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April 22, 2020

EC School Board, Administrators Clash Regarding Grading Policy

The Ellwood City Area School Board’s Board of Directors voted Monday night to recommend the school district move forward with a modified system of grading for the last nine-week period of the 2020 school year despite administrative push to continue with the grading system that was in place before the pandemic. According to Kathy McCommons, a representative of the board’s education committee, administrators believe that using the regular grading system was the best way to proceed in the district’s continuity of education plan because that procedure keeps students motivated in continuing school work. Superintendent Joseph Mancini said that in most…

April 22, 2020

PA Chamber Announces ‘Bringing PA Back’ Initiative

As the Commonwealth works to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, the PA Chamber is taking the lead on helping businesses re-open their facilities safely and jumpstart the economy through a new initiative, “Bringing PA Back.” “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought forth an unprecedented time in our state’s history,” said PA Chamber President and CEO Gene Barr. “We now must focus on our next phase: re-opening businesses and determining what bringing Pennsylvania’s economy back will look like – an issue that we have spent the last several weeks meeting about with local chambers, statewide business and local government groups. We are…

April 21, 2020

Council’s Closing ‘Visitor Comment’ Portion to be President’s Prerogative

Ellwood City Council votes to leave closing “visitor comment” portion up to the Council President. All members of council except for Councilman James Barry, voted to adopt an ordinance to amend the council ordinance already in place as it relates to organization, order of business, conducting a meeting, and committees. The focus was centered on the “visitor comment” portion, which comes right before the adjournment of a council meeting. Visitors currently are able to speak before council’s formal motions and votes as well as immediately before adjournment after council completes business. The “visitor comment” portion of monthly council meetings was…

April 21, 2020

Mayor Court Declares April 23rd “Joe Gasper Day”

Our area’s last World War II Pearl Harbor Survivor will turn 102 years of age on Thursday, April 23. In conjunction with the birthday celebration for Ellwood City native Joseph Michael Gasper, Mayor Anthony J. Court is honoring Mr. Gasper with a proclamation. The Mayor has declared his birthday, April 23, as “Joe Gasper Day”. Mr. Gasper is the last local survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. This is the 7th proclamation Mayor Court has issued in honoring Mr. Gasper.  Mayor Court describes Gasper as a hero that was one of the first men wounded in World…

April 21, 2020

Ellwood City Borough Council Votes to ‘Disapprove’ Councilwoman’s Facebook Comment

Ellwood City Borough Council voted on Monday to officially “disapprove” of a Facebook comment that was posted by Councilwoman Lisa Guerrera more than a month ago. Council including Guerrera herself voted unanimously to disapprove of the comment. There was no discussion regarding the topic during Monday’s meeting. Some residents have called for Guerrera to step down from her council seat, a move Guerrera isn’t willing to make. Council does not have the authority to unseat her, nor were they asking her to step down. The vote was just a declaration of disapproval, according to Council President, George Celli. During the…

April 20, 2020

Borough of Ellwood City Announces April Remote Meeting Info/Agenda

The Ellwood City Borough Council has announced their agenda for their April council meeting. The meeting is scheduled for 6:00pm tonight, Monday, April 20, with remote access. The council meeting calls for approval of minutes and vouchers, as well as several motions in parks & recreation, and a motion in Administration/Personnel. The council meeting will be done remotely by way of conference call in similar fashion to the meeting held in March. Borough council and visitors can call a conference number to be a part of the meeting, held as if they were sitting in the Council Chambers. The phone…

April 17, 2020

2020 Ellwood City Festival Cancelled Due To COVID-19

In a social media post made available Friday afternoon, the festival committee announced the cancellation of the 40th annual Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, Foods, and Entertainment Festival scheduled for July 3, 4, 5 2020 due to COVID-19. The post reads as follows: To the Festival community, It is with deepest regret that we announce the intentions of the committee regarding the 40th annual Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, Foods, and Entertainment Festival scheduled for July 3,4,5 2020. We are compelled to make this decision now because we cannot predict how COVID19 will evolve and impact us in the coming months. As…

April 17, 2020

BC3 Moves Summer Courses To Remote Instruction

(Butler, PA) Butler County Community College will transition all face-to-face format summer credit courses to remote instruction and will cancel all face-to-face noncredit courses through at least June 30 with regard to COVID-19, BC3 President Dr. Nick Neupauer announced to the college’s board of trustees Wednesday. BC3’s decision follows statewide orders for residents to stay at home and for non-life-sustaining businesses to remain closed in response to COVID-19. It aligns with decisions made by the state’s other institutions of higher education for the summer of 2020. The commonwealth’s 14 state-owned universities, as well as a number of its 14 Pennsylvania…

April 15, 2020

Senate Approves Measures to Improve COVID-19 Mitigation Process

The Senate approved two bills today that would create a better process for determining which businesses can operate during the COVID-19 pandemic and give county leaders a stronger say in determining the best mitigation measures for their citizens, according to Senator Elder Vogel. Governor Wolf ordered the closure of all businesses not deemed “life-sustaining” on March 16. Although a haphazard waiver system was eventually created for businesses that wished to remain open, that process was riddled with inconsistencies and lacked any sense of transparency or accountability to the public, Senator Vogel said. Senate Bill 613, which now goes to the…

April 14, 2020

172-year-old Lodge Creates Legacy With $15K Endowment; Students Can Apply For $200K in Scholarships

(Butler, PA) Butler County’s 172-year-old and last Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge, the vast majority of its 24 members of retirement age or beyond, has established what its office holders and Butler County Community College administrators say will be the fraternal organization’s legacy through its first financial gift to an institution of higher education. Connoquenessing Lodge No. 278’s endowment of $15,000 to the BC3 Education Foundation will result in one of 12 new scholarships available to BC3 students in the 2020-2021 academic year. Students attending BC3’s main campus in Butler Township or its additional locations in Brockway, Cranberry Township,…