Brian Hagberg
WARREN, Pa. – As our first full calendar year comes to a close, Your Daily Local is looking back at the year that was 2021.
We began our look back with the most read news stories of the year, while our second installment focused on the Warren County sports scene.
For this piece, we’re going to take a look at the people who made you stop and take notice this year.
The arts were a hot topic this year with four of our top 10 most read stories focusing on those making their mark in some sort of visual/audio media. Teachers, coaches and students were also compelling reads as they comprise half the list.
And now, the top 10 most read people stories of 2021:
1. Bringing Hollywood Home: Four Eighteen Co-Founder Ignatius Making Films From, and In, Warren County
The COVID pandemic closed many doors in 2020 and 2021, but it also opened some new ones and Warren native Kevin Ignatius took the opportunity to walk through one when he brought Four Eightteen Films to Warren County.
The film production company shot its most recent movie, “The Long Dark Trail” on location in Warren and McKean Counties. The cast and crew was filled with Warren County residents and a special screening of the film was held at the Struthers Library Theatre in June.
Ignatius hopes Four Eighteen can continue using Warren County, both the landscape and the people, for future films.
“The idea is, let’s just continue making low-cost films,” Ignatius said. “Let’s continue hiring people locally, but still bring in a name. We could fly one big name (actor) in for each film. We couldn’t do it with this due to COVID, but let’s do a series of these shoots.”
2. ‘I Know I Laughed Every Day’: Morrison Reflects Fondly on Her 33 Years Teaching in the Warren County School District
It’s a common phrase that teaching ‘is a calling.’ Jeana Morrison didn’t feel that way, at least not initially. But by the end of the last day of her 33rd, and final, year in the classroom her feelings had drastically changed.
“I never got tired of it,” she said.
From Sheffield to Beaty, Morrison impacted hundreds, if not thousands of students in her 33 years with the Warren County School District. But the community equally impacted her and her family as well.
“The No. 1 thing that I will remember about my years of teaching is the people and what they did for me,” Jeana said. “When Jim died and when that happened it was tragic for me and the kids. The way they picked me up and didn’t let me fall was unbelievable. The things that they did for my kids, it would be really difficult to find a group of people that would do that much.”
3. Game Show Royalty: Warren Native Sekelsky to Appear on Jeopardy!
A dream came true for Warren native Katie Sekelsky in 2021. In February, she got to fulfill her dream of appearing on the popular game show Jeopardy! and in early June, she got to share that dream with the world when her taped episodes aired.
Not only did Sekelsky appear on the show, she was a multi-day champion as well.
The journey from Academic Bowl team member at WAHS to Jeopardy! champion was a long one, but well worth it for Sekelsky.
“The feeling of it, there’s not a studio audience because of COVID and they tape five episodes in a day,” she said. “It was just as amazing to get up there and hear my name announced and the music playing. It was exactly how I thought it would be.”
The experience lived up to all of her expectations – and then some. And now, she gets to proudly say for the rest of her life that she is a Jeopardy! champion.
4. Sheffield Graduate Mike Knapp and Family Purchase Bayview Mini Mart & Ice Cream Parlor in Onoville, N.Y.
Mike Knapp was looking “for a new challenge.” The former Sheffield boys’ basketball head coach had just gotten out of the coaching game and was looking for a way to spend time with family while still keeping business options open.
That’s what eventually led him to buy the Bayview Mini Mart & Ice Cream Parlor in Onoville, N.Y.
“Some friends of ours pointed out that this place was for sale,” Knapp said. “I went up and started talking to the owner. The more we talked, the more excited we were about the opportunity. We also had friends involved in similar endeavors, and we decided we were going to go for it.”
With the Bayview being a seasonal business, it gives Knapp the opportunity to get back into coaching if he chooses – this past season was his first not coaching the Sheffield boys’ basketball team after five years at the helm.
He is also very happy to have the opportunity to run the new business with his family.
In addition to his wife, he has three daughters and a stepson and six grandchildren who will also be helping – his son-in-law is already helping out.
“My family is going to be involved in various ways,” Knapp said. “That is important that we will be doing this as a family. It is a family business.”
5. Sheffield Ninth-Grader Lyon ‘Excited’ to Have Artwork Featured on Billboards
For the second straight year, local students submitted artwork for a chance to be displayed on billboards purchased by CORE (Choosing Openness Regarding Experiences) throughout Warren County. CORE purchases the billboards in May for Mental Health Month.
Sheffield freshman Karson Lyon was among them and had his artwork displayed on a billboard near Glade Bridge.
Lyon’s work featured a boy showing his emotions with the quote ‘Don’t Hold it In.’ It’s part of a message that CORE is getting out to raise awareness about mental health.
“Art’s always kind of been my thing,” the talented Sheffield freshman said. “There wasn’t really an inspiration. I saw a guy on YouTube one time, thought his work was really cool, and decided to draw something like that.”
6. Warren Native Swanson III ‘Ecstatic’ as He Readies For Feb. 27 Music Release
7. From Patrols to Podcasts: Warren Police Officer Gives a Unique Look Into Sports
8. A Special Teacher: Passmore Adds Second Job Teaching To Students For PBS Program
9. Eisenhower Valedictorian Alexander Reflects Fondly on High School While Looking Forward to New Challenge at Penn State
10. A Lasting Legacy: Santo’s Impact in the Sports Community Stretches Far and Wide
