Recent Stories

Articles by Jonathan Cortez

November 25, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving- Along with Eight Random Related Facts

The Ellwoodcity.org staff wishes all our readers and the community a wonderful Thanksgiving! I hope everyone enjoys the one day a year us Americans can eat large amounts of food. According to the Weather Channel, it should be a bid warm and possibly sunny, so winter isn’t here quite yet! I will be on vacation for rest of the week, so I’ll leave you with random Thanksgiving trivia. Turkeys, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans and squash are all native to North America so a classic Thanksgiving dinner is an inherently New World feast (source “Guns, Germs and Steel” by Jared…

November 20, 2015

Local Author’s Major Publishing Debut Now in Print

Local Author Nancy Wallace has reached a frequently-aspired but seldom obtained pinnacle of achievement: publication of a novel by a major publishing house. Yesterday, her fantasy novel “Among Wolves” was released in print in the U.K. by HarperVoyager, the fantasy branch of Harper Collins. The book is available for purchase in the U.S. online. The e-book has been available since early summer. Wallace, the children’s director at the Ellwood City Area Public Library, has possibly been this area’s most prolific author, with over a dozen published children’s books. So why did someone who mostly works with children end up writing…

November 19, 2015

The Numbers Behind the Ratified Teacher Contract

The Ellwood City Area School Board ratified a contract with the Ellwood Area Education Association for the 2016-20 school years on Thursday, Nov. 12. The new five-year contract, retroactively  beginning July 1, is nearly identical to the previous one, which ran from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012. The changes are primarily slight increases in salaries. In the previous contract, while teachers had a pay increase for experience, there was no base pay increase. Hence, a new teacher with a master’s degree hired in 2012 would make $40,223, the same money as a new teacher with a master’s degree…

November 19, 2015

Council Wishes to Enforce Uniform Policy on Body Armor

At Monday’s borough council meeting, council unanimously voted to re-affirm the borough’s position on the Uniform Policy on Body Armor. The policy requires police officers to wear bulletproof vests as part of their uniform and was originally adopted by council in a unanimous vote on Nov. 18, 2013. According to council, two police officers do not always wear their vests, and council intends on enforcing the policy. Council member John Todorich said the policy should be amended to say punishment is up to and including termination. “Taxpayers pay for those vests, and they cost $1000 each,” Todorich said. “They should…

November 18, 2015

Two Spontaneous Council Motions Meet Mixed Response

Two motions, spontaneously suggested by outgoing council members at Monday’s council meeting, caused some stir among council. The first motion, a proposal by council member Ralph Chiappetta to appoint two part time patrol offices to full time, ultimately failed 5-2. The second motion, suggested by council member John Todorich, to install gates at the Ewing Park swimming pool parking lot passed 4-3. For Chiappetta and Todorich, Monday was their penultimate meeting. Chiappetta lost in the May primaries and Todorich was defeated in the general election on Nov. 3. Both seconded each others’ motions. During the new business segment of the…

November 16, 2015

Students Make Case for Increased Technology Education to Board

Students from Perry Lower Intermediate School presented their work in the Wolverine Makerspace Workshop to the board last Thursday. If the seven 4th-graders are representative of their entire grade, then enthusiasm for the workshop is near unanimous. The Wolverine Workshop, which allows students to work with 3-d printers, CAD and robotics, was added this year at Perry. Currently, students spend about one or two hours once or twice a week tinkering, experimenting, and building under the direction of instructor Scott Setzenfand, who was hired in the summer. However, if the students had their say, most of the school day would…

November 12, 2015

Photos: Lincoln High School Presents “Into the Woods”

This weekend, the students of Lincoln High School will present the musical “Into the Woods.” It’s an unusual and challenging production for several reasons. First, the students selected it. Director Laura Adams said the directorial staff, comprised of high school faculty, almost always chooses the musical. However, this year the students were especially excited about “Into the Woods” and convinced Adams to give it a try. The students had to perform in a workshop to demonstrate they could pull off some of the difficult numbers required. The students were inspired to do the musical after seeing the 2014 Disney film…

November 11, 2015

Into the Woods: Q&A with Cast Members

This year’s Lincoln High School Musical presented a certain challenge for a conventional Ellwoodcity.org Q&A. The musical, “Into the Woods,” a Brother’s Grimm fairy tale medley, has no defined leads but instead features an extensive ensemble cast. Accordingly, the Q&A is presented in collective responses rather than individual sessions. Overall, the cast loved the diverse emotions the musical portrays. “It’s quirky and funny and the audience will love both the comic side and the serious parts,” junior Joey Cortez, who portrays the titular character in “Jack and the Bean Stalk,” said. Cortez is one of the veterans players, having participating in…

November 11, 2015

Council: Questions Remain Regarding Civil Service Regulations

At Monday’s agenda setting meeting on November 9, the Ellwood City borough council discussed adopting amended civil service regulations at its regular meeting next Monday, Nov. 16. Borough solicitor Ed Leymarie mentioned that a specific requirement in the regulations could cause legal issues. The regulations, as they stand to be adopted, require prospective police officers to live within 25 miles of the borough. Leymarie said that council does not have authority to unilaterally make that a requirement and must first negotiate with the police union. He said there is substantial case law supporting a negotiation. Council responded by asking Leymarie…

November 10, 2015

Ellwood Chamber of Commerce Director Resigns

Lori Hilliard, the Ellwood City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, submitted her letter of resignation to the Chamber’s board on November 5. Hilliard cited spending more time with her parents and grandparents and having a job that will have a more flexible work schedule as reasons for her resignation. Her letter also served as her two weeks notice. “I regret having to leave the Chamber as the Executive Director, but my father suffers from health issues, and I need to be able to offer my parents more support on a regular basis,” Hilliard said. “In order to do that, I…