Human Interest

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…


Memorial Bricks from Ellwood City Hospital Get New Home in Ewing Park

144 bricks … not just bricks, but bricks that memorialized the loved ones of Ellwood City Residents were moved from the Ellwood City Hospital site to a new permanent home in Ewing Park. Ellwood City Mayor Anthony J. Court led the initiative to remove the memorial bricks from the former Ellwood City Hospital site. Thanks to his leadership and coordination with Borough Manager Kevin Swogger and the public works department, the bricks were successfully and efficiently moved to their new home in Ewing Park. Mayor Anthony J. Court was approached by several concerned residents regarding the memorial bricks displayed at…


Service Dog Rescued From 80+ Foot Down River Embankment

A team of amazing rescue workers helped rescue a service dog that went missing in the community. After four days of search, rescue workers spotted the 11-year-old Goldendoodle, Winston, deep in the woods According to a social media post and information shared with EllwoodCity.org, Winston was reportedly about 80+ ft down a river embankment in North Sewickley Township near the Koppel Bridge and over halfway down to the railroad tracks. It is reported the dog got spooked by fireworks, ran through his invisible fence and dashed into the woods on Saturday, July 5th. On Tuesday evening rescue workers navigated the…


It’s Electrifyin’: Grease to Grace the New Castle Playhouse Stage

It’s Greased Lightnin’ at the New Castle Playhouse as local talent presents “Grease,” July 11 – 20 on the main stage. Directed by Amee Boughter, a stellar cast will bring your favorite characters to life on Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. “Grease is more than just a musical—it’s a cultural phenomenon that has stood the test of time, and it’s an absolute blast to bring it to life,” says director and choreographer Amee Boughter. “It’s fun, it’s fast, and it’s filled with heart. At its core, Grease is about identity, friendship, and the…