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March 18, 2021

Lincoln High School Senior Featured On Pittsburgh News Publication

Lincoln High School senior Makinley Magill was recently featured on an online Pittsburgh news publication, Pittsburgh Current. To mark the one year anniversary of the first day of the pandemic lock down, Pittsburgh Current began a series titled ‘COVID Pandemic Stories’ The pandemic resulted in many different things for many different people and the series provides a voice from some to reflect. Makinley writes an essay describing her journey over the past calendar year amid the challenges of the shutdown. Her essay reads: If there are two things that most people learn about me soon after meeting me is that…

February 19, 2021

Local Man Dreams of Top Dog Position: Driving the Wienermobile

Brian Hudson has a dream: He wants to drive the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. Yes, all in the name of hot dogs. He loves them. He loves eating them. He loves learning about new toppings. He loves talking about them. He loves promoting them. And that is what has driven him, pardon the pun, to apply to be the #1 hotdogger … the Wienermobile Spokesperson. Hudson the 22-year-old graduate of Lincoln High School, who prefers his dogs Western Pennsylvania style with chili and cheese, said he first learned of the opportunity from his mom who heard about the opportunity on the…

February 2, 2021

Lincoln Students Find Way to Give through Games

Local tenth graders Hayden Slade and Grady Smith are best friends with one major thing in common: They LOVE games. So, the duo decided to take their passion and turn it into a charitable opportunity. And in 2018 Games to Give, their non-profit dedicated to providing games to adults and children in need and to active U.S. military personnel serving overseas and others, began. “We are two teenagers who love playing board games, so we decided to start a nonprofit organization to allow us to share games with others,” Grady said. Since the organization’s inception, Hayden and Grady have given…

October 12, 2020

New Business: Insurance Consultant Finds Success in Follow-up

Does shopping for insurance leave you frustrated, confused, unsure? Matthew Hrycko of Insurance Benefits of Pennsylvania says there is no need to feel that way. Hrycko recently opened an office at 716 Lawrence Ave and is now accepting appointments for consultation. Hrycko has been providing health life and employee benefits consulting services consulting services to the community for more than 10 years, and he says what sets him apart as an agent is customer service and follow up. You will always be able to speak to him personally. Part of that coverage that is an added benefit to consulting with…

August 5, 2020

Longtime Local Grocery Store Loccisano’s To Close; To Re-Open As Shop ‘n Save

For over a century, residents of Ellwood City have gone to locally owned and operated Loccisano’s for any and all of their grocery based needs. People have come miles to fill suitcases and coolers full with the meat they sell. However, this week, the business that has lived in this town since 1916 announced its upcoming closure.  The grocery store will close after business on Sunday, August 16, 2020.  The store will reopen as Dave’s Hometown Shop ‘n Save on Monday, August 17, 2020 under new local ownership. In a statement made available Wednesday, Loccisano’s personnel wrote: “On Sunday, August…

June 26, 2020

Boomin’ – New F&V Fireworks Location Now Open

Business is boomin’ for a local business as we approach the 4th of July holiday weekend. Starting in 2001 with a single location in Enon Valley to a now open second location in Beaver Falls, F&V Fireworks has decided to make good quality fireworks available for all Pennsylvania residences at a good price. “We decided to open the fireworks store not only because we love fireworks but because we were tired of paying such high prices for such low quality fireworks at other places,” said owner Jeff “Junior” Feezle. As a family owned and operated business, Jeff says the family…

May 18, 2020

Ellwood City Native Opens Dentistry in Ewing Park

Although Nikki Jo Magnifico DDM was successfully practicing as an associate dentist in New Hampshire for the last decade, the Lincoln High School graduate felt a need to move back to her hometown of Ellwood City. So Magnifico did just that. She bought her new 620 Jefferson Ave practice from Dr. James Oberfeitinger on February 1, 2020. “I decided it was time to move home to be closer to my family,” she said. Her immediate family includes her husband, Eric, who she said is supportive of her business goals as well as two sons Tyler, 5, and Anthony, 2.5. A Gannon…

April 23, 2020

ECASD Food Service Staff Going Above and Beyond to Feed Area Students

Keeping kids fed during a pandemic is a challenge, but it’s one that the Ellwood City Area School District’s Food Service staff and volunteers continues to conquer. John Dzurina, Food Service Director for the district, said the successful operation would not be possible without the daily determination of his staff and volunteers. Dzurina said on average 920 kids are fed per day. With a healthy and filling breakfast and lunch both being served, that adds up to about 1,840 meals per day. Currently those meals include cereals, juice, milk, sandwiches, fruit, and vegetables. Hot meals have not been on the…

April 3, 2020

Ellwood Native Serves Up Sourdough Pizza, Breads at Lawrenceville Wood-Fired Oven Restaurant

Sustainable sourdough pizza topped with organic produce and meats is the specialty at Driftwood Oven in Lawrenceville. And although Neil Blazin fills his intimate ten-table dining room in Pittsburgh on a regular basis, Blazin has roots in Ellwood City. The 38-year-old enterpreneur grew up in Ellwood City and attended Lincoln High School. He then went on to attend the University of Pittsburgh as Political Science and History Major, but politics just weren’t as appealing as pizza and his dreams of owning a restaurant. These days Blazin spends most of his time crafting delicious pizza pies but enjoys spending his free…

April 1, 2020

Cambridge Falls to Offer Retirement Living Care at New Wampum Facility

Cambridge Falls, a personal care and memory care facility, located at 599 Norwood Drive in Wampum, the 26-acre facility is accepting resident applications. Following an 18-month, $1 million renovation project, the team is ready to open the doors. Rebekah Stratton, director of sales and marketing for Cambridge Retirement Living, said the anticipation of unveiling the new facility is overwhelming. “We are so excited to open the doors to show what our facility has to offer,” Stratton said. She added that the layout and design of the facility lends to the mission of Cambridge in that it offers person-focused care and…