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March 17, 2016

Council Divides over Fate of Building

A building on Lawrence Avenue caused disagreement during Monday’s borough agenda meeting. The building in question is on 509 Lawrence Ave., which the borough owns. The building used to house the Ellwood City Newsstand and has been deemed unfeasible for repair. Since the building can’t easily be put to use, President Connie MacDonald felt the building should be torn down. At best, a developer may buy it and at worse, it can be used as a parking lot. Vice President David DeCaria disagreed and backed himself with advice from Town Center Associates, a Beaver-based consulting firm advising Ellwood City on…

March 17, 2016

Gibbons Votes for 2015-16 Budget to Keep School Open and Provide Services

HARRISBURG, March 16 – State Rep Jaret Gibbons, D-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence, said he voted in favor of the latest state budget proposal in an effort to keep schools open and continue to fund human services programs for Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens The Republican majority proposed another state budget today that offered additional funding for schools, social services and agricultural programs without raising taxes. “I am very concerned for our children and senior citizens who have been the victims of continued bickering in the General Assembly,” Gibbons said. “I do not want to see schools in my area close because Governor Wolf and…

March 17, 2016

Vogel Supports Restoration of Funding for Schools, Agriculture, Hospitals

HARRISBURG — Senator Elder Vogel Jr. (R-47) issued the following statement today in response to the Senate’s passage of legislation to restore approximately $6 billion in funding for education, agriculture, and hospitals that Governor Wolf eliminated from the state budget in December: “Today, I voted for and the Legislature restored the $6.05 billion in funding that was vetoed by Governor Wolf back in December. If Governor Wolf signs it into law, our public schools will remain open, the 1,000+ folks that work for Penn State Extension will not be laid off, and we can finally move past this ugly situation…

March 16, 2016

Borough Considering Applying for more than $100,000 in State Grants for Parks

At its voting meeting next week, the Ellwood City Borough Council is poised to approve an application process for a state grant for upgrades to Ewing and Stiefel Park. The grants could total more than $100,000. The Ellwood City Parks and Recreation Committee, chaired by council member David DeCaria, has been working on a parks master plan, and with this grant, the borough will have money to implement some of the ideas. The grant would come from the state Department of Economic and Community Development. Ellwood City qualifies because of its participation in Lawrence County’s recreation plan. The state provides…

March 16, 2016

State Rep Jaret Gibbons Ellwood City Office will Be Closed on Thursday March, 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

March 15, 2016 – State Representative Jaret Gibbons’, D – Lawrence/Beaver/ Butler, Ellwood City office will be closed from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, 2016. Staff will be participating in an outreach program at Crescent Place. The Ellwood City office will reopen at 1 p.m. for business. Should a resident need assistance during the closure please contact our New Brighton office at 724-847-1725.

March 15, 2016

Ag Committees to Hold Hearing Tomorrow on Cuts to Agriculture Funding

With an increasing groundswell of public outcry regarding the Governor’s slashing of $72 million in state funding for agricultural programs, the Legislature will hold a public hearing tomorrow (Tuesday, March 15) on the impact of those cuts on Pennsylvania’s farmers and the various programs that support their livelihood, according to Senator Elder Vogel, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, and Representative Martin Causer, Chairman of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. The Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee will hold a joint public hearing on “Agriculture Partial Budget…

March 14, 2016

School Board May Be Done Discussing Food Service Policy But Visitors Aren’t

Following a discussion regarding the food service policy that prevents students with a deficit of $6.75 from eating lunch, the Ellwood City Area school board decided to leave the policy as is after all members except President Renee Pitrelli and Vice President Matt Morella agreed. At Thursday’s regular meeting, Carmelia Fury, director of Holy Redeemer Social Services, presented a written statement to the board in which she criticized this decision. The statement said the board shouldn’t base such policies on financial concerns and that all students should be able to eat. She added that the board should find out why…

March 14, 2016

Senator Vogel Invites Area Seniors to “Healthy Steps” Program

Tues, April 19 – Baden Circle of Friends Thurs, April 21 – Center at the Mall Fri, April 29 – New Brighton Circle of Friends 8:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. Beaver County Office on Aging along with Senator Elder Vogel Jr., would like to invite all area seniors 55+ and better to attend the “Healthy Steps” Program. The program will be held on three separate occasions: April 19 at the Baden Circle of Friends, April 21 at the Center at the Mall and April 29 at the New Brighton Circle of Friends. The Office on Aging’s program will focus on how…

March 11, 2016

Ellwood City Has Opening for Boys and Girls Basketball Coaches

At the school board meeting on Thursday, the board accepted the resignation of the girls basket coach and declared that the boys basketball coach position was open and is taking applicants. Both the girls coach, Jolene Krupa, and the boys coach, James Kosior, had been in their positions for two years and competed in Class AAA conferences. Krupa’s record was 21-24 and her team advanced to the first round of the playoffs in 2014-15, the first time a girls team has done so since 1997-98. In addition, Krupa had coached the team’s five seniors since 8th grade. Her sister, Dena…

March 11, 2016

Ellwood City School Board March Meeting Brief

The following is a brief summary of the Ellwood City Area school board meeting held on March 10: Recognition Congratulations to 5th grader Hayden Slade, 5th grader Grady Smith, 4th grader Gabrielle Kalantzis, sophomore Katelyn Cole, 7th grader Samuel DiCaprio and 7th grader Emily Borroni for receiving the 2016 Carson Scholarship. They were among 7300 students nationally to be named Carson Scholars and will each receive a $1,000 college scholarship. This was Grady’s second year being named a Carson Scholar, and he qualified as a 2016 Recognized Carson Scholar. Congratulations to junior Taylor Petrak, who won the WPIAL 50-yard freestyle…