Human Interest

Don’t Miss the New Castle Playhouse Production of Nunsense

You don’t want to miss the upcoming New Castle Playhouse production of Nunsense, a hilarious spoof about the misadventures of five nuns trying to manage a fundraiser. Nunsense begins when the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, and they are in dire need of funds for the burials. The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show, so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for the eighth grade production of Grease. Here we meet Reverend Mother Mary Regina, a…


Business

Dancing Into Dreams: Inspire by Movement Brainchild of Ellwood City Native

For Ellwood City native Renee Watterson, dance has always been more than just movement — it’s been a source of creativity, discipline, and joy. Now, she’s ready to share that passion with her community through her brand-new studio, Inspire by Movement, opening this fall at 2656 Ellwood Rd, Suite 112, New Castle. The studio, which will officially kick off its first season the week of September 15, is a dream come true for Watterson. “Dance has been a constant in my life. I couldn’t imagine my life without Dance being a part of it. I absolutely love the creative aspect of…


Operation Healthy Ellwood: A Community Forever Changed by Care, Compassion, and Service

She walked out of the Ellwood City clinic with tears streaming down her face. For the first time in years, she had received life-changing care — care she admitted she could never have afforded otherwise. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she told local volunteer Rhiannon Schnell what it meant to her. Schnell could only reply through her own tears: “She has no idea what that meant to me.” Moments like this defined Operation Healthy Ellwood, a 10-day Department of Defense Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) mission that transformed Ellwood City into a hub of compassion and service in August 2025. For nearly two weeks,…


Ellwood City Fall Sports Q&A 2025: Part 3

This is part three of a three part series featuring area athletes in fall 2025 sports. [VIEW PART TWO] [VIEW PART ONE] The start of fall sports is upon us, so we took the opportunity catch up with the athletes of those teams to see what they are doing to prepare for the upcoming rivalries and to offer some perspective on the season ahead and their plans for the future. Ellwood City Athletes Nicklas DePaoli School you attend? Lincoln High School Sport? Cross Country Grade? 12th How many years have you have participated? Two What do you feel is your…


Riverside Fall Sports Q&A 2025: Part 2

This is part two of a three part series featuring area athletes in fall 2025 sports. [VIEW PART ONE] The start of fall sports is upon us, so we took the opportunity catch up with the athletes of those teams to see what they are doing to prepare for the upcoming rivalries and to offer some perspective on the season ahead and their plans for the future. Riverside Athletes Tyler Richards School you attend? Riverside Sport? Football Grade? 12th How many years have you have participated? 7years What do you feel is your biggest strength? Offensive line What is your favorite…


Riverside Fall Sports Q&A 2025: Part 1

This is part one of a three part series featuring area athletes in fall 2025 sports. [VIEW PART 2] The start of fall sports is upon us, so we took the opportunity catch up with the athletes of those teams to see what they are doing to prepare for the upcoming rivalries and to offer some perspective on the season ahead and their plans for the future. Riverside Athletes Joci Cummings School you attend? Riverside High School Sport? Varsity Volleyball Grade? Senior How many years have you have participated? This will be my 6th year playing What do you feel is…


Ellwood City Council Recognizes Borough Employees for Contributions to Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Initiative

Ellwood City Borough Council President, Brad Ovial, presented commendations to two borough employees for their work on the recent Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) initiative during Council’s recent regular meeting. Ovial handed over certificates of appreciation to Borough Manager Kevin Swogger and Rhiannon Schnell, secretary for public works and code enforcement. Schnell served as the community partner for the initiative and along with Swogger was an integral part of the application and planning process as well as seeing the program through to the end. Swogger said that more than $2.5 million worth of NO COST services were provided to the community….


Ellwood City Girls Softball Team to Seek Neighboring School District Fields for Home Games

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors voted to allow the girls softball team to use neighboring school districts’ fields for home games during the August 14th Regular Meeting. The girls previously played at Stiefel Park on a field owned by the borough, but they will not return to Stiefel in their upcoming season. The board expressed safety concerns and a deterioration of the field as the reasoning for seeking play at neighboring districts’ fields. Board members also stated that they no longer wish to invest money into any improvements to the field at Stiefel Park. “I’m not…


Carpenter’s Project Wraps Up Its 24th Summer of Service in Ellwood City

For the 24th consecutive year, the Carpenter’s Project—a volunteer-based home‑repair mission running July 14-18—mobilized residents across Ellwood City and the Riverside School Districts to deliver free exterior fixes to homeowners in need. “This was a solid year,” said Director Steven Miller. “Some of our projects this year were bigger projects than we’ve ever done before.” Despite a summer plagued with rain, it seems as though the project was saved from the waters. “Weather was a little bit rough on Monday afternoon,” Miller said. “We had quite a bit of rain but more than half of the crews wanted to continue…


Wander Ellwood Rescheduled for Wednesday, July 23, Because of Rain Storms

Wander Ellwood’s July event has been rescheduled for Wednesday July 23 after rain storms forced the first cancellation ever of the beloved event. Councilman Brad Ovial said the event is so popular the Chamber of Commerce wouldn’t consider not rescheduling it. Per the Chamber, “Entertainment details for the new date are still being confirmed, and we’ll share more as soon as possible. Thanks for your understanding. We’ll see you next week!” This open street night, organized by the Ellwood City Area Chamber of Commerce, transforms Lawrence Avenue into a bustling hub of activity from 5 to 9 p.m. The event showcases…