Recent Stories

Articles by Tracey Ferguson

October 29, 2025

Free Little Library Honors Local Lifetime Educator, Author

In the heart of Ellwood City, a new little free library is quietly turning a small space into a big tribute. This isn’t just a repository for books — it is a living memorial to LuAnn Santillo, beloved teacher, literacy advocate, and founder of Half-Pint Kids, Inc. The little library, built in her honor, marries her lifelong devotion to children and reading with the spirit of community that she nurtured for decades. This free, take-a-book, leave-a-book library is located at Franklin Community Park on Walnut Street, Ellwood City and is open to everyone. “Rico and Amie Lucy along with their children donated the…

October 24, 2025

It’s A Toxic Takeover at the New Castle Playhouse

Note: Stay tuned to Ellwoodcity.org for a review after this weekend’s opening performances. Get ready, the most polluted town in New Jersey is coming to the Annex! Based on Lloyd Kaufman’s cult classic film, “The Toxic Avenger” is an award-winning rock musical that has it all. When Melvin Ferd III is tossed into a vat of toxic waste, he reemerges as Toxie – a mutant superhero with superhuman strength and a heart as big as Newark. The Toxic Avenger is a hilarious new monster of a comedy. Armed with superhuman strength and a heart as big as Newark, he’s out…

October 22, 2025

School Crossing Guard to Borough Council: Speeding Out of Control, Dangerous

A school crossing guard urged the Ellwood City Borough Council to do something about the speeding cars at the intersection of 4th and Crescent Avenues Monday evening at the regular meeting of council prompting immediate action by Mayor Anthony Court. Peri Malcolm, school crossing guard, said the amount of cars speeding in the mornings and afternoons while school children are walking to school is alarming. “They are just flying up and down the streets. Somebody is going to get hurt there.” Malcolm said she takes her post from 7:10 to 8 a.m. and again from 2:10 to 3 p.m. and…

October 22, 2025

Be Sure to Cast Your Vote in the Municipal Election on November 4th

The Municipal Election is Tuesday, November 4, 2025. You can find your assigned polling place by checking the location listed at the bottom of your registration status page. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you are a first-time voter or are voting at a new polling place, here are helpful tips to learn how to get ready. And be sure to arrange for transportation to your polling place in advance. View the Lawrence County polling locations HERE. View the Beaver County polling locations HERE. Voting by mail If you plan to vote by mail ballot (either mail-in or absentee), you…

October 17, 2025

ALERT: Ellwood City Borough Planned Power Outage POSTPONED To October 26th

ALERT/UPDATE! According to the Borough of Ellwood City social media page: ***IMPORTANT UPDATE-PLEASE READ*** The planned Borough power outage scheduled for Sunday, October 19th HAS BEEN POSTPONED by Penn Power until SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26TH @ 7:30 A.M. The power outage has been postponed due to forecasted inclement weather. below originally posted, October 3, 2025: Ellwood City Borough has announced a planned power outage for October 19, 2025, so that Penn Power can perform maintenance and repairs to a main line that comes into the borough. Borough Manger Kevin Swogger said the outage applies only to borough residents (not Ellport, or…

October 16, 2025

A Century In A Box: Ellwood City Area School District Uncovers a 100-Year-Old Time Capsule

Renovation projects typically bring a little dust, a lot of work, and interesting discoveries among the layers. What started as a routine renovation of Ellwood City’s Lincoln High school, turned into a remarkable connection to the past. School Librarian Heidi Feltrop recounted the moment this quest to unveil a cornerstone to find a time capsule from 1925 began. She said in May a biology teacher was boxing up things in her classroom to accommodate the current construction at Lincoln High School and stumbled upon a dictionary that belonged to a teacher in 1930. Feltrop said this sparked a curiosity within…

October 10, 2025

ECASD Board of Directors Appoint Financial Professionals to Evaluate Funding for Renovation Project

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors voted unanimously on Monday night to approve a resolution to appoint professionals to assist in the evaluation of financing for a proposed district renovation project including HVAC, plumbing, and electrical improvements to North Side Primary School and Hartman Intermediate School. The resolution appoints the firm of PNC Capital Markets, LLC (the “Investment Banker”) as managing underwriter and the firm of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP (the “Bond Counsel”) as bond counsel to advise and assist the School District regarding the consideration, authorization, issuance and sale of the Bonds, in one or more…

October 10, 2025

Ellwood City Mayor Completes Security and Privacy: General Role Training

Ellwood City Mayor Anthony Court recently completed the Security and Privacy: General Role training and has reported receiving a score of 100%. Court said the training was approximately four hours and included his test. “It is an important tool for security and privacy to allow access to areas that contain sensitive law enforcement material” Court said. “I recommend all mayors to join Criminal Justic Information Service (CJIS) and to go through this training to gain a better understanding of what officers go through to protect private rights, criminal history information and other sensitive documents that aren’t allowed to be reviewed…

October 6, 2025

Ellwood City Borough Council Accepts Resignation of Police Officer Robert Magnifico

Ellwood City Borough Council voted to accept the resignation of police officer Robert Magnifico during a special public meeting Monday night. In a unanimous vote, Council determined that, Wednesday, October 8, 2025 will be Magnifico’s last day of employment. Previously during a regular meeting held on July, 15, 2024, Council accepted his entrance into the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) with his employment end date at that time being July 15, 2028. According to the terms of the DROP, the participant has the right to terminate employment at an earlier date than planned, which Magnifico enacted with a letter of…

September 24, 2025

Small Town, Big Living: Ellwood City Area Chamber of Commerce Announces Fall, Holiday Event Lineup

From crisp autumn evenings to the sparkle of holiday lights, the Ellwood City Area Chamber of Commerce’s event calendar brings neighbors together in warmth, whimsy, and community cheer. Whether you’re feeling foodie, nostalgic, artsy, or festive, there’s an event just right for you. The events showcase awesome vendors, businesses, culinary creators, and entrepreneurs with many offering free admission or great value for Chamber members. “As we move into fall and the holiday season, our calendar of events really captures what we like to call ‘Small Town…Big Living’,” said Ryan McCandless, Exectuive Director of the Ellwood City Area Chamber of Commerce….