Articles by Tracey Ferguson

ECASD Board of Directors Approve Changes to High School Curriculum; Face More Feedback from CEPP Group

Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors approved requested changes to the High School Curriculum during the February 8, 2024 regular meeting. The changes were requested by Lincoln High School Principals, Mike Garvin and John Sovich. Garvin spoke previously at the committee meeting saying that the changes would benefit the students and have been a long time coming. One of the big changes is the addition of a Communications requirement, which will help students communicate in today’s ever changing, technology fueled world. Some of the changes requested included: A newly revised AP Course Policy Offering the required high school…


New Advocacy Group Formed to Preserve Ewing Park, Oppose Planned Softball Field

A new advocacy group has been formed to preserve Ewing Park. The Citizens for Ewing Park Preservation (CEPP) group was announced during Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors Committee Meeting Monday evening. Chairperson for the group, Karen Mancini, is a resident of Beatty Street, which faces the old Ewing Park School property where the district has proposed and plans to construct a girls softball field. She made a statement on behalf of the group during the meeting, “We are organized and represented by legal counsel and stand ready to oppose any attempt to convert the subject property to…


Borough Manager Provides Update on Wampum Avenue Pump Station Project During Council Regular Meeting

During the regular meeting of Ellwood City Borough Coucil Tuesday night, Borough Manager Kevin Swogger said the Wampum Avenue Pump Station Project is about 40 percent completed. The Borough had announced the start of the project in October in an effort to improve the infrastructure in the area. The project is a sewer upgrade for multiple existing sewer transport lines in the wooded area East of Wampum Ave. A pump station will also be built to collect from these lines to be transported to the Ellwood City Borough Wastewater Treatment Plant for treatment. The tentative construction completion date of the…


ECASD Board of Directors Nominate Candidate to the MIU IV Board; Ewing Park Residents Speak Against Field Usage

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors unanimously nominated new Director Kevin Boariu to the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV (MIU IV) Board. Director Jean Biehls made the motion to nominate Boariu. The MIU IV Board will now have to accept the ECASD Board’s nomination. According to the MIU IV’s website, “it is one of 29 IU’s serving schools in Pennsylvania. The intermediate unit serves the 27 school districts and three vo-techs in Butler, Lawrence and Mercer Counties. In addition to providing programs and services requested by area school districts, MIU IV also implements programs mandated by the Pennsylvania…


Council Reorganizes, Reappoints Borough Manager

Ellwood City Borough Council held its reorganizational meeting on Tuesday January 3. In a unanimous vote, Brad Ovial was chosen as President and Michele Lamenza was chosen as Vice President. Borough Manager Kevin Swogger was reappointed in a 6-0 vote (Lamenza was absent from the meeting), for a two-year employment agreement for $80,000. General election incumbants George Celli and Caleb Cragle were sworn into office as well as new Councilman the Rev. James “Jimmy” Johnson. Jim Barry and Celli were reappointed as council representatives for Ellwood City Revitalization. Barry was also reappointed as the borough representative for the Lawrence County…


PART 2: Winter Sports Q&A – Riverside

Winter sports are back in action at Riverside High School. The two most popular right now are Basketball and Swimming. We had a chance to catch up with some of the athletes from each of these teams to see what they are doing to prepare for the season ahead and their plans for the future. This is part two of a two part series featuring area seniors in winter sports. PART 1 featured Ellwood City student athletes. Kayden Clyde Sport? Basketball Grade? 12 How many years have you have played? 1 What do you feel is your biggest strength? Defense What…


PART 1: Winter Sports Q&A – Ellwood City

Winter sports have arrived in Ellwood City. Basketball, Swimming, and Wrestling are among the popular sports for students at Lincoln High School. 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 area senior student athletes in excel in winter sports. Our Riverside winter sports Q&A segment is coming tomorrow. Maddy Long Sport? Basketball Grade? 12 How many years have you played? 9 years What do…


ECASD Board of Directors Reorganizes, Fills Vacant Seat

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors elected a president, vice president, and also appointed a new board member to a vacant seat. Jennifer Tomon was named president in a unanimous vote by the board. The board was split, however, on the vice president seat between Jean Biehls (supporters: Claire Fauzey, Erica Gray, and newly elected Kevin Boariu) and Kathy Galbreth (supporters: Norman Boots, Kathy Tillia, Jennifer Tomon). Following two roll call votes, the board would not sway on their choices. Finally the tie was broken once Robyn Nicklas was appointed to fill the vacant seat left after…


Ellwood City Borough Council Approves Police Use of PepperBall Guns; Provides Update on Wampum Avenue Pump Station Project

During Monday night’s voting meeting, Borough Council approved a change order #1 from Pollard Land Services, Inc. in the amount of $98,000 for the purpose of milling and overlaying the full width of Wampum Avenue from Fifth Street to Madison Avenue Ext. and from Madison Ave. Ext. to the entrance of the access road. The approved change order is in conjunction with the Wampum Avenue Pump Project, a sewer upgrade for multiple existing sewer transport lines in the wooded area East of Wampum Ave. and construction of a pump station to collect from these lines to be transported to the Ellwood…


Evan’s Monumental Gifts Bringing Holiday Hope to Local Foster Families

That first Christmas without Evan, the Bollinger family bought a bunch of toys and Christmas gifts and took them to his grave where they sat in the snow. “That first year was the hardest. We didn’t know how to handle not having him,” said Kiara Bollinger, mother of Evan and founder of Evan’s Monumental Gifts. Bollinger did not want any family to feel the pit of loneliness that her family felt during the unexpected loss of a child, so Kiara and her husband Eric decided to take their grief and channel it into helping other families. In 2018, the Bollingers…