Local News

No Picture

Borough Council Almost Creates Illegal Parking Lot

At Monday’s Borough Council meeting, council members unanimously rejected a motion that would advertise an ordinance establishing two parking lots, one of which would have been illegal. The lots in question are on Sixth Street and Bell Avenue and in the 600 block of Lawrence Avenue, west of Burger King. The borough had previously demolished the buildings on the property and now own the lots. The motion, as it appeared in the agenda, was the following:“A motion would be in order to advertise an ordinance establishing an umetered parking lot at the corner of Sixth Street and Bell Avenue for…


No Picture

Rain Holds Out for Carpenter’s Project

For a summer where it’s rained almost every day, the Ellwood City Carpenter’s Project has been extremely fortunate. This week has been mostly sunny and most of the rain has been in the evening, after the volunteers go home. In fact, in its 14 years, the Carpenter’s Project has never had a full day cancellation from rain, according to director Steve Miller. “I refuse to believe that’s a coincidence,” Miller said. The Carpenter’s Project is a volunteer annual project started and based at Calvin Presbyterian Church. The work crews repair the homes of those who are unable to do their…


No Picture

Ellwood City Post Office Renamed in Honor of Sgt. Leslie Sabo Jr.

Senator Bob Casey was the featured speaker at a ceremony on Monday to rename the Ellwood City Post Office in honor of Medal of Honor winner Sgt. Leslie H. Sabo Jr. The rain held off during the sunny ceremony at 11:30 a.m. yesterday in front of the Post Office. Members of Sabo’s family, various politicians and Ellwood locals gathered around to hear several guest speakers. Sabo was killed in action in the Vietnam War and received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award, for his actions during the Cambodian Campaign. On May 10, 1970, Sabo’s platoon was attacked…


No Picture

Application Allows Christians to Share Prayers, Inspirational Thoughts, and Greetings to Friends and Family Via Facebook

MIAMI, FLORIDA (May, 2015) – Two Ellwood natives, John Swisher and Joseph Bellissimo, co-founders of Pray Forward, Inc., are pleased to announce the launch of the newest addition to the Share A Prayer product line with the Share A Prayer Facebook Desktop App. This stand-alone app comes on the heels of the initial launch of the Share A Prayer App which, by reaching several million in just a few months of operation, is widely considered to be “the fastest growing faith-based social media app.” The new Desktop app allows Christians all over the world to share prayers, inspirational thoughts and…


No Picture

Lincoln High School Wins US News Silver Award

Lincoln High School received a silver status recognition from US News as the 71st best high school in Pennsylvania. Every year, US News ranks high schools nationally and awards three categorizes: gold, silver and bronze. Lincoln received bronze recognition from 2010 to 2014 and this year, moved up to silver. US News uses three levels of criteria to rank schools. First, if students are performing better than expected. Second, if disadvantaged students are performing better than disadvantaged students in other schools. Third, an assessment of the college-readiness of students. Lincoln, as the 71st best in Pennsylvania, is in the top…


Mayor Disappointed in Community

At Monday’s Borough Council agenda meeting, Mayor Anthony J. Court voiced his disappointment with the community. Nine political signs have been stolen from four candidates. The Mayor wishes to inform all that the police department is taking this very seriously. The maximum fine for stealing a sign is $300, which the Mayor will push for when the guilty are apprehended. It is believed more than one party is involved. Additionally, drivers are still speeding in the Borough. In just 12 hours, 55 citations were issued in speed traps. The Mayor will continue using speed traps until the problem is solved….


Update: Koppel Bridge Stop Sign Now Simply a Stop Sign

At some point on Thursday, PennDOT removed the additional sign reading, “traffic from right does not stop.” The intersection at Route 351/River Road is now simply a stop sign. On Wednesday, North Sewickley Township Police Chief Jeff Becze asked PennDOT representatives if the additional sign could be removed. Becze believed the sign only confused drivers. According to Becze, PennDOT may be moving the “traffic from right does not stop” to its own pole a few yards ahead of the stop sign. “Some people are stopping now,” Becze said. “But a lot aren’t. People are creatures of habit.” The previous article…


Photos: Prom and After Prom 2015

The Ellwood City After Prom Party was held on Friday evening at the Holy Redeemer Catholic Center. The After Prom was formed in 1948 by fraternal, veterans and civic organizations of Ellwood City. Lincoln High School students arrived at the Catholic Center following their prom in Butler. The students were entertained throughout the evening with a DJ, photobooth, hypnotist, caricature artist and magic close-up with Dr. Brad Brown. The evening’s entertainment was provided due to the support of the following sponsors: ESB Bank, Good Wheels, The Car Wash of Ellwood City, McElwain Bros. Paint & Collision Center and Dr. Robert…


Police: Fentanyl-Laced Heroin Confirmed in February Overdose Death

Police confirmed that an overdose death in February was caused by fentanyl-laced heroin. Since December, there have been five overdose deaths in the Ellwood Borough. One in December was from opiates, probably oxycodone. In addition to the laced-heroin, another overdose in February was from pharmaceuticals. Also in February, an overdose in North Sewickley Township was caused by a fentanyl patch. The cause of the two overdoses in April are still pending lab results. Lt. David Kingston, ranking police officer, said that overdoses from fentanyl have occurred in Ellwood before, but fentanyl-laced heroin is rare to the area. “Opiates aren’t as…


Police to Start Issuing Citations for Route 351/River Road Stop Sign

Did you notice the Koppel bridge stop sign changed? If you didn’t, don’t feel bad. According to North Sewickley Police Chief Jeff Becze, drivers have had a hard time adjusting to the revised sign. The North Sewickley Police Department has been forgiving of offending drivers for now as people acclimate to the change. However, Becze said that will soon change and citations will be issued for violations. The intersection is at Route 351 and River Road, near the Koppel Bridge. Formerly, the stop sign only applied to traffic driving straight on River Road. Drivers turning right on 351 toward the…