Recent Stories

Articles by Tracey Ferguson

September 2, 2020

Ellwood Fall Sport Senior Q&A: Part 1

High school sports are back in full swing. Cross Country and Volleyball are among the popular sports for students at Lincoln. We caught up with the athletes of those teams to see what they are doing to prepare for the upcoming rivalries, to offer some perspective on the season ahead and their plans for the future. This is part one of a two part series featuring Lincoln High School seniors in fall sports. Cross Country Joe Cioffi How many years have you been in Cross Country? I have been doing Cross Country since 2nd grade, so this will be my 11th…

August 25, 2020

Borough Hosting “Drop off” Clean-Up Progam

The Borough of Ellwood City will be hosting a “Drop off” Clean-Up program Saturday, August 29th from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The location of drop-off will be in the parking lot of 1200 Factory Avenue. The program is made possible by the Recycling Fund. To offset the cost, residents will be charged $8.00 per vehicle load per trip (2 trips max) or have the option (for those age 65 or disabled) to pay $35.00 to have items picked up curbside, but still limited to a vehicle load. If you plan to drop off any materials Saturday, you must buy…

August 25, 2020

ECASD Board Passes Health and Safety Plan, Approves Start of Fall Sports

Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors passed a Health and Safety plan Monday night in anticipation of the return to school. The details in the plan were not made available to the public, but Interim Superintendent Wes Shipley said the plan will be posted to the district’s website today. (Read the plan posted on Tuesday here.) Board members wanted clarification in the plan to state that “team” teaching would be the method during in person classroom teaching. The team teaching option was a board compromise after some directors favored self-contained teaching over team teaching. Self-contained teaching, according to…

August 18, 2020

ECASD Board of Directors Appoints New Solicitor

Ellwood City Area School District Board of Directors announced the appointment of Beard Legal Group and Jennifer Dambek as the new district solicitor. Dambeck is an associate in the Beard Legal Group, and focuses on labor and employment law, education law, and municipal law. The Beard Legal group is headquartered in Altoona, Pa According to the firm’s website, at its inception in 1989, the Firm represented approximately two School Districts as Solicitor and just a few more in Labor Relations matters. Today, the Firm serves as Solicitor to more than 44 School Districts and Career Centers across 16 counties in…

August 18, 2020

Borough Council Accepts Coronavirus Funding

Ellwood City Borough Council voted to accept $80,052.28 in Coronavirus Relief Monies during its Regular meeting on Monday. The funding comes with numerous restrictions for use of which the county and borough officials are researching. “There are tons of restrictions,” said Borough Manager David Allen. Some needs, according to Allen, the funds could be used for include Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and assistance for local first responders who were unable to work because of the virus. Mayor Anthony Court’s Report The mayor thanked Council for hiring police officers. He said there was a great need due to understaffing. “It’s a…

August 17, 2020

EC Borough Council to Meet Tonight

The Ellwood City Borough Council will hold its meeting tonight at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of the Borough Building. The meeting has accommodations to be awarded as well as resolutions and other business. The borough will look to adopt a resolution to approve the Coronavirus Relief Fund Recipient Agreement from Lawrence County. Council will also discuss a proposal for an annual clean-up program and field requests. A public hearing and special council meeting are also scheduled for August 24th to discuss zoning on Mt. Vernon Drive. To view the agenda, Click Here.

August 11, 2020

ECASD Board to Consider Virtual Broadcasts for Sports Spectators

Ellwood City Area School District’s sports could be virtual for spectators come Fall. The board is set to consider a proposal that would include a $2,000 cost to stream home games. “It is a great way to get our sports out there,” said Interim Superintendent Wes Shipley. With the continuation of Covid-19, state mandated restrictions and regulations will cause a new look to the upcoming sports seasons. This plan to stream the games for spectators will enable parents to still see the kids play via video and will leave room for the most participation by students as cheerleaders and the…

July 24, 2020

ECASD New Board Director Has Determined Focus on Education

Matt Morella is back and has his sights set on education. Morella is no stranger to the Ellwood City Area School District Board of Directors as he has served on the board before. He is also invested in the community. Morella grew up in Ellwood City alongside his brother and sister before spreading his wings to earn a BA in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and is currently preparing for the Bar Exam after earning a Juris Doctor (JD) from Pitt’s School of Law. Morella joined the board on July 3 when he replaced former Director Leroy Cortez,…

July 23, 2020

Word Alive Church To Host Free Drive-In Movie

Looking for a fun Friday night family activity? Head over to Word Alive Church tomorrow night (July 24) for a free drive-in movie night. “Word Alive is putting this event on to give a safe fun event for the community during the pandemic,” said Word Alive Church Pastor Matthew Reynolds. “We will also offer free popcorn and snacks (handed out in prepackaged bags). It starts at 9 p.m. and is a fun event for the whole family.” The drive-in is open to the community and will be held in the church parking lot. Viewers can use their FM radio to…

July 21, 2020

Mayor Urges Community to Slow Down; Council Hires Part-Time Officer

During Monday’s Borough Council Meeting, Mayor Anthony Court had one message for the community: Slow down and obey traffic signs. Court warned that if he continues to receive complaints about speeding and other traffic violations, police will setup points of surveillance and tickets will be issued. “Gotta slow down,” Court said. “It’s that simple.” He said numerous complaints have been made about violations on Sunset Boulevard and Perry Street as well as other areas in the borough. In other news, council decided to reject bids for the 2020 Paving Program. Borough Manager David Allen said bids came in 30 percent…