A Q&A with Margaret Hudgings
An interview with leader of local group questioning mosquito spraying
By Nathaniel Smith, Columnist, The Times
My opinion piece “Mosquito spraying: why doesn’t the county want to talk about it?” in the Times of Chester County, August 31, asked many questions. Since then I’ve found many answers, including from talking with the County Health Department, and many new questions too. One thing I’ve...
Letter: Sestak will be a senator for all of the people
To The Editor,
Over the past five years I have had the opportunity to listen and to watch Admiral Joe Sestak in action. Whether taking questions from senior citizens or in a discussion with high school students too young to vote, he demonstrated compassion and a sensitivity seldom seen in politicians. I recently accompanied Joe Sestak on a stroll through Thorndale, Pa. while he shared his experience...
Letter: Wolf is fighting for middle class families
To The Editor,
Governor Wolf is fighting for middle-class families in Pennsylvania by reversing the damaging Republican cuts to education and human service providers. The governor’s budget invests in education, provides property tax relief, and fixes the budget deficit created by Republicans without using gimmicks or games. Standing firm in his commitment to these priorities, the governor has consistently...
Improving the higher education experience
The Borough of West Chester is humming once again as students have returned to campus for a new academic year. In a similar fashion, though without the boxes of textbooks and bags of clean laundry, Congress returned to Capitol Hill with a full agenda of critical policy items to address this fall.
In the coming months, the House will work to advance legislation to reauthorize the...
UCF teacher deal is something everyone can live with
But it does highlight need to fix funding formula, charter abuses
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
The deal agreed to by the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and its teachers union earlier this month isn’t perfect, but it is a deal the teachers and the greater community can live with.
Salaries will increase 2.79% annually over the term of the pact — above the likely Act I index, but only...
Mosquito spraying: why doesn’t the county want to talk about it?
County needs to answer questions about spraying program
By Nathaniel Smith, Columnist, The Times
The Kennett Township web site has two running headers at the top: “Monarch Butterfly population decline” and “Mosquito Spraying by Chester County Health Department 8/19/2015.”
Could these two occurrences be connected, as with bee colonies and insect-eating bird populations being...
Op/Ed: Fighting for veterans and first responders
State Rep. argues for support of education needs for both groups
By Rep. Steve Barrar, State Representative (R-160)
State Rep. Steve Barrar (R-160)
I spend a lot of my time learning about the needs of the Commonwealth’s emergency responders, veterans and their families. By always remaining informed, I can best represent these groups as the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee majority...
Birthright citizen challenge is a slippery slope
Can citizenship be taken away by a whim?
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Much in line with the old Chinese curse, we live in interesting times.
Arguably, though, with more than one Republican presidential candidate arguing for repeal (or downright ignoring of) the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, suggesting that the children of illegal immigrants to the United States should be denied citizenship...
Op/Ed: The cost disease in K-12 public education
What every school board director, school administrator, teacher, staff member, parent, and taxpayer needs to know
By Michael T. Rock[1], Samuel and Etta Wexler Professor of Economic History, Bryn Mawr College
Michael T. Rock
Every year school Boards in Pennsylvania like mine, the Unionville Chadds Ford School District, grapple with how to set next year’s school district budget. Historically, annual...
Letter: Plenty of sunshine in Kennett Township
To The Editor,
As the most recently elected Kennett Township Supervisor, and I am responding to Chief McCarthy’s retirement agreement and some residents’ statements and concerns about transparency in Kennett Township.
I want to review the publically available information regarding the agreement signed on May 6, 2015 by Chief McCarthy. There was a news article (Chester County Press, May...
