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June 13, 2014

Ellwood City Budget Approved; Superintendent Retires

by Sarah Reese The Ellwood City Area School Board has been forced to make numerous difficult decisions in previous years regarding passing a budget for the following school year as have other boards across the state. Cuts have been made in nearly all aspects of the school district including removing the elementary instrumental music teacher position after the retirement of Ray Falotico, a decision disapproved by a wide majority of parents with children in the music program. Last night’s school board meeting raised concerns for the future of the district among board members. Leroy Cortez voiced his opinions on his…

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June 11, 2014

Breaking Bread Grand Opening

by Sarah Reese A waffle iron is to Sam Kelly as glass slippers are to Cinderella. The purchase of her waffle iron, along with her passion for cooking, is what inspired Sam to open up a new restaurant in Ellwood City. With a little help from her “fairy god-husband” Justin, Sam received the keys to her brand new eatery, Mary Fray’s former Ellwood Breakfast and Burgers, as a Christmas present on Dec. 24. Sam, a former banquet server and waitress, and Justin, a former sous chef, had been searching for a restaurant when they were approached about Ellwood Breakfast and…

June 6, 2014

Farmer’s Market and Summer Concert Series Begin

It’s officially summer time in Ellwood City when the Farmer’s Market and Summer Concert Series makes its return to the downtown area. Both events are a part of the Ellwood City Revitalization’s efforts to “put feet on the street” as member Terri Stramba put it. The main goal is to bring people into Ellwood City to support the Farmer’s Market and the Summer Concert Series and then in return, stimulate the economy in downtown shops and restaurants. The Farmer’s Market, which runs from this Saturday, June 7 to Saturday, Oct. 18 (subject to weather conditions), will feature 17 vendors selling…

May 30, 2014

Tubular Production Plant to Close in Ellwood City

On Thursday night, the Borough of Ellwood City received a letter from Sabre Industries, a steel tubular production plant located on Second Street, informing them that they would be closing their Ellwood City factory. According to a published report, the Alvarado, Texas based company plans to stop manufacturing for good between July 29 and August 13. The elimination of this branch will cause up to 80 employees to lose their jobs. Sabre Industries, also located in Sioux City, Iowa, will offer the Ellwood City employees the opportunity to continue their work with the company in either Iowa or Texas. According…

May 27, 2014

Game Zone Close-Out Sale

Seven years ago, Ryan Venezie introduced the gaming world to the Ellwood City community when he opened his Game Zone store. The business immediately took off at its Fifth Street location backed by a thriving economy. “Ellwood City had nothing like this at the time,” Venezie said. With the store being such a success, Venezie soon decided to move his business to a more prime location. His father, Keith, had recently purchased the emporium to revamp into the City Centre Shops. The opportunity for a move was nearly staring Venezie right in the face. The City Centre Shops, located on…

May 21, 2014

Council Gives No Answers on Police Chief

Former councilwoman Judy Dici submitted a series of questions at the last Ellwood City Council meeting regarding the investigation and research done before eliminating the position of Chief of Police. At the Monday, May 19 meeting, Dici got her list of answers, but not necessarily the ones that she wanted. Borough Manager Bob Villella responded to Dici’s questions with the following answer: “The information you have requested is part of the confidential deliberative process a Borough Council is authorized to engage and the Executive Session is such a forum where the general public is not authorized to attend. This information…

May 13, 2014

Citizens Question Council on Police Chief Elimination

The Ellwood City Council voted to eliminate the position of Chief of Police at a special meeting held on Monday, May 5. A short statement was released to the public the following day by council’s solicitor, Edward Leymarie, regarding the decision. The position’s eradication seemed to have come as a surprise to most community members. Controversy over whether this special meeting was properly advertised immediately erupted. In a meeting held to ratify the council’s decision prior to the scheduled meeting yesterday evening, Leymarie stated that last week’s meeting was announced twice in the Ellwood City Ledger. Despite council’s justifications, Ellwood…

May 6, 2014

Chief of Police Position Eliminated

The Ellwood City Borough Council, at an advertised public meeting on May 5, 2014, voted to eliminate the position of Chief of Police in a vote of 5-2, effective immediately. In accordance with the Borough Code, the mayor will continue to have full charge and control of the police force which includes directing the time, place and manner in which the police perform their duties, as well as determining the delegation of duties over the department.

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January 10, 2014

Real Estate Agents Encourage Attendance at Council Meeting

On Monday, the Ellwood City borough council will vote on whether or not to implement a new inspection code ordinance. If it passes, and a betting person would say it will, then all residential, not commercial, buildings in the borough will require code inspections prior to sale. What does this mean for residents? Anyone planning on buying, selling or renting real estate must comply with a strict structural code. If the building or structure fails to meet code standards, then the owner must either pay for significant repair costs or receive less return on their investment. Also, the inspection costs…

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June 26, 2013

National Grind Grand Opening

The coffee shop wait in Ellwood City is finally over. National Grind, located at 400 Lawrence Ave., will be opening their new doors this weekend as a part of their Grand Opening. As of today, Bob Rivers begins his very first business venture of his lifetime. The shop will mark the first coffee shop and business ever for the twenty-four year old. Don’t let that fool you, Rivers has been in the hospitality industry for the past ten years. From dishwasher to bartender to sous chef, he has truly done it all. Rivers will soon be able to add barista…