What To Do (Part II): Holiday events for this weekend

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times The Coatesville Christmas Parade Finding a holiday event to check out is difficult around here. That is finding which one, two, three or more that you want to check out. This area provides a Smörgåsbord of Christmas activities to whet your appetite. The Coatesville Christmas Parade (www.coatesvillechristmasparade.com), which is Chester County’s...

What To Do (Part I): Holiday events for the whole season

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times  Longwood Gardens In the Brandywine Valley, there are many sites – historical, agricultural, cultural) – that have a history of celebrating the holiday season with lavish displays. There is also a plethora of sites — not so grandiose — that have established their own traditions of Christmas celebrations. Longwood Gardens (Route 1,...

On Stage: Shoemaker returns to Philly for show at Brooklyn Bowl

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Anna Shoemaker Anna Shoemaker is an indie pop singer-songwriter from Philadelphia now in the process of moving from New York to Los Angeles. In October, she returned to her hometown to headline a show at World Café Live as part of her “Go To Heaven Tour.” Now, Shoemaker is coming back to Philly for a show on December 6 at Brooklyn Bowl (1009...

Kennett Sq. reaches deal for fire, EMS services

On Monday, the Kennett Square Borough Council unanimously ratified a multi-year contract with Longwood Fire Company (Longwood) to provide the borough with Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The two-year deal, which goes into effect January 1, 2025 (and runs until December 31, 2026), includes a funding increase of five (5) percent for 2025 and nine (9) percent for 2026. The borough and Longwood...

Deuso announces run for Downingtown Mayor

Erica Deuso Erica Deuso, a longtime resident of Downingtown, community leader, and advocate for progress,  announced her candidacy for Mayor of Downingtown on Wednesday. With a career spanning leadership roles in local and statewide organizations, Deuso is committed to building on the strong foundation established by outgoing Mayor Phil Dague and other past leaders. Deuso’s campaign is centered...

Technical College HS student wins 1st Place in Project MFG Maritime Welding Competition

Instructor Robert Melascaglia standing with TCHS Student John Smoker accepting welding competition first place award. Technical College High School (TCHS) Pennock’s Bridge student John Smoker has earned first place in the Project MFG Maritime Welding Competition, hosted by Philly Shipyard Inc. and Rhoads Industries in Philadelphia, PA. His exceptional welding skills and dedication to manufacturing...

DCCC student awarded $5,000 Lockheed Martin Vocational Scholarship

Ayisha Barrie Delaware County Community College student Ayisha Barrie of Secane, a dual major in Cloud Computing and Cyber Security, has received a $5,000 Lockheed Martin Scholarship and a full-time job offer through Lockheed Martin Space’s Software Associate Degree Program. Additionally, Barrie has been accepted into the company’s Software Associate Degree Program (SWAP), a three-year development...

Russell’s Dance and Baton Studio brings home titles

The Russell’s All Star Competitive teams from the Russell’s Dance and Baton Studio has had a very busy last season.  The teams competed in Massachusetts, Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina and many local competitions bringing home the coveted titles.    The Russell’s All Star teams are the reigning 2024 Freedom Cup Champions,  International Twirling Team Champions, AAU Junior Olympic Dance Champions,...

CCEDC awarded $300K on path to becoming a Community Development Financial Institution

The U.S. Treasury Department has informed the Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC) that the organization has achieved the next major step in becoming a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) to support underserved businesses across the region. CCEDC has been awarded $300,000 in technical assistance to build operational capacity, provide training and education. “To get to...

Christkindlmarkt returns to West Chester, Dec. 14

The Chester County Art Association and Downtown West Chester announced that the 2024 Christkindlmarkt is coming back to town on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. This holiday market, presented by the West Chester Downtown Foundation, will feature over 100 artisan craft vendors, highlighting the local retail scene of West Chester. This event will take place on four blocks of Gay Street...