Local News

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…


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Parking Meters May Be Coming to Crescent Avenue

At the meeting on Monday, April 20, Ellwood City Borough Council voted unanimously to advertise an ordinance placing three two-hour parking meters on the intersection of Crescent and Sixth Street, between Sixth and Vosler Way. This followed complaints from local business owners that cars have been parking all day in the area, hindering customer parking for the businesses. At the meeting, visitor Robert Wilson, of Robb’s Ignition, addressed the Council and explained that he prefers to park cars there after working on them until the customer can pick them up. According to Wilson, he is not the only business owner…


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Fresh Take Foods Shares Owner’s Love of Food and Community

Michael Dillow finds food brings out great conversation and brings people together. He’s been working in the food service industry his entire adult life and has recently opened Fresh Take Foods, located on 810 Second St. The take-out restaurant opened April 2, although it will celebrate a grand opening April 15. For now, it mostly serves pizza, although that will soon expand to pasta and chicken. The establishment is true to its name in that fresh sauce is made daily and two to three batches of dough are made daily. Dillow also orders only the freshest ingredient available. Dillow explained…



Photos: Dress Rehearsal of ‘Anything Goes,’ Presented by Riverside High School

Riverside High School Theater will present Anything Goes, a musical comedy by Cole Porter, this weekend from March 12 to 15. The musical features memorable songs such as “Anything Goes,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” and a cast favorite, “Blow, Gabriel, Blow.” “Anything Goes,” written and first performed in 1934, takes place on the S.S. American and features a cast of 70 students from grades 4 through 12. The musical follows a beautiful debutante, a British lord, a gangster, an evangelist turned nightclub singer and a stock broker as they all search for love. Billy Crocker, the stock…


It’s Time Fitness Brings Full Facility Gym and Personal Training to Ellwood City

When Tony Joseph drove past the empty Walnut Ridge, he envisioned something more: a multi-service athletic facility. “When I walked into the building, I could see exactly what I wanted the rooms to become,” Joseph said. “I knew this was something I could provide to the community that we didn’t have.” That vision is now a reality. It’s Time Fitness provides conventional gym services such as a weight room and fitness class room, and additional amenities such as a salon, practice room for athletes, and a martial arts studio rented by Richard Lee Morris. The final part of Joseph’s goal,…