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Human Interest

November 2, 2017

Earn Up To Six Credits in BC3’s First 5-Week Winter Session

Butler, Pa- Butler County Community College’s first 100-percent online five-week winter session will allow its own and guest students to earn up to six credits through Jan. 22 and remain on track for graduation, or make a spring semester schedule more manageable, according to BC3’s dean of admissions. The college’s winter session, to be held from Dec. 18 to Jan. 22, will feature courses in elementary statistics, general psychology, health science, human growth and development, intermediate algebra, introduction to art, microcomputers, principles of management and principles of sociology. BC3’s credits transfer to public, private, state-related and online institutions. “Students save…

November 1, 2017

PHOTOS: Mayor Court Hands Out Halloween Candy

Mayor Court enjoyed an evening handing out candy to Ellwood City children who participated in the annual Halloween Night tradition.  Many children were out, regardless of the cold, to show off their great costumes and be treated with candy from residents all over town. It was a great night enjoyed with the Ellwood City community. Photos and write-up submitted.

October 31, 2017

Ellwood City School District Negotiations Update: ‘I Don’t Want My Name Associated With These Jabs’

Tensions were high at the Ellwood City School Board meeting this morning between School Board Member, formerly School Board President, Renee Pitrelli and her fellow School Board peers. The Board voted to approve the negotiations update press release, written by the board attorney, in a roll call vote with Pitrelli voting against it and school board member Matthew Morella absent. The official release is below: “Ellwood City Area School District Negotiations Update, November 1, 2017 To provide the public with accurate information regarding the status and progress of the negotiations between the School District and the Service Employees International Union…

October 30, 2017

BC3 No. 1 Again Among State’s 14 Community Colleges

Butler, PA – Butler County Community College’s back-to-back rankings as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania in consecutive Schools.com surveys are a testament to BC3’s consistency in excellence and its importance to higher education in eight counties, BC3 President Dr. Nick Neupauer said. “This also speaks to the commitment from the entire BC3 team to provide affordable, accessible and above all, quality education to the students we serve,” said Neupauer, an Ellwood City native and a 1985 graduate of Lincoln High School. Schools.com on Tuesday published only its Top Five rankings in its second survey since late 2015. Bucks…

October 27, 2017

Updates on the Ellwood City Hospital

Over the past week dozens of employees had been laid off at the Ellwood City Hospital, an action that left the community wondering what’s going on. Updates about the current state of the Ellwood City Hospital have remained far and in between since information about the sale had been made public earlier this year. On October 24, CEO Beverly Annarumo released the following statement on the sale of the hospital: “We are getting very close to closing on the sale of the hospital. And yes, we did have a layoff yesterday. On the bright side, we were able to retain…

October 27, 2017

Documentary “Project 22” Coming to BC3 at Lawrence Crossing

New Castle, PA – BC3 at Lawrence Crossing on Nov. 14 will offer a free public screening of “Project 22,” an April 2015 documentary created by two young combat veterans and one that heightens awareness about post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide among those who served in recent wars, the president of the college’s Student Veterans Association said. “Project 22” will be shown at 2849 W. State St., New Castle, from 12:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. “The paramount thing that comes to mind is that you are not alone in thinking about suicide and you are certainly not alone in having…

October 24, 2017

BC3’s Fire Safety Trailer Reaches, Teaches 570 Kids Since June

Portersville, PA – Small hands sensed heat on the door, and as simulated smoke rolled above their heads, third-graders Della, Sara and Tabitha dropped to the floor, crawled to and through a window and met safely at a designated spot outside Butler County Community College’s fire safety training trailer, executing perfectly a lesson presented only 45 minutes earlier. Della, Sara and Tabitha are among more than 570 children who since June have learned how to prevent a fire in their homes or how to respond in the event of one through BC3, which received one of two 30-foot fire safety…

October 20, 2017

Local Communities Observe National School Bus Safety Week

Today concludes National School Bus Safety Week – a week that schools and communities around the nation partake in to raise awareness of school bus safety. “Held during the third full week of October each year, National School Bus Safety Week is an active and evolving public education program and an excellent way for parents, students, teachers, motorists, school bus operators, school administrators, and other interested parties – to join forces and address the importance of school bus safety,” the National Association for Pupil Transport’s site states. This year’s theme was #STOPONRED and Franklin Township showed their support to the…

October 19, 2017

Ellwood City Social Service Organization Asks for Extra $1,000 Donation by Borough

The Holy Redeemer Ministerial Social Service Organization is asking council to approve a donation for their Energy Fund in the amount of $4,000 – $1,000 more than the original requested amount, paid for by the Borough’s general fund. The motion was discussed Monday evening at the council meeting and has been approved for the $3,000 donation but is pending approval for the requested $1,000 extra. Despite Borough Manager Bob Villella stating any extra money is usually already allocated, Council President Connie MacDonald believes council can work something out. “It [the extra money requested] is something that we should be able…

October 19, 2017

Motion Approved: T&M to Regrade Ebony Way

The owners of T&M Hardware have had dreams of expanding the store for nearly two decades and finally, over the past year, they have been making the dream a reality. Earlier this year the owners finished razing the properties next to the store to make room for expansions. Now, after much careful planning and due diligence, they are nearly ready to start construction. The owners plan on using the empty lot to expand the shop an estimated amount of 5,000 square feet, using the additional lot space for a larger parking lot. At Monday’s council meeting, store owner Tim Post…