ellwood city

Donation Collection Begins For Fireworks Fundraiser

Eric Rayner has officially began his Fireworks Fundraiser. He will be updating the public on the progress of his efforts as well as the amount of money collected on a regular basis on his “Save the Ellwood City Fireworks 2019” Facebook page. “I will update the Facebook page every night with updates on how much was raised,” Rayner said. He has already seen support from the community “The initial donations I received when meeting with Mayor Tony Court, Lt. David Kingston, council members Marilyn Mancini and George Celli, and Justin Neupauer of Alborn Tire Sales totaled $325,” Rayner said. Community…


Local Man’s Quest to Save Fireworks Ignites

Eric Rayner’s plan to rally the community to save the festival fireworks has been officially backed by the Ellwood City Arts Crafts and Foods Festival Committee. Rayner, 26, of Ellport, met with the committee on Wednesday evening to present his plan of action in the hopes of getting the committee’s “approval.” Although the committee offered Eric their support they are not hosting or leading the fundraiser. They have however agreed to host the fireworks, pay for the insurance, traffic control and grounds keeping for the fireworks event if the community raises the money needed to implement the display. Upon hearing…


Ellwood City Mayor Named Vice President Of Statewide Association

Ellwood City’s mayor Anthony Court was recently named Vice President of the Association of Mayors of the Boroughs of Pennsylvania (AMBP). Court, 61, who has served as mayor for 13 years said he is proud to have been chosen for the role. He was raised in Ellwood City with his three sisters Luisa, Angela, and Margherita. He takes his job as Mayor personally and plans to continue that in his state-wide position. “I am honored,” Court said. “Especially since it is voted on by my peers from across the state.” He will serve two years in the vice president role…


Ellwood City Medical Center Offering Kidney Classes

As part of its outreach efforts, Ellwood City Medical Center will be hosting “Kidney Smart Classes.” Victoria Gatto, the center’s marketing manager, said this is just one of the programs being offered to help the hospital connect with the community. “At Ellwood City Medical Center we want to provide health education to community members to be able to take charge of their health, whether it be preventative or disease management,” Gatto said. During the class, the following topics will be explored: What causes chronic kidney disease {CKD) and how can it be delayed? What is a kidney friendly diet and…


Holy Redeemer Cancels Annual Bazaar

Love those Holy Redeemer Pepperoni Puffs? Unfortunately, this year fans are going to have to rely on the Festival to get their fix. Holy Redeemer announced over the weekend that they are canceling their beloved bazaar this year. Citing a lack of attendance and financial success, Fr Mark Thomas announced in a letter that the decision was not made without consideration. “As you can imagine, planning for future events must begin very early to insure success,” Thomas said. “Over the last months, the parish staff, pastoral council, finance council and various committees have come together to prayerfully plan our future…


Local Man Gains Support in Plan to Save Festival Fireworks

He’s a man on a mission to keep the traditional Festival Fireworks display shining bright. Eric Rayner, 25, Ellport, will have his chance to lead a community-wide effort to raise funds to keep the fireworks display. Humble about his plans, Rayner insists that he just stepped up because he saw a need. “This isn’t about me,” he said. “This isn’t a me thing. It’s a we (community) thing.” Rayner was just not ready to settle for a festival without its beloved fireworks. He found out during Monday night’s Ellwood City Area School District Committee Meeting that use of Helling Stadium…


Ellwood City Meals on Wheels Speeding Ahead

Juicy meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn: Can you smell what Ellwood City Area Meals on Wheels has cooking? Monday’s April 1 reopening of the beloved program was also its 45th anniversary. With a new dedicated headquarters and cook, Terri Crespo, Meals on Wheels board member, said the program is completely back in business and ready to serve those in need. Monday’s inaugural delivery came after about a month’s delay in service. “We’ve gotten so many compliments about how good the food was and how glad residents were that we are back in business,” Crespo said. “Everything went wonderful, and better…


Borough to Apply for Grant: Funds Earmarked for Stiefel Park

Ellwood City Council members unanimously voted to adopt a resolution authorizing the submission of a grant application to DCNR in an amount of $250,000 for improvements to Stiefel Park. According to Borough Manager, David Allen, the grant will require matching funds by the borough. He said showing the matching funds to the DCNR will not be a problem with help from Marcellus Shale funds as well as the Park Improvement Fund. Allen said much of borough’s obligation to match the $250,000 will be able to be offset with use of borough labor and equipment. He estimates that 50 to 70%…


Ellwood City Varsity Football Head Coach Contract Terminated

The Ellwood City Area School District has terminated the contract of varsity head coach Nick Hand. Hand stepped down prior to the 2018 season due to an illness. Rob Magnifico, who had been with the program for over 10 years, was named interim head coach for the 2018 season, the team’s first in the recently reclassified Class 2A. “The Ellwood City Area School District and Mr. Nick Hand have mutually and amicably decided that he would not return as varsity football coach for the 2019 season, due to reasons unrelated to his performance as a coach,” said school superintendent Joe…


PART 1: High School Musical ‘Mary Poppins’ Cast Q&A

“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun.” – Mary Poppins. Beginning Friday, November 9 and concluding with an afternoon matinee on Sunday, November 11, Lincoln High School will be showcasing its annual high school musical – “Mary Poppins” In a 3-part series, EllwoodCity.org gathered answers from some musical leads and will showcase dress rehearsal photos. For Part 1 of our series, we interviewed cast members Reece Wilson, Tara Marsh, and Jack Brown. If you plan to attend the musical, showtimes are Friday, November 9 at 7:30pm, Saturday, November 10 at 2:00pm and 7:30pm, and…