a heartfelt tribute that reflects her lifelong passion for teaching children to read and love books. The charming “take a book, leave a book” library, donated by a friend of the Santillo family and open to all, honors LuAnn’s decades of classroom dedication and her work creating the Half-Pint Kids reading series, ensuring her spirit of kindness, curiosity, and community continues to inspire young readers and families for years to come. Santillo passed away in May at the age of 71 after a brief but courageous battle with cancer.

#9 – NEW BUSINESS START-UPS

This year, Patty’s Crafty Corner brought even more charm and creativity to Ellwood City by filling its Fifth Street storefront with a delightful mix of locally made gifts and home décor — from ceramics to handcrafted jewelry, tumblers, soaps, and treats for pups — turning shopping into a treasure hunt and reminding everyone of the joy of buying local and handmade this season.  In February, Ellwood City welcomed a new destination for adventure enthusiasts with the opening of Meyers RV at 1580 PA-65, offering sales and full service for a wide selection of major RV brands and accessories that appeal to both first-time buyers and seasoned travelers. The expanded location brings expert guidance, familiar faces from the former Camper’s Inn team, and a one-stop shop for everything from travel trailers to rooftop gear, helping local residents and visitors hit the road with confidence and excitement for their next outdoor journey.

This spring, Homesite’s Hidden Events put a joyful, family-flavored twist on local celebrations by transforming a portion of their own backyard in Ellwood City into a picturesque all-in-one outdoor event venue where weddings, reunions, and milestone moments can unfold with ease and heart. Run by Dianna and Kevin Moser and their hardworking children, the venue combines gorgeous grounds with onsite catering, DJ services, and a warm, welcoming spirit that feels more like a family gathering than a rental space.

The summer saw residents and business owners in Ellwood City tapping into blazing-fast fiber Internet service, thanks to a major expansion by Omni Fiber, a rapidly growing fiber broadband provider.

Ellwood City native Renee Watterson turned her lifelong love of dance into reality with the opening of her studio, Inspire by Movement, offering classes that blend creativity, discipline, and encouragement for dancers of all ages and abilities. Watterson’s vision — to give back to the community that supported her own journey and create a welcoming place where young people can grow, express themselves, and build confidence through the art of movement — has already begun inspiring local families and reminding everyone that hard work, passion, and community spirit can turn big dreams into bright new beginnings.

This fall, Ellwood City welcomed a heartfelt new chapter in early childhood care with the opening of Rosies Daycare Center, a bright, cheerful space in a lovingly repurposed old school building on Bridge Street that quickly became a hub for play, learning, and community connection for families with young children.

#8 – CENTURY IN A BOX

This year’s “A Century in a Box” moment gave Ellwood City a wonderful bridge between past and present when a Librarian’s quest to let history unfold while workers renovating Lincoln High School uncovered and carefully extracted a time capsule sealed in the school’s cornerstone in 1925. The time capsule revealed newspapers, a Bible, and other century-old treasures that offered a fascinating snapshot of life and education a hundred years ago. The discovery sparked excitement across the community and inspired students and staff to craft a new 2025 time capsule filled with contemporary items — from school directories and photos to essays, slang, and everyday memorabilia — that will be sealed for future generations, reminding everyone that history is a living story we all get to shape.

#7 – CHAMPIONS AGAIN. ZACH HARE AND RIVERSIDE BASEBALL

The Riverside Panthers defeated Mount Carmel in June to earn its 6th PIAA State Championship.  Zach Hare set what is believed to be a national record by tossing 34 consecutive no-hit innings during the Panthers magical postseason run.  Hare tossed a perfect game in the WPIAL Class 3A Championship game – the first in modern WPIAL Championship Game history – as Riverside claimed its 7th WPIAL championship with a 1-0 victory over Quaker Valley in May.  The accolades poured in for Hare as he was named named the MaxPreps Pennsylvania Player of the Year and named to its PA All-America honors.

In the pool, the Riverside boys earned a WPIAL Section 2-A crown in February – the 21st Section Title in the program’s history.  The team later placed 15th Overall in the WPIAL Class 2A Swimming & Diving Championships at the University of Pittsburgh in March.

On the hardwood, both the Ellwood City boys and girls basketball teams qualified for the PIAA Playoffs after each picked up opening round victories in their respective WPIAL Playoffs.

Wampum-native Dick Allen was is posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame over the summer with a well-deserved plaque in Cooperstown, N.Y. The borough of Wampum celebrated with a Dick Allen Festival and painted mural of the MLB slugger.

#6 – NOTABLE SCHOOL BOARD

This year, the Ellwood City Area School District Board of Directors took a meaningful step forward in educational leadership by appointing Dr. Amy Anderson as the district’s next superintendent, beginning her five-year contract in July 2025. The decision reflected the board’s commitment to long-term stability, academic excellence, and planning for the future. With experience in district leadership and a focus on student achievement, collaboration, and continuous improvement, Dr. Anderson’s appointment marks an important moment for the district as it prepares to guide students, educators, and families into the next chapter of learning and growth.

The appointment of Anderson also marked the bittersweet retirement of longtime educator and leader Dr. Wesley Shipley, a dedicated educator whose 35‑year career began in the classroom and culminated in five fulfilling years as ECASD superintendent — a tenure he calls the best of his career and one marked by resilience, collaboration, and improvements in academics, facilities, and student support. Shipley’s pride in the ECASD community and his staff — from navigating COVID and construction projects to fostering a student‑first culture — left a legacy, and his parting encouragement to “always be true to yourself, serve others, and find the good in everything” leaves a thoughtful, inspiring note for the next chapter in district leadership.

In November, the Hall of Fame Committee of the Ellwood City Area School District announced the 2025 incoming class of the Ellwood City Alumni Hall of Fame.