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February 18, 2020

Council Votes to Approve Travel Expenses for Mayor, Denies Councilwoman

Council voted unanimously to send Mayor Anthony Court to a four-day Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs (PSAB) conference in Hershey but denied a request by councilwoman Judith Dici to attend that same conference. Council approved funds totaling $942.67 plus food and mileage for Court. In a 4-3 vote Dici was denied the request for funding with Council President George Celli, Vice President James Barry, Councilman Caleb Cragle, and Councilwoman Michelle Lamenza voting “No.” Cragle said he researched four years of council minutes, mileage, and cost of meals and estimated the cost of the mayor and Dici’s attendance at the twice-a-year…

February 18, 2020

Ellwood City Council Hires Home Blood Services Company to Test DUI Suspects

Ellwood City Council voted to implement an agreement for services for blood toxicology testing following DUI arrests. Monday night council voted unanimously to hire Becky’s Home Blood Services at a rate of $50 per venipuncture. The move comes after the closing of the Ellwood City Medical Center. Since the closing of the hospital, local officers were forced to travel at least 30 minutes to area facilities for the DUI testing. Becky O’Neil, owner of Becky’s Home Blood Services, also provides home blood business services to residents. She has been providing service in the area since 2018 and has more than…

February 18, 2020

Fastpitch Softball Sign-Ups Continue For Ellwood City

Ellwood City Fastpitch Softball sign-ups are ongoing in Ellwood City. According to their informational flyer, anyone from 8u to 16u that is interested in playing Ellwood City Fastpitch this season has an opportunity to do so. The league offers 8U (coach pitch instructional), 10U (girls modified coach pitch), 12U, and 16U (both girl pitch). The league plays home games in Ellwood City and away games, dependent on location, in Lawrence County. The league will be in the high school gym every Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for open practice. Interested players are encouraged to come to watch or…

February 17, 2020

Ellwood City School Directors Approve Personnel, Spring Coaches

The Ellwood City School Board Directors voted during Thursday’s board meeting to approve personnel hires. Among the appointments were Michael Elmer who was hired as an instructional aide and David Poore and Megan Rosenberger were approved as mentors for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year and for the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year. Heidi Feltrop, secondary librarian was granted tenure. Board directors also voted to update the ACT 93 Agreement to include Paul Pishioneri and his salary increase to $72,000 for the 2020-2021 school year. Spring coaches were also appointed (Director Gary Rozanski Sr. abstained from the…

February 17, 2020

Austin Walley Collects First WPIAL Title

Ellwood City senior standout Austin Walley collected his first WPIAL Championship over the weekend at the 2020 WPIAL AA Championship in Canon-McMillan, bringing home the first-ever WPIAL title for Ellwood City wrestling. Walley used three consecutive victories via fall during his 182-pound weight class championship run.  Walley defeated Shane Smith of Fort Cherry, Collin Milko of Carlynton, and Patrick Cutchember of Quaker Valley. For the Ellwood City team, their Section 2 AA place-winners included: Matt King, 126-pound, 4th Place, Ryan Nazari, 132-pound, 4th Place, Austin Walley, 182-pound, 1st Place (Champion), and Rodney Grymes, 220-pound, 3rd Place. Walley improved to 37-1…

February 17, 2020

Ellwood City Public Library Activities For Week of February 17

The Ellwood City Area Public Library offers a variety of weekly activities.  Information is available by calling the library at 724-758-6458. Activities taking place this week include: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17 The Ellwood City Area Public Library will be closed in observance of President’s Day. Normal hours will resume Tuesday, February 18. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18 1:30 p.m. – “Afternoon Book Group for Adults,” the group will be discussing the book “Forces of Nature” by Jane Harper. 5:00 p.m. – “Food 4 Thought II Book Group,” the group will be discussing the book “Girl in the Blue Coat” by Monica Hesse. WEDNESDAY,…

February 14, 2020

Ellwood City Area School District Board Votes to Revise Kindergarten Admission Policy

The Ellwood City Area School District Board voted to revise policy 201 during Thursday night’s meeting. A unanimous vote will put the revisions on display until the next board meeting where they will then be recommended for approval. The discussion regarding kindergarten admission has been ongoing since November by parent Megan Jones whosaid previously that she was disappointed to learn that her child who has already invested two years into preschool would not make the August 15 cutoff for kindergarten registration and that there was not an option for evaluation. The vote regarding kindergarten admission was tabled during the January…

February 14, 2020

Ellwood City Area School Board Meetings to Include Police Presence

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board voted 8-1 during Thursday’s meeting to implement a police presence at future school director meetings. Board President Renee Pitrelli motioned for the vote stating that the way the world is today, she feels it necessary. She added that with topics such as negotiations coming up, adding a police presence is the right thing to do. Board Director Jennifer Tomon voted “No.” “I don’t think the public should be paying for it,” she said. Ellwood City School District Police Officer Matt Smock was in attendance at last night’s meeting.

February 14, 2020

A Hometown Dream: Barber Opens 5th Street Fades, Accepting New Clients

A hairstyle and a haven. Two things Shawn Johnson can offer you at his barbershop 5th Street Fades. Johnson said his doors are open for those who want a cut or some conversation. “Anybody is welcome to stop in, get a cut, enjoy some TV and AC,” Johnson said with a laugh. “I like to entertain a room.” Johnson, a 2008 Riverside graduate grew up in Fombell and then North Sewickley Township. “Riverside is my family,” Johnson said. The new entrepreneur has been cutting hair since high school, but it all began a little before that. He said it was…

February 14, 2020

Project Safe Initiatives Nab Two Beaver County Arrests

Project Safe Childhood (PSC) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), both nationwide initiatives of the Department of Justice to combat child exploitation and violent crime have recently nabbed two arrests in Beaver County according to United States Attorney Scott W. Brady. A resident of Freedom, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 60 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release on his conviction of possession of child pornography and materials depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced this week. United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Adam Hosie,…