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Nearly six months ago, Nino Riccio took a leap of faith and invested in the combination of his two New Castle restaurants. On Nov. 1, the chef and business owner plans to hold a soft opening for the II Tomato doors at its newer, larger location at 2409 Wilmington Road. The restaurant will then be open to the public Monday, Nov. 3. Riccio, who lives in Ellwood City, wanted to free himself up from the constant ten-minute drive between II Tomato, a fine dining establishment on East Long Avenue, and III Tomato, a sandwich shop and pizzeria on Wilmington Road….

by Ryan Shaffer Leaving a structured civilization construed of the most updated technology for nearly six months seems less-than-feasible for most. Though, for Ellwood City resident Sarah Beatrice, it was a dream come true. The 29-year-0ld embarked on a 2,185-mile journey through one of the most wondrous attractions along the east coast of the United States, the Appalachian Trail, with only a 26-lb backpack full of only bare necessities. “It was the most beautiful and rewarding, yet hardest thing I have ever done,” Beatrice said. “It was not just another walk in the woods.” Each year, approximately 2,000 people travel…

No one celebrates Fall quite like the Cheesemans of Portersville. Since 1999, the family has transformed 60 acres of their farmland into hosting ground for two of Western Pennsylvania’s most anticipated events: The Pumpkin Festival and Fright Farm. This weekend, the Cheesemans will open their barn doors up to the public for a fifteenth consecutive year with the commencement of Fright Farm on Friday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. Then, on Saturday, Sept. 27, at noon, the Pumpkin Festival begins. According to Jen Cheeseman, the family took a chance and grew pumpkins, which sparked the idea of creating the events…

For nearly 100 years, Loccisano’s Golden Dawn has served the Ellwood City community with fine meats, fresh produce and delectable baked goods. Last week, the family-owned and operated grocery store implemented its newest value proposition with the commencement of the fuel rewards program. Customers now have the opportunity to save money at the pump simply by shopping at Loccisano’s, which aids in keeping business local. Floor manager Lexie Loccisano believes that fuel rewards give loyal customers all the more reason to continue their patronage of the establishment. “It’s a way to say ‘thanks’ to all of the loyal customers, Loccisano…