Lawrence County Shows Up at the NFL Draft | A look at the local businesses, leaders, and fans who turned a Pittsburgh weekend into a county-wide moment. | | |
This past weekend, more than 805,000 people poured into Pittsburgh for the 2026 NFL Draft, a record-breaking crowd. But if you looked a little closer, you'd see a lot of Lawrence County in the middle of it.
Backstage, well before the lights and cameras ever switched on, Pete Medure and his Medure's Catering team were already in motion. His crew of about 18 fed breakfast, lunch, and dinner to ESPN, Van Wagner, Pat McAfee's team, and a steady cycle of production staff coming in and out all day long. From 5 in the morning until 10 at night, they served close to 5,000 people. Inside that tent it didn't feel like work, though. The team was energetic, smiling, and clearly enjoying being part of something this big. Pete ran the whole operation off his own team "playbook".
A few steps away, another line formed and never let up. That was Sweetpeas Comfort Spot LLC. Shaneka Steals stood at the center of it, doing what she's done for 29 years, feeding people. This time was different. In 2022 she bet on herself and started her own business, and now here she was at the NFL Draft, serving thousands. What mattered most to her wasn't the spotlight, it was home. The same woman feeding crowds in Pittsburgh is the one back in Lawrence County feeding the homeless, supporting nurses, and showing up for teachers. She'll tell you herself, she didn't get here alone. Her New Castle community helped lift her into this moment.
Out on the roads, another piece of Lawrence County was quietly doing its part. The New Castle Area Transit Authority moved people in and out of the city all weekend long, keeping things simple, affordable, and smooth. Traffic flowed in and out of the city without any trouble.
And to give the event its over-the-top finish, Pyrotecnico lit up the Pittsburgh skies with the fireworks and pyrotechnics that have made them a household name well beyond the County.
So yes, the headlines will say 805,000 people. The NFL Draft may have taken place in Pittsburgh, but if you ask us, it was seen best through the eyes of Lawrence County.
| | 10th Annual Impact Awards | |
Last month, on Friday, April 10, more than 300 community members joined us at The Alpine Room at the SNPJ Recreation Center for the 10th Annual !mpact Awards, presented by Huntington National Bank. A decade since the first one, and the room was every bit as full of energy and familiar faces as ever.
Congratulations to this year's honorees:
Economic Impact Awards
Transforming Lives Award
- In memory of Barry Gwin, accepted by Asha Gwin
Sam B. Biasucci Award for Board Service
Robert Del Signore Sr. Award for Leadership in Public Service
- Dan Kennedy, Lawrence County Commissioner
Excellence in Economic Development Award
A heartfelt thank you to The Alpine Room at the SNPJ Recreation Center and Jones Catering for being wonderful hosts, and to everyone who joined us for the morning. Anyone in the room could feel just how special Lawrence County is. Ten years in, we're as proud as ever to honor the people and organizations helping move our community forward, and we're already looking forward to year eleven.
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Join Leadership Lawrence County Class of 2026 and Declyn's Dream for a night of fun and games featuring designer purses and firearms prizes, Basket Raffle, 50/50, side games, and more. All proceeds benefit Declyn’s Dream Playground at Shenango Community Park!
Ticket includes dinner, two beverages, BINGO cards. Additional cards, mini games, and basket raffle tickets are available for purchase. See event page for more info and purse and gun prize list.
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Friday, May 22nd, 2026
Doors Open at 8:00 AM
Program Begins at 8:30 AM
The Venue at Weber Catering
2617 New Butler Road
New Castle, PA 16101
Free for Members
$20 for Non-Members
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Unlocking Pennsylvania’s New Strategic Plan for Creative Industries
Join Jamie Dunlap, Pennsylvania Creative Industries Chief Strategy Officer, and Forward Lawrence for a focused Perk-Up session highlighting their new strategic strategy, loan and grant programs designed to support creative businesses and economic growth across Pennsylvania.
Creative industries include those that produce goods, services, and intellectual property born of creative work. That work may be done by individuals, organizations, or businesses in disciplines including but not limited to advertising, architecture, art, crafts, dance, design, music, media, performing arts, film/video production, photography, publishing, and digital games.
Learn how these initiatives can help organizations of all sizes and entrepreneurs access funding, expand capacity, and strengthen our regional development.
Coffee and light breakfast provided.
RSVP By Friday, May 15, 2026
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Community Programs at Moraine State Park | |
Moraine State Park, Lakeview Beach Parking Lot (North Shore)
225 Pleasant Valley Road, Portersville, PA 16051-2031
Saturday, May 23, 2026 6pm to 8:15pm
It’s trivia night at Moraine State Park! Join us for a friendly game of trivia where we will cover a variety of topics relating to Moraine State Park and Pennsylvania in general. Your team may even leave with a prize! photoi
Moraine State Park, Bicycle Rental Parking Lot (North Shore)
225 Pleasant Valley Road, Portersville, PA 16051-2031
Saturday, June 13, 2026, 1:00 PM to Sunday, June 14, 2026, 12:00 PM – Bicycle Rental Parking Lot (North Shore)
Come out and join us on an overnight hiking trip on the Glacier Ridge Trail! On this expedition, we will be hiking a total of 8-miles on the Glacier Ridge Trail. The first day we will meet at the Bicycle Rental Parking Lot, and hike 4.5 miles across the glacier-scoured landscape to the Davis Hollow Cabin. We will set up camp, either sleep in the cabin bunkhouse or pitch a tent, your choice. Then, we will use Dutch ovens to cook dinner (provided). After dinner, we will kick back and relax, birding and gazing up at the stars. After a good night’s rest, we will cook a provided, hearty breakfast together, then hit the trail. The second day hike will traverse 3.5-miles to the 528 Boat Launch, where Park Staff will shuttle you back to your cars at the Bicycle Rental.
| | | | FORMER ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL SITE | |
For the first time in years, there is a plan in place for the former St. Francis Hospital site.
The Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation (LCEDC) was the successful bidder on the former St. Francis Hospital site, a property that has been a source of blight, safety concerns, and trespassing issues for years.
A few facts:
• This was a public, free-and-clear tax sale, open to any interested bidder.
• LCEDC was the sole bidder. No other parties came forward.
This project will transform a long-neglected property that has weighed on our community into a cleaned-up, development-ready site that contributes to New Castle's future.
To get there, LCEDC will use part of its current EPA Brownfields Assessment grant to begin the environmental assessment process and will pursue additional grant funding to clean up and prepare the property for productive reuse.
The LCEDC will be working closely with the City of New Castle and the County of Lawrence and other partners. The outcome will benefit every neighbor, resident, and business nearby.
More updates to come.
What is the Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation?
LCEDC mission is to grow Lawrence County's economy by advancing site readiness, supporting business expansion, and returning underutilized properties to productive use. They've done this kind of work before. The Cedar Street property (former Elliot Bros. Steel property), now home to United Refractories in New Castle, is one example of what's possible when persistence meets partnership.
| GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES |
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Rural Health Transformation Program — Rapid Response Stabilization Payments
Qualified hospitals, health care providers and rural health facilities are eligible for a program payment for supplies, equipment, renovations or structural improvements.
- Application Dates: May 1, 2026 to June 1, 2026, or until or until the authorized funding cap has been met, whichever is sooner
- Total Available Funding: $25 million
- Payment amount: $10,000-$1,000,000
- Qualified Entities: Hospitals, health care providers, or rural health facilities within specific regions
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PA Dept. of Environmental Protection's Growing Greener Plus Grant Program
Counties, municipalities, municipal authorities, county conservation districts, watershed organizations, councils of governments, educational institutions, and other authorized organizations involved in water resource restoration and protection may apply for up to $500,000 to be used for projects to improve or protect waters from nonpoint source pollution associated with agricultural activities, abandoned mine drainage (AMD), stormwater runoff, energy resource extraction, and streambank and shoreline degradation; projects to address legacy mining impacts; and to start the process of developing or updating Stormwater Management Plans.
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Watershed Planning and Restoration Grants
Incorporated watershed associations, counties, municipalities, county conservation districts, council of governments, or other authorized organizations including, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and municipal authorities may apply for grants to reduce nonpoint source pollution in targeted watersheds with approved watershed implementation plans (WIP). Applications will be accepted from April 22 to 4 p.m. on June 22, 2026.
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Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program
State Farm® and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are proud to team up for the Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program to help resource-constrained volunteer fire departments secure needed equipment. In 2026, State Farm will continue its $1.5 million commitment, providing 150 volunteer fire departments with $10,000 grants to enhance safety, effectiveness, and operational readiness.
Please note, applications are only accepted between noon on Monday, May 4 and noon on Thursday, May 7. If you plan on applying for this funding opportunity, please mark your calendar as it is such a short window of time.
Click Here to Visit the Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program Webpage
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$500 GRANTS FOR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES
The Claire Collective
Two $500 Catalyst Micro-Grants are now open to women-owned businesses in Lawrence and Mercer Counties.
A group of local women entrepreneurs has officially launched The Legacy Link, and built it for you.
Our mission is simple. Be the missing link for women-owned businesses in Lawrence and Mercer Counties by pairing real capital with tangible growth tools. Not a networking group. Not another mailing list. A practical resource that helps you move.
To kick things off, we are giving away two $500 Catalyst Micro-Grants to local women entrepreneurs ready to scale.
Visit The Legacy Link →
If you know a woman in our region who is building something worth backing, forward this along. The more of our local ladies who see it, the better.
Thank you for being part of this community. We cannot wait to see who steps up.
With gratitude, The Legacy Link Team
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Meszaros Charitable Fund Business Awards
Click on forms above to view PDFs
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Paul Bucciarelli
Nearly 40 students representing seven (7) Lawrence County high schools completed the third and final mobile lab of the Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship Program on Friday April 17th at the Shenango Recreation Center.
After the lab, students then traveled to nearby Flowline Corporation for lunch and a tour of the Shenango Township manufacturer, where they learned about the company’s rapidly growing business building components for the U.S Navy’s submarine programs.
At two (2) previous lab sessions, students learned about the use of pulleys and levers in manufacturing and built a small battery-powered motor. During the final lab – arguably the most fun of the three (3) – students built an operating and functioning robot.
Dr. Peter Kushinikov, an engineering professor at PennWest / Clarion University, led the lab session, and was assisted by Matt Bornak, a Field Resource Professional from Penn State. By the end of the session, multiple student-built robots were moving about the Recreation Center.
Jeff Burns, President of Flowline, welcomed the students to his plant and encouraged interested students to pursue employment opportunities with the company. Several of Jeff’s colleagues shared stories about their career journeys and it was evident that employee engagement at Flowline is strong.
The 2025 – 2026 cohort of this program saw 42 students from the county participate. In addition, Paul Bucciarelli worked with his colleagues Jake Rickert and Ligaya Kurelko at PennNorthwest to expand the program into Farrell High School / Mercer County, where 12 students participated.
Students will soon take the final certification exam and many will use this foundational training to either directly enter the workforce or leverage the program and move into their next phase of post-secondary training.
Multiple stakeholders have supported this program over the past 3 years to make it successful, including Dr. Joe McCormick, Superintendent at Shenango High School, Julie Michael-Smith, Lawrence Mercer Manufacturing Coalition Manager, Eric Karmecy, Division Chief of the West Central Job Partnership, Anna Barensfeld, VP Strategic Initiatives at the ELLWOOD Group, and Charley Mansell of The Hoyt Foundation.
In any scenario, it’s a win for students and a boost to our local manufacturing talent pipeline.
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Grace Woods Personal Care Center
2016 W. Washington Street
New Castle, PA 16101
1-724-698-7400
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GRACE WOODS PERSONAL CARE CENTER - GRAND OPENING
On April 8 we helped welcome Grace Woods Personal Care Center with a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony.
Their founding philosophy is simple: this is a home first, and a place of care second. They established their home as an alternative to large-scale institutions. Grace Woods wanted to create a space where residents can maintain their dignity and sense of self, supported by care that adapts to their unique rhythms of life, rather than forcing them to adapt.
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Cut Creations Barber Lounge
Shenango Commons
2656 Ellwood Rd, Suite 117
New Castle, PA 16101
(724) 202-6598
https://cutcreationsbarber.com/
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CUT CREATIONS - GRAND OPENING
Rob Ratkovich had intended a career in Sports Management while he studied and played baseball during college. He started cutting hair for extra cash around campus, and now, what began as his side hustle has become Cut Creations Barber Lounge, celebrating the grand opening and ribbon cutting of their second location in Shenango Commons, Shenango Township.
Saturday afternoon, May 2nd, the new Cut Creations Barber Lounge made it official. Friends, family, local leaders, longtime clients, and a fair share of curious neighbors packed in for the ribbon cutting. Manna Truk pulled up out front, another Lawrence County operation, offering delicious smash burgers and fries.
Rob is a Lawrence County native. He founded Cut Creations in 2016, bought The Razor's Edge when its owner had to close during Covid, and has spent the years since building a company his employees can grow old in. Living wages. Retirement savings. Mentorship and career growth. He teaches barbers the craft and then helps them grow a life around it. That second part is rare, and you could feel it in the room.
If you have been meaning to find a new chair, this is your sign. Walk-ins are welcome.
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One Man - One Flute
In Wampum, Pennsylvania, population of about 500, there's a man on Main Street making some of the finest flutes in the world. No flashy signage, only a modest logo on the window, understated, until you walk inside.
Meet Jonathon Landell. He picked up a flute in the third grade and knew immediately that was it. Originally he wanted to become a performer, and was accepted for an advanced summer program with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He soon discovered that the rigorous schedule of performing, rehearsing, and traveling from city to city would conflict with his desire to be with his family, so his journey changed paths. As a 19 year old he became an apprentice at Powell Flutes where he studied the art of flute making. When he met a musician named William Bennett backstage at Symphony Hall who showed him his Cooper flute, and being so impressed with the intonation, by 1972, Jonathon built the first Cooper Scale flute ever made in America. A design that is now the standard for all modern flute makers.
Today, he's a Master Flute Maker, Repairer, Teacher, Author, and Innovator. Musicians from all over the world come to learn from him.
His workshop here has been open since 2019, when he and his wife Marcie moved to Wampum to be closer to family, including six grandkids.
He's at 322 Main Street now, right across from Wampum Coffee and Tea. His workshop is extensive, filled with a specialized tools and machines, from modern to 100s of years old, one that finds the exact center of circles in 3 dimensions, and another one is fantastically connected to a dot matrix printer. Tools everywhere. Decades of knowledge on every shelf, stacked to the ceiling, filling every inch of space.
He's currently accepting apprentices. Imagine the opportunity to learn a craft from someone who has spent a lifetime perfecting it, Jonathon Landell is about as good as it gets.
Landell Flutes
Landell Guild of Flute Making
322 Main Street, Wampum, PA 16157
724) 740-1093
www.landellflutes.com
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