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January 28, 2020

New Ellwood City Tax Collector Hours Announced

Ellwood City Borough Tax Collector, Sue Gatto, announced her new hours this week. The hours for the month of February will be Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. only. Beginning March 1st, the tax collector hours will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. The office of Tax Collector is located in the Ellwood City Municipal Building on Lawrence Avenue. Information regarding residential, property, real estate, or other tax information can be collected at the tax office. Duplicate bills, 3-year tax search, and other certifications can also be collected at the tax office. Ellwood City Council has…

January 28, 2020

Art on Skin: The Tattoo Shop Open for Business in Ellwood City

Life stories sketched in skin. Love, loss, tributes, symbols, statements, art. Mike Kwaczala of The Tattoo Shop has done them all. His love of body art began a long time ago, but he recalls the true beginning 15 years ago when he started working in a shop. He stayed there for 8 years before getting out of it to try something new. But something inside told him he’d probably return to tattooing. “I knew if I ever tattooed again,” Kwaczala said, “it would have to be me doing it in my own shop.” Fast forward to 2016. Kwaczala found himself…

January 27, 2020

Police Reports: Criminal Complaints

The following are police criminal complaints filed at the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Lawrence County office of Honorable Jerry G. Cartwright. According to a complaint, on January 20, 2020, at approximately 8:45 a.m. police were called and advised on the whereabouts of defendant, Maria Carmen Rozzi, 55, of New Castle, who left a residence on foot and was in possession of a pistol. Rozzi was known to police as having active warrants for Terroristic Threats and for having made treats to law enforcement.  Troopers responded to the area and searched for Rozzi and later encountered Rozzi on Cooper Road, in Slippery…

January 27, 2020

Ellwood City Public Library Activities For Week of January 27

The Ellwood City Area Public Library offers a variety of weekly activities.  Information is available by calling the library at 724-758-6458. Activities taking place this week include WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29 10:00 a.m. – “Coloring for Adults,” a weekly program that is free and open to the public. It is designed to help reduce stresses of everyday life. All adults are welcome. THURSDAY, JANUARY 30 6:00 p.m. – “Adult Knitting Group,” which meets weekly to work on individual projects. New members are welcome. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1 10:00 a.m. – “Silly Science and Lego Day,” featuring fun and silly science experiments, robotics…

January 24, 2020

Ellwood City School District Board Collides Over Ethics

Ellwood City School Board Directors passed a Board Resolution: “Principles for Governance and Leadership” during their recent meeting but not without a discussion regarding ethics. Part of those principles, set by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA), encourage board directors to “Act Ethically.” Director Jennifer Tomon challenged whether fellow board members appointed to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Negotiation Committee have a conflict of interest when it comes to their duties. The PSBA Resolution, in its section regarding ethics, states that board members should “act to avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest.” According to Tomon, the three directors…

January 24, 2020

BC3 Announces President’s List, Dean’s List and Graduates for Fall 2019

Several area residents were recognized by Butler County Community College for making the President’s List and Dean’s List for the Fall 2019 semester, as well as five local students who have graduated recently. Students who have achieved a cumulative GPA (grade-point average) of 3.75 or higher are named to the President’s List following completion of at least 12 semester hours or upon completion of degree requirements.  Students who have achieved a cumulative GPA (grade-point average) of 3.5 to 3.74 are named to the Dean’s List following completion of at least 12 semester hours or upon completion of degree requirements. Area…

January 24, 2020

CFA Awards $33,963 Grant to Help Lawrence County Dairy Farm

The Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) awarded a $33,963 Pennsylvania Dairy Investment Program grant to help a Lawrence County dairy farm, according to Senator Elder Vogel. Leslie Farm in Little Beaver Township was awarded the grant to assist with the purchase and installation of new equipment to produce yogurt from grass-fed cows. Leslie Farm plans to construct a value-added dairy facility that will require renovations to its existing barn and milk house. Leslie Farm anticipates this project will allow it to process 90,000 pounds of milk annually into 32- and 6-ounce yogurt containers. The initial plan calls for plain yogurt in…

January 23, 2020

Ellwood City Area School District Directors Recognized

In honor of school board’s commitment to students, schools and communities, January is once again designated School Director Recognition Month. As part of this recognition, Ellwood City Area School District Directors Renee Pitrelli, Gary Rozanski, Jean Biehls, Leroy Cortez, Jennifer Tomon, Kathleen McCommons, Erica Gray, Barbara Wilson, and Norman Boots were praised during Tuesday night’s school board meeting. Each board member was given a certificate of appreciation by Superintendent Joseph Mancini. “We appreciate everything you do for this district,” Mancini said. According to a press release from the Ellwood City Area School District, Pennsylvania public schools educate nearly 2 million…

January 22, 2020

Council Hires Law Firm for Representation in Medical Center Bankruptcy Filing

In a unanimous vote Monday night, council hired the law firm Hamm, Milby & Ridings, PLLC out of London, KY, as representation in the Ellwood City Medical Center bankruptcy filing. A retainer of $1,500 and an hourly rate of $175 were approved. Ellwood City is seeking $300,000 in unpaid electric and sewage charges as well as $100,000 in property taxes that the Medical Center racked up before closing its doors on December 10. The closure of the facility came after the state Department of Health shut down its emergency room and inpatient services on November 27 for serious violations. Since…

January 22, 2020

School Directors Table Policy Regarding Kindergarten Admission

The Ellwood City Area School District Board tabled a vote regarding Policy 201 during its Tuesday, January 21st meeting. At the December 5th meeting the board voted to have administration review the policy, which pertains to kindergarten admission at Ellwood City Area Schools after a parent spoke out at the board’s November 14th meeting. New parent to the district Megan Jones said she was disappointed to learn that her child who has already invested two years into preschool would not make the August 15 cutoff for kindergarten registration. She said her daughter will turn 5 on August 23, just days…