Recent Stories

Articles by Tracey Ferguson

September 16, 2025

Ellwood City Borough Council Approves Standing Schedule for Annual Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, Food, & Entertainment Festival

Ellwood City Borough Council voted Monday night to always hold the Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, Food, & Entertainment Festival on the weekend on or surrounding Fourth of July. Council determined that should the Fourth of July fall on a Monday/Tuesday, the festival should be held the weekend before, and if it falls Wednesday/Thursday, it should be held the weekend after. Councilwoman Michelle Lamenza made the motion with support from all council members except Jan Williams. Council President Brad Ovial said this would give the festival a set time each year to allow the festival committee to plan. Not everyone was…

September 12, 2025

Don’t Miss the New Castle Playhouse Production of Nunsense

You don’t want to miss the upcoming New Castle Playhouse production of Nunsense, a hilarious spoof about the misadventures of five nuns trying to manage a fundraiser. Nunsense begins when the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, and they are in dire need of funds for the burials. The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show, so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for the eighth grade production of Grease. Here we meet Reverend Mother Mary Regina, a…

September 11, 2025

ECASD Board of Directors Vote to Retain Architectural Firm in Consideration of North Side and Hartman Construction Projects

Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors voted Thursday night to retain HHSDR to design projects relating to the North Side and Hartman Facility Studies (View a copy of the study here), create bid documents, and seek bids for the projects including alternative bids with options for the project’s scope. The projects, according to the study, come with a probable cost of approximately $9.9 million. Board members Norman Boots and Kevin Boariu voted “No” citing concerns of cost as well as current construction projects already underway. Boariu said the board needs to have extensive discussion before moving forward with…

Business

September 10, 2025

Dancing Into Dreams: Inspire by Movement Brainchild of Ellwood City Native

For Ellwood City native Renee Watterson, dance has always been more than just movement — it’s been a source of creativity, discipline, and joy. Now, she’s ready to share that passion with her community through her brand-new studio, Inspire by Movement, opening this fall at 2656 Ellwood Rd, Suite 112, New Castle. The studio, which will officially kick off its first season the week of September 15, is a dream come true for Watterson. “Dance has been a constant in my life. I couldn’t imagine my life without Dance being a part of it. I absolutely love the creative aspect of…

September 9, 2025

Operation Healthy Ellwood: A Community Forever Changed by Care, Compassion, and Service

She walked out of the Ellwood City clinic with tears streaming down her face. For the first time in years, she had received life-changing care — care she admitted she could never have afforded otherwise. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she told local volunteer Rhiannon Schnell what it meant to her. Schnell could only reply through her own tears: “She has no idea what that meant to me.” Moments like this defined Operation Healthy Ellwood, a 10-day Department of Defense Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) mission that transformed Ellwood City into a hub of compassion and service in August 2025. For nearly two weeks,…

September 5, 2025

Ellwood City Fall Sports Q&A 2025: Part 3

This is part three of a three part series featuring area athletes in fall 2025 sports. [VIEW PART TWO] [VIEW PART ONE] 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. Ellwood City Athletes Nicklas DePaoli School you attend? Lincoln High School Sport? Cross Country Grade? 12th How many years have you have participated? Two What do you feel is your…

September 4, 2025

Riverside Fall Sports Q&A 2025: Part 2

This is part two of a three part series featuring area athletes in fall 2025 sports. [VIEW PART ONE] 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. Riverside Athletes Tyler Richards School you attend? Riverside Sport? Football Grade? 12th How many years have you have participated? 7years What do you feel is your biggest strength? Offensive line What is your favorite…

September 3, 2025

Riverside Fall Sports Q&A 2025: Part 1

This is part one of a three part series featuring area athletes in fall 2025 sports. [VIEW PART 2] 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. Riverside Athletes Joci Cummings School you attend? Riverside High School Sport? Varsity Volleyball Grade? Senior How many years have you have participated? This will be my 6th year playing What do you feel is…

August 26, 2025

Ellwood City Council Recognizes Borough Employees for Contributions to Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Initiative

Ellwood City Borough Council President, Brad Ovial, presented commendations to two borough employees for their work on the recent Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) initiative during Council’s recent regular meeting. Ovial handed over certificates of appreciation to Borough Manager Kevin Swogger and Rhiannon Schnell, secretary for public works and code enforcement. Schnell served as the community partner for the initiative and along with Swogger was an integral part of the application and planning process as well as seeing the program through to the end. Swogger said that more than $2.5 million worth of NO COST services were provided to the community….

August 15, 2025

Ellwood City Girls Softball Team to Seek Neighboring School District Fields for Home Games

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors voted to allow the girls softball team to use neighboring school districts’ fields for home games during the August 14th Regular Meeting. The girls previously played at Stiefel Park on a field owned by the borough, but they will not return to Stiefel in their upcoming season. The board expressed safety concerns and a deterioration of the field as the reasoning for seeking play at neighboring districts’ fields. Board members also stated that they no longer wish to invest money into any improvements to the field at Stiefel Park. “I’m not…