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November 11, 2015

Council: Questions Remain Regarding Civil Service Regulations

At Monday’s agenda setting meeting on November 9, the Ellwood City borough council discussed adopting amended civil service regulations at its regular meeting next Monday, Nov. 16. Borough solicitor Ed Leymarie mentioned that a specific requirement in the regulations could cause legal issues. The regulations, as they stand to be adopted, require prospective police officers to live within 25 miles of the borough. Leymarie said that council does not have authority to unilaterally make that a requirement and must first negotiate with the police union. He said there is substantial case law supporting a negotiation. Council responded by asking Leymarie…

November 10, 2015

Ellwood Chamber of Commerce Director Resigns

Lori Hilliard, the Ellwood City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, submitted her letter of resignation to the Chamber’s board on November 5. Hilliard cited spending more time with her parents and grandparents and having a job that will have a more flexible work schedule as reasons for her resignation. Her letter also served as her two weeks notice. “I regret having to leave the Chamber as the Executive Director, but my father suffers from health issues, and I need to be able to offer my parents more support on a regular basis,” Hilliard said. “In order to do that, I…

November 10, 2015

Katy’s Baked Goods Brings Cookies, Cakes, Fudge and More to Downtown

Although it was a summer in arriving, Katy’s Baked Goods is open for business at 429 Lawrence Ave. The establishment adds a bakery to the growing list of downtown businesses. Katy’s celebrated it’s grand opening with an Ellwood City Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, October 31. Katy Mook-McGrath, an Ellwood resident, has sold baked goods for years at the Farmer’s Market and at the urging of her customers, she decided to open a bakery. McGrath emphasizes small batch, home-style baking and makes nothing in mass quantity. She uses real ingredients, such as vanilla beans, real butter, and…

November 10, 2015

Real Estate Transfers from October 2015

Courtesy of the Register & Recorder section of the Lawrence County Government Center in New Castle, the following are real estate transfers from the Ellwood City Area for October of 2015: Ellwood City Borough 506 Franklin Ave; Judith and George Curry to Charles and Kathryn Murray for $30,000 122 Line Ave; Raymond and Mary Bettoni to Bank of New York Mellon Trustee for $2760.12 507 Pershing St; Adrienne Neff to Paul Night for $98,000 510 Haig St; Megan and David Moore to Adam and Ashlee Carter for $137,000 809 California Ave; Look at My Homes LLC to Michelle Pogozelec for…

November 10, 2015

Letter to the Editor: Mayor Thanks Emergency Personnel for Fire Response

Many of you are already aware of the lithium explosion that occurred at approximately 8:50 a.m. on Sunday, November 8, 2015 at the Inmetco Plant. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all emergency personnel that quickly responded to a horrible situation. After hours of work, they were able to diffuse the fire and get the situation under control. I would like to commend these individuals for safe guarding our community, and for their outstanding and professional work ethic. To the best of my knowledge, no major injuries were reported. I believe these special people who responded…

November 9, 2015

Inmetco Fire Under Control

The fire that raged at Inmetco through Sunday and could be seen for miles is now under control. The Ellwood City Fire Department reported that the fire is reduced to a few isolated fires that are being extinguished now. Approximately half of the building where the fire broke out collapsed and is in ruin. The fire broke out on around 9 a.m. on Sunday in Inmetco’s West Building, which stores many types of batteries, including lithium-ion batteries. Because lithium is a reactive metal that combusts when it comes into contact with water, firefighters could not use water to combat certain…

November 6, 2015

Police: Marijuana on a Porch, Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor, Stealing Wire from Railroad Tracks

Smoking Marijuana on Porch Krystal Chambers, 29, of Ellwood City, was charged with marijuana possession for an incident on Nov. 1. According to a criminal complaint filed on Nov. 2, an officer arrived at a residence on Glenn Avenue in response to a drug complaint. The officer immediately smelled marijuana but Chambers denied smoking and claimed her friends had done so earlier. The officer discovered a marijuana blunt in an ash tray, and Chambers denied it was hers. Eventually, Chambers admitted to smoking the blunt but denied having more marijuana. The officer then discovered more marijuana in a plastic bag…

November 5, 2015

Author Uses Local Citizens as Inspiration for New Book Series

Local author Nancy K. Wallace’s second set of children’s theater books was published in September by ABDO Publishing Inc. and some of the themes and characters may seem familiar. Reader’s Theater: How to Put on a Production Set 2 includes six titles that cover a year of holidays: Groundhogs and Guinea Pigs, Fettuccine and Four Leaf Clovers, Pickles and Parks, Medals and Memorials, Ghosts and Gummy Worms, and Turkey and Takeout. Medals and Memorials, a Memorial Day play was inspired by local medal of honor recipient Sgt. Leslie Sabo. The dedication reads: In Memory of Sgt. Leslie Sabo, a friend…

November 4, 2015

Special Guest at Eric Ryan Corporation Halloween Party Attracts Major News Outlet

An annual Halloween event at the Eric Ryan Corporation received extra attention due to a special guest. Every Halloween season, the Eric Ryan offices are decked out into a spooky labyrinth and employees don their best costumes. The children and grandchildren of employees are invited to an afternoon office Trick or Treat. This year, Trick or Treat featured a special guest: 8-year old Kyree Beachem, who has Hirschsprung’s disease, also known as short gut disease, which affects the intestinal tract. She needs liver, small bowel and pancreas transplants and is on the top of the transplant list at Pittsburgh Children’s…

November 3, 2015

Council Election: One Incumbent, Two Former Council Members, Win

Ellwood City Borough council will reform in December with two new, but old, faces. Former council members Judi Dici, Democrat, and George Celli, Republican won, returning to council after losing an election in 2013. Incumbent Marilyn Mancini, Democrat, won re-election and will now serve a third term. Two candidates lost: incumbent John Todorich, Democrat, who was also seeking a third term, and newcomer Suzanne Bleakney, Republican. In the race for county commissioner, incumbents Dan Volger, Republican, Steve Craig, Democrat, and Robert DelSignore, Republican, won. Defense Attorney David Acker, Republican, claimed county judge win, defeating District Judge Melissa Amodie, Democrat. County…