Recent Stories

Articles by Tracey Ferguson

October 15, 2021

ECASD Names New Solicitor

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors voted Thursday evening to name Tucker Arensberg as the new law firm to represent the district. The name of the associate that will serve at the meetings was not announced, but the decision comes following the resignation of the district’s current solicitor, Jennifer Dambeck, of the Beard Legal Group. Dambeck resignation is effective Dec. 2. She said the decision is not a personal one, and that Beard Legal Group plans to represent school districts that are closer to its office in Altoona. Dambeck was appointed solicitor in August of 2020, following…

September 20, 2021

Meals on Wheels Seeking Cook, Volunteers, Clients

Meals on Wheels, the beloved program that offers nutritional meals to those in need is looking for a cook. The position will be a Monday-Friday job from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. The person will order and receive foods, prepare the foods, and organize the volunteers. Applicants are required to have a Safe Serve Certification, which program organizer Gina McKenna said is easy to obtain. “Meals on Wheels is a wonderful environment to work in and to meet new friends and new people,” McKenna said. Interested applicants can apply here: Job Application; Email: EllwoodMOW@gmail.com; or call McKenna at 724-730-9316. The…

September 15, 2021

Council Appoints Brad Ovial to Open Seat

Ellwood City Borough Council voted Monday evening to appoint Brad Ovial to fill the vacant seat of former councilwoman Lisa Guerrera. Ovial and another primary candidate Jan Williams both submitted letters of interest in filling the vacant seat. Council members George Celli, Caleb Cragle, Jim Barry, and Michelle Lamenza all voted in favor of Ovial—Councilman Rob Brough and Councilwoman Judith Dici were absent from the meeting. The seat was left vacant last month when Guerrera announced her resignation. Her term was set to expire on December 31, 2021. Guerrera recently moved out of the borough, leaving her legally unable to…

September 14, 2021

Local Fitness Instructor Hosting Kickboxing Classes

Jacquie Zona is on a mission to share her love of fitness with the community. Whether it’s through kickboxing, Barre, Pilates, or other group fitness classes, Jacquie’s goal is to provide workouts for everyone—the moms, the dads, the kids, those who have been working out their entire lives, and those who are new and maybe a little intimidated. “I love the way exercise makes me feel and I want to inspire others to love it as well” she said. “I believe that there is a form of exercise for each person. Once you help them find what they love, it…

September 13, 2021

Smoothies, Juices, Sandwiches Served Up in New Downtown Store

Hoot, Hoot, Hoot … there’s a new owl in town. Elder Owl that is—the latest foodie’s dream to hit downtown Ellwood City. The store offers smoothies, Popping Boba Juice/Lemonade, Frappes, Acai Bowls, Granola Bowls (made with in house granola), Cinnamon Roasted Almonds/Pecans, Cotton Candy, Snacks, and scrumptious Paninis (fancy grilled cheese). “Aside from our all natural smoothies, we have Popping Boba which I believe nobody else in Ellwood has,“ said Owner Chakayla Hyland. “And there is much more coming soon. Expect to see soups on our fall menu!” Hyland said her business model and tasty offerings were a no brainer…

September 9, 2021

ECASD Superintendent Addresses Mask Mandate Enforcement; Bed Bug Outbreak

Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors passed the district’s health and safety plan Thursday evening, which included wording that the district would follow Pennsylvania State Health Department Guidelines when it comes to the pandemic. Superintendent Dr. Wesley Shipley said that he is still awaiting guidance on how to enforce the recently announced mask mandate in the district’s schools. According to Shipley, for students to be exempt from the mandate parents must provide a letter stating that their child is unable to wear a mask for medical reasons. He said at this time, the district is not requiring an…

Business

September 9, 2021

Local Man Announces Plans for Brewpub in Former Walnut Ridge School

A local businessman has announced his plan to open a new brew pub and restaurant: The Time Brewpub. “I am looking to create a true family atmosphere in my facility with large seating capacity, food and drinks, TVs and entertainment, and tons of off-street parking,” said owner Tony Joseph. Joseph, who said this dream has been a 7-year journey in the making, plans to open his brew pub and restaurant in the former Walnut Ridge Elementary School with good friends Alan Andrews and Jason Skvarla, which is also the location of his fitness center It’s Time Fitness, Sign of the…

September 8, 2021

Riverside Fall Sports Q&A

This is part two of a two part series featuring area seniors in fall sports. The start of fall sports is upon us, so we took the opportunity catch up with the athletes of those teams to see what they are doing to prepare for the upcoming rivalries and to offer some perspective on the season ahead and their plans for the future. Devan Barnes-Football Grade: 12 How many years have you been playing? 11 years How has the team prepared for its upcoming season, how has COVID impacted training/practices? It really hasn’t impacted us hard except for in the…

September 7, 2021

Ellwood City Fall Sports Q&A

This is part one of a two part series featuring area seniors in fall 2021 sports. The start of fall sports is upon us, so we took the opportunity catch up with the athletes of those teams to see what they are doing to prepare for the upcoming rivalries and to offer some perspective on the season ahead and their plans for the future. Milo Sesti-Golf Grade: 12 How many years have you been playing? I have been playing golf for five years. How has the team prepared for its upcoming season, how has COVID impacted training/practices? The team has been getting…

September 6, 2021

History Center Dinner to Feature Local Journalist

Marino Parascenzo has a bit of nostalgia for newspapers. He remembers his days as a “newspaper man” with great fondness. “There was never a day that I didn’t enjoy my job,” Parascenzo said. “Every day was exciting and interesting. There was never a dull moment, and each story had a life of its own.” His storytelling of pounding the pavement of Lawrence Avenue to find stories, to pop into businesses to see what’s new and newsworthy, and to collect police reports, takes you back in time when small town journalism was at its height. “I loved working with my friends…