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March 21, 2016

Opinion: Food Service Policy is Okay

The Lincoln High School food service policy is okay. Not great. Not bad. It’s just okay. The brief summary of the food service policy is that students in grades 7-12 with a delinquent account of $6.75, which is about three meals, can’t eat lunch. This, as I understand, doesn’t apply to free or reduced lunches. Those students’ meals are funded by the Federal government, so the district gets reimbursed. On one side, people feel that all students should get a meal and hungry students is a tragedy. On the other end, people say it’s a matter of responsibility for parents…

March 21, 2016

PIAA Swimming: Ellwood’s Petrak Wins Silver and Bronze

Ellwood City’s Taylor Petrak earned a silver and bronze at the PIAA swimming championship at Bucknell University over the weekend. Petrak, a junior, claimed second in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 23.19 seconds, a .14 improvement from her WPIAL performance. In the 100-yard freestyle, Petrak finished in 50.70 seconds, .37 seconds slower than her WPIAL performance. Prior to the state championship, Petrak said her primary goal was to improve her times. With the USA YMCA Nationals approaching in April, she’s shooting for times of 22.89 and 49.89. As a sophomore, Petrak won the 50 and placed second in…

March 21, 2016

Ellwood City Area Public Library Activities for Week of March 21

Activities taking place at the Ellwood City Area Public Library include the following: Monday, March 21, at 1:30 p.m. – Afternoon Book Discussion Group for Adults. The group will discuss the book, “Ordinary Grace,” by William Kent Krueger. Call the library at 724-758-6458 for more information. Tuesday, March 22, at 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. — “Family Laptime,” an interactive story time for babies as young as 6 months old as well as for toddlers and preschoolers. Featured are stories, songs, finger plays and more. This spring session runs through April 19. Registration is requested, so call the library now…

March 21, 2016

Ellwood and Riverside Sports Schedule Week of March 21

Ellwood City Monday 3:45PM S Softball at North Catholic Tuesday No Events Wednesday 3:30PM Boys Tennis at Neshannock Thursday 4:30PM Baseball Laurel Home 5:00PM Softball Freedom Home Saturday 1:00PM: Baseball Moon Home Riverside Monday, March 21 3:30PM Boys Varsity Tennis Ellwood City HS Away Tuesday, March 22 4:00PM Boys and Girls Varsity Track Wilmington Area Senior High Sch Away Wednesday, March 23 3:30 PM Boys Varsity Tennis Postponed- Beaver Area High School Home 4:00 PM Boys Varsity Baseball Union Area MS/HS Home Thursday, March 24 11:00 AM Boys and Girls Varsity Track WILMINGTON RELAYS Away 4:00PM Boys Varsity Baseball Western…

March 18, 2016

“Casualties of Steel,” a Documentary on the Closing of Ellwood’s U.S. Steel

In 1974, U.S. Steel closed its seamless tube mill in Ellwood City. “Casualties of Steel,” a documentary, chronicles the cultural impact of that closing through first hand accounts of the people who lived during the booming times of steel and its sad aftermath. This film was created by Ben Minett as a requirement for an ethnography class at Carnegie Mellon University. The documentary has no narrator and instead progresses through the voices of Ellwood City residents. Minett is a 1997 Riverside High School graduate. He created “Casualties of Steel” during his master’s degree studies at Carnegie Mellon University. Minett lives…

March 18, 2016

23rd Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt

The 23rd Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt is this Saturday, March 23. The event will be held in the tennis court area of Ewing Park and starts at 11 a.m. All children 9 and under are welcome. Over 5,000 eggs along with 25 golden eggs will be distributed throughout the five hunts. Treats will be given out to each child after their hunts. Hunt Schedule: The first hunt begins at 11 and parents are not permitted into the hunt area for the following age groups: 1st hunt 5-6 girls 2nd hunt 5-6 boys 3rd hunt 7-9 girls 4th hunt 7-9…

March 18, 2016

400 Free Prom Dresses Available for Lawrence County Students

New Castle- Over 400 free prom dresses are available to Lawrence County students in a giveaway this weekend at Feed My Sheep Outreach Ministries on 540 E Long Ave. This is the second prom dress giveaway in what is planned to be an annual event. Last year, nearly 200 dresses were given to high school students who may not have been able to afford their own. Dresses range in size from 0 to 28. The event begins today from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and continues Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will also be door prizes and…

March 18, 2016

Corona D’Italia March Meeting Brief

Corona D’Italia Lodge #807 officers and members observed St. Patrick’s Day at their monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 9 at 5 p.m. The session held at Pizza Joe’s began with an Irish Stew luncheon prepared by the staff and served by Trustee Pudue LaCava, Sentinel Lois DiFrischia and member Jackie Perno. Invocation was given by Trustee Patty Regna remembering all present and deceased lodge members and military personnel. Orator Valerie Valentino presented candy favors from her decorated table of green and white hats, green flower arrangements in vases, and cups to all in attendance. President Clemmy Sirimarco conducted the business…

March 17, 2016

Council Divides over Fate of Building

A building on Lawrence Avenue caused disagreement during Monday’s borough agenda meeting. The building in question is on 509 Lawrence Ave., which the borough owns. The building used to house the Ellwood City Newsstand and has been deemed unfeasible for repair. Since the building can’t easily be put to use, President Connie MacDonald felt the building should be torn down. At best, a developer may buy it and at worse, it can be used as a parking lot. Vice President David DeCaria disagreed and backed himself with advice from Town Center Associates, a Beaver-based consulting firm advising Ellwood City on…

March 17, 2016

Ellwood’s Petrak Travels to Swimming PIAA as Defending State Champion

As a sophomore, Ellwood City’s Taylor Petrak did what few other Ellwood athletes ever accomplished: win a PIAA individual championship. Petrak, a swimmer from a school with no team and no pool, claimed the gold in the 50-yard freestyle and the silver in the 100-yard freestyle. As a junior, she’s returning to the PIAA at Bucknell University as a defending state champion. Two weeks ago, she won the WPIAL 50-yard with a time of 23.33 seconds and placed second in the 100-yard with a time of 50.33 seconds. In both races, she beat her PIAA times from last year. Between…