Recent Stories

Articles by Jonathan Cortez

April 1, 2016

Opinion: Pennsylvania is Right to Legalize Medical Cannabis

A bill to legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania passed through the House and is under review by the Senate. You can read about it here. The legality of cannabis by state varies, but suffice to say Pennsylvania remains in the minority of 11 states that haven’t legalized any form of the cannabis plant. A poll in October indicated that 90 percent of Pennsylvanians favor medical cannabis prescribed through a doctor. I’m for legalizing medical marijuana. I’m for legalizing recreational marijuana. However, cannabis is not merely illegal under Federal law, its classification as a Schedule I substance means it has been…

March 31, 2016

Trial of Man Accused in Ellwood City Murder Case Begins Today

Update: The trial was post-postponed until Monday because a juror fell ill. The trial of a man accused of a November 2013 homicide in Ellwood City is scheduled to begin today. Leon J. Platt, 28, of Rochester, is charged with the murder of Richard Hogue, of Enon Valley, at a residence on Loop Street in Ellwood City. Judge J. Craig Cox will preside over the trial. According to previous EllwoodCity.org articles, Hogue, Platt and several others were in an apartment on 411 Loop St. on the morning of Nov. 16 when Platt fatally shot Hogue. A prosecution witness, Taylor Foley,…

March 29, 2016

Dementia Caregiver Support Group Starts at Ellwood City Hospital

Ellwood City now has an Alzheimer’s caregiver support group to help to those who help others. The group meets on the first Wednesday of every month from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Ellwood City hospital cafeteria. The group is for anyone who is a caregiver for someone with dementia, an umbrella term that includes Alzheimer’s. Attendees provide advice, support and strength to each other so that they may have the strength to care for their loved ones. The group was started by Victoria Gatto, Community Education Manager at the hospital. Gatto was certified by the Alzheimer’s Association of Western…

March 28, 2016

Baseball/Softball Recaps: Ellwood City Softball Starts Season with 10-0 Win

The Lady Wolverines started their season with 10-0 win over Freedom in a home non-conference game on Thursday. The Ellwood City softball team got their first run in the third inning when senior Allie McKelvey stole second and subsequently third and got batted in with a single by senior Mallory Swaggor. The Lady Wolverines overpowered Freedom in the fifth inning with seven runs, followed by two in the seventh inning. Juniors Camille Maine and Eisabella Miller each had three RBIs. McKelvey, Swogger and Maine each had two runs. Pitcher Skyla Greco kept Freedom pinned down with 11 strike outs and…

March 28, 2016

Borough Municipal Building to Have New Handicapped Ramp

The Ellwood City Municipal Building will soon have a new rear entrance thanks to a Community Development Block Grant. The project will eliminate unused restrooms in the rear of the municipal building along with the current ramp. A new ramp will be built that will head toward Sixth Street and then turn toward Bell Avenue. The new ramp will be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, including a more gradual incline and an automated door with an activation button. The project is being done with the assistance of the Lawrence County Commission and the CDBG will absorb all…

March 25, 2016

Borough to Apply for $268,000 Grant for Park Revitalization

The Ellwood City Borough will apply for a $268,000 state grant for upgrades to Ewing and Stiefel parks. The grant is a 50-50 match, so the total project will amount to $536,000. Earlier this month, council indicated it’d like to apply for at least $100,000 but by its meeting on March 21, council had established the current figure. The borough is working in concert with Lawrence County to apply for the grant provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The project will take place over 2017-18, which will spread out the cost. The borough’s contribution will utilize…

March 25, 2016

The Passed Police Motion that Was Never Implemented

In December 2015, council passed a motion to change the police schedule. That motion, proposed by former council member Ralph Chiappetta, was approved unanimously but was never implemented. In a letter to the Ellwood City Ledger, Chiappetta stated he believed the schedule change would save $50,000 in overtime a year. However, Mayor Anthony J. Court, who is in charge of the police department, believes it would not save money and may even increase police costs. Chiappetta has visited council several times to ask them to enforce the motion with a Writ of Mandamus, although at the meeting on March 21…

March 24, 2016

To Hire a Full-Time Patrol Officer or Not?

At Monday’s meeting, the Ellwood City borough council struck down a motion to advertise for a part-time patrol officer. An alternative, hiring a full-time officer, was discussed but no decisions were made as council wished to research the matter further. Council member Marilyn Mancini first brought up her reluctance to hire a part-time officer, pointing out that recently council approved two part-time officers, neither of which committed to the positions. In addition, the borough paid for tests for one of the candidates amounting to over $700. She added that Lt. David Kingston, the police department’s ranking officer, advised that part-timers…

March 24, 2016

Ellwood City Mother and Son Charged with Dealing Cocaine

The Lawrence County Drug Task Force recently arrested an Ellwood City mother and son cocaine-dealing duo. Michael Mario Viccari, 26, and Darlene Cragle, 57, both of Ellwood City, were arraigned on Tuesday by Magistrate Jerry Cartwright following a several month investigation. Police were informed the duo was dealing drugs from 216 Buckeye Way. In a pre-planned operation on Oct. 15, Viccari sold 2.3 grams of cocaine for $80 to an informant. Again, on January 13, an informant was sent with $80 to purchase cocaine from Viccari. However, as Vicarri wasn’t home, Cragle made the exchange. Both were placed in the…

March 23, 2016

Residents Encouraged to Register for Code RED Alerts

The Ellwood City council is encouraging residents to sign up for Code RED emergency notification system alerts. The program alerts residents of area-wide emergencies, such as severe storm warnings. Participants may choose between landline, cell phone and text message options. However, residents must first be enrolled in the program. The borough website has a page for online registration. In addition, the borough will send out notifications in the mail with the option to register via paper. The description of Code RED registration from the borough website reads, “The secure, customized Community Notification Enrollment (CNE) page allows residents and businesses to…