PART 2: 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. [VIEW PART 1]

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!’

#5 – NOTABLE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Borough Council voted this year to hold the annual Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, Food, & Entertainment Festival on the weekend on or surrounding Fourth of July. Not everyone was happy with the decision.

This year Ellwood City Borough Council gave a nod to tradition and community spirit by approving a permanent scheduling plan for the beloved Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, Food & Entertainment Festival, ensuring that going forward the festival will be held on the weekend closest to the Fourth of July — a move designed to help organizers, vendors, and visitors plan ahead for one of the region’s most anticipated summer gatherings. The annual festival, which drew crowds and lively participation again in 2025 with its mix of local artisans, food, music, and family fun in Ewing Park, continues to be a cornerstone of Ellwood City’s cultural calendar and a joyful way to celebrate community, creativity, and summer together. However, not all were happy with the move and suggest that competition from other area events and festivals could threaten the future of the local event.

Over the summer this year Ellwood City experienced a remarkable outpouring of care and community spirit through Operation Healthy Ellwood, a 10‑day Department of Defense Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) mission that brought nearly 200 service members to town to provide no‑cost medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, and veterinary services to residents who might otherwise go without care. What began as a training exercise became a heartfelt partnership — volunteers, local businesses, and military personnel formed bonds that blurred the line between helpers and neighbors, touching thousands of lives and delivering more than $1.2 million worth of services in free care and compassion. For many, the mission was more than health care; it was a reminder that community, service, and kindness can make a lasting difference in people’s lives.

This summer, Ellwood City’s emergency responders and military partners turned a stretch of Lawrence Avenue into a realistic training ground for a mass casualty incident exercise as part of Operation Healthy Ellwood, giving local volunteers, service members, and first responders the chance to practice coordinated response techniques in a simulated vehicle‑strikes‑pedestrians scenario that underscored the importance of preparedness, teamwork, and community safety. The drill, which brought together civilian fire departments and military medical personnel alongside the ongoing no‑cost health services clinic in town, highlighted how partnerships can strengthen readiness and care — and served as a powerful reminder of the dedication and compassion behind those who protect and serve our community.

#4 – EXPLOSIVE NEWS!

A few explosive news articles lit the local news up with breaking news this year.  First, and in January, local fire departments were called to Giuseppe’s Tuscany Grill on Big Beaver Boulevard in nearby Homewood Borough which totally engulfed the local restaurant. No casualties were reported and the restaurant location has been vacant since.  In August, an electrical explosion at the Ellwood City Forge facility sent a Beaver man to a trauma center. At the time the cause of the explosion was undetermined.  Lastly, and just weeks later in September, an explosion rocked the former Walnut Ridge Elementary school and home of The Time Brew Pub. The building was left with significant damage and many nearby residences also were shook. The reported gas explosion took place shortly after midnight. Investigation was underway and the twisted metal and debris left by the explosion have been cleaned up but the site remains vacant with little or no further activity.

BONUS: Top Police Reports

https://ellwoodcity.org/2025/10/10/drug-raid-at-ellwood-city-residence-results-in-four-arrests
https://ellwoodcity.org/2025/03/14/koppel-teenager-charged-with-stalking-harrassment/
https://ellwoodcity.org/2025/02/12/police-local-narcotics-raid-leads-to-arrest/

#3 – EC GIRLS SOFTBALL FIELD

This year the Ellwood City Area School District’s long‑running effort to build a dedicated girls softball field became one of the most closely watched and serious community issues, spanning more than two years of planning, public debate, and legal challenges. What began in 2023 with the Board’s unanimous approval of plans to construct a new field at the former Ewing Park School property — part of a larger initiative to improve softball and baseball facilities — was met with sustained opposition from nearby residents concerned about zoning, traffic, safety, and neighborhood impacts. In January 2025, the Ellwood City Zoning Hearing Board denied the District’s request for a special exception, a decision later upheld by the Court of Common Pleas of Lawrence County in June, which found the project did not comply with local zoning ordinances. Following that ruling, the Board voted in July not to pursue further appeals and instead approved a revised feasibility study for alternative field locations while also arranging for the softball team to play home games at neighboring districts’ fields as the search continues for a long‑term solution.

https://ellwoodcity.org/2025/06/18/court-of-common-pleas-of-lawrence-county-judge-denies-ellwood-city-area-school-districts-appeal-regarding-softball-field/

https://ellwoodcity.org/2025/07/14/ecasd-board-of-directors-votes-to-not-appeal-findings-of-court-of-common-pleas-regarding-softball-field/

/2025/08/15/ellwood-city-girls-softball-team-to-seek-neighboring-school-district-fields-for-home-games/

https://ellwoodcity.org/?s=softball+field

#2 – FRANCHISE LOCATIONS NOW OPEN!

This summer Ellwood City residents eagerly anticipated the arrival of Tractor Supply’s first local store, as officials announced the new location near the Franklin Plaza beside Dollar General was nearing its grand opening in early July, bringing the popular rural lifestyle retailer’s mix of pet supplies, farm and garden gear, workwear, propane services, and more right to the community’s doorstep. The news generated plenty of buzz among DIYers, gardeners, pet owners, and outdoor enthusiasts alike, adding to a season full of new local shopping options and giving folks something fun to look forward to as July rolled in.

https://ellwoodcity.org/2025/06/27/tractor-supply-nearing-opening-in-ellwood-city/

/2025/06/27/tractor-supply-nearing-opening-in-ellwood-city/

This year Ellwood City got even more convenient for shoppers with the announcement that ALDI would open its first local store at 230 Route 288 in Franklin Township on June 26, bringing the popular discount grocery chain’s mix of high‑quality products, low everyday prices, and customer‑friendly services like curbside pickup and grocery delivery to the community for the first time. The grand opening plans — including a ribbon‑cutting, gift bags for the first 100 customers, and a chance to win a $500 gift card — added a fun buzz and gave residents something to look forward to as summer unfolded, marking an exciting new chapter in local shopping options.

https://ellwoodcity.org/2025/06/12/excitement-builds-as-aldi-opens-its-first-location-in-ellwood-city-grocer-announces-opening-date/

This fall the Borough of Ellwood City made headlines — and sparked plenty of online conversation — with its announcement of a planned, borough‑wide power outage originally scheduled for October 19 to allow Penn Power to perform essential infrastructure work, a move intended to maintain long‑term safety and reliability but one that was not warmly received by many residents and drew a noticeable stir on local Facebook pages as neighbors shared concerns about timing, communication, and disruption to daily life. The outage was later postponed to October 26, highlighting ongoing coordination between borough leaders and the utility as officials balanced critical maintenance with mixed community feedback.